Kansas City Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas has been named the American League Comeback Player of the Year, Major League Baseball announced today on MLB Network'sMLB Now show. The Comeback Player of the Year Awards are officially sanctioned by MLB and presented annually to one player in each league who has re-emerged on the field. This marks Moustakas' third such honor this year, also earning "Comeback Player of the Year" from The Sporting News and the MLB Players' Choice Awards.
Moustakas, 29, enjoyed a career year after being limited to just 27 games in 2016 due to a torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament). In 2017, he slugged a career-best 38 home runs to set the franchise's single-season record, passing Steve Balboni's 36 homers in 1985. Moustakas' home run total also tied for fifth in the American League and eighth in the Majors. He set career highs in runs scored (75), RBI (85), slugging percentage (.521) and total bases (289).
The third baseman was named an All-Star for the second time in his career, winning the MLB Esurance Final Vote, while he also became the third Royal to participate in the Home Run Derby, joining Bo Jackson (1989) and Danny Tartabull (1991).
Moose hit 25 of his 38 home runs before the All-Star break, which also set a club record, passing Jermaine Dye's 22 roundtrippers in the first half in 2000. Of his 38 home runs, 17 of them either tied the score or gave the Royals the lead, including his second career walk-off homer on June 6 off Houston's Ken Giles in a 9-7 come-from-behind win. He led the team with 13 game-winning RBI and was second with 19 go-ahead RBI in 2017.
Former Kansas City Royals pitcher Greg Holland was named the National League recipient of the award, pitching for the Colorado Rockies in 2017.
Mike Moustakas earns MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award
The Comeback Player of the Year Awards are officially sanctioned by MLB and presented annually to one player in each league who has re-emerged on the field.
December 1st, 2017