Full Analysis Summary
MLB BBWAA Award Finalists
Major League Baseball has unveiled the top three finalists for its four BBWAA awards—MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, and Manager of the Year—with results to roll out in mid-November.
Yardbarker reports that MLB announced finalists across both leagues and that voting was completed after the regular season and before the postseason, with winners revealed the week of November 10, Monday through Thursday.
Just Baseball situates this within the broader awards calendar, noting finalists were set for November 5 and that the BBWAA awards (ROY, Manager, Cy Young, MVP) will be announced November 10-13, followed by an MLB Awards show on November 13.
MLB’s official wrap focuses on performance highlights that underpin several finalist cases, underscoring that the 2025 season featured standout efforts from both emerging stars and established pitchers competing for top honors.
Coverage Differences
scope
Yardbarker (Western Alternative) frames a comprehensive, league-wide finalist announcement with timing and voting window, while Just Baseball (Other) focuses on the broader awards calendar and key dates rather than individual finalists. MLB (Other) provides award highlights and candidate performance context but does not handle the finalists announcement mechanics or voting window.
narrative
On timing, Yardbarker specifies the format—awards announced each day Monday through Thursday—while Just Baseball presents the exact date range and broader context, including other awards and the MLB Awards show.
tone
MLB’s official write-up emphasizes on-field excellence and a season-long competitive landscape, in contrast to Yardbarker’s procedural and finalist-driven framing.
MLB Award Finalists and Highlights
In the American League, Yardbarker lists Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, and Jose Ramirez as MVP finalists.
Aaron Judge is seeking a third MVP in four years.
Yardbarker also names Tarik Skubal as the Cy Young favorite alongside Hunter Brown and Garrett Crochet.
MLB’s official highlights support these Cy Young candidacies with detailed statistics.
Skubal improved on his 2024 Cy Young performance with a 2.21 ERA and 241 strikeouts.
Crochet led MLB in strikeouts with 255.
Brown posted a 2.43 ERA with 206 strikeouts.
Regarding rookies, Yardbarker names Roman Anthony, Nick Kurtz, and Jacob Wilson, highlighting Kurtz’s 36 home runs.
MLB emphasizes Roman Anthony’s profile as MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 prospect at debut, showing a focus on pedigree rather than just power output.
Coverage Differences
tone
Yardbarker (Western Alternative) uses a predictive tone, saying Skubal is "favored to repeat" and calling the AL ROY a "clear choice," whereas MLB (Other) provides a performance-driven, non-predictive framing with specific statistical benchmarks.
missed information
MLB’s highlights reference only Roman Anthony among AL rookies, while Yardbarker lists three AL ROY finalists and specifically credits Nick Kurtz’s 36 homers and Jacob Wilson’s presence.
narrative
MLB supports AL Cy Young cases with specific metrics for Brown and Crochet, complementing Yardbarker’s finalist list and predictions.
National League Award Predictions
The National League slate, per Yardbarker, includes Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Schwarber, and an unspecified Mets right fielder for MVP.
Ohtani is attempting to win a third MVP in four years.
For the Cy Young Award, both Yardbarker and MLB highlight Cristopher Sánchez, Paul Skenes, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
MLB provides the statistical details supporting these candidates: Skenes won the NL ERA title with 1.97 and recorded 216 strikeouts.
Yamamoto earned the World Series MVP and posted a 2.49 ERA.
Sánchez has a 2.50 ERA with 212 strikeouts.
Regarding the NL Rookie of the Year, the finalist trio includes Drake Baldwin, Caleb Durbin, and Cade Horton, appearing in both roundups.
MLB notes Baldwin's 80 RBIs, the most among NL rookies.
Durbin is recognized for his combination of contact hitting and speed.
Horton boasts a 2.67 ERA and 11 wins.
Coverage Differences
specificity
Yardbarker (Western Alternative) lists MVP finalists but leaves the Mets right fielder unnamed, while MLB (Other) does not cover MVP finalists at all in its highlights; MLB instead provides deep statistical specifics for pitching and rookie candidates.
tone
Yardbarker characterizes Skenes as "the favorite," whereas MLB refrains from predictions, emphasizing accolades and metrics like ERA title and postseason honors for Yamamoto.
narrative
For NL rookies, Yardbarker lists the same trio as finalists, while MLB expands the narrative with concrete production benchmarks for Baldwin, Durbin, and Horton.
Manager of the Year Finalists
Manager of the Year is a key focus for November.
Yardbarker lists American League finalists John Schneider, Dan Wilson, and Stephen Vogt.
Yardbarker favors Wilson and Schneider after their surprise division titles.
National League finalists include Terry Francona, Pat Murphy, and Rob Thomson.
Murphy is considered likely to repeat after leading Milwaukee to the best record in Major League Baseball.
Just Baseball confirms the timing for Manager of the Year within the BBWAA week from November 10 to 13.
MLB’s highlights package does not list manager finalists, focusing instead on player award cases.
Coverage Differences
missed information
Only Yardbarker (Western Alternative) provides specific Manager of the Year finalist names and predicted favorites; MLB (Other) does not list manager finalists, and Just Baseball (Other) sticks to scheduling.
tone
Yardbarker offers predictive language about who is favored among managers, contrasting with Just Baseball’s neutral calendar framing and MLB’s omission of managerial content in its highlights.
2025 Baseball Awards Overview
Stepping back, the sources paint complementary but distinct pictures.
Yardbarker emphasizes a mix of established stars and rising talent, projecting several repeat winners and naming finalists across all awards.
MLB underlines the statistical cases for pitchers and rookies, including ERA titles, strikeout leads, and postseason hardware.
Just Baseball anchors the news within a clear awards-season timeline.
Together, they show how finalist lists, performance evidence, and scheduling combine to frame the 2025 awards conversation, including Manager of the Year, as November’s centerpiece.
Coverage Differences
tone
Yardbarker (Western Alternative) leans into predictive language about repeats and favorites; MLB (Other) centers evidentiary, stat-heavy summaries; Just Baseball (Other) keeps a neutral, logistics-first tone about dates and award sequence.
narrative
Yardbarker provides complete finalist lists across award categories, MLB provides detailed candidate performance highlights, and Just Baseball provides the broader context of the offseason and awards cadence.