BBWAA announces finalists for MLB's major awards

The Baseball Writers' Association of America announced the finalists for Major League Baseball's most prestigious awards on Monday.

Award winners will be announced the week of Nov. 9, beginning with the Rookies of the Year.

AL MVP

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez appears to be the front-runner as the AL's best player after making a serious push for the Triple Crown. However, Alvarez will face stiff competition for the AL's most prestigious honor: Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero tied him for second in the league in homers, and Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. finished second in the majors in fWAR behind Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.

NL MVP

*Combined fWAR as hitter and pitcher

Crow-Armstrong will attempt to dethrone Shohei Ohtani as NL MVP after the Los Angeles Dodgers star earned the honor in back-to-back seasons. PCA posted the NL's highest OPS, tied for the league lead in homers, and led the majors in fielding run value and outs above average. Meanwhile, Ohtani still managed a combined 6.6 fWAR despite missing games and struggling down the stretch due to injuries. Brice Turang was an offensive spark plug for the World Series champion Milwaukee Brewers while continuing to play his brand of impressive defense at second base.

AL Cy Young

New York Yankees ace Cam Schlittler and Toronto Blue Jays free-agent addition Dylan Cease take two of the top three spots after tying for second in the AL in strikeouts and finishing first and second in ERA, respectively. Parker Messick put together a terrific rookie season, posting the third-lowest ERA in the AL and the fourth-best WHIP.

NL Cy Young

Jacob Misiorowski is the clear favorite after a sophomore campaign for the ages, leading the majors in both ERA and strikeouts. Chris Sale continued to defy Father Time by putting together one of the best seasons of his 16-year career, while Cristopher Sánchez anchored a strong Philadelphia Phillies rotation that included Jesús Luzardo and Zack Wheeler.

AL Manager of the Year

Kevin Cash, already a two-time winner, is up for the award again after leading the Rays to their first World Series appearance since 2020 and an AL-best 98 wins. Chad Tracy is also receiving consideration, having helped the Boston Red Sox reach 77 victories following Alex Cora's dismissal in April. Meanwhile, Will Venable will have a legitimate chance at claiming the honor for the first time, helping turn around the Chicago White Sox after the club posted three straight 100-loss seasons.

NL Manager of the Year

Pat Murphy has a chance to win the award for a third straight year after the Brewers won a major-league best 103 games and the franchise's first World Series title. He's joined by Walt Weiss, who won 94 games in his first season as Atlanta Braves skipper, and Don Mattingly, who revitalized the Phillies after the team fired Rob Thomson in April.

AL Rookie of the Year

Kevin McGonigle put together a historic debut season for the Detroit Tigers, breaking his franchise's rookie record after reaching base safely 262 times. Meanwhile, Messick has a chance at a second award in addition to the AL Cy Young. Payton Tolle became one of the league's most popular players thanks to his glowing personality and a stellar season highlighted by a 3.03 ERA and 171 strikeouts in 148 2/3 innings.

NL Rookie of the Year

Cincinnati Reds rookie first baseman Sal Stewart immediately emerged as one of the league's top power hitters in his debut campaign, finishing second in RBIs and eighth in homers. Carson Benge posted one of the highest fWAR among qualified rookies, bolstered by his impressive defense that included 10 outfield assists. JJ Wetherholt also shined with his glove, amassing 13 defensive runs saved to go with 17 homers and 14 steals.