At the conclusion of the regular season, the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) members submit their votes for major end-of-year awards. While I typically keep my actual vote confidential (this year, I’m voting for the National League Rookie of the Year), I create pretend ballots for the other prominent postseason awards the BBWAA presents.
Currently, I’m confident the outcomes of these awards, including the one I’m voting on, are quite apparent. Forgive me if this column lacks surprise. There was only a single award where I could strongly argue for a candidate other than the clear frontrunner. However, choosing that player would merely be contrarian rather than fact-based.
In any case, my votes are unofficial. Here’s how I would have cast my votes for the American League and National League MVP and Cy Young, along with the American League Rookie of the Year.
American League MVP
I don’t see much room for debate here. Had it not been for a) Aaron Judge winning this award previously, including last year, and b) Cal Raleigh being a compelling story and fan favorite with the best nickname in MLB, Judge would likely win easily. (He might anyway.) But discussions are always warranted.
I believe Raleigh is closer to Bobby Witt Jr. than Judge, which is echoed by WAR metrics. This isn’t a criticism of Raleigh’s remarkable season; it’s just about this specific accolade. Being the second-best player in the league is not something to be ashamed of.
Judge is on the verge of Hall of Fame eligibility, already possessing over 60 bWAR, two MVPs, and a Rookie of the Year award, plus more than 360 home runs. He has an impressive Hall of Fame-worthy résumé, though his career length could be a concern. Remarkably, he’s just 3 WAR behind Dave Winfield among all players 6 feet 6 or taller.
American League Cy Young
For me, Tarik Skubal is a clear frontrunner here, with Garrett Crochet in second, and Max Fried or Hunter Brown following. There’s minimal suspense in this decision, akin to watching an NCIS episode. I realize Trevor Rogers’ season looks favorable through ERA-based WAR, but his low innings pitched and fluky BABIP lead me to prefer pitchers who have handled a legitimate starter’s workload.
American League Rookie of the Year
Nick Kurtz should walk away with this award unanimously. His performance has been outstanding, overshadowing others, and he even recorded a four-homer game to cap off his season. I placed Roman Anthony ahead of Jacob Wilson due to his nearly equal value while playing only 60 percent of the time, and also because he plays in a more challenging ballpark.
National League MVP
This award isn’t close; Shohei Ohtani would win it based on his hitting alone, and his pitching prowess only reinforces that point. More intriguing is the solid No. 2 spot for Geraldo Perdomo, the Diamondbacks’ shortstop, who has significantly boosted his career totals and is excelling defensively.
National League Cy Young
Cristopher Sánchez is closer in performance to Paul Skenes than public opinion may suggest. It seems Skenes will likely win the award unanimously, despite similar values. Meanwhile, Logan Webb is expected to lead the NL in innings once more, showcasing an impressive strikeout rate while remaining underrated until the Giants make a postseason return.
