No sport does awards quite like baseball, and the races between players to win them every season are always fascinating.
Here are some way-too-early predictions as to who will be the finalists for some hardware at the end of the year — featuring a few members of the Toronto Blue Jays. NL MVP
- Shohei Ohtani – Los Angeles Dodgers
- Ronald Acuña Jr. – Atlanta Braves
- Juan Soto – New York Mets
Ohtani is the most talented player the game has ever seen and has won the award each of the last two years. He’s a near-lock to win it again, but a healthy Acuña could give him a run for his money if he’s back to stealing bases. Soto’s lack of defensive value will once again keep him from finishing first.
AL MVP
- Bobby Witt Jr. – Kansas City Royals
- Aaron Judge – New York Yankees
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – Toronto Blue Jays
Someone has to dethrone Judge, and Witt is the man for the job. He already has a 10-WAR season under his belt as the truest five-tool player in baseball playing a premium defensive position (shortstop). Guerrero, meanwhile, is primed for a career year after a legendary postseason and excellent showing at the World Baseball Classic. NL Cy Young
- Paul Skenes – Pittsburgh Pirate
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto – Los Angeles Dodgers
- Logan Webb – San Francisco Giants
We’re likely to see another repeat winner in the NL as Skenes is simply on a different level than the rest of the competition. Yamamoto, meanwhile, showed how dominant he can be during the playoffs. Webb rounds out the top three as a consistent innings-eater whose strikeouts are trending upward.
AL Cy Young
- Garrett Crochet – Boston Red Sox
- Tarik Skubal – Detroit Tigers
- Dylan Cease – Toronto Blue Jays
Crochet finished second behind Skubal last year but can deny him of winning his third straight award in 2026. This will probably wind up being a two-horse race, but don’t sleep on Cease in the first year of his megadeal with the Blue Jays—he’s a tweak away from a career season. NL Rookie of the Year
- Konnor Griffin – Pittsburgh Pirates
- Nolan Maclean – New York Mets
- Sal Stewart – Cincinnati Reds
Griffin is the consensus top prospect in all of baseball for a reason. He’s a transformative talent who could easily be a superstar upon arrival. Maclean and Stewart, meanwhile, both impressed in brief showings with their respective teams in 2025. Still, this race probably won’t end up being close.
AL Rookie of the Year
- Trey Yesavage – Toronto Blue Jays
- Carter Jensen – Kansas City Royals
- Kevin McGonigle – Detroit Tigers
Yesavage is the no-brainer pick after what he showed in the 2025 playoffs. He’s already proven he can dominate on the biggest stage—it’s borderline unfair that he still qualifies as a rookie. Jensen is a promising young hitter poised for a massive breakout season with the Royals, while McGonigle is a soon-to-be star in Detroit.
CHECK OUT OFF THE ROSTER – NEW EPISODES EVERY WEEKDAY
Off The Roster is Toronto sports. Hosted by Cabbie Richards, Lindsay Dunn, and Dan Riccio, this is the go-to morning conversation for everything happening in the 6ix – Hockey, Baseball, Basketball and everything in between. From breakout performances and questionable trades to throwback jerseys, viral moments, and the stories fans are actually talking about—it’s smart, sharp, and never scripted. Live weekday mornings on the
Nation Network YouTube channel and available wherever you stream podcasts, the show delivers real opinions, real chemistry, and real Toronto energy. Missed an episode?
Catch up anytime. Off The Roster—The new sound of the 6ix.
