With just a few weeks left in the 2026 MLB regular season, the awards race is hot. Sure, some of the races may feel complete. But for others, there may be a very narrow finish. Here’s how eight of the major awards races look as of mid-August.
Rookie of the Year
Kevin McGonigle is the very likely favorite to win the AL Rookie of the Year. Yes, the sportsbooks (-500 on BetMGM) have him favored. But forget about that for a second. As a 21-year-old, McGonigle is the rookie leader in total hits (131), sat sixth in all of baseball in on-base percentage (.386) among qualified players, and has been a sparkplug for the Tigers this season.
Munetaka Murakami has an outside shot, especially given the impact he had for the White Sox this season. But realistically, it’s a truly uphill climb for Murakami. Among the problems with his candidacy are the fact that he missed over a month, plus his past professional experience in the NPB.
If starters had a better track record in these sorts of things, Parker Messick would have a real shot. Messick should be a finalist with the season he’s had, as he struck out 142 over 142.1 IP and posted an awfully impressive 2.59 ERA. The sportsbooks have Messick at low odds (+2000) — and that should be better.
However, other things are working against him, including McGonigle’s incredible year and the fact that Messick is 25.
As for the National League, it’s a toss-up right now between Sal Stewart & JJ Wetherholt. If Stewart gets to 30 home runs and 100 RBI — and he’s close, as of August 18 — that would be a major accomplishment. Wetherholt, though, has been an all-around phenom, thanks to the fielding and offensive production.
Cy Young
In the National League, this is more of a done deal at this point.
Jacob Misiorowski checks all the boxes. A 1.75 ERA, 210 strikeouts to lead the league, and a nearly unhittable arsenal that has made him among the elite in the game. Chris Sale & Cristopher Sanchez will likely be finalists. Sanchez could have made it a real race had he not hit some skids in the early summer.
As for the American League, Cam Schlittler and Dylan Cease are in a two-horse race. Both will likely get there because of their reputations, plus the production. The two have sub-200 opponents’ batting averages. Cease has more strikeouts (201 for him, 189 for Schlittler) and a higher K/9, while Schlittler has him beat in ERA.
If this were a decade ago, Sonny Gray would be a very viable candidate. Gray, like Cristopher Sanchez, has an outside shot at 20 wins this season (Sanchez has 16, making it very possible he becomes the first pitcher since Spencer Strider to get to that marker). However, the lack of blowaway stuff from Gray and the low strikeout number is going to hurt his candidacy.
MVP
If Yordan Alvarez wins the AL Triple Crown, he will win the American League MVP.
Alvarez has the chance to do something that not even Miguel Cabrera, the last AL Triple Crown winner, could do. That would be to lead the Junior Circuit in batting average, home runs, RBI, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. The only one that Cabrera failed to do during his historic 2012 season was lead in OBP, done by Joe Mauer (.416).
Meanwhile, it’s a literal toss-up in the National League.
Pete Crow-Armstrong had, perhaps, his finest hour as a Cub on August 17 when he hit two home runs to lead the club to a comeback win over the White Sox. Aside from those heroics, Crow-Armstrong became the first in the Majors to have a 30-30 season. Between that and the glove, the third-year outfielder can dethrone Shohei Ohtani.
But if I were a betting man — and this is not betting advice, so don’t go there — Ohtani still feels like the slight favorite.
When on the mound this season, Ohtani was legitimately a top-five starter. The numbers bear that out, and there’s no denying that. You also should take into account that, despite the nagging knee, Ohtani has still been a highly productive hitter atop the Dodgers’ lineup.
Manager of the Year
These races will likely be decided by what happens over the next few weeks.
Pat Murphy, who’s won the NL Manager of the Year award in 2024 and 2025, has some good challengers this year. Walt Weiss, in his first year as Braves manager, is on the verge of taking the club back to the postseason. But if, let’s say, the Cubs mount a charge to win the NL Central, can Craig Counsell take it from his friend in Milwaukee?
Or, what about Craig Stammen (Padres) and Torey Lovullo (Diamondbacks)?
As for the American League, it may be very tough for Will Venable to lose this race. Venable has led a White Sox club that, two years ago, was a historically bad team. Now, Chicago is on the verge of a playoff berth, and possibly a division crown.
However, Chad Tracy (Red Sox) and Kevin Cash (Rays) both have compelling cases. Particularly Tracy, who’s seen the Sox blossom in the three-plus months he has been in charge.
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