The Twins' strange aversion to winning when Sonny Gray was on the mound didn't prevent the righthander from producing a stellar season for the team in 2023. In fact, there was none better.
Twins awards: Sonny Gray named team MVP and best pitcher; Carlos Correa also wins two awards
Sonny Gray was named the Twins' MVP as well as the team's best pitcher. Carlos Correa and four other players were honored in voting by the Twin Cities chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America.
October 19, 2023 at 11:50PM
Gray has been chosen, in a vote by the Twin Cities chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America, as the Twins' Most Valuable Player, the team and BBWAA announced Thursday. Gray, whose 2.79 ERA was third lowest in the major leagues, is the seventh pitcher to ever win the Calvin Griffith Award as Twins MVP, joining Phil Hughes (2014), Johan Santana (2004 and '05), Brad Radke (1997 and '99), Jack Morris (1991), Jeff Reardon (1987) and Doug Corbett (1981).
Gray, who gave up only eight home runs in 184 innings and provided 5.3 Wins Above Replacement — the only Twins player to top 3.3 — was also named the winner of the Joseph Haynes Award as the Twins' best pitcher in 2023, though his team somehow won only 14 of his 32 starts.
Carlos Correa, who took home five different Diamond Awards from the Twin Cities BBWAA in 2022, repeated in two categories in 2023. Correa was once again chosen for the Jim Kaat Award as the team's best defensive player, and the Bob Allison Award for leadership.
Royce Lewis, who hit 15 homers and drove in 52 runs in only 58 games, was voted the Twins' outstanding rookie. Lewis, a third baseman, breaks a streak of three consecutive pitchers — Jhoan Duran, Bailey Ober and Randy Dobnak — and 10 of the past 18, to win the Bill Boni Award as top rookie.
Ryan Jeffers was named winner of the team's most improved player award after having a career-best season in numerous offensive categories and tying his season high with 14 home runs.
Pablo López, who enjoyed an All-Star season after being traded to Minnesota in January, will take home the Mike Augustin Award as media good guy, for his willingness and professionalism in working with BBWAA members.
The Dick Seibert Award, given annually to the best major league player from the Upper Midwest, will go to Mitch Keller, a righthander from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, who went 13-9 with 210 strikeouts in 32 starts for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Keller is the second Pirates player, joining fellow Iowan Tony Watson in 2015, to earn the award in its 62-year history.
The Twins have previously announced the winners of their minor league awards — Shortstop Brooks Lee is the Sherry Robertson Award winner as player of the year, and Cory Lewis is pitcher of the year and winner of the Jim Rantz Award.
The winners will be presented with their trophies at the annual Diamond Awards banquet, Jan. 25 at the Armory in Minneapolis.
Only 34 years old, Jeremy Zoll has worked his way up the organizational ranks since coming to the Twins in 2018.
