Tatis promises to make NL ROY a tight race

NEW YORK -- There's a pretty good chance the 2019 National League Rookie of the Year is currently in New York.

Mets first baseman Pete Alonso and Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. will take the field opposite each other for the final time this season on Thursday. The two star rookies appear poised to stage a memorable race for that hardware.

While Tatis was on the injured list in May, Alonso jumped out to a sizable lead in public opinion. That left Tatis playing catchup, and he continued to close the gap on Wednesday, going 3-for-5 with a double in the Padres’ 7-2 victory.

Tatis still doesn't qualify for the league leaderboards, but if he remains healthy, he almost certainly will by mid-August. Alonso has posted a higher WAR this season, but the margin is getting thinner.

Entering play Wednesday, Alonso was worth 3.6 fWAR, while Tatis has been worth 3.4. But since Tatis returned from the IL on June 6, he's posted 2.3 fWAR to Alonso's 1.7.

If the current trends hold, the next two months could be fascinating. That's at least partly because Tatis and Alonso offer two completely separate skill sets.

Alonso has 33 home runs, putting Aaron Judge's rookie record of 52 within his sights. He’s hitting .262/.365/.605, a gaudy slash line for anyone, let alone a 24-year-old rookie.

But Alonso's a first baseman, and Tatis clearly contributes more with the other aspects of his game. His baserunning is elite. His defense -- although it has regressed slightly since his return -- is still well above average. Plus, his rate stats are probably better than Alonso's. He's hitting .331/.392/.599, albeit in 137 fewer plate appearances.

The gap in plate appearances cost Tatis a place on the National League All-Star team, and he was visibly disheartened the day he learned he wasn't on the squad. That same argument will surely be made in Alonso’s favor.

For now at least, Tatis doesn't seem so emotionally invested in the Rookie of the Year race. He says he’s far more interested in keeping the Padres' Wild Card hopes afloat.

"I've just been working hard, trying my best, and I'll just let everything take care of itself," Tatis said.

As for Alonso, Tatis offered some high praise.

"He's a great player, he's a great hitter, and he's showed a lot. I think he already deserves it, but the season is not over. I'm just going to keep pushing, and whoever is the best is going to win. But he has done a great job."

Earlier this week, MLB.com released a Rookie of the Year poll that revealed Alonso taking 35 of 41 first-place votes, with Tatis getting the other six. (Chris Paddack received a few votes for third place.)

But with more than two months remaining in the regular season, there's plenty of time for Tatis to close that gap. Some feel as though he already has.

"He's as impactful as anybody in the game," said manager Andy Green. "If his name's not in consideration, I think some people are missing some things."