San Diego Padres: 2018 MVP, Rookie Of The Year, Cy Young

With the 2018 San Diego Padres season behind us, let’s discuss who is worthy of a few end of season awards.

As the adage goes, absence makes the heart grow fonder, right? After witnessing one of the worst offensive performances in franchise history this season, San Diego Padres fans could use this offseason to step away for a moment. The Friars may have finished with a 66-96 record and 25.5 games behind the National League West champion Los Angeles Dodgers, but as soon as spring training rolls around, the excitement will return.

This offseason should be an exciting one for the franchise, with plenty of moves needing to be made before Opening Day 2019. However, we can’t officially begin the offseason until we hand out our 2018 awards.

Let’s start with the easiest of them all to award, the 2018 San Diego Padres Rookie of the Year Award. This year’s winner is starting pitcher Joey Lucchesi.

Christian Villanueva appeared poised to run away with this award and possibly finish near the top of the National League Rookie of the Year voting before an injury ended his rookie season earlier than expected. He challenged Hunter Renfroe‘s franchise rookie record for home runs in a season but fell just short and now finds himself in search of a new position for 2019.

Joey Lucchesi, on the other hand, pitched to one of the best seasons ever by a San Diego Padres rookie starting pitcher.

Getting his call to the big leagues a little earlier than expected, Lucchesi started 26 games, posting an 8-9 record with a 4.08 ERA (4.31 FIP) and a 1.29 WHIP. He finished with the highest fWAR on the team (among starting pitchers) at 1.1, striking out 27% of hitters, walking 8%, and holding them to a .250 batting average.

Fans fell in love with his funky delivery and “churve” pitch and even more so with his work ethic on the mound. Lucchesi ended the season on a very high note, striking out 8 and walking none in six innings of two-hit ball against an Arizona Diamondbacks team that he struggled against all season long.

He has all the stuff to be a solid 3/4 pitcher in this rotation for many years to come and gave fans plenty to cheer about during this tough season. Not only is he our rookie of the year, but he was also a serious contender for the team Cy Young award.