There's a lot to look out for with the final month of the MLB season upon us. From postseason races to young call-ups looking to make a name for themselves, September should be a fascinating month for fans of MLB contenders and even those on the outside looking in. Another thing worth keeping tabs on is award races.
Regular season awards can be really fun to follow, especially when there isn't a clear-cut winner. I can confidently say for just about every award race there isn't a clear winner yet, which makes this coming month must-see TV.
While it's too early to proclaim winners, we can go over what the ballots look like right now, and that's what this piece will do.
MLB Award Ballots
- AL Manager of the Year
- NL Manager of the Year
- AL Rookie of the Year
- NL Rookie of the Year
- AL Cy Young award
- NL Cy Young award
- AL MVP
- NL MVP
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AL Manager of the Year
Rank | Manager | Team |
|---|---|---|
1 | John Schneider | Toronto Blue Jays |
2 | AJ Hinch | Detroit Tigers |
3 | Joe Espada | Houston Astros |
Who had the Toronto Blue Jays sitting in first place in the AL East and holding one of the AL's top two seeds on September 1? Certainly not me, and by picking John Schneider as my AL Manager of the Year, I'm admitting that. Schneider has helped defy the odds by having the Jays in this position. With that being said, this is a close race that could be impacted by how things finish in the final month.
AJ Hinch has had his Detroit Tigers sitting at or near the top of not only the AL Central, but MLB. If they finish with the best record in the sport, it'd be hard not to give the award to him. The job Joe Espada has done with the Houston Astros, despite a myriad of injuries, also cannot be ignored.
NL Manager of the Year
Rank | Manager | Team |
|---|---|---|
1 | Pat Murphy | Milwaukee Brewers |
2 | Rob Thomson | Philadelphia Phillies |
3 | Clayton McCollough | Miami Marlins |
Perhaps the easiest award to hand out right now would be the NL Manager of the Year, as Milwaukee Brewers skipper Pat Murphy is primed to win it for a second straight year. Many, myself included, counted the Brewers out completely after losing both Devin Williams and Willy Adames over the offseason, yet they have the best record in the sport.
As for the other two finalists, this was a bit tricky, since it feels like several NL contenders have underperformed expectations. I have Philadelphia Phillies manager Rob Thomson as the runner-up because they've run away with the NL East in a fashion not many expected. As for the other finalist, Clayton McCullough of the Miami Marlins deserves recognition. The Marlins were pegged by many as one of the worst teams in the league. Sure, they'll likely finish under .500, but they're only eight games under as of this writing, and have already won three more games this season than they did in 2024 with a month still to go.
AL Rookie of the Year
Rank | Rookie | Team |
|---|---|---|
1 | Nick Kurtz | Athletics |
2 | Noah Cameron | Kansas City Royals |
3 | Jacob Wilson | Athletics |
It's hard to believe that Nick Kurtz is a rookie, as he's already one of the best hitters in the game. He's slashing .308/.402/.632 with 27 home runs and 70 RBI this season in 94 games for the Athletics, and it feels like he's only getting better. Since his debut, Kurtz ranks second among all qualified AL position players in wRC+ (178) and seventh in fWAR (4.1). He could've very easily been in the MVP discussion if he had begun the year in the majors.
As for the runner-ups, they're both very deserving candidates. Noah Cameron has a sub-3.00 ERA in 18 starts, helping to keep the Kansas City Royals alive in the postseason race. Jacob Wilson has slowed down a bit, but he started for the AL in the All-Star Game as a rookie and is second in the league in batting. Both Cameron and Wilson would be Rookie of the Year winners in many other years.
NL Rookie of the Year
Rank | Rookie | Team |
|---|---|---|
1 | Drake Baldwin | Atlanta Braves |
2 | Isaac Collins | Milwaukee Brewers |
3 | Cade Horton | Chicago Cubs |
This one feels like a coin flip. All three of these finalists have had outstanding rookie years, and I wouldn't be surprised if any of them ends up winning the Rookie of the Year award. I went with Atlanta Braves catcher Drake Baldwin mainly because of what he's been able to do as a run producer that Isaac Collins hasn't.
While I have Collins as the runner-up, he could very well end up winning the award. In fact, he's been worth 0.1 more fWAR than Baldwin, so he certainly has a case. As for Cade Horton, he has a sub-3.00 ERA this season and has been one of the few saving graces for the Chicago Cubs lately. A strong finish from him could make this really interesting.
AL Cy Young award
Rank | Pitcher | Team |
|---|---|---|
1 | Tarik Skubal | Detroit Tigers |
2 | Garrett Crochet | Boston Red Sox |
3 | Hunter Brown | Houston Astros |
Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal won the AL Cy Young award last year, and barring a surprise, he's going to win it again. It might not be fun to give the award to the same guy who won it last year, but Skubal has arguably been even better in 2025. He leads the league in ERA, innings, strikeouts, WHIP, FIP, and even BB/9. How often do you see the same guy who leads the league in strikeouts not walk anybody? Skubal is beyond special and is the clear favorite to repeat as the Cy Young winner.
The runner-ups deserve more praise than they'll likely get from the voters. Garrett Crochet isn't far behind Skubal in many of these major categories, and the same can be said for Hunter Brown. They simply had the misfortune of going up against Skubal.
NL Cy Young award
Rank | Rookie | Team |
|---|---|---|
1 | Paul Skenes | Pittsburgh Pirates |
2 | Cristopher Sanchez | Philadelphia Phillies |
3 | Freddy Peralta | Milwaukee Brewers |
You knew he'd be here. Paul Skenes made last year's Cy Young race somewhat interesting as a rookie, so it's only fitting to see him win it in his first full season. Skenes could very well finish the season with a sub-2.00 ERA and record 200+ strikeouts, continuing the ridiculous start he's had to his career. Doing this on a brutal Pittsburgh Pirates team makes him stand out even more.
Zack Wheeler's season-ending injury created an opportunity for other National League hurlers to get some shine behind Skenes. His Philadelphia Phillies teammate, Cristopher Sanchez, feels like the surefire runner-up for the award, as he's established himself as one of the premier pitchers in the game. As for the third-place finisher, I have Freddy Peralta, who leads the majors in wins and has the second-lowest ERA, trailing only Skenes, in the NL.
AL MVP
Rank | MVP | Team |
|---|---|---|
1 | Aaron Judge | New York Yankees |
2 | Cal Raleigh | Seattle Mariners |
3 | Bobby Witt Jr. | Kansas City Royals |
As much as I want to give the AL MVP award to Cal Raleigh, this feels like Aaron Judge's award to lose. Yes, the fWAR race is somewhat close, but Judge's 196 WRC+ is 40 points higher than Raleigh's. Sure, Raleigh is likely going to finish the year with more home runs, and he plays the more valuable position, but what other argument is there? Judge is the clear better hitter, and barring another injury, the New York Yankees' superstar should win another MVP award.
With that being said, Raleigh is the clear runner-up. The only question is who the other finalist will be, and to that, I say Bobby Witt Jr. Witt isn't having quite as dynamic an offensive year as he did in 2024, but he leads the majors in doubles, has hit 20 home runs, has over 30 steals, is hitting nearly .300, and is playing a Gold Glove-caliber shortstop. He's the reason why the Royals have a pulse in the AL Wild Card race and deserves recognition even if he has no shot of winning the award.
NL MVP
Rank | Rookie | Team |
|---|---|---|
1 | Shohei Ohtani | Los Angeles Dodgers |
2 | Kyle Schwarber | Philadelphia Phillies |
3 | Trea Turner | Philadelphia Phillies |
To the surprise of absolutely nobody at this point, Los Angeles Dodgers phenom Shohei Ohtani is on pace to win yet another MVP award. I'd love to give the award to Kyle Schwarber, but Ohtani's 165 WRC+ edges Schwarber, and his 5.8 fWAR is nearly 1.5 fWAR higher than Schwarber's 4.4. They're both primarily DHs, but Ohtani has been far more valuable both as a hitter and especially as a base runner. Ohtani returning to the mound and pitching well only makes it clearer that the MVP is his to lose.
Despite falling short, Schwarber is having a season to remember. He's already set a career-high with 49 home runs, and could easily push 60 at this pace. He also leads the majors with 119 runs batted in. As for the other finalist, I have his teammate, Trea Turner, who is having as well-rounded a season as anybody. He could end up winning the batting title, hitting 20+ home runs, and stealing 40+ bases, all while playing Gold Glove-caliber defense. Yes, Turner has suddenly become an elite defender. He actually leads all NL players in fWAR. He has a better case than most would give him credit for.