As the regular season starts to wind down, the San Diego Padres are looking to put the finishing touches on what has been an interesting year.
Not only have the Padres gone through multiple rollercoaster-like ups and downs, but the organization has also gone through a record sale . This has all led the Padres to where they currently stand, which is battling for a playoff spot in the crowded National League wild-card standings.
But with only a month left in the season, predictions for award races have started, with a few members of the Padres receiving some consideration.
According to MLB insider Jim Bowden of The Athletic , both Mason Miller and Craig Stammen are predicted to win end-of-season awards this year.
Starting with Miller, he is predicted to win the National League Relief Pitcher of the Year Award. Miller has been the most dominant relief pitcher in baseball this season, helping the Padres out-perform expectations to some degree this year.
For the season, the right-hander has recorded a 1.26 ERA over 55 appearances. He has also registered 32 of 34 save opportunities.
Miller has been called "unhittable" by some of the best closers in baseball history, proving his worth to the sport. But if he can keep up this performance over the final month, the award seems to be his to lose.
As for Stammen, Bowden has him winning the Manager of the Year honor in the NL. Stammen is in his first year with the Padres, and he's had to face a lot during this initial season.
Not only has Stammen had to navigate the ups and downs of the year , but managing the star power on the roster is never easy. Part of what makes a great manager is adapting to the players in the locker room, and Stammen has done this and more.
When the Padres hired Stammen over the offseason, the move raised real questions since he had never managed before at any level. But the skipper has done well so far, putting the Padres in a strong position to reach the playoffs in his first year.
While there are other managers around the NL who could win the award, Stammen has exceeded expectations for this team entering the season. If the Padres finish the final month on a high note, Stammen could earn this honor early in his managerial tenure.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/padres/onsi as Padres Predicted to Have 2 End-of-Season Award Winners in Major Surprise .
