Tony Watson played seven seasons with the Pirates before heading to the West Coast to play for the Dodgers, Giants and now Angels. The 2014 All-Star has appeared in 655 career games, all in relief, and owns a lifetime 2.90 ERA.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
ANTHONY RENDON
Maybe Anthony Rendon will no longer be considered one of the most underrated players in baseball after his stellar season. The 29-year-old third baseman slashed .319/.412/.598 and led the majors with 126 RBIs and topped the NL with 44 doubles for the second consecutive year. He also made contact with a best-in-the-NL 88.3% of the pitches he swung at.
MIKE TROUT
Mike Trout continued to demonstrate why he’s widely considered this generation’s greatest player both offensively and defensively. With his season cut short by about a month, the 28-year-old New Jersey native produced .291 batting average, 45 HR and a 104 RBIs. Trout, who has now hit at least 27 home runs in each of his eight full seasons, also led the AL with a 1.083 OPS.
CHRISTIAN YELICH
Christian Yelich, 27-year-old outfielder from Southern California, has emerged as one of baseball’s best hitters since joining the Brewers in January 2018. He slashed .329/.429/.671, leading the league in all three categories, while hitting 44 home runs to go along with 97 RBIs and 30 stolen bases despite missing the last few weeks of the season with a fractured knee cap.
2019 Players Choice Awards Player of the Year Finalists
Christian Yelich, Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon are top vote recipients
NEW YORK, Oct. 18 – Christian Yelich, Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon were selected by their peers in both leagues as finalists for overall Player of the Year in 2019 Players Choice Awards balloting.
The winner of Player of the Year will receive a $50,000 grant from the Major League Baseball Players Trust to direct to a charity of his choice.
Additionally, the Marvin Miller Man of the Year will receive a $50,000 grant and the eight league-wide Players Choice Award winners will receive grants of $20,000 each.
All told, the 2019 Players Choice Award winners will designate charities to receive grants totaling $260,000 from the Major League Baseball Players Trust. Since 1992, the Players Trust has recognized the outstanding on-and off-field performances of Players Choice Awards winners by contributing more than $5 million to charities around the world.
Through their collective charity, Players pool resources to support efforts that provide hope, sustainability and lasting change around the world. Players direct grants to the wide range of causes they support – from disaster relief to health and human services to growing baseball in the United States and abroad.
Players Choice Awards voting among all players was conducted in mid-September by the accounting firm KPMG. Winners will be announced next week.
About the Major League Baseball Players Trust
Through the Players Trust, Major Leaguers contribute their time, money and celebrity to call attention to important causes. Each year the Players Trust distributes more than $1.5 million in annual grants and programs. For additional information, please visit www.PlayersTrust.org, @MLBPlayersTrust.