NEW YORK (AP) — Seattle’s Julio Rodríguez and Atlanta’s Michael Harris II, a pair of 21-year-old center fielders, are baseball’s Rookies of the Year. Rodriguez hit .284 with 28 homers, 75 RBIs and 25 stolen bases in helping the Mariners reach the postseason for the first time since 2001. He won the AL honor by receiving 29 of 30 first-place votes and one second for 148 points from a BBWAA panel. Harris batted .297 with 19 homers, 64 RBIs and 20 steals. He was voted the NL award, getting 22 firsts and eight seconds for 134 points from a different BBWAA panel.
Seattle’s Julio Rodríguez and Atlanta’s Michael Harris II had a lot in common — perhaps too much.
The 21-year-old center fielders were runaway winners in Rookie of the Year voting on Monday after seasons of power and speed that led to lucrative long-term contracts but ultimately concluded with early postseason eliminations.
They both made jumps from Double-A straight to the majors.
“I feel like the whole season was unrealistic,” Harris said. “I was just going day to day and I guess living the dream. But now that the season’s over, I guess I can actually look back and think about how crazy of a year it was and how fast it went.”
Rodríguez hit .284 with 28 homers, 75 RBIs and 25 stolen bases in helping the Mariners reach the postseason for the first time since 2001. He won the American League honor by receiving 29 of 30 first-place votes and one second for 148 points from a Baseball Writers’ Association of America panel.
“I went through some shaky times at the beginning of the year, but I was able to stick to myself, trust myself,” Rodríguez said.
Rodríguez made the Mariners’ opening-day roster and hit .205 in April, then rebounded to earn a spot in the All-Star Home Run Derby, where he hit 81 long balls and lost to Juan Soto in the final.
“All the doubts I had throughout the year,” Rodríguez said, “I know it’s going to serve me well along my career.”
Harris batted .297 with 19 homers, 64 RBIs and 20 steals after making his debut on May 28. He was voted the National League award, getting 22 firsts and eight seconds for 134 points from a different BBWAA panel.
“He definitely had a great season. We definitely had similar numbers, too,” Rodríguez said. “He’s an exciting player, young talent. And he’s not afraid. I love his game.”
Rodríguez and Harris both had their first big league multihomer games each other on Sept. 11, with Rodríguez hitting a tying drive in the ninth in a game Seattle won when Eugenio Suárez went deep off Kenley Jansen later in the inning.
“That was a series I won’t forget,” Harris said. “I look forward to playing against him many times in the future.”
Seattle advanced past Toronto in the new wild-card round, then was s wept by eventual champion Houston in the Division Series. Defending champion Atlanta lost a four-game Division Series to Philadelphia.
Baltimore catcher Adley Rutschman was second in the AL with 68 points, getting the other first-place vote, 18 seconds and nine thirds.
Cleveland left fielder Steven Kwan was third with 10 seconds and 14 thirds for 44 points. Kansas City infielder Bobby Witt Jr. had seven points, and Houston shortstop Jeremy Peña finished fifth with two points.
