by Cary Osborne

Walker Buehler’s argument for the National League Rookie of the Year is one sentence long. He is having one of the greatest seasons ever by a rookie starting pitcher.

Buehler, 24, ranks in the top 10 (minimum 20 starts) among rookies all time in a majority of the most meaningful pitching categories, highlighted by a WHIP that ranks second in the Modern Era.

Rounded up, Buehler is tied with 2013 Rookie of the Year José Fernández at 0.979. But he is ever-so-slightly ahead at 0.9785 to Fernández’s 0.9787.

St. Louis’ Dick Hughes, who finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year balloting in 1967 to Tom Seaver, holds the record with a 0.954 WHIP.

Hughes’ career was cut short in 1968 by a shoulder injury.

Buehler’s 2.40 ERA as a starter ranks 13th all time with the same minimum. It’s second in Dodger history to Orel Hershiser’s 2.19.

Buehler ranks in the top 10 in the following categories:

· Opponents’ OBP: .257 (2nd)

· Strikeout-to-walk ratio: 4.47 (5th)

· Opponents OPS: .569 (8th)

· Opponents AVG: .198 (9th)

· Strikeouts per nine innings: 10.32 (9th)

Buehler’s 142 ERA+ is tied for 17th best over the last 50 years with the same minimum.

Much of the NL Rookie of the Year conversation has centered on two outfielders— Atlanta left fielder Ronald Acuña and Washington left fielder Juan Soto, making it difficult for Buehler to compare.

Acuña, 20, is batting .289/.364/.561/.926 with 26 home runs, 58 RBI and 15 stolen bases in 461 plate appearances.

Soto, 19, is batting .295/.406/.516/.922 with 21 home runs, 66 RBI in 472 plate appearances.

Each player is having his own historic season.

Acuña is one of four rookies all time to hit 25 homers and steal 15 bases in his age 20 season or younger. The others are Mike Trout, Alex Rodriguez and Orlando Cepeda. He is also the sixth player to hit at least 25 homers in a rookie season before turning 21.

Soto’s 20 homers are the third most ever by a teenager. The 19-year-old is behind Tony Conigliaro’s 24 in 1964 and Bryce Harper’s 22 in 2012. Soto’s OPS, OBP and slugging percentage are the best ever by a teenage rookie (min. 450 plate appearances) and his 140 OPS+ is the best ever by a wide margin (Harper, 118).

If the best way to compare the trio of players is WAR, this is how they stack up:

· Acuña: 4.1

· Buehler: 3.0

· Soto: 2.8

Since the All-Star Break, it’s been Buehler and Acuña who have been the most spectacular of the three.

Buehler has a 2.24 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, has averaged 11.2 K/9 and has a 4.42 K/BB ratio, holding opponents to a .171 average. He ranks seventh in the Majors in ERA, fourth in WHIP, 10thin K/9 and second in opponents’ AVG.

Acuña is batting .318/.404/.649/.1.053 with 19 homers and 13 stolen bases in the second half. He is fourth in OPS and slugging and third in homers.

Soto is hitting .286/.399/.502/.902 with 11 homers in the second half.