Congratulations to Luis Gil, the 2024 American League Rookie of the Year!
Gil was named the winner of the Jackie Robinson AL Rookie of the Year Award on Monday night, via the second-closest margin since the BBWAA went to a three-player ballot in 1980. Gil received 15 first, 10 second, and one third-place vote for 106 points, edging Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser by five points.
Cowser was named on 27 of 30 ballots compared to Gil’s 26, but he received 13 first, 11 second, and three third-place votes, so the 5-3-1 point system worked in favor of Gil.
“It means so much to me. It’s incredible,” Gil said through an interpreter on the MLB Network broadcast of the award reveal. “I’m so happy and excited about this, and I thank God for allowing me to be here, and the team for giving me this opportunity. I’m very thankful to be able to pitch the whole year and have a healthy year.”
Yankees teammate Austin Wells finished third, receiving three second and eight third-place votes for 17 points, edging Athletics fireballer Mason Miller by one point for the bronze. Miller was one of four other players receiving votes.
“Congratulations to Luis on an amazing season. He worked so hard to put himself in a strong position heading into spring training after coming back from Tommy John surgery,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said in a statement released by the team. “Without a guarantee of a Major League spot, he absolutely kicked in the door this spring and went on to have a phenomenal rookie season. Luis continued to mature and develop all year and was one of the pillars of our rotation. I can’t wait to see what’s next for such a talented, young pitcher.”
The only balloting since 1980 closer than this one also involved a Yankee: the 2003 award, which saw Angel Berroa edge out Hideki Matsui by four points. This time, though, Gil becomes the 10th Yankee to win the award (and first since Aaron Judge in 2017), and the fifth Dominican-born winner after a season where he went 15-7 with a 3.50 ERA in 151 2/3 innings across 29 starts.
"When you come up as a young player, as a rookie, first of all, your dream is to make it to the Big Leagues, but once you get there, you want to contribute, you want to do your job and help the team,” Gil said. “Very excited and happy for the opportunity. Incredible.”
Paul Skenes was the winner in a very cut-and-dried NL race, as he received 23 of 30 first-place votes and seven second-place votes to defeat the Padres’ Jackson Merrill, who got the reverse vote total. Only two other NL players even got votes, with Brewers OF Jackson Chourio getting 26 of the 30 first-place votes and Cubs hurler Shota Imanaga getting the other four.