Newsday's David Lennon reveals his MLB end of the season awards

As tangled and turbulent as MLB’s playoff races were during the final week of the regular season -- thank you, commissioner Rob Manfred, for the expanded October format -- this year’s awards derby doesn’t feature many surprises, and includes a number of repeat winners.

Remember, the criteria for these BBWAA awards is regular-season performance and the ballots are cast before the playoffs begin this coming week. Since the ballots rotate year-to-year, I did not have a vote this season, but in the interest of accountability, as always, I’ve included my preseason and midseason picks for comparison.

Anyway, my winners are:

AMERICAN LEAGUE

MVP: Aaron Judge, Yankees

The tightest race on the board goes to the two-time winner and reigning MVP Judge, whose vast statistical advantage over Cal Raleigh can’t be dismissed, even with the Mariners slugger making history as a switch-hitting catcher. The debate is not a new one. What does the term “valuable” really mean? Well, for the sake of this process, value lies in the eye of the beholder, and Judge truly stands alone in what he brings to the Yankees, or would to any team, for that matter. Through Friday’s games, Judge’s .330 batting average led the majors by 17 points, his .458 on-base percentage led by 62 points, his .687 slugging led by 71 points and his 1.145 led by 138 points. It’s a rare season that Judge doesn’t lead the AL in homers, as his 52 is second to Raleigh’s 60. But if he keeps up this pace, the Yankees’ captain would be only the third player in MLB history to hit at least 50 homers and win the batting title in the same season, joining Mickey Mantle (1956) and Jimmie Foxx (1938). It’s a very convincing case for Judge. Raleigh deserves points for catching, sure. But not enough to make up for his huge deficits in nearly every other offensive category aside from homers and RBIs.

Midseason: Aaron Judge, Yankees

Preseason: Jose Ramirez, Guardians

CY YOUNG: Tarik Skubal, Tigers

Skubal established himself as the clear pick at the All-Star break, and despite some superb season-long challengers -- Hunter Brown (2.43 ERA), Garrett Crochet (2.59) and Max Fried (2.86) to name a few -- the Detroit ace remains the choice to repeat as the Cy winner (despite the Tigers historical collapse around him). It’s true Skubal was a little light in the wins department, as his 13 were tied for fourth-most in the AL, but the Tigers were 21-10 in his 31 starts, and he finished first in ERA (2.21), WHIP (0.89), strikeout rate (32.2%) and walk rate (4.4%). He also was tied for second with 195 1/3 innings -- matching Fried and Carlos Rodon -- and placed fourth with a .199 opponents batting average. Skubal should join Sandy Koufax (1965-66), Randy Johnson (4X, 1999-2002) and Clayton Kershaw (2013-14) as the only lefthanders with back-to-back trophies.

Midseason: Tarik Skubal, Tigers

Preseason: Jacob deGrom, Rangers

MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Stephen Vogt, Guardians

Yes, Vogt won the award last year, and only two managers have done so in back-to-back seasons: Atlanta’s Bobby Cox (2004-05) and the Rays’ Kevin Cash (2020-21). But neither of those managers, and certainly not anyone else in the majors this year or any other, was the dugout magician Vogt was this season in piloting Cleveland from a 15 1/2-game deficit on July 8 to sole possession of first place in the AL Central on Sept. 24. To put that more in perspective, the Guardians have MLB’s sixth-lowest payroll ($101M), had two relievers suspended due to gambling allegations -- including three-time All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase -- and rank 26th with 3.96 runs per game. A truly incredible achievement.

Midseason: AJ Hinch, Tigers

Preseason: Alex Cora, Red Sox

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Nick Kurtz, Athletics

Not much of a debate here. Kurtz, 22, isn’t just the class of the AL rookies, he was among MLB’s most dangerous sluggers, and made history on July 25 by becoming the first rookie to hit four homers in one game -- only the 21st player to accomplish the rare feat. He also led all rookies, in both leagues, with 35 home runs, 84 RBIs, a .617 slugging percentage and a 1.001 OPS. Not bad for a first baseman who was playing for Wake Forest a year earlier (Kurtz was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 July draft).

Midseason: Jacob Wilson, Athletics

Preseason: Jasson Dominguez, Yankees

NATIONAL LEAGUE

MVP: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers

Once again, this has become an unfair fight. Ohtani gave everyone else a chance to grab the award last year when elbow surgery kept him off the mound and relegated him to DH duties, but he still bulldozed the field with an historic 54-homer, 59-steal season to win his second straight MVP and third overall. Now that he’s pitching again, at an ace-caliber level, as well as doing ridiculous damage at the plate, what choice does a voter have? Ohtani didn’t join the Dodgers’ injury-ravaged rotation until mid-June, and his innings were limited into August, but he still has posted a 2.87 ERA in 14 starts, enough for a 1.9 fWAR. Now tack that onto what Ohtani has done offensively, leading the NL in slugging (.616), OPS (1.006) and runs (144) while placing second in homers (54) for an NL-best 7.2 fWAR. Ohtani’s oversized impact already gets him the a fourth MVP, but for the analytically-inclined, his combined 9.1 fWAR leaves everyone else competing for a distant second.

Midseason: Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs

Preseason: Francisco Lindor, Mets

CY YOUNG: Paul Skenes, Pirates

After his final 2025 start, Skenes joked that his 1.97 ERA -- the only sub 2.00 among NL starters and any MLB pitcher with more than 130 innings -- meant that he was worse than last year, which is true as he finished at 1.96 (but didn’t have the innings to qualify for the ERA title). Now that Skenes followed up his Rookie of the Year crown with a full season of 32 starts and 187 2/3 innings, which ranked fourth in the NL, his sophomore dominance is plenty to earn him this year’s Cy Young Award. Skenes, 23, also led the NL in strikeouts (216) and WHIP (0.948) while becoming only the fourth pitcher age 23 or younger in the Live Ball Era (since 1920) to have a sub-.200 ERA, joining Dwight Gooden (1.53 in 1985), Vida Blue (1.82 in 1971) and Dean Chance (1.65 in 1964). On the ERA front, the next-closest to Skenes in the NL was Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who finished with a 2.49.

Midseason: Zack Wheeler, Phillies

Preseason: Paul Skenes, Pirates

MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Pat Murphy, Brewers

Last year, I felt that Carlos Mendoza deserved this award over Murphy, the eventual winner, based on how the Mets rallied from a terrible first two months to put up the majors’ best record after Memorial Day. That’s basically what Murphy did this season with the Brewers, who were three games under .500 (25-28) on May 24 and stuck in fourth place, 6 1/2 games out. Since then, Milwaukee has rolled to MLB’s best record (71-35) by a lot -- six wins more than the Blue Jays -- with a roster that shed ace Corbin Burnes, team MVP Willy Adames and closer Devin Williams (he was still good then) during the previous winter. Murphy deserves the award just for inventing the term “pocket pancakes,” who has a habit of pulling them from his hoodie when in need of snack.

Midseason: Craig Counsell, Cubs

Preseason: Carlos Mendoza, Mets

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Drake Baldwin, Atlanta

Too bad the Mets’ Nolan McLean didn’t have a larger body of work this season, because he was on a ROY track since his August call-up, posting an historic 1.27 ERA through his first seven starts. But Baldwin, 24, gets the nod over Cubs righthander Cade Horton (11-4, 2.67 ERA) by combining his catching talent with a prodigious bat, finishing first among NL rookies with 80 RBIs, second in home runs (19), third in OPS (.808) and fourth in batting average (.275). Baldwin began the season as a sub for the injured Sean Murphy, but wound up earning a split of playing time upon the former All-Star catcher’s return.

Midseason: Drake Baldwin, Atlanta

Preseason: Matt Shaw, Cubs