Top five American League Rookie of the Year candidates

The 2023 Major League Baseball season is heading into the home stretch. Who will take home the hardware as the American League's Rookie of the Year? Below are the top five contenders in inverse order. (Yardbarker's NL Rookie of the Year candidates are here.) 

All stats are through Monday, Sept. 4.

5. Esteury Ruiz | Oakland Athletics, CF

KEY STAT: 56 stolen bases, most in AL

As a team, the A's (42-96) stink. One of the few bright spots in Oakland is its 24-year-old rookie center fielder, whom they obtained from the Milwaukee Brewers in the offseason. His steals total is the most for an A's player since the self-proclaimed "greatest of all time," Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, swiped 66 in 1998.

4. Tanner Bibee | Cleveland Guardians, RHP

KEY STAT: 10-3 record, best among Guardians pitchers

Pitching has been a hallmark for Cleveland baseball since the days of Cy Young, and the Guardians appear to have found another talented arm in their 24-year-old righty. With former Cy Young Award winner Shane Bieber plagued by injury and inconsistency, Bibee has become Cleveland's ace. In addition to his stellar record, Bibee also leads the staff with 124.2 innings pitched and 125 strikeouts.

3. Masataka Yoshida | Boston Red Sox, LF

KEY STAT: 139 hits, most among Red Sox

Boston's 30-year-old import from Fukui, Japan, has joined Rafael Devers and Justin Turner among the most dependable hitters in the lineup. Along with his team lead in hits, Yoshida has the highest batting average on the Sox (.298). His efforts have been complemented by fellow rookie Triston Casas, an honorable mention for this list. He has 23 home runs and leads the Red Sox with a .368 on-base percentage and 63 walks.