New York Mets right-hander Kodai Senga on Monday finished second among three finalists in the MLB Rookie of the Year ballot for the National League to miss out on becoming the fifth Japanese player to win the prize in either league.
Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll was the unanimous winner after receiving 30 first-place votes from members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America for 150 points after the 23-year-old batted .285 with 25 home runs, 76 RBIs and 54 stolen bases in 155 games.
Thirty-year-old Senga received 22 second-place votes and five third-place votes for 71 points after going 12-7 with a 2.98 ERA, the latter second in the NL. Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder James Outman was third.
Former Dodgers right-hander Hideo Nomo was the first Japanese to win a Rookie of the Year award in 1995. Former Seattle Mariners closer Kazuhiro Sasaki did it in 2000 and outfielder Ichiro Suzuki won the 2001 American League honor before two-way star Shohei Ohtani joined the list in his first year playing for the Los Angeles Angels in 2018.
Baltimore Orioles infielder Gunnar Henderson won the AL prize unanimously this year after the 22-year-old batted .255 with 28 homers and 82 RBIs in 150 games.
Cleveland Guardians right-hander Tanner Bibee was second and Boston Red Sox infielder Triston Casas third. The Red Sox’s Japanese outfielder Masataka Yoshida placed sixth.