Sal Stewart vs JJ Wetherholt for top NL rookie not close | Chris Young

MLB Network's Chris Young offered his perspective on the race for National League Rookie of the Year between Sal Stewart and JJ Wetherholt. Young emphasized that the award is a straightforward numbers award, focusing on offensive statistics. He reiterated that this is not a slight against Wetherholt's impressive rookie season, which saw him hit 28 home runs and amass 100 RBIs.

However, Young argued that the disparity between Stewart's and Wetherholt's statistics is substantial, suggesting a clear winner. He questioned whether WAR, a commonly used metric, adequately captures player value, especially for first basemen. With WAR, Wetherholt's 4.8 is nearly double Stewart's 1.9, leading Young to suggest that Stewart is more likely to win the award. Despite others predicting a tight race, Young leaned towards Stewart as the deserving candidate.