MLB awards 2026: Full list of finalists, winners for MVP, Rookie of the Year, Cy Young and more

MLB awards 2026: Full list of finalists, winners for MVP, Rookie of the Year, Cy Young and more originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.With Major League Baseball heading into the offseason, the league has one final piece of business left from 2026: the end-of-season awards.Throughout the week, MLB will announce winners of prestigious awards like MVP, Cy Young, and Rookie of the Year, giving the season's best players the praise they deserve. In some cases, the awards feel wrapped already, but there are a few close races that came down to the bitter end.In the past two years, Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, Tarik Skubal, and Paul Skenes dominated this time of year, but for the most part, there is some new blood that rose to prominence in 2026. As a result, many of this year's finalists are possible first-time winners after they broke out with impressive performances.Many teams are represented, from the World Champion Milwaukee Brewers to teams that didn't even make the playoffs.Here's a look at who won each of MLB's top awards in 2026.MORE: Tracking rumors and moves in the MLB offseasonAL MVPYordan Alvarez, Astros: Alvarez had a career year in 2026, reaching over 40 home runs for the first time in his career while leading the league with a .316 batting average and a 1.033 OPS. Had it not been for Pete Alonso's 43 homers, Alvarez may have even won the triple crown award. The designated hitter was finally healthy for a full season, playing in 158 games and almost taking 700 plate appearances. While designated hitters are rarely in play to win the MVP, this shows just how special of a hitter that Alvarez is. Junior Caminero, Rays:No player in the American League has more home runs than Caminero over the last two seasons, totaling 87 long balls. This year, though, Caminero showed improved patience at the plate as he made his second consecutive All-Star game, continuing to grow as a young slugger. It helps that the Rays were the best team in the American League, with Caminero being Tampa Bay's most fearsome hitter at the plate for 162 games. Caminero could also make history as the Rays' first MVP award winner.Bobby Witt Jr., Royals: No player was hurt more by Aaron Judge's MVP dominance in 2024 and 2025 than Witt, who had two MVP-caliber seasons in those two years. In 2026, though, Witt's offensive numbers took a slight dip, but he stole 45 bases for the first time since 2023 and continued his production as one of, if not the best, defensive shortstops in the game. Witt is a true five-tool player, with strength all around the diamond, and it feels like a matter of time before he takes home an MVP award.MORE: Ranking the best free agents available in 2026 MLB offseasonNL MVPPete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs: Overtaking Shohei Ohtani as the MVP favorite required a special season, and that's exactly what PCA provided in 2026. The Cubs center fielder led all of baseball with 45 home runs and had the best OPS in the National League at .943, all while stealing 41 bases and playing elite defense in center field. Crow-Armstrong's 9.8 bWAR also led the league, putting his season in the same tier as Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, and Aaron Judge had in years past. An MVP win would make Crow-Armstrong the third all-time with a 40-40 season, joining Ohtani and Ronald Acuna Jr.Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers: From 2021-25, Ohtani won four MVP awards by wowing the baseball world with his pitching, hitting, and baserunning. This year, however, injuries limited Ohtani's output, as he only pitched in half a season and had his lowest home run total in a 162-game season since 2019. It's a testament to Ohtani's success as a two-way player that he is even a finalist for the MVP award once again, as no player in baseball can do as much on the field as Ohtani can.Brice Turang, Brewers: Turang represents the World Series champion Brewers in MVP voting after he had his best season as a big-leaguer. The second baseman had career highs in home runs, RBIs, and OPS, but it's his baserunning and defense that truly separates him from the rest. Turang put up a 7.3 bWAR this season despite totaling just 21 home runs, which shows how much value he brings on the margins. Very few people expected Turang to ever compete for MVP awards, but his value for the Brewers cannot be overstated.MORE:Pete Crow-Armstrong headlines SN's 2026 MLB award winnersAL Cy YoungDylan Cease, Blue Jays: Cease's first year with the Blue Jays after signing a lengthy contract couldn't have gone any better. The veteran put up a 2.40 ERA in 29 games, continuing to provide durability and taking the mantle as the ace of the Toronto staff. It wasn't a career-best season, as Cease was the Cy Young runner-up in 2022 with a 2.20 ERA for the White Sox, but he did reach a career high with 239 strikeouts in the season. While the Blue Jays took a step back in 2026, Cease did everything in his power to keep the team afloat through the Summer.Parker Messick, Guardians: Messick was the best rookie pitcher in baseball this season, as his 2.56 ERA and his 6.3 bWAR vaulted him to the top of the Guardians rotation. Messick flashed last year in seven games, and he only built on that when he threw 186.1 innings in his first full season for a Cleveland team that once again won the AL West. It's unlikely that Messick can unseat his two competitors for the Cy Young, but this shouldn't be the last time that he competes for this award in his career.Cam Schlittler, Yankees: In a rotation full of aces, Cam Schlittler rose above the rest to take the mantle as the best pitcher on the Yankees. The right-hander showed what he can do last season, and he was even better in 2026 with a league-leading 1.95 ERA and 7.0 bWAR in 193.2 innings pitched. What made Schlittler's performance even more impressive is that he did all this in New York, where so many players fold under the pressure. A Cy Young win would make Schlittler the seventh Yankee to win the award and put his name up there with some elite company.MORE: Where Junior Caminero trade ranks among worst in MLB historyNL Cy YoungJacob Misiorowski, Brewers: "The Miz" took the world by storm in 2025 when he brought his elite fastball to the majors, but he still hadn't yet learned how to pitch. That changed in 2026 as Misiorowski led baseball's best team to a title while leading the majors with a 1.80 ERA. Misiorowski's ability to not only light up the radar gun, but do so on a consistent basis makes him rare, even in an era with so many flamethrowers in the league. The question is more about how many Cy Youngs he will win as he enters the prime of his career.Chris Sale, Braves: The 2024 Cy Young winner continued his rejuvenated career with the Braves, throwing to a 2.16 ERA in 27 starts this year. That is the third-best ERA in Sale's storied career, and second-best since he became a full-time starter in 2012. At 37 years old, Sale continues to build on what is now a Hall-of-Fame career by leading the Atlanta staff, as he rose to the occasion against the league's best teams throughout the season.Cristopher Sanchez, Phillies: Cristopher Sanchez was the runner-up in this award last season, and he didn't miss a beat with a second consecutive dominant campaign. Sanchez posted a 2.91 ERA in 207 innings while leading the league in wins, with 18, and starts, with 33. For the second consecutive season, Sanchez's 8.1 bWAR led the National League, and this time it came with a career high in strikeouts. Sanchez continues to be a coup for a Phillies team that acquired him in a minor deal and helped develop him in a major way.MORE: 12 players who could be traded in the offseasonAL Rookie of the YearKevin McGonigle, Tigers: McGonigle hit the ground running for the Tigers as no player in the American League had more plate appearances in 2026. The shortstop put up an .806 OPS with 18 home runs in his first MLB season, all while leading the AL with a 7.1 bWAR. Although Detroit had a disappointing season, McGonigle's immediate breakout proved he is a cornerstone piece for a team that needed that in the wake of the Tarik Skubal trade.Parker Messick, Guardians: Messick is the only player nominated for two awards this year, a testament to his success as a rookie. He made two Game 1 starts for the Guardians, showing that Cleveland had the confidence in him to make big starts in the playoffs. With a 2.56 ERA and his 6.3 bWAR for the year, Messick became the latest Guardians pitcher to find himself at the top of the Cleveland rotation early in his career.Payton Tolle, Red Sox: Tolle's first full season in the majors put him atop the Red Sox rotation, as he posted a 3.03 ERA in 26 games. What makes Tolles so special is his strikeout ability, producing 171 strikeouts in 148.2 innings pitched over the course of the year. Tolle also won the hearts of baseball fans with his approach to the game, not taking his work too seriously despite bringing a ton of passion. As Boston had the game's deepest rotation in the Summer, Tolle was the one who stood out.MORE:5 big things to know about MLB lockoutNL Rookie of the YearCarson Benge, Mets: Although the Mets had a miserable year, Benge was a bright spot that became a cornerstone in the outfield for years to come. The lefty hitter hit 20 home runs with 22 stolen bases in the season, all while producing a .282 batting average in the process. He also played elite defense in right field, showing off one of the game's best outfield arms time and time again. As the Mets continue to remake their team, Benge will become a stalwart.Sal Stewart, Reds: Stewart is not the most well-rounded player in the league, but he did produce on offense for the Reds at an elite rate. Stewart set the record for most RBIs by a rookie in a single season with 112, and his 32 home runs were good enough to lead the Cincinnati offense. He also chipped in 15 stolen bases, a solid number for a player who primarily plays first base, and he made his first All-Star game in the process.JJ Wetherholt, Cardinals: Like McGonigle in Detroit, Wetherholt broke out with the Cardinals thanks to an all-around game that included offense, defense and baserunning. The middle infielder hit 17 home runs with 14 RBIs while playing strong defense at second base, but very well could've played every day at shortstop if the team needed him to do so. St. Louis was all about the youth in 2026, and Wetherholt was the perfect player to lead that charge.MORE:How Milwaukee built World Series winner on a small-ball budgetAL Manager of the YearKevin Cash, Rays: No one expected the Rays to be the best team in the American League in 2026, but it wasn't a total surprise with Cash at the helm. The two-time manager of the year once again led Tampa Bay to a season with 98 wins and an AL East crown, all while representing the AL in the World Series for the second time. He can join a list of nine other managers to win this award three times.Chad Tracy, Red Sox: Tracy had a tall task when he took over the Red Sox from the fired Alex Cora, but he impressed all Summer. After a slow start, Tracy' club had the best winning streak of the season at 15-straight games, and no team was better from late June through July than Boston, which helped the team make it back to the playoffs. It earned Tracy a multi-year contract to stay in Boston moving forward as one of the game's rising young coaches.Will Venable, White Sox: Last year, Venable took over a White Sox team that lost 121 games, but it took him just two seasons to lead Chicago back to the playoffs. That turnaround is among the best in MLB history, as Venable brought a young team together and competed all year long for the AL Central division title. Simply making the playoffs is impressive, even if it was as a Wild Card, as the White Sox do not have many playoff berths in their long history.MORE: How Brewers' run compares to most dominant World Series winnersNL Manager of the YearDon Mattingly, Phillies: The Phillies fired Rob Thomson in April, hoping for a shakeup, and it was Mattingly who righted the ship and got the Phillies back on track. Managing Philadelphia comes with so much pressure and expectations, but that wasn't an issue for someone who played his entire career in New York. Mattingly led the Phillies to a Wild Card berth and was rewarded with a contract extension to make him the full-time manager moving forward.Pat Murphy, Brewers: Murphy first three seasons as the Brewers' manager couldn't have gone any better. Milwaukee won the NL Central in the first two, then Murphy led the team to its first World Series title in 2026. In 2024 and 2025, Murphy became one of just two managers to win this award in each of his first two seasons, and another win would make history, as no manager has done it in his first three seasons.Walt Weiss, Braves: The Braves moved on from Brian Snitker after an underwhelming 2025 season, but stayed in-house by promoting Weiss. A former Rockies manager, Weiss immediately hit the ground running and led Atlanta back to the top of the NL East with another division title despite dealing with injuries throughout the roster. Under Weiss, the Braves once again have World Series expectations in the future.MORE: Where Pat Murphy ranks among oldest managers to win first World Series