Every vote mattered in the 2024 American League Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year race.
Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil bested Orioles left fielder Colton Cowser by the margin of one first-place vote, 106-101.
USA Today MLB columnist Bob Nightengale shared the results on social media, which revealed Gil received 15 first-place votes (75 points) to Colton’s 13 (65 points), while Cowser received 36 points from second- and third-place votes compared to Gil’s 31 points.
It was the second-closed AL Rookie of the Year vote since 1980, according to Nightengale.
The only vote closer since former Blue Jays shortstop Alfredo Griffin’s and former Twins third baseman John Castino’s split of the award in 1979 was in 2003.
Former Royals shortstop Angel Berroa won the award over former Yankees left fielder Hideki Matsui by a four-point margin, 88-84.
It’s understandable why voters were split between 2024’s top two vote-getters.
Gil started 29 games for New York and went 15-7 with a 3.50 earned run average (ERA). He struck out 171 batters while leading the AL in fewest walks (77) in 151.2 innings.
Cowser appeared in 153 games for Baltimore and was one of AL’s best fielders.
His .997 fielding percentage ranked third in the AL. Per Baseball Savant, he has one of the strongest fielding arms, ranking in the 96th percentile in arm strength.
At the plate, Cowser hit .242 with 24 home runs and a .321 on-base percentage.
With Gil’s win, pitchers received the two Rookie of the Year awards for the first time since 2011 and the fifth since 1949. Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes won in the National League.
His victory came in a landslide compared to Gil’s, with Skenes receiving 23 of the 30 first-place votes.
The wins may have come in different sizes, but both are equally sweet.
