MLB Awards: Cy Young Favorites and the Battle for the Inaugural Reliever of the Year

The Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) will reveal the winners of the Cy Young and the Reliever of the Year awards on Wednesday, marking the conclusion of the major end-of-season honors for Major League Baseball.

While the race for the Cy Young award appears largely settled among the favorites, the inaugural Reliever of the Year award has generated significantly more uncertainty, according to reports from ESPN Deportes.

Misiorowski and Schlittler Lead Cy Young Contention

Two second-year right-handed pitchers have emerged as the primary contenders for the Cy Young award. Jacob Misiorowski of the Milwaukee Brewers is the favorite in the National League, while Cam Schlittler of the New York Yankees leads the field in the American League, ESPN Deportes reported.

Misiorowski, who helped lead the Brewers to a World Series title, posted a 16-5 record with a 1.80 ERA and 252 strikeouts over 174.2 innings. His statistical profile is historic, as he led MLB in ERA, WHIP at 0.80, and strikeout percentage at 38 percent.

In the American League, Schlittler finished his campaign with a 14-6 record and 239 strikeouts in 193.2 innings. He led the junior circuit in WAR at 7.0 and ERA at 1.95, while holding opposing hitters to a .180 batting average. Schlittler allowed one or zero runs in 25 of his starts, the second-highest total since the league began tracking ERA as an official statistic in 1913.

National League Cy Young Contenders

Misiorowski faces competition from Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sánchez and Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale. Sánchez, who finished second in the 2025 voting, led the National League with 8.1 WAR, 18 wins, and 33 starts, while maintaining a 2.91 ERA over 207 innings. Sale, the 2024 Cy Young winner, concluded his season with a 14-9 record and a 2.16 ERA, recording 200 strikeouts across 162.2 innings.

American League Cy Young Finalists

Dylan Cease of the Toronto Blue Jays and Parker Messick of the Cleveland Guardians join Schlittler as the finalists in the American League. Cease recorded an 11-6 record with a 2.40 ERA and 239 strikeouts, while Messick posted a 12-9 record with a 2.56 ERA and 193 strikeouts.

Reliever of the Year Parity

The Reliever of the Year award, established by the BBWAA following a majority vote in August 2025, presents a more competitive field than the starting pitcher categories.

In the American League, the race between Bryan Baker of the Tampa Bay Rays, Cade Smith of the Cleveland Guardians, and Louis Varland of the Toronto Blue Jays is tight enough that it could require a recount of the votes to determine a winner, according to ESPN Deportes.

Baker and Smith each recorded 41 saves, tying for the MLB lead. Baker finished with a 1.44 ERA and 63 strikeouts, while Smith posted a 1.95 ERA with 107 strikeouts. Varland, despite having 35 saves, led the group in WAR at 2.9 and maintained a 1.27 ERA, making him a strong contender in the final tally.

National League Relief Competition

The National League field features Mason Miller of the San Diego Padres, Jhoan Duran of the Philadelphia Phillies, and Trevor Megill of the Milwaukee Brewers. Miller, who led his league with 38 saves and recorded 129 strikeouts in 70 innings, is considered the frontrunner. Duran converted 33 saves with a 1.82 ERA, and Megill recorded 30 saves with a 2.63 ERA.

Award Announcement Details

The BBWAA is scheduled to announce the final results on Wednesday. If Misiorowski and Schlittler both secure the Cy Young, it would represent the fourth time in MLB history that both winners are 25 years old or younger, and the first occurrence since 2009 when Zack Greinke and Tim Lincecum claimed the honors.

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