A's Rookies Attempting to Match Atlanta Braves Feat

The American League Rookie of the Year finalists were announced on Monday, and as expected, the Athletics had two of the three representatives on the ticket in Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson. They are joined by Boston's Roman Anthony after the outfielder had a terrific season for the Sox.

Yet, the A's teammates are trying to match some history that hasn't been accomplished since the Atlanta Braves in 2022, when they had Michael Harris II and Spencer Strider finish first and second for the NL Rookie of the Year award. Harris ended up winning a close overall vote.

This year's version is expected to be Kurtz getting all of the first place votes, and then Wilson and Anthony collecting as many of the remaining votes as possible. Given that Anthony plays for the big market Boston club, he may have an edge in the voting.

Yet, if Kurtz and Wilson finish first and second, they would be the first American League teammates to do so since Alvin Davis and Mark Langston of the Seattle Mariners back in 1984. Only nine pairs of teammates have finished first and second in the ROY voting, which began in 1947 with Jackie Robinson taking it home. There was only one winner total the first two seasons.

The key here for Wilson and Kurtz will be finishing first and second in either order, since plenty of teammates have finished first and third or second and third. It's that first and second that's elusive. Last year Yankees pitcher Luis Gil and catcher Austin Wells finished first and third.

In terms of seasons, Kurtz was the far and away best, but here is how Anthony and Wilson stacked up.

Wilson: 125 games / .311 AVG / .355 OBP / 3.5 fWAR / 13 HR / 121 wRC+

Anthony: 71 games / .292 AVG / .396 OBP / 2.7 fWAR / 8 HR / 140 wRC+

This is where personal judgement will play a role, since Anthony accrued 54 fewer games. One voter could look at his numbers and extrapolate from there what his season would have looked like if he'd stayed healthy. On the other hand, there's no guarantee that he would have kept up that pace, either, which could have led to a .370 OBP or something not quite as flashy as a near .400 on-base.

Wilson put up his numbers, and was even in competition for the batting title with Aaron Judge up until the final week of the season. It will be interesting to see how the voters feel at the end of this, especially considering that Detroit's Dillon Dingler was actually the second-most valuable AL rookie according to WAR, though he didn't make the top three.

Does that bode better for Anthony or Wilson? We'll have to wait and see. Results will be announced on November 10.

Regardless of the order they finish, both Kurtz and Wilson will be strengthening their cases in potential extension talks this winter.