We are nearly halfway through the MLB season. We have seen some outstanding performances and some fresh faces jump into the race for the top awards handed out. There is still half a season for other players to jump into the mix and for others to fall out. Regardless, here’s my predictions for the 2026 National League midseason awards.
MVP: Yordan Alvarez – Houston Astros
It might not be Aaron Judge’s year for the MVP and Alvarez has done more than enough to prove that he can take home the hardware, even as a designated hitter. Alvarez is hitting .322 with 25 home runs and 56 RBI while already accounting for 96 hits. Simply put, he is one of the most feared hitters in all of baseball at the moment.
You can never count Judge out for the award who has already belted 17 home runs. But Judge needs to stay healthy if he wants a second half comeback.
Cy Young: Cam Schlitter – New York Yankees
Schlitter has been a sensation for the Yankees and might have already overtaken Gerrit Cole as the ace in the Yankees rotation. He has a 1.71 ERA, .89 WHIP, and 104 strikeouts. Schlitter continues to up his game and talk his trash while he is at it. While there are a lot of pitchers who can’t handle New York, it hasn’t been the case for the 25-year-old.
After Schlitter, Dylan Cease isn’t far behind. He’s having a rebound year with the Toronto Blue Jays. His 2.75 ERA needs some work, but his stuff is nasty.
Rookie of the Year: Kevin McGonigle – Detroit Tigers
Each year, there are a handful of rookies who enter the league and become a top three player on their team and immediately make a massive impact for their ballclub. McGonigle is one of those guys. He is a flashy rookie who is doing just about everything right. He is hitting .283, his OPS is.816 and he has added eight home runs. Doing it all while playing a clean game at short stop has been impressive.
Munetaka Murakami has been a solid second option, but home runs can only take you so far.
Manager of the Year: Will Venable – Chicago White Sox
Few teams have been worse than the Chicago White Sox over the past few seasons but with Venable running the ship, things have been much better. He won just 60 games a season ago but that was still a big improvement. The White Sox are about to hit 40 wins and are on pace to compete in the division and fight for a playoff spot.