Major League Baseball’s awards week will begin on Monday as the BBWAA announces the winners of all of the major awards for the 2026 season. A lot of the awards appear to have clear-cut favorites but as we have seen in the past, surprises do happen. There will be a new award featured this year as the BBWAA will recognize the best relief pitchers in each league with a Reliever of the Year Award. It is important to remember that the votes for all of these awards were cast before the postseason.

I’m not a member of the BBWAA and probably never will be. Below you will find the finalists for each award and my pick for the winner. Let’s get to it!

Finalists: Pete Crow Armstrong, Shohei Ohtani, Brice Turang

Shohei Ohtani has taken home three straight MVP awards, one with the Angels and the last two with the Dodgers, but that streak will come to an end in 2026. Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong turned in one of the best seasons in major league history. Crow-Armstrong became the seventh player in league history to have a 40-40 season. He led the league with 119 runs scored, drove in 107 runs and nearly lapped the field by putting up 10.6 fWAR. The only intrigue here will be whether or not Ohtani or Brewers second baseman Brice Turang, who was third in the NL with 5.9 fWAR finishes second.

Prediction: Pete Crow-Armstrong

Finalists: Yordan Alvarez, Junior Caminero, Bobby Witt Jr.

Things are a little less clear cut in the American League but only slightly. Astros outfielder/DH Yordan Alvarez flirted with the Triple Crown but ended up finishing second in both home runs and RBIs. His 6.8 fWAR is second to Royals’ shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. Witt’s 7.0 fWAR was largely driven by his defensive value at shortstop. He was second in the AL with 45 stolen bases, but only hit 18 home runs and finished with a 119 wRC+. Rays third baseman Junior Caminero slugged 42 home runs and drove in 100 runs and was a key piece of a Rays team that finished with the best record in the American League.

I don’t think being on a team with a winning record is a requirement for winning MVP but I also don’t think Caminero’s success should be overlooked. He’d be my pick if I had a vote but I expect the award to go to Alvarez.

Prediction: Yordan Alvarez

Finalists: Jacob Misiorowski, Chris Sale, Christopher Sanchez

I have seen some suggest that the NL Cy Young race might be closer than expected. I’m not buying it though and I believe that Jacob Misiorowski will win by a safe margin. Misiorowski led the NL in strikeout percentage, ERA, xERA, FIP and xFIP. Chris Sale and Cristopher Sanchez both put up exceptional seasons but Misiorowski was just better. Like NL MVP, the better question might be who will finish second?

Prediction Jacob Misiorowski

Finalists: Dylan Cease, Parker Messick, Cam Schlittler

The Cy Young award in the AL appears to be a two-horse race between Cam Schlittle and Dylan Cease. An injury to Cease in the final weeks might have provided just enough separation for Schlittler to take home the award. Schlittler logged more innings (193.2) and led the AL in ERA (1.95) and expected ERA (2.85). Cease was right behind him though and had a better strikeout rate. I think Schlittler wins this and he would get my vote, but the margin might be greater than it really should be. Cleveland’s Parker Messick finishes a distant third, but more on him in a bit.

Prediction: Cam Schlittler

Finalists: Carson Benge, Sal Stewart, JJ Wetherholt

If there is any drama with any of this year’s awards, then it will probably be with the Rookie of the Year award in the National League. Reds first baseman Sal Stewart led all rookies with 32 home runs and 112 RBIs but was fifth among NL rookies with 2.0 fWAR. JJ Wetherholt led the NL with 4.6 fWAR while Carson Benge finished second with 4.3.

Now WAR isn’t the end all be all but that is a big gap between first and fifth place. If I had a vote, it would go to Benge by a slim margin over Wetherholt. However, I’m expecting the old school offensive stats to carry Stewart.

Prediction: Sal Stewart

Finalists: Kevin McGonigle, Parker Messick, Payton Tolle

I will admit that I have expected this award to go to Kevin McGonigle pretty much all season. He certainly didn’t disappoint while posting a 129 wRC+ and 5.4 fWAR as a rookie which was the best total for a rookie in the majors. However, he is up against two pitchers in Messick and Boston’s Peyton Tolle that played big parts in their team’s respective runs to the postseason. Messick logged more innings than Tolle and had the better ERA. Tolle had a better strikeout rate and the better expected ERA.

You really can’t fault a vote for any of these three players. If I had one I think it would go to McGonigle.

Prediction: Kevin McGonigle

Finalists: Jhoan Duran, Trevor Megill, Mason Miller

The BBWAA will recognize relief pitchers for the first time ever in 2026 with the Relief Pitcher of the Year Award. Like some of the other awards, it feels like the intrigue here will be with who finishes second. Mason Miller should win this one going away after putting up 129 strikeouts in just 70 innings. He had a 1.67 ERA and a 1.17 FIP to go along with 38 saves.

Prediction Mason Miller

Finalists: Bryan Baker, Cade Smith, Louis Varland

Bryan Baker and Cade Smith tied for the AL lead with 41 saves, but it was Toronto’s Louis Varland that might have had the better season. Varland posted a miniscule 1.27 ERA and a 1.83 FIP in 78 innings. Smith has a slight edge in strikeout rate and he and Baker both pitched for a division winner. This one feels almost too close to call but I think my hypothetical vote would go to Varland.

Prediction: Louis Varland

Finalists: Don Mattingly, Pat Murphy, Walt Weiss

Look I don’t know what criteria goes into winning Manager of the Year. I feel like Pat Murphy right now is the best manager in the game but he has won this award two straight times and you have to remember that voting is done before the postseason. So perhaps some voter fatigue sets in with Murphy.

Don Mattingly deserves credit for helping the Phillies turnaround their season after a tough start but they really struggled down the stretch and had to hold on to secure a spot in the postseason. Walt Weiss was in his first year as manager of the Braves after taking over for Brian Snitker. The Braves led the NL East pretty much wire to wire.

If I had a vote, it would go to Murphy, but I think Weiss might steal this one.

Prediction: Walt Weiss

Finalists: Kevin Cash, Chad Tracy, Will Venable

From 2023 through 2025, the White Sox lost 324 games. Will Venable guided them back to the postseason in 2026 and absolutely no one expected prior to the season. They did let the AL Central slip away late, but if this turnaround doesn’t win you a Manager of the Year Award, then I don’t know what will.