Year Winner Image Team Position Comeback

2011 Boston Red Sox Outfielder In 2010, Ellsbury only played in 18 games after breaking three ribs in a fielding collision with Adrián Beltré. In 2011, Ellsbury was the first Red Sox player and one of four Major Leaguers (the most in a single season) to record 30 homers and 30 stolen bases, and he posted career highs in nearly every offensive category. The center fielder hit .321 with 32 homers, 105 RBIs, 39 steals, 46 doubles, five triples and 119 runs, and he led the Majors with 364 total bases and 83 extra-base hits.[5][28]

2014 Seattle Mariners Starting pitcher Young didn't pitch in the majors in 2013, as thoracic outlet syndrome limited him to just nine starts in the Washington Nationals minor league system. The condition was so acute that the pain had Young considering retirement, before it was ultimately surgically corrected in the 2013 offseason.[38] Released by the Nationals at the tailend of 2014 spring training, Young signed with the Mariners and experienced a resurgence, being one of the team's most reliable starting pitchers. For the season, Young went 12–9 with a 3.65 earned run average, as the Mariners finished just one game short of qualifying for the postseason.[ citation needed ]

2015 Texas Rangers Designated hitter Fielder played only 42 games in 2014 before having season-ending neck surgery. He bounced back strong in 2015, hitting .305/.378/.463 with 23 homers and 98 RBI in 158 games.[ citation needed ]

2016 Boston Red Sox Starting pitcher Porcello ended 2015 with a 9-15 record and an ERA of 4.92. He pitched only 172 innings and had a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.92. In 2016, Porcello won the AL Cy Young Award going 22-4 with an ERA of 3.15 and pitching 223 innings, while leading the major leagues with a strikeout to walk ratio of 5.91.[39]

2017 Kansas City Royals Third baseman In 2016, Moustakas only played in 27 games after tearing his ACL in a fielding collision with Alex Gordon. In 2017, he played in 148 games and batted .272 and hit a career-high 38 home runs.