The Major League Baseball regular season is just about six months long, which allows us to break the season into six convenient chunks. Each of these chunks is equal, even if it doesn’t seem that way at the time.
Throughout the year, we have put together an All-Star Team for each month. Here are the picks for the final full month of 2022.
Each player is listed with his key stats for September, entering Friday.
The Phillies have been limping down the stretch in their attempt to secure the final NL Wild Card berth, and it has been Realmuto — rather than some of the team’s more high-profile sluggers — who has carried them. And that’s not even accounting for his defense.
Is it possible Rutschman is just going to have this spot his entire career?
Who says veterans fade down the stretch? Altuve had one of the best months of his career this September, and if history is any indication, he’ll carry it over into the postseason, as well.
What you want from your shortstop is to step up when you’re in a race for the postseason, when it’s most needed. Both of these guys have been lifesavers for their teams down the stretch.
There was no tougher choice this month than picking between Escobar and Justin Turner, the two players with the highest September OPS in the NL. Escobar had so many dramatic moments, though, that he had to be the guy.
Sure, Suárez missed some time this month, but he was an absolute monster when he played, and he even got himself an all-timer of a walk-off moment to beat Kenley Jansen and the Braves on Sept. 11.
Outfield
NL: Daulton Varsho, D-backs (9 HR); Bryan Reynolds, Pirates (.847 OPS); Michael Harris II, Braves (6 HR, .928 OPS)
AL: Aaron Judge, Yankees (10 HR, 1.437 OPS); Julio Rodríguez, Mariners (6 HR, 1.189 OPS); Taylor Ward, Angels (6 HR, 1.039 OPS)
It was actually a bit difficult to find standout outfielders this month. The NL crew is sort of middling — though good for Varsho, who has been quietly incredible for a few months now — and Rodríguez has missed a ton of time with injuries but was dominant when he played.
Honestly, though, we should probably just give all six spots to Judge.
You could have gone with Dylan Cease in the AL and José Quintana in the NL, if you had wanted. But it is certainly a pretty big news item that these two playoff teams have the hottest starters in baseball right now.
Yep, there’s another good pitcher with the last name Rogers you have to look out for.
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