With the World Series successful our rearview reflector -- though the champion Astros are surely inactive reveling successful their victory -- the 2022 play is each but done, with 1 last portion left: awards!
The winners of MLB's 4 large end-of-season awards -- Rookie of the Year, Manager of the Year, Cy Young Award and Most Valuable Player -- volition beryllium announced starting astatine 6 p.m. ET connected MLB Network each time this week.
Unlike past year, erstwhile nary of the MVP candidates reached the postseason, 5 of this year's six finalists made the playoffs -- with past year's AL MVP, Shohei Ohtani, erstwhile again near retired of October. Of the six, conscionable 1 appeared successful the Fall Classic (and won) -- Yordan Alvarez. The AL's MVP contention is, unsurprisingly, led by nary different than Aaron Judge, portion the NL's contention features 2 teammates -- Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado -- vying for the honors.
And the amusive doesn't halt there, arsenic there's tons to beryllium excited astir successful the different races, too. At 39 years old, Justin Verlander could unafraid the 3rd Cy Young of his vocation connected Wednesday, portion connected the different hand, Sandy Alcantara could marque Marlins franchise past if helium wins the Cy Young successful the NL.
We person everything you request to cognize for awards week -- previewing each grant successful summation to our ESPN MLB experts' predictions for who should instrumentality location the hardware. Be definite to cheque backmost passim the week arsenic this leafage is updated with results and investigation arsenic each grant is handed out.
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Rookie of the Year: NL | AL
Manager of the Year: NL | AL
Cy Young: NL | AL
MVP: NL | AL
National League Rookie of the Year
Finalists:
Spencer Strider, RHP, Atlanta Braves
Experts' picks: Harris (8 votes), Strider (5)
What to know: The Braves took disconnected successful June erstwhile they called up Harris from Double-A to play halfway tract and moved Strider from the bullpen to the rotation -- and the brace proved to beryllium 1 of the large rookie tandems successful caller memory. Indeed, they're apt to decorativeness 1-2 successful the balloting, and lone 3 teammates person done that since ranked voting began successful 1980: Craig Kimbrel and Freddie Freeman of the Braves successful 2011, Jerome Walton and Dwight Smith of the Cubs successful 1989, and Alvin Davis and Mark Langston of the Mariners successful 1984.
Though helium played conscionable 43 games supra High-A, the Braves knew Harris could grip the antiaircraft chores, but his discourtesy was what amazed erstwhile his powerfulness took disconnected successful the majors. He deed .297/.337/.514 with 19 location runs, adding 20 steals successful 22 attempts for a superlative all-around season. Harris' 5.3 bWAR made him conscionable the 34th rookie presumption subordinate with 5.0 WAR since the divisional epoch began successful 1969 -- and with 114 games played, helium had the fewest games of immoderate subordinate connected the list.
Strider was a ascendant unit with his upper-90s fastball and wipeout slider, striking retired 202 batters successful conscionable 131 2/3 innings, making him the 10th rookie since 1969 with 200 strikeouts and the archetypal since Yu Darvish successful 2012. Along the way, helium held batters to a .180 mean and finished 11-5 with a 2.67 ERA.
Donovan wasn't viewed arsenic a apical imaginable entering 2022, but helium came up successful precocious April and had a terrific play arsenic a inferior player, starting astatine six antithetic positions portion hitting .281/.394/.379 and winning a Gold Glove. Among players with astatine slightest 400 sheet appearances, helium finished seventh successful the majors successful on-base percentage.
Our adept predictions springiness the motion to Harris, and humanities precedent does usually favour the presumption subordinate implicit the pitcher successful a adjacent race. No substance who wins, Braves fans should bask the brace for a agelong time: Harris signed what could extremity up arsenic a 10-year hold portion Strider signed what could beryllium a seven-year extension. -- David Schoenfield
ROY must-reads: 10 rookies astir to instrumentality this year's postseason by tempest
American League Rookie of the Year
Finalists:
Experts' picks: Rodriguez (12 votes), Rutschman (1)
What to know: The American League tract was truthful heavy that postseason leader Jeremy Pena of the Astros couldn't adjacent ace the last three. Rodriguez (6.2), Kwan (5.5) and Rutschman (5.2) each topped 5.0 WAR, making this conscionable the 2nd clip since Jackie Robinson won the archetypal Rookie of the Year successful 1947 that 3 presumption players from the aforesaid league reached that people (joining the AL trio of Mark McGwire, Kevin Seitzer and Devon White successful 1987).
Rodriguez is the overwhelming favorite, which is nary sound connected the seasons from Kwan and Rutschman. Rodriguez deed .284/.345/.509 with 28 location runs and 25 stolen bases, making him conscionable the 3rd rookie to spell 25/25, joining Mike Trout and Chris Young. Beyond the numbers, Rodriguez besides showcased the "it" origin with a high-energy, enthusiastic benignant of play, reminiscent of different erstwhile young Mariners halfway fielder (who did not triumph Rookie of the Year).
Rutschman mightiness person had a amended accidental to triumph if helium hadn't suffered a triceps strain successful outpouring training, which delayed his debut until May 21 -- not coincidentally, close astir erstwhile the Orioles started to spell connected their astonishing run. He deed .254/.362/.445 with 13 location runs and fantabulous defence and leadership. His superb attack astatine the sheet (65 walks, 86 strikeouts) is simply a immense positive and should let for improved discourtesy successful the future. Indeed, some helium and Rodriguez person MVP-level ceilings.
Kwan gained attraction erstwhile helium went 5-for-5 successful the 3rd crippled of the play and, really, ne'er stopped hitting, finishing astatine .298 and winning a Gold Glove successful near field. Kwan and Rutschman were teammates astatine Oregon State -- and, yes, the Beavers won the College World Series with them successful 2018. -- Schoenfield
ROY must-reads: How Julio Rodriguez became the Mariners' $470 cardinal man
National League Manager of the Year
Finalists:
Dave Roberts, Los Angeles Dodgers
Buck Showalter, New York Mets
Brian Snitker, Atlanta Braves
Experts' picks: Showalter (6 votes), Snitker (5), Roberts (1), Philadelphia Phillies' Rob Thomson (1)
What to know: This looks similar a toss-up, particularly fixed that Roberts' Dodgers won 111 games -- astir successful the National League since 1906 -- and helium rates arsenic 3rd favourite connected the board. It was the 4th clip Roberts has won astatine slightest 104 games, though his 1 Manager of the Year grant came successful 2016, erstwhile the Dodgers won conscionable 91 games.
He astir apt won't triumph this year, due to the fact that arsenic ascendant arsenic the Dodgers were successful the regular play (remember, voting is done earlier the playoffs), the Mets and Braves possibly had much compelling storylines. Showalter took implicit a Mets squad coming disconnected a 77-85 play and guided it to 101 wins and its archetypal playoff travel since 2016. He brought immoderate professionalism to a squad that needed it, cleaned up the defence and the small things, and had each that occurrence adjacent though Jacob deGrom didn't commencement a crippled until August. Snitker, who won this grant successful 2018, guided the Braves to their 5th consecutive part rubric -- rallying from 10.5 games down connected June 1 and sweeping the Mets the last week of the play to wrapper up the division. -- Schoenfield
MOY must-reads: 'The aureate property of Dodger baseball'? L.A. sets franchise wins grounds -- again -- but has conscionable 1 ring
American League Manager of the Year
Finalists:
Terry Francona, Cleveland Guardians
Brandon Hyde, Baltimore Orioles
Scott Servais, Seattle Mariners
Experts' picks: Hyde (6 votes), Francona (6), Houston Astros' Dusty Baker (1)
What to know: Baker, of course, finished arsenic the existent manager of the twelvemonth aft ending his idiosyncratic World Series drought successful his 25th play arsenic a manager, but he's not adjacent a finalist. This is simply a two-man contention betwixt Hyde and Francona, arsenic the Orioles and Guardians were possibly the 2 biggest surprises of 2022.
In his 4th play with the Orioles, Hyde's squad improved from 52 wins to 83, 1 of the biggest single-season improvements successful history, staying successful the playoff contention until precocious successful the season. Wins implicit anticipation is usually a guiding rule successful this award, and that should assistance Hyde. Francona's vantage is the Guardians did marque the playoffs, winning the AL Central with a 92-70 grounds -- a 12-game improvement, awesome for a squad that had some the youngest lineup and the youngest pitching unit successful the majors. Francona's quality to enactment with young players continues to beryllium an awesome spot and could triumph him his 3rd MOY award. -- Schoenfield
MOY must-reads:
How the Guardians turned the AL Central contention into a one-team sprint
How the Orioles -- yes, the Baltimore Orioles -- became the hottest squad successful MLB
National League Cy Young
Finalists:
Sandy Alcantara, RHP, Miami Marlins
Max Fried, LHP, Atlanta Braves
Julio Urias, LHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
Experts' picks: Alcantara (13 votes) (unanimous choice)
What to know: This looks similar a imaginable unanimous triumph for Alcantara. He went 14-9 with a 2.28 ERA and led the majors with 228 2/3 innings and six implicit games. No, those past 2 numbers wouldn't basal retired adjacent a decennary ago, but that was the astir innings by a starter since David Price successful 2016 and 23 innings much than immoderate different pitcher successful 2022. Alcantara went astatine slightest 8 innings successful 14 of his 32 starts, and his 8.0 bWAR gave him a sizable pb implicit Aaron Nola's 6.0, the second-highest full among NL pitchers.
Urias did extremity up starring the NL with a 2.16 ERA, but helium pitched conscionable 175 innings successful 31 starts -- a bully illustration of however galore much innings Alcantara delivered than adjacent a Cy Young finalist similar Urias. Alcantara's play is besides adjacent much awesome since 23 of those 32 starts came against .500-or-better teams. Fried, by comparison, made 17 of his 30 starts against winning teams, portion Urias made 16 of 31 -- though helium was an awesome 11-3 with a 1.45 ERA successful those 16 games. Still, this 1 is each Alcantara, who volition go the archetypal Marlins pitcher to triumph a Cy Young Award (Kevin Brown finished 2nd successful 1996). -- Schoenfield
Cy Young must-reads: How Julio Urias became the Dodgers' ace -- and possibly their closer
American League Cy Young
Finalists:
Dylan Cease, RHP, Chicago White Sox
Alek Manoah, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays
Justin Verlander, RHP, Houston Astros
Experts' picks: Verlander (12 votes), Cease (1)
What to know: This is what you telephone a comeback season. After blowing retired his elbow 1 commencement into 2020 and undergoing Tommy John surgery, Verlander returned astatine property 39 aft missing 2 seasons and went 18-4 with a 1.75 ERA, starring the AL successful wins and ERA. You pb the league successful those 2 categories and you're the dense favourite to triumph the Cy Young Award, but Verlander besides led the majors successful lowest batting mean allowed (.186), lowest OBP allowed (.227) and lowest slugging percent allowed (.270).
Cease (14-8, 2.20 ERA, 227 strikeouts) and Manoah (16-7, 2.24 ERA, 196 2/3 innings) are surely 2 of the up-and-coming young starters successful the game. Indeed, determination are arguments to beryllium made for both. Cease led AL pitchers with 6.4 bWAR, though Verlander and Manoah weren't acold down astatine 5.9 (and non-finalist Shohei Ohtani was astatine 6.2). Manoah pitched 21 much innings than Verlander, which is important, and did it pitching successful the league's toughest part (and had a 1.90 ERA successful part games). Still, this looks similar Verlander's twelvemonth and his 3rd Cy Young Award, aft wins successful 2011 and 2019 (and 3 runner-up finishes successful between). -- Schoenfield
Cy Young must-reads:
The autumn of the starting pitcher -- and 1 young ace who signifies anticipation for the future
National League MVP
Finalists:
Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals
Nolan Arenado, 3B, St. Louis Cardinals
Experts' picks: Goldschmidt (6 votes), Machado (4), Arenado (3)
What to know: Goldschmidt had been the dense favourite aft hitting .404/.471/.817 with 10 location runs and 33 RBIs successful May and remaining blistery ... astatine slightest until September, erstwhile helium yet slumped, hitting .245 with 2 location runs. By then, however, the Cardinals were cruising to a part rubric and the Goldschmidt MVP storyline seemed etched successful stone. But arsenic our adept picks suggest, possibly it isn't specified a definite thing. Arenado (7.9) really topped Goldschmidt (7.8) successful bWAR, though the quality determination is insignificant. Machado (7.4), meanwhile, led successful FanGraphs WAR implicit Arenado's 7.3 and Goldschmidt's 7.1.
Goldschmidt was the champion hitter successful the NL, finishing astatine .317/.404/.578 with 35 location runs and 115 RBIs, truthful enactment for Arenado and Machado centers astir the worth their defence brings and those WAR totals that ended up beauteous even. Goldschmidt led the NL successful triumph probability added (Machado was second) portion Arenado wasn't successful the apical 10, but immoderate of the different clutch numbers favour Arenado: He had a .988 OPS successful high-leverage situations (Goldschmidt was astatine .895) and .864 successful "late and close" situations (Goldschmidt was astatine .789).
MVP voters person surely focused connected a player's WAR much and much implicit the past decade, truthful that should marque this a divided vote, but successful a adjacent race, it usually seems to spell to the champion hitter and that's Goldschmidt. He has had 2 runner-up MVP finishes and 1 3rd place, but astatine 34 years old, I deliberation helium yet wins. -- Schoenfield
MVP must-reads:
'It's my prime, baby': Why Manny Machado is the champion he's ever been astatine property 30
American League MVP
Finalists:
Yordan Alvarez, DH/LF, Houston Astros
Aaron Judge, OF, New York Yankees
Shohei Ohtani, RHP/DH, Los Angeles Angels
Experts' picks: Judge (12 votes), Ohtani (1)
What to know: You mightiness person heard astir this one. Ohtani went 15-9 with a 2.33 ERA and 219 strikeouts arsenic a pitcher. As mentioned above, his 6.2 pitching bWAR was 2nd successful the AL and he'll astir apt decorativeness 4th successful the Cy Young voting. As a hitter, helium deed .273/.356/.519 with 34 location runs and 95 RBIs, bully capable for the fifth-highest OPS successful the AL. So you person a top-five pitcher and a top-five hitter. That is simply a superhero season.
And someway not epic enough. Judge's play was besides historic: 62 location runs, 131 RBIs, 133 runs, .425 OBP, .686 slugging. He led the AL successful each those categories, astir successful ascendant fashion, doing it successful a play erstwhile discourtesy was astatine its lowest levels since 2015. It was the champion violative play since highest Barry Bonds, and if you don't privation to see Bonds, you person to spell backmost to Mickey Mantle and Ted Williams successful the 1950s. Judge finished with 10.6 bWAR compared to Ohtani's pitching-plus-hitting full of 9.6. Of course, the mode WAR is constructed, it gives Ohtani a positional penalty, since helium was a DH. Maybe you tin reason that isn't fair, since Ohtani evidently plays different presumption -- pitcher.
Still, we tin adhd up the numbers and permission presumption retired of this: Ohtani produced an estimated 31 runs much than an mean hitter and saved 40 runs compared to an mean pitcher, for a combined full of 71 runs; Judge produced an estimated 80 runs much than mean hitter. That's however bully helium was astatine the plate: Better than the combined worth of Ohtani the pitcher and Ohtani the hitter. And that's wherefore Judge's MVP grant volition beryllium a deserving honor. -- Schoenfield
MVP must-reads:
The roadworthy to 62: How Aaron Judge made location tally past successful 2022
Aaron Judge vs. Shohei Ohtani: How to comparison 2 radically antithetic MVP contenders
'This guy, he's different': What it's similar to ticker Yordan Alvarez up close
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