MLB Announces Finalists For MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year

Some big names going up for the major awards in baseball this season as MLB has announced the three finalists for each of the big official honors. 

The awards will be highlighted by the American League MVP which features New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge as the favorite after he became the All-Time single-season home run leader with 62 bombs, surpassing Roger Maris's 61-year-old record. 

The AL's best in 2022! pic.twitter.com/ffX4wNdeWV

— MLB (@MLB) November 8, 2022

It'll be interesting to see how close Shohei Ohtani makes the voting. The Los Angeles Angels' two-way superstar had another never-before-seen type of season, and certainly deserves recognition as well. Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez is the 3rd finalist. 

In the National League, a pair of St. Louis Cardinals head up the trio of finalists, and this one is really anyone's to win. 

The best of the best in the Senior Circuit. pic.twitter.com/keYNCCyNMl

— MLB (@MLB) November 8, 2022

Teammates Nolan Arendo and Paul Goldschmidt join Manny Machado as the finalists here. 

For the Cy Young Awards, both seem like foregone conclusions, but all the finalists are more than capable of winning the award. 

Your 2022 NL Cy Young Award finalists! pic.twitter.com/ppOKtL9lAT

— MLB (@MLB) November 7, 2022

These guys were nasty this season! pic.twitter.com/5hqTxFb2FQ

— MLB (@MLB) November 8, 2022

In the National League, Sandy Alcantara of the Miami Marlins has been labeled the front-runner most of the season, but Max Fried and Julio Urias will get some votes. In the American League, 39-year-old Justin Verlander came off of two years off due to Tommy John surgery to post a 1.75 ERA and he seems like a slam dunk to take AL honors. But Toronto Blue Jays ace Alek Manoah and the Chicago White Sox Dylan Cease had superb years as well. 

The Rookie of the Year honors feature an interesting battle between two Atlanta Braves in the National League, with starting pitcher Spencer Strider facing off against his center fielder Michael Harris II. That one will be close, with Brendan Donovan of the St. Louis Cardinals having a nice year as well. In the AL, three great young candidates, but it could be a landslide for the Seattle Mariners' young superstar Julio Rodriguez. Steven Kwan and Adley Rutschman had great rookie seasons as well, also with great futures ahead.

This year's AL rookie class was STACKED! pic.twitter.com/LUmRbTXkjz

— MLB (@MLB) November 7, 2022

 

Photo: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports