Manoah, Schwindel are top Sept. rookies
Alek Manoah and Frank Schwindel's strong finishes to their rookie seasons earned them MLB's Rookie of the Month honors for September.
Manoah, the Blue Jays' electric right-hander, was named American League Rookie of the Month on Monday. Schwindel, the Cubs' slugger, was named National League Rookie of the Month.
With Toronto locked in the AL Wild Card race, Manoah went 4-0 with a 3.38 ERA and 41 strikeouts in 37 1/3 innings over the final month of the season. The Blue Jays won all six of his starts, including four big wins against the postseason contender A's, Yankees and Rays.
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Manoah's best start came against the Rays on Sept. 13, when he pitched eight innings of one-hit ball with 10 strikeouts. The 23-year-old closed out his season with a seven-inning, one-hit, one-run, 10-strikeout gem against the Orioles on Saturday.
Schwindel batted .344 with a .600 slugging percentage and .988 OPS in September and October. The 29-year-old first baseman had seven home runs, 22 RBIs and 18 extra-base hits.
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It's the second straight NL Rookie of the Month Award for Schwindel.
Manoah is the Blue Jays' first winner since Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in July 2018.