BBWAA Awards 2017: Full List of Finalists Announced and Reaction

The Houston Astros already captured Major League Baseball's ultimate award with their seven-game victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, but baseball fans learned the finalists for the sport's major individual awards Monday evening. 

The finalists for the primary 2017 American and National League awards were announced Monday on MLB Network's broadcast of the Baseball Writers' Association of America awards.

Among the reveals were the three finalists for the American League MVP—New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve and Cleveland Indians third baseman Jose Ramirez—and National League MVP—Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, Miami Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton and Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto.

American League MVP

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge

Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve

Cleveland Indians third baseman Jose Ramirez

Jose Altuve's Houston Astros already beat Aaron Judge's New York Yankees in the American League Championship Series, but the two will have another opportunity to go head-to-head in the AL MVP race.

Altuve is fresh in fans' minds after leading the Astros to the World Series title, but he was dominant in the regular season as well with a .346/.410/.547 slash line to go with 24 home runs, 81 RBI and 32 stolen bases.

Judge was a major headline throughout the season with his 52 home runs and prestigious power, although a post All-Star break slump could prove the difference in the race with Altuve. 

Cleveland Indians third baseman Jose Ramirez may be overshadowed by the other two candidates, but he was the best hitter for the AL's best regular-season team. He slashed .318/.374/.583 with 29 home runs and 83 RBI. The power numbers represented career highs for the AL Central champions.

National League MVP

Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt

Miami Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton

Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto

While all three American League MVP finalists made the postseason, only Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt can say the same on the National League side.

Long overshadowed by stars in bigger markets, Goldschmidt turned in another fantastic effort in 2017 with a slash line of .297/.404/.563 to go with 36 home runs and 120 RBI. He also has the team advantage over the other two candidates, as his Diamondbacks won 93 games compared to the 68 for Joey Votto's Cincinnati Reds and the 77 for Giancarlo Stanton's Miami Marlins.

However, it is the home runs and not the wins that stand out for Stanton. He connected on 59 of them this season while also driving in 132 runs in a career effort for the Marlins. His immediate future is still up in the air with trade rumors circulating, per the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson and Clark Spencer, but he turned in one of the best power seasons in recent memory. 

Votto may not jump off the page to the casual fan, but he slashed .320/.454/.578 with 36 home runs, 100 RBI and 134 walks. He also drastically improved his defense, bolstering his total defensive runs saved above average from minus-14 in 2016 to plus-11 this year, per FanGraphs.

National League Cy Young

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw

Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg

Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer

The National League Cy Young race features baseball royalty with Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer.

Kershaw is a three-time Cy Young winner, a seven-time All-Star, a Gold Glove winner and the 2014 NL MVP. Scherzer is a two-time Cy Young winner and five-time All-Star and finished the 2017 campaign with career-best marks of a 2.51 ERA and 0.90 WHIP.

Scherzer isn't the only Nationals hurler on the list, as three-time All-Star Stephen Strasburg helped lead the team to an NL East title with a 2.52 ERA and 1.02 WHIP.

American League Cy Young

New York Yankees pitcher Luis Severino

Cleveland Indians pitcher Corey Kluber

Boston Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale

The National League Cy Young race may have the star power of Kershaw and Scherzer, but the American League battle isn't hurting for electrifying stuff.

Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale wasted little time making an impact on his new team, fanning an astounding 308 hitters in 214.1 innings. He will have his hands full with Cleveland Indians pitcher Corey Kluber, who led the Indians to the AL Central title with a sparkling 0.87 WHIP. 

Meanwhile, Luis Severino anchored New York's pitching staff with a drastic improvement, lowering his ERA from 5.83 in 2016 to 2.98 this year.

American League Rookie of the Year

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge

Baltimore Orioles outfielder Trey Mancini

Boston Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi

There may be less drama in the American League Rookie of the Year category than any other, as Yankees slugger Judge figures to run away with the award as not only the clear-cut best rookie but an AL MVP finalist.

Judge slashed .284/.422/.627 with 52 home runs and 114 RBI while helping the Bronx Bombers reach the American League Championship Series.

He was one of the faces of baseball throughout the season, won the Home Run Derby and dominated headlines as arguably New York's brightest star since shortstop Derek Jeter retired following the 2014 campaign.

National League Rookie of the Year

Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Josh Bell

St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger

There likely won't be much drama in the National League Rookie of the Year race either, as Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Cody Bellinger was one of the best players on the regular season's best team.

Bellinger drilled 39 home runs in his first season for the 104-58 Dodgers, anchoring the lineup that reached the World Series before dropping Game 7 to the Astros. 

If there was one downside to Bellinger's season it was the fact he hit just .219 in the playoffs and went 0-for-8 in the last two games against Houston, but that won't take away from his spectacular regular season.

American League Manager of the Year

Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona

Minnesota Twins manager Paul Molitor

Houston Astros manager A.J. Hinch

The Manager of the Year often goes to someone who leads a team that exceeds expectations, but the Cleveland Indians' Terry Francona and Houston Astros' A.J. Hinch received recognition for spearheading the American League's two best teams in the face of elevated expectations.

Cleveland bounced back from a heartbreaking loss in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series and finished with a 102-60 record, while Houston finished 101-61 and rode its success all the way to a championship.

The Minnesota Twins under manager Paul Molitor fill the role of underdog story, as he led the franchise to its first playoff appearance since the 2010 campaign.

National League Manager of the Year

Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black

Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts

The National League West monopolized the NL Manager of the Year race, much like it controlled the playoff race with both wild cards.

Dave Roberts led the Dodgers to the league's best record at 104-58, while Torey Lovullo's Arizona Diamondbacks finished with 93 wins—more than the NL Central champion Chicago Cubs.

Bud Black guided the Colorado Rockies to the postseason at 87-75 for the first time since 2009.