MLB Award Race Updates: Favorites Entering September

There may be just under a month left in the regular season, but there is still a lot up in the air when it comes to the MLB award races.

Here’s a look at where the MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, and Manager of the Year races stand entering September and how things have changed since our last update in July.

Stats from prior to games on September 1.

AL MVP

Front-Runner: DH Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros (Midseason Ranking: 1)

• .317/.432/.605, 37 HR, 94 RBI, 5.9 bWAR

Yordan Alvarez remains atop my MVP ballot despite a mediocre (by his standards) recent stretch, as he has slashed just .253/.379/.398 since August 4. He has dragged a flawed Astros to the top of the AL West by leading the American League in all three Triple Crown categories, so he can be forgiven for a mortal four-week stretch.

The Rest of My Ballot

BBWAA voters put 10 names on their MVP ballots. Here’s who would fill out mine:

2. 3B Junior Caminero, 3B, Tampa Bay Rays (Midseason Ranking: 2)

• .282/.369/.536, 37 HR, 87 RBI, 4.9 bWAR

3. SS Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals (Midseason Ranking: 4)

• .285/.361/.452, 16 HR, 49 RBI, 36 SB, 6.3 bWAR

4. 1B Pete Alonso, Baltimore Orioles (Midseason Ranking: NR)

• .268/.360/.500, 32 HR, 91 RBI, 3.8 bWAR

5. SP Cam Schlittler, New York Yankees (Midseason Ranking: 9)

• 28 GS, 2.09 ERA, 163.2 IP, 2.3 BB/9, 11.0 K/9, 5.9 bWAR

6. SP Dylan Cease, Toronto Blue Jays (Midseason Ranking: NR)

• 25 GS, 2.33 ERA, 150.1 IP, 3.9 BB/9, 13.0 K/9, 5.7 bWAR

7. 1B Willson Contreras, Boston Red Sox (Midseason Ranking: 5)

• .274/.384/.516, 26 HR, 79 RBI, 4.4 bWAR

8. 3B Miguel Vargas, Chicago White Sox (Midseason Ranking: NR)

• .249/.363/.488, 29 HR, 76 RBI, 4.5 bWAR

9. OF Ceddanne Rafaela, Boston Red Sox (Midseason Ranking: NR)

• .284/.319/.446, 16 HR, 70 RBI, 17 SB, 5.5 bWAR

10. SS Kevin McGonigle, Detroit Tigers (Midseason Ranking: 6)

• .274/.375/.416, 14 HR, 58 RBI, 12 SB, 6.1 bWAR 

Junior Caminero is Alvarez’s biggest threat for the majors’ first offensive Triple Crown since 2012, as the two sluggers are tied with 37 home runs and separated by just seven RBI. The issue for him comes in the third category, as he trails Alvarez by 35 points in batting average as well as by 63 points in on-base percentage.

After back-to-back top four MVP finishes, it appeared that the door was opened for Bobby Witt Jr. to finally capture the award when Aaron Judge went down with a rib injury at the beginning of June. Yet while Witt has still had a fantastic all-around season, his slight power drop-off and a brief IL stint with a back injury have him slotted just behind Alvarez and Caminero for now.

After eight seasons with the Mets, it was understandable that Pete Alonso would take some time to find his groove in his first season in Baltimore. The Polar Bear has been among the best hitters in all of baseball since the beginning of June, slashing .293/.391/.552 over his last 78 games and almost single-handedly keeping the Orioles in the playoff race by posting a 1.217 OPS with nine home runs and 20 RBI since August 9.

The Blue Jays are somehow just 1.5 games out of a playoff spot, and Dylan Cease has been the biggest reason why. He is the only Blue Jays starting pitcher besides the recently traded Kevin Gausman to make over 20 starts, strike out over 100 batters, or have an ERA below 3.65, exceeding all the expectations that came with the seven-year, $210 million contract he signed last winter.

With an offense that has sputtered since the beginning of June and a rotation that has seen veterans Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón, and Max Fried miss significant time, no player has been more important to the Yankees than Cam Schlittler. The sophomore right-hander has yet to miss a turn in the rotation and has posted a 201 ERA+ over 163.2 innings.

Willson Contreras’ second half has not been nearly as smooth as his first, in large part due to a variety of ailments that have hampered his performance. Yet even though he is clearly not 100%, Contreras has found a way to get on base at a .395 clip since the All-Star break and is one of only three AL players with a season-long OPS of at least .900.

Miguel Vargas has been the most pleasantly surprising player for baseball’s pleasantly surprising team. The All-Star Game MVP leads the AL with 92 runs scored, has nearly doubled his home run total from 16 to 29, and has added over 130 points to his OPS,

After dramatic second-half falloffs in each of his first two MLB seasons, Ceddanne Rafaela has slashed a noticeably improved .289/.303/.471 line since the All-Star break, nearly identical to the .281/.328/.443 line he posted in the first half. The Platinum Glove candidate now trails only Alvarez, Witt and Kevin McGonigle with a 5.5 bWAR, which earns him the ninth spot after he missed the top 10 in July.

Speaking of Kevin McGonigle, the Tigers star shortstop has continued his remarkably steady rookie season, ranking fifth in the AL with a .379 on-base percentage and walking as often as he has struck out. He has a strong chance for Rookie of the Year, but his meager power numbers and average defensive metrics have him slotted firmly into the second tier of MVP contenders.

Falling Off

• 1B Ben Rice, New York Yankees (Midseason Ranking: 3)
• 1B Nick Kurtz, Athletics (Midseason Ranking: 7)
• OF Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins (Midseason Ranking: 8)
• C Dillon Dingler, Detroit Tigers (Midseason Ranking: 10)

Also in Consideration

• OF Wilyer Abreu, Boston Red Sox 
• OF Randy Arozarena, Seattle Mariners
• OF Jac Caglianone, Kansas City Royals 
• DH Yandy Díaz, Tampa Bay Rays 
• 1B Munetaka Murakami, Chicago White Sox 

NL MVP

Front-Runner: OF Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chicago Cubs (Midseason Ranking: 2)

• .282/.376/.573, 38 HR, 91 RBI, 32 SB, 8.4 bWAR

In what has long been established as a two-horse race, it looked for much of the first half that Pete Crow-Armstrong would join the long list of MVP runner-ups to Shohei Ohtani. Yet with a midseason knee injury keeping Ohtani off the mound since July 3, the scales have been drastically tipped in Crow-Armstrong’s favor.

​PCA already possessed a significant edge on the bases and in the field, but a five-homer weekend now gives him an unequivocal advantage at the plate. Even factoring in Ohtani’s dominant first half on the mound, Crow-Armstrong has a full two-win advantage in bWAR, a mark that continues to grow by the day.

The Rest of My Ballot

BBWAA voters put 10 names on their MVP ballots. Here’s who would fill out mine:

2. SP/DH Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers (Midseason Ranking: 1)

• .280/.379/.529, 30 HR, 80 RBI, 10 SB 3.5 bWAR
• 14 GS, 1.79 ERA, 85.2 IP, 2.7 BB/9, 10.0 K/9, 2.9 bWAR 

3. SP Jacob Misiorowski, Milwaukee Brewers  (Midseason Ranking: 3)

•    25 GS, 1.73 ERA, 151.0 IP, 2.1 BB/9, 13.2 K/9, 5.6 bWAR

4. SP Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves (Midseason Ranking: NR)

• 24 GS, 2.06 ERA, 144.0 IP, 1.8 BB/9, 11.1 K/9, 5.1 bWAR

5. 1B Matt Olson, Atlanta Braves (Midseason Ranking: 9)

• .256/.333/.523, 37 HR, 80 RBI, 4.1 bWAR

6. SP Cristopher Sánchez, Philadelphia Phillies (Midseason Ranking: 8)

• 28 GS, 2.52 ERA, 175.1 IP, 2.0 BB/9, 10.4 K/9, 7.5 bWAR

7. C Gabriel Moreno, Arizona Diamondbacks (Midseason Ranking: NR)

• .303/.382/.468, 11 HR, 67 RBI, 4.7 bWAR

8. DH Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies (Midseason Ranking: 6)

• .243/.359/.524, 40 HR, 82 RBI, 2.7 bWAR

9. SS CJ Abrams, Washington Nationals (Midseason Ranking: NR)

• .267/.343/.506, 29 HR, 92 RBI, 26 SB, 4.4 bWAR

10. 1B Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies (Midseason Ranking: NR)

• .268/.386/.505, 27 HR, 78 RBI, 3.5 bWAR

It seemed unthinkable that Jacob Misiorowski would be able to sustain his incredible pace and triple-digit fastball, but the Brewers ace has been able to do just that. His 1.73 ERA is over a quarter run lower than second-place Chris Sale, and his dominance on the bump is the biggest reason for the Brewers’ MLB-best 85-52 record.

​Perhaps no starting pitcher in baseball has carried their rotation like Chris Sale, as his 2.18 FIP is exactly two full runs lower than second-place Brave Martin Perez. The only thing working against him regarding MVP consideration is volume: He ranks just 17th in the National League in innings pitched and has pitched into the seventh inning just twice since May 20.

​With Austin Riley suffering through a career-worst campaign and Ronald Acuña Jr. limited to just 80 games thus far, it has been up to Matt Olson to keep the Braves offense afloat, and he has delivered another standout season. He is closing in on just his second career 40-home run season while trailing only Crow-Armstrong with 280 total bases.

​While Misiorowski has been the obvious class of the National League on a per-innings basis, no pitcher has accumulated more total value in the majors this year than Cristopher Sánchez. He leads all MLB pitchers with a 7.5 bWAR, eating 175.1 superb innings for a Phillies team that has suddenly vaulted itself back into the top Wild Card position.

​Often overshadowed by All-Star teammates Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte, Gabriel Moreno has been the biggest reason for the Diamondbacks staying in the playoff race. His 4.7 bWAR is over a win and a half higher than any other catcher in baseball, a reflection of his outstanding pure hitting ability and elite defensive metrics across the board.

​Had this ballot purely been about offensive value, CJ Abrams would likely have ranked inside the top three, as only Crow-Armstrong has surpassed his combination of home runs (29) and stolen bases (26). Yet it’s impossible to ignore what Abrams has done on the other side of the ball, accumulating a league-worst -17 Outs Above Average at shortstop before the Nationals mercifully began transitioning him to second base.

Though he may never hit 40 home runs or accumulate nearly 10 bWAR as he did in 2015, Bryce Harper has remained an incredibly productive player into his thirties. This season may be his finest since his 2021 MVP campaign, as he leads MLB with 97 walks while playing in all of the Phillies’ 137 contests.

Falling Off 

• OF James Wood, Washington Nationals (Midseason Ranking: 4)
• SS Otto Lopez, Miami Marlins (Midseason Ranking: 5)
• OF Juan Soto, New York Mets (Midseason Ranking: 7)
• OF Jordan Walker, St. Louis Cardinals (Midseason Ranking: 10)

Also in Consideration

• 2B Brice Turang, Milwaukee Brewers
• OF Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks 
• 3B Max Muncy, Los Angeles Dodgers
• SS Elly De La Cruz, Cincinnati Reds
• OF Michael Harris II, Atlanta Braves
• OF Andy Pages, Los Angeles Dodgers 
• 3B Alex Bregman, Chicago Cubs

AL Cy Young

Front-runner: SP Cam Schlittler, New York Yankees (Midseason Ranking: 1)

• 20 GS, 2.05 ERA, 118.2 IP, 1.9 BB/9, 10.4 K/9, 4.1 bWAR

​Though Blue Jays ace Dylan Cease has been making a strong push for the top spot, he has not been able to overcome Cam Schlittler. Other than strikeouts, Schlittler possesses an advantage in nearly every major category, including innings pitched (163.1 to 144.1), ERA (2.09 to 2.33) and WHIP (0.97 to 1.05)

The Rest of My Ballot

BBWAA voters only select five names on their Cy Young ballots, but let’s go 10 deep:

2. SP Dylan Cease, Toronto Blue Jays (Midseason Ranking: 2)

• 25 GS, 2.33 ERA, 150.1 IP, 3.9 BB/9, 13.0 K/9, 5.7 bWAR

3. SP Parker Messick, Cleveland Guardians (Midseason Ranking: 5)

• 26 GS, 2.46 ERA, 161.0 IP, 2.4 BB/9, 9.0 K/9, 5.4 bWAR

4. SP Sonny Gray, Boston Red Sox (Midseason Ranking: 3)

• 25 GS, 2.82 ERA, 143.2 IP, 2.3 BB/9, 8.0 K/9, 3.4 bWAR

5. SP Louis Varland, Toronto Blue Jays (Midseason Ranking: 9)

• 61 G, 31-32 SV, 1.18 ERA, 68.2 IP, 2.4 BB/9, 11.0 K/9, 3.3 bWAR

6. SP Drew Rasmussen, Tampa Bay Rays (Midseason Ranking: 8)

• 26 GS, 2.95 ERA, 146.1 IP, 1.7 BB, 9.2 K/9, 3.4 bWAR

7. RP Bryan Baker, Tampa Bay Rays (Midseason Ranking: NR)

• 54 G, 39-42 SV, 1.50 ERA, 52.0 IP, 2.8 BB/9, 10.0 K/9, 2.5 bWAR

8. SP Logan Gilbert, Seattle Mariners (Midseason Ranking: 6)

• 27 GS, 3.42 ERA, 160.1 IP, 2.2 BB/9, 9.3 K/9, 3.3 bWAR

9. RP Aroldis Chapman, Boston Red Sox (Midseason Ranking: NR)

• 37 G, 30-31 SV, 1.77 ERA, 45.2 IP, 3.9 BB/9, 11.8 K/9, 1.9 bWAR

10. Nick Martinez, Tampa Bay Rays (Midseason Ranking: 10)

• 26 GS, 2.99 ERA, 153.2 IP, 2.2 BB/9, 9.3 K/9, 3.3 bWAR

Though Blue Jays ace Dylan Cease has been making a strong push for the top spot, he has not been able to overcome Cam Schlittler. Other than strikeouts, Schlittler possesses an advantage in nearly every major category, including innings pitched (163.1 to 144.1), ERA (2.09 to 2.33) and WHIP (0.97 to 1.05)

​There is a clear drop-off after the top two, but that shouldn’t take away from the remarkable rookie season that Parker Messick has had. The Guardians rookie left-hander has allowed two runs or fewer in 21 of his 26 starts this year and trails only Schlittler and Cease in both ERA (2.46) and bWAR (5.4).

​Messick’s second-half dominance has leapfrogged him over Red Sox right-hander Sonny Gray, but that is hardly an indictment on the season the 36-year-old has put together. While pitcher wins are often misleading, Gray’s MLB-best 16-3 record is a testament to his consistency, as he has allowed three runs or fewer in 21 of his 25 starts while completing at least six innings in 14 of his last 16 outings.

​Drew Rasmussen has been one of the best pitchers in baseball over the last two seasons after missing most of 2023 and 2024 recovering from an internal brace procedure. While his ERA is slightly higher than it was in 2025, Rasmussen has added over four points to his strikeout rate and cut his walk rate by nearly two points, the latter of which has helped him post a league-best 0.93 WHIP.

​After appearing in an MLB-record 15 games during last year’s postseason, Blue Jays closer Louis Varland has taken his game to even greater heights in 2026. The flame-throwing right-hander leads all AL relievers with a 3.1 bWAR and a 1.22 ERA while blowing just one of his 30 save opportunities.

​In an American League stacked with standout closers, it is the underheralded Bryan Baker who leads MLB with 38 saves. Acquired from the Orioles at last year’s deadline, Baker has posted a 1.50 ERA that is nearly two full runs lower than any of his five other MLB seasons, and he has allowed multiple runs in just one of his 54 appearances this season.

​While much of the Mariners’ vaunted rotation has underperformed this season, you can’t blame Logan Gilbert. The lanky right-hander has yet to miss a turn through the rotation and is on track for his third consecutive season with an ERA below 3.50.

​Though he hasn’t been quite as dominant as he was in his historic 2025 season, it’s hard to complain about the performance Aroldis Chapman has turned in so far. The ageless wonder has converted 30 of his 32 save opportunities while ranking sixth among AL relievers with a 1.77 ERA.

​The underlying metrics (4.28 xERA, .274 xBA, 14.7 strikeout rate) continue to scream incoming regression, but we are now 26 starts into Nick Martinez’s debut season with the Rays, and he still has a sub-3.00 ERA. Martinez has thus far outperformed expectations due to his almost supernatural control, as his 3.6 BB% leads all qualified pitchers.

Falling Off

• Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins (Midseason Ranking: 4)
• Ranger Suárez, Boston Red Sox (Midseason Ranking: 7)

Also in Consideration

• Cade Smith, Cleveland Guardians
• Gavin Williams, Cleveland Guardians
• Sean Burke, Chicago White Sox
• Troy Melton, Detroit Tigers
• Michael Wacha, Kansas City Royals
• Reid Detmers, Los Angeles Angels

NL Cy Young

Front-runner: SP Jacob Misiorowski, Milwaukee Brewers (Midseason Ranking: 1)

• 25 GS, 1.73 ERA, 151.0 IP, 2.1 BB/9, 13.2 K/9, 5.6 bWAR

Though a number of other NL aces have posed a legitimate challenge, Jacob Misiorowski has held firm on his first-place lead with a 2.03 ERA and a 55-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio since the All-Star break

​His season has now moved firmly from spectacular to historic. His 1.73 ERA would be the third lowest of any starting pitcher of the last 50 years, trailing only Dwight Gooden’s 1.53 in 1985, Zack Greinke’s 1.66 in 2015 and Jacob DeGrom’s 1.70 in 2018, all of which occurred before the National League had the DH.

The Rest of My Ballot

BBWAA voters only select five names on their Cy Young ballots, but let’s go 10 deep:

2. SP Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves (Midseason Ranking: 3)

• 24 GS, 2.06 ERA, 144 IP, 1.8 BB, 11.1 K/9, 5.1 bWAR

3. SP Christopher Sánchez, Philadelphia Phillies (Midseason Ranking: 3)

• 28 GS, 2.52 ERA, 175.1 IP, 2.0 BB/9, 10.4 K/9, 7.5 bWAR

4. SP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers (Midseason Ranking: 8)

• 24 GS, 2.56 ERA, 158.0 IP, 2.1 BB/9, 8.7 K/9, 4.8 bWAR

5. RP Mason Miller, San Diego Padres (Midseason Ranking: 7)

• 55 G, 1.26 ERA, 32-34 SV, 57.1 IP, 3.1 BB/9, 16.3 K/9, 2.9 bWAR

6. SP Jesús Luzardo, Philadelphia Phillies (Midseason Ranking: NR)

• 27 GS, 3.09 ERA, 163.0 IP, 2.8 BB/9, 11.2 K/9, 5.1 bWAR

7. RP Chase Burns, Cincinnati Reds (Midseason Ranking: 5)

• 27 GS, 3.09 ERA, 163.0 IP, 2.8 BB/9, 11.2 K/9, 5.1 bWAR

8. SP Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins (Midseason Ranking: NR)

• 29 GS, 3.46 ERA, 189.2 IP, 2.4 BB/9, 6.6 K/9, 3.4 bWAR

9. SP Eduardo Rodriguez, Arizona Diamondbacks (Midseason Ranking: 10)

• 27 GS, 2.50 ERA, 162.0 IP, 2.9 BB/9, 6.6 K/9, 5.2 WAR

10. SP Cade Cavalli, Washington Nationals (Midseason Ranking: NR)

• 29 GS, 3.12 ERA, 152.2 IP, 2.7 BB/9, 10.4 K/9, 3.08 bWAR

Chris Sale’s third season in Atlanta has been a carbon copy of the first two: over 11 strikeouts per nine innings, a walk rate just over five percent, and an ERA squarely inside the National League’s top five. The dominance of Misiorowski and Sánchez will likely prevent Sale from winning his second Cy Young in three years, but 2026 has been another outstanding chapter in what is sure to be a Hall of Fame career.

​Every start counts in a race as tight as this one, and unfortunately for Christopher Sanchez, his 3.1-inning, nine-run blowup against the Royals could make all the difference. Take that outing out and his 2.52 ERA would fall all the way to 2.09. Though Sanchez has the edge on both Misiorowski and Sale in innings pitched and bWAR, it’s hard to overlook such a massive disparity in ERA.

​He may not be as flashy as some of the other National League aces, but Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been one of the league’s most dependable starters since arriving in Los Angeles before the 2024 season. Only Sandy Alcantara has topped his 19 quality starts, while his 0.89 WHIP trails only Misiorowski.

​The only reliever to make the National League ballot, Mason Miller has gone wire-to-wire as the game’s best closer. His 47.5% strikeout rate is over eight points higher than any other pitcher, and he also possesses a substantial lead in xERA (1.52), xBA (.132) and whiff rate (45.7%)

​Chase Burns has continued to be a bright spot in a disappointing Reds season, placing fifth in the National League with a 10.6 K/9 rate and sixth with a 2.79 ERA.  With Hunter Greene expected to miss all of 2027 with Tommy John surgery, Burns looks poised to take over the mantle as the Reds ace of the present and the future.

​Jesús Luzardo was a prime positive regression candidate after posting a 5.77 ERA and a 2.92 FIP through his first eight starts, a product of an unsustainably high .386 BABIP. Sure enough, he has posted a 2.11 ERA with 146 strikeouts in 119.1 innings since then and now trails only Misiorowski with 11.2 K/9.

​After missing all of 2024 recovering from Tommy John surgery and posting a 5.36 ERA in 2025, Sandy Alcantara is back to being the game’s premier workhorse. His 183.2 innings pitched are 15 more than any other pitcher, and he has completed at least six innings in 26 of his 28 outings thus far.

The Nick Martinez of the National League, Eduardo Rodriguez has somehow been able to defy his underlying metrics (4.43 xERA) en route to a 5.2 bWAR that trails only Misiorowski and Sánchez.

With the trade of surprise All-Star Foster Griffin, Cade Cavalli has taken the title of Nationals ace and run with it. He has posted a 1.83 ERA with a 67-to-14 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 50 second-half innings and now ranks in the top 10 in the NL in both strikeouts (177) and ERA (3.12).

Falling Off

• Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia Phillies (Midseason Ranking: 4)
• Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers (Midseason Ranking: 6)
• Max Meyer, Miami Marlins (Midseason Ranking: 9)

Also in Consideration

• Michael King, San Diego Padres
• Nolan McLean, New York Mets
• Braxton Ashcraft, Pittsburgh Pirates
• Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates
• Jhoan Duran, Philadelphia Phillies

AL Rookie of the Year

Front-runner: SP Parker Messick, Cleveland Guardians (Midseason Ranking:2)

• 26 GS, 2.46 ERA, 161.0 IP, 2.4 BB/9, 9.0 K/9, 5.4 bWAR

As is the case with the Cy Young, the American Rookie of the Year is a two-horse race between division rivals. Both Kevin McGonigle and Parker Messick rank among the most valuable players at their position, but Messick gets the slight edge due to his wire-to-wire consistency over McGonigle, who has hit just .258/.359/.387 since a red-hot April.

The Rest of My Ballot

BBWAA voters put five names on their Rookie of the Year ballots. Here’s who would fill out mine:

2. SS Kevin McGonigle, Detroit Tigers (Midseason Ranking: 1)

• .274/.375/.416, 14 HR, 58 RBI, 12 SB, 6.1 bWAR 

3. SP Payton Tolle, Boston Red Sox (Midseason Ranking: 4)

• 23 GS, 3.23 ERA, 131.0 IP, 2.5 BB/9,10.1 K/9, 2.32bWAR

4. 1B Munetaka Murakami, Chicago White Sox (Midseason Ranking: 3)

• .217/.360/.495, 29 HR, 59 RBI, 2.2 bWAR

5. 3B Kazuma Okamoto, Toronto Blue Jays (Midseason Ranking: NR)

• .230/.306/.447, 28 HR, 78 RBI, 1.8 bWAR

Falling Off

• C Samuel Basallo, Baltimore Orioles (Midseason Ranking: 5)

Also in Consideration

• Chase DeLauter, Cleveland Guardians
• Tristan Peters, Chicago White Sox
• Walbert Urena, Los Angeles Angels
• Jake Bennett, Boston Red Sox
• Spencer Miles, Toronto Blue Jays
• Trey Yesavage, Toronto Blue Jays

NL Rookie of the Year

Front-runner: 1B/3B Sal Stewart, Cincinnati Reds (Midseason Ranking:3)

In perhaps the most exciting race on the board, Sal Stewart has taken the narrowest of leads over Mets ace Nolan McLean. That’s what happens when you are on track to become the first rookie since Walt Dropo in 1950 to lead MLB in RBI, and he surged past Murakami Murakami for the rookie home run lead last weekend with three long balls in as many games against the Cubs.

The Rest of My Ballot

BBWAA voters put five names on their Rookie of the Year ballots. Here’s who would fill out mine:

2. SP Nolan McLean, New York Mets (Midseason Ranking: 4)

• 27 GS, 3.06 ERA, 155.2 IP, 3.5 BB/9, 9.9 K/9, 2.5 bWAR

3. 2B JJ Wetherholt, St. Louis Cardinals (Midseason Ranking: 1)

• .242/.343/.370, 17 HR, 48 RBI, 4.6 bWAR

4. OF Carson Benge, New York Mets (Midseason Ranking: NR)

• .277/.336/.421, 16 HR, 54 RBI, 2.9 bWAR

5. 1B TJ Rumfield, Colorado Rockies (Midseason Ranking: NR)

• .290/.383/.437, 13 HR, 61 RBI, 1.0 bWAR

Aside from a pair of starts in May in which he allowed 16 runs in nine innings, Nolan McLean has been every bit as good as his incredible eight-start debut last September. His 172 strikeouts blow away second-place Bubba Chandler among National League rookies, while his 3.06 ERA trails only the Brewers’ Logan Henderson, who has thrown 79.1 fewer innings.

​While JJ Wetherholt has only expanded his MLB lead with a whopping +22 Outs Above Average at second base, his offense has deteriorated as the season has gone along. Wetherholt has posted a .187/.307/.281 line since July 20, which has dropped his season-long OPS to a meager .713, and he has recently landed on the injured list with wrist tendinitis.

​Like McLean, Carson Benge has been a rare bright spot in a disastrous Mets season. The 23-year-old surprisingly won the right field job out of spring training and has turned in above-average production at the plate and on the bases while possessing one of the most valuable outfield arms in all of baseball.

​While he can’t match Wetherholt or Benge’s impact on the bases or Stewart’s power, TJ Rumfield has been the most complete rookie hitter in the National League this season. His .290 batting average and .380 on-base percentage both rank inside the NL’s top 10, and he has also been surprisingly solid in the field with +6 Outs Above Average.

​Falling Off

• SP Foster Griffin, Washington Nationals/Cleveland Guardians (Midseason Ranking: 2)
• 1B Bryce Eldridge, San Francisco Giants (Midseason Ranking: 5)

Also in Consideration

• OF Esmerlyn Valdez, Pittsburgh Pirates
• SP Bubba Chandler, Pittsburgh Pirates
• SP Shane Drohan, Milwaukee Brewers
• SP Logan Henderson, Milwaukee Brewers
• RP Didier Fuentes, Atlanta Braves
• RP Bradgley Rodriguez, San Diego Padres

AL Manager of the Year

Front-runner: Chad Tracy, Boston Red Sox (Midseason Ranking: 3)

Manager of the Year is often the most challenging award to pick because much of a manager’s impact is hard to quantify. That’s not the case this year.

​Taking over from Alex Cora after a 10-17 start, Chad Tracy has engineered the most remarkable in-season turnaround in recent memory, using a midsummer 41-13 surge that has made the Red Sox a virtual postseason lock. Barring a dramatic late-season collapse, Tracy should run away with this award, perhaps in unanimous fashion.

The Rest of My Ballot

BBWAA voters put three names on their Manager of the Year ballots. Here’s who would fill out mine:

2. Will Venable, Chicago White Sox (Midseason Ranking: 1)

3. Kevin Cash, Tampa Bay Rays (Midseason Ranking: 2)

Though his White Sox lost all six games this season against the Chad Sox, Will Venable’s crew has been the biggest surprise in all of baseball, leading the American League Central by three games over the Guardians. Given that the roster lacks a true proven superstar and is one of the youngest in all of baseball, a lot of credit has to be given to Venable for having them so ahead of schedule just two years after losing 124 games.

​Voter fatigue may end up costing him some votes, but Kevin Cash has once again squeezed an AL-best 82 wins out of a Rays team that sold off a number of key pieces this winter. The two-time Manager of the Year has a case to win the award nearly every year, but 2026 could go down as one of his best performances if the Rays hold on to win the AL East.

​Also in Consideration

• Stephen Vogt, Cleveland Guardians

Read more

MLB

NL Players of the Month: August 2026

MLB

AL Players of the Month: August 2026

NL Manager of the Year

Front-runner: Walt Weiss, Atlanta Braves (Midseason Ranking: NR)

​Little of the Braves’ season has gone to plan, as injuries have rampaged the club’s starting rotation while both Ronald Acuña Jr. and Austin Riley have suffered through career-worst offensive numbers. Yet while many of the same issues sank the 2025 Braves to their first losing season since 2017, the 2026 club is back atop the National League East, a massive credit to first-year manager Walt Weiss.

The Rest of My Ballot

BBWAA voters put three names on their Manager of the Year ballots. Here’s who would fill out mine:

2. Pat Murphy, Milwaukee Brewers (Midseason Ranking: NR)

3. Don Mattingly, Philadelphia Phillies (Midseason Ranking: 2)

Much like Cash in the American League, Pat Murphy has consistently found a way to churn out division-winning teams despite his front office often subtracting more than it adds in the offseason. This season has been more of the same, as the Brewers lead the majors with 85 wins despite trading former ace Freddy Peralta this winter.

​Though not at the same level as the Tracy Turnaround, Don Mattingly has helped right the ship after taking over the 9-19 Phillies at the end of April. The experienced skipper had proven to be the right fit for the veteran roster, leading the Phillies to a 69-41 record that has them in striking distance of the first-place Braves.

Falling Off

• Clayton McCullough, Miami Marlins (Midseason Ranking: 1)
• Oli Marmol, St. Louis Cardinals (Midseason Ranking: 3)

Also in Consideration

• Craig Counsell, Chicago Cubs
• Torey Lovullo, Arizona Diamondbacks
• Craig Stammen, San Diego Padres