Tag Archives: Comeback Player of the Year

Albert Pujols Named National League’s ‘Comeback Player of the Year’

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Albert Pujols is this year’s Comeback King…

The 42-year-old Dominican slugger for the St. Louis Cardinals has won the National League’s Comeback Player of the Year award.

Albert PujolsPujols came back to St. Louis for his farewell season and posted his biggest numbers in years at the age of 42. The three-time MLB MVP compiled an .895 OPS for the NL Central champions and became the fourth Major League Baseball player to reach 700 career home runs.

Houston Astros ace Justin Verlander was the American League recipient.

The winners were chosen in voting by the 30 team beat reporters at MLB.com.

Pujols batted .270 with 24 homers and 68 RBIs in 109 games for the Cardinals after getting released by the Los Angeles Angels in May 2021 and finishing last year with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

His OPS was his highest since his last season with the Cardinals in 2011 (.906) before joining the Angels, and his home runs were his most since hitting 31 in 2016 for the Angels.

The 11-time MLB All-Star hit 18 home runs in the second half and retired after the Cardinals were eliminated from the playoffs by Philadelphia in the wild-card round.

He finished his career fourth in major league annals in home runs (703), second in RBIs (2,218) and total bases (6,211) and ninth in hits (3,384).

WTA Names Carla Suarez Navarro its “Comeback Player of the Year”

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Carla Suarez Navarro’s triumphant return to the tennis court is earning her a special award…

The 33-year-old Spanish tennis player has been named the Comeback Player of the Year by the WTA, the governing body of the women’s game.

Carla Suarez Navarro 

Suaraez Navarro announced in September, 2020 that she was being treated for early stage Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

She underwent months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy before returning at the French Open in June.

Suárez Navarro retired after Spain’s elimination from the Billie Jean King Cup Finals.

Her final matches in singles and doubles took place during Spain’s previous tie against Slovakia.

World No. 1 Ash Barty was named WTA Player of the Year for the second time, while US Open champion Emma Raducanu took the Newcomer of the Year title.

Barbora Krejcikova took the WTA prize for the Most Improved Player of the Year following a stellar season in which she won the French Open singles crown.

She also excelled in doubles with playing partner Katerina Siniakova, with the pair earning the Doubles Team of the Year award, which they also won in 2018.

Rafael Nadal Claims ATP’s Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award for Third Straight Year

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Rafael Nadal is true sportsman…

The 34-year-old Spanish tennis star has been named one of the winners of the ATP‘s top awards for 2020.

Rafael Nadal

Nadal received the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award for the third year straight and fourth time overall after winning a 13th Roland Garros crown.

But he isn’t the only Latino to earn an award…

Bruno Soares and his partner Mate Pavic were named the No. 1 doubles team.

The 38-year-old Brazilian tennis player and Pavic were the champions at this year’s US Open.

Carlos Alcaraz was the Newcomer of the Year.

The 17-year-old Spanish tennis player won the award after claiming three Challengers titles.

Novak Djokovic was the year-end No. 1 for a record-equaling sixth time after winning four titles including a record eighth Australian Open.

Roger Federer, who played only six singles all year, was the singles fans’ favorite for a record-extending 18th straight year, and Andrey Rublev of Russia was the most improved in rising from No. 23 to a career-high 8 after winning five titles, more than anyone else on the tour.

Frances Tiafoe was given the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award for his social activism. The American auctioned signed memorabilia to Athletes for COVID-19 Relief and posted a video that united the Black tennis community in the wake of George Floyd‘s killing.

Vasek Pospisil is the Comeback Player of the Year after undergoing back surgery in 2019. The Canadian reached two finals and rose to No. 61 after dropping to No. 150 in 2019.

Kansas City Royals Star Salvador Perez Named the MLB’s AL Comeback Player of the Year

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Salvador Perez is a comeback king…

The 30-year-old Venezuelan professional baseball player, and longtime catcher for the Kansas City Royals, is this year’s American League Comeback Player of the Year.

Salvador Perez

Perez missed the 2019 season after having Tommy John surgery, but returned with a bang in the shortened ’20 campaign.

The 2015 World Series MVP hit a career-best .333 with 11 home runs and 32 RBIs in 37 games.

His career-high .633 slugging percentage was the second-highest in Royals history, trailing only George Brett (.664 in 1980).

And he became just the third catcher since 1900 to record multihit games, including an extra-base hit, in six consecutive contests (September 11-18).

This year’s National League Comeback Player of the Year: Colorado Rockies reliever Daniel Bard.