Voting on MLB's 2025 Awards for AL and NL MVP and Cy Young
It's Awards Week for Major League Baseball, and we already know who the Baseball Writers' Association of America picked for the Rookies of the Year.
Yet since this situation can handle another cook in the kitchen, let's cast a few last-minute votes for the Cy Young Awards and the MVPs.
Only the three finalists for each award were under consideration here, though it did seem appropriate to shout out honorable mentions who should have been in the running.
Regardless, votes are based on what feels right. In the case of the AL MVP, specifically, this meant giving special weight to a remarkable narrative that should not be lost in the shadow of superior numbers.
Let's take it away.
AL Rookie of the Year
1 of 6
Announcement: Monday, November 10
First: Nick Kurtz, Athletics
Age: 22
2025 Stats: 117 G, 489 PA, 36 HR, 2 SB, .290 AVG, .383 OBP, .619 SLG
The BBWAA voters got this one right. Not that it was a hard choice, mind you, as Kurtz was one of the most valuable players in MLB after he made his Athletics debut on April 23.
Between then and the end of the regular season, only Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani did better than Kurtz's 170 wRC-plus. He might as well have clinched the AL Rookie of the Year on July 25, when he had one of the great games of all time in going 6-for-6 with four home runs and eight runs batted in.
Ultimately, Kurtz became only the third rookie ever to notch at least 35 home runs and a 170 OPS-plus. The first two were Judge and José Abreu, both of whom went on to win MVP awards.
Second: Jacob Wilson, Athletics
Age: 23
2025 Stats: 125 G, 523 PA, 13 HR, 5 SB, .311 AVG, .355 OBP, .444 SLG
Wilson presumably feels happy for his teammate, but he must also know he could have won the AL Rookie of the Year at the end of any other season. Either way, he's coming away from 2025 with an interesting profile.
It's basically "Luis Arraez, but better." Wilson's 7.5 K% was the lowest of any hitter not named Arraez, but he differed in that he also mixed in power and was useful on defense as a playable everyday shortstop.
Third: Roman Anthony, Boston Red Sox
Age: 21
2025 Stats: 71 G, 303 PA, 8 HR, 4 SB, .292 AVG, .396 OBP, .463 SLG
It's a shame about Anthony's late-season oblique injury, as he was just starting to tap into his power after first establishing himself as an on-base machine. As he flashed an elite walk rate with upper-level contact quality, the Red Sox have every reason to be bullish on his potential as a superstar.
Honorable Mention: Noah Cameron, Kansas City Royals
Age: 26
2025 Stats: 24 GS, 138.1 IP, 109 H (18 HR), 114 K, 43 BB, 2.99 ERA
Cameron's 3.8 rWAR was second to only Kurtz among AL rookies, so Royals fans are justified in thinking he got shafted. Even if he probably isn't ace material going forward, that curveball of his is going to make sure he at least stays employed.
NL Rookie of the Year
2 of 6
Announcement: Monday, November 10
First: Drake Baldwin, Atlanta Braves
Age: 24
2025 Stats: 124 G, 446 PA, 19 HR, 0 SB, .274 AVG, .341 OBP, .469 SLG
Baldwin wasn't a slam-dunk winner for the NL Rookie of the Year in the same way Kurtz was for the AL, but he was the best choice out of a relatively weak crop of candidates.
He had the best offensive numbers out of NL rookies who cleared 400 plate appearances, including better marks than his fellow finalists in all three triple-slash categories. He also led all NL rookies with 80 runs batted in.
Baldwin's defense comes off looking more like a work in progress, but his athleticism saved Braves pitchers from some undue wild pitches. Only five catchers finished ahead of him in Blocks Above Average.
Second: Cade Horton, Chicago Cubs
Age: 24
2025 Stats: 23 G (22 GS), 118.0 IP, 95 H (10 HR), 97 K, 33 BB, 2.67 ERA
Horton was the Cubs' best pitcher by the end of the year, and there's admittedly something about a rookie starter with a sub-3.00 ERA not winning the NL Rookie of the Year that doesn't feel right.
This said, Horton dramatically outperformed his expected results, which notably include a 3.88 xERA. He could use some more swing-and-miss if he really wants to stabilize as a top-of-the-rotation force, though it should help that he has three underused secondaries to lean on in the future.
Third: Caleb Durbin, Milwaukee Brewers
Age: 25
2025 Stats: 136 G, 506 PA, 11 HR, 18 SB, .256 AVG, .334 OBP, .387 SLG
Durbin was the "thanks for playing" throw-in among the three finalists for the NL Rookie of the Year, though that is not to say he doesn't deserve credit for the year he had. He led NL rookies in stolen bases and was a lockdown defender at third base to the tune of plus-5 Defensive Runs Saved.
Honorable Mention: Matt Shaw, Chicago Cubs
Age: 24
2025 Stats: 126 G, 437 PA, 13 HR, 17 SB, .226 AVG, .295 OBP, .394 SLG
Shaw's bat was a big disappointment this season, but only Ke'Bryan Hayes and Maikel Garcia finished ahead of him in Defensive Runs Saved among third basemen. And he at least finished the year strong at the plate, posting a 130 wRC-plus in the second half.
AL Cy Young Award
3 of 6
Announcement: Wednesday, November 12
First: Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
Age: 28
2025 Stats: 31 GS, 195.1 IP, 141 H (18 HR), 241 K, 33 BB, 2.21 ERA
The American League hasn't had a back-to-back Cy Young Award winner since Pedro Martínez in 1999 and 2000. That is about to change, and nobody will be able to say Skubal didn't deserve it.
He somehow improved on his 2024 season in 2025, notably going lower with his ERA, WHIP and walk rate and higher with his strikeout rate. He had 10 games in which he fanned double-digit batters this year, and he didn't walk anyone in seven of them.
The question now is whether the Tigers will trade Skubal, in which case they have an easy way to market him: as the best pitcher in baseball.
Second: Garrett Crochet, Boston Red Sox
Age: 26
2025 Stats: 32 GS, 205.1 IP, 165 H (24 HR), 255 K, 46 BB, 2.59 ERA
One feels for Crochet. When you end up leading your league in innings and strikeouts while also keeping your ERA well below 3.00, you have every right to expect a Cy Young Award for your troubles.
Even if (as expected) Crochet doesn't get one, this season nonetheless saw him lay waste to questions that had been hanging over his head. Not only was he durable, but he also actually got better in some respects as the year went along. Notably, his K/BB ratio went from 4.7 in the first half to 7.9 in the second.
Third: Hunter Brown, Houston Astros
Age: 27
2025 Stats: 31 GS, 185.1 IP, 133 H (17 HR), 206 K, 57 BB, 2.43 ERA
One also feels for Brown, who carried a sub-2.00 ERA into July before regression finally got to him. As it is, his 6.1 rWAR secured the AL's first season with three 6-WAR pitchers since 2022.
Honorable Mention: Aroldis Chapman, Boston Red Sox
Age: 37
2025 Stats: 67 G, 61.1 IP, 28 H (3 HR), 85 K, 15 BB, 1.17 ERA
The Cy Young Award buzz that began building around Chapman late in 2025 was never going to lead to anything, but that doesn't mean it wasn't warranted. He was the best reliever in MLB this year by both ERA and WHIP, and you can't chalk it up to luck.
NL Cy Young Award
4 of 6
Announcement: Wednesday, November 12
First: Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates
Age: 23
2025 Stats: 32 GS, 187.2 IP, 136 H (11 HR), 216 K, 42 BB, 1.97 ERA
The average ERA for starting pitchers in 2025 was 4.21. Skenes' ERA never went higher than 3.44, and he ended up leading the National League in ERA and WHIP while holding hitters to a .558 OPS, the second-best in MLB.
This is to say there's no need to overcomplicate this, though it still bears noting he was just as good in 2025 as he was in 2024 despite a decline in his strikeout rate. He trended more toward democratic outs, easing up on velocity and trusting that his ability to stifle loud contact would work.
That it worked as well as it did wasn't because of a big assist from PNC Park. He did have a 1.77 ERA at home this year, but his 2.15 ERA on the road was the second-best of any pitcher in MLB.
Second: Cristopher Sánchez, Philadelphia Phillies
Age: 28
2025 Stats: 32 GS, 202.0 IP, 171 H (12 HR), 212 K, 44 BB, 2.50 ERA
Sánchez led all pitchers with 8.0 rWAR, so he's the best choice for the NL Cy Young Award if that's your barometer. And it wouldn't be any more wasted on him than it would be on any other pitcher with 200 innings and a mid-2.00s ERA.
And yet, his candidacy feels a bit like when Aaron Nola blew everyone away with 9.7 rWAR in 2018. It was impressive, and certainly indicative of how hard it is to be a successful pitcher at Citizens Bank Park... but also not enough to distract from Jacob deGrom and his 1.70 ERA.
Third: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers
Age: 27
2025 Stats: 30 GS, 173.2 IP, 113 H (14 HR), 201 K, 59 BB, 2.49 ERA
Yamamoto is the guy who ranks ahead of Skenes in both opponent OPS and road ERA, yet he's still the underdog in this race. What he lacks is back-of-the-baseball card stats, not to mention enough innings to overcome Skenes and Sánchez.
Honorable Mention: Logan Webb, San Francisco Giants
Age: 28
2025 Stats: 34 GS, 207.0 IP, 210 H (14 HR), 224 K, 46 BB, 3.22 ERA
Even if he did lead MLB with 210 hits allowed, this was still Webb's third straight season with more than 200 innings and an ERA in the low 3.00s. And it wasn't even all ground balls for him this time around, as those 224 strikeouts led the NL.
AL Most Valuable Player
5 of 6
Announcement: Thursday, November 13
First: Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners
Age: 28
2025 Stats: 159 G, 705 PA, 60 HR, 14 SB, .247 AVG, .359 OBP, .589 SLG
For years now, BBWAA voters have gravitated toward the literal interpretation of "most valuable" and mostly bestowed MVPs on the guys with the most WAR. It's not a bad way to go about it, but it is unimaginative.
So, consider this a protest vote. Even if Raleigh fell 2.3 rWAR short of Aaron Judge for the AL lead, only one of them slammed 60 home runs while catching every day for a team that won its first division title in 24 years.
It would be one thing if Raleigh was an island unto himself within the Mariners' clubhouse. Yet he was truly the heart and soul of the team—not only serving as the glue for the pitching staff, but also as a sort of coach for his fellow hitters, including Julio Rodríguez.
Second: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
Age: 33
2025 Stats: 152 G, 679 PA, 53 HR, 12 SB, .331 AVG, .457 OBP, .688 SLG
As praiseworthy as Raleigh's season is, the smart money is on Judge winning his third AL MVP award in the last four seasons. This year wasn't his best, but that's only saying so much when the standard is all-time greatness.
To wit, this was Judge's third season with at least a 200 OPS-plus and 50 home runs. He's one of two players to have accomplished that, with the other being Babe Ruth.
Third: José Ramírez, Cleveland Guardians
Age: 33
2025 Stats: 158 G, 673 PA, 30 HR, 44 SB, .283 AVG, .360 OBP, .503 SLG
Thanks for playing, José Ramírez. Maybe next year will finally be the year when your norm for basically the last decade (i.e., 30-30 and 6-ish rWAR) will finally be good enough to win an AL MVP.
Honorable Mention: Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
Age: 28
2025 Stats: 31 GS, 195.1 IP, 141 H (18 HR), 241 K, 33 BB, 2.21 ERA
There's a case for Bobby Witt Jr. to go here, but one thing we didn't call out earlier is that the Tigers went 21-10 in Skubal's starts. He deserved better, but even one more loss would have resulted in Detroit losing its playoff spot to the Houston Astros.
NL Most Valuable Player
6 of 6
Announcement: Thursday, November 13
First: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers
Age: 31
2025 Hitting Stats: 158 G, 727 PA, 55 HR, 20 SB, .282 AVG, .392 OBP, .622 SLG
2025 Pitching Stats: 14 GS, 47.0 IP, 40 H (3 HR), 62 K, 9 BB, 2.87 ERA
Ohtani led the NL in slugging, OPS and OPS-plus, and he fell one home run and 0.4 rWAR shy of also leading all NL hitters in those categories.
He would arguably deserve the MVP just on those accounts, so the fact that he also added 14 starts' worth of ace-caliber pitching just makes you laugh one of those laughs that only Ohtani can make a person laugh.
He's one of a kind, alright, and his contributions truly felt essential this season. The Dodgers did win the NL West for what feels like the millionth time, but their regular season was largely a struggle that might have collapsed if not for Ohtani.
Second: Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies
Age: 32
2025 Stats: 162 G, 724 PA, 56 HR, 10 SB, .240 AVG, .365 OBP, .563 SLG
Schwarber was only worth 4.7 rWAR this season, which actually put him slightly below a diminished version of Mookie Betts (4.9). Yet his spot in the NL MVP final three is hardly a mistake, much less an outrage.
He did lead the NL in homers and RBI, after all, and he was not stat-padding all year. He hit 24 of his long balls with men on base, and he also had a 1.004 OPS with men in scoring position.
Third: Juan Soto, New York Mets
Age: 27
2025 Stats: 160 G, 715 PA, 43 HR, 38 SB, .263 AVG, .396 OBP, .525 SLG
Soto led the NL in on-base percentage and was more of a complete player than Schwarber, stealing more bases and, well, trying to play the field anyway. Yet he was weirdly ineffective in clutch spots, posting only a .759 OPS with men on and a .859 OPS with men in scoring position.
Honorable Mention: Geraldo Perdomo, Arizona Diamondbacks
Age: 26
2025 Stats: 161 G, 720 PA, 20 HR, 27 SB, .290 AVG, .389 OBP, .462 SLG
The closer you look at Perdomo's season, the more ridiculous it is that he wasn't at least a finalist for the NL MVP. He challenged a .400 OBP and went 20-20 with 100 RBI, all while playing a solid shortstop. That's an elite player, hands down.
Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.
