MLB awards watch: Who's going to win MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year?

The MLB pennant races aren't the only thing heating up with the season's end in sight. Pursuit of baseball's major awards has also kicked into high gear.

We'll take a look at the leading contenders for the major awards in the American League and the National League. All statistics are sourced from Baseball Reference.

The American League MVP race features players who excel in different areas of the game, but are all lethal in their own way. Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees, Juan Soto of the New York Yankees, Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals, and Gunnar Henderson of the Baltimore Orioles are all in the mix.

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The Yankees and Orioles have been locked in a dead-heat for most of the season in the American League East, and whichever team ultimately wins the division might also have the MVP.

Judge has had a fantastic second half, clubbing home runs at an elite rate, as MLB’s website has highlighted. They wonder whether he has had the best 100-game stretch of all-time with his prodigious hitting this season, and it feels like Henderson's chances have all but slipped away.

Shohei Ohtani has been a force to be reckoned with for the Los Angeles Dodgers all season. Joining him in the MVP conversation in the National League is Francisco Lindor of the New York Mets, Marcell Ozuna of the Atlanta Braves, and Elly De La Cruz of the Cincinnati Reds.

The Mets and Braves are on the fringes of the wild card race, while the Dodgers are looking to hold off the Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres for the National League West crown. De La Cruz is one of the most exciting players in baseball, but the Reds aren’t going to factor into the playoff race, which hurts his candidacy.

It’ll be interesting to see if voter fatigue sets in with Ohtani, who has won MVP twice in his career already. Still, the most recognizable player on the best team usually has a pretty good chance to take home the award, which makes Ohtani a great bet here. CBS Sports notes that Ohtani would be the first Designated Hitter to win MVP.

Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers would appear to be the odds on favorite to win according to Fox Sports, but Corbin Burnes of the Baltimore Orioles, Emmanuel Clase of the Cleveland Guardians and Seth Lugo of the Kansas City Royals would also be in the mix.

Clase has been lights out at the end of games for Cleveland, essentially shutting down opponents before he even enters the game with his mental edge. However, the award will likely come down to Skubal or Lugo, the latter of which has had a breakout season in his mid 30s.

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Skubal has probably had the best season start to finish of any American League pitcher, as his strikeout metrics have been at or near the top of the AL all year.

The National League Cy Young race has an interesting blend of veterans and young players in the mix. Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves, Zack Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies, Hunter Greene of the Cincinnati Reds, Logan Webb of the San Francisco Giants, and rookie Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates all have a legitimate claim.

Not many pegged Sale for a huge bounce back season at age 35, but he’s been the unquestioned ace in Atlanta after Spencer Strider went down. The MLB’s website wrote that baseball fans have not seen a career rebound like this in decades, and noted that he hasn’t been this good for about five or six seasons.

Wheeler has been knocking on the door of the NL Cy Young race for a few years now, and this might be the year he finally cashes in. Sale has been outstanding, but Wheeler’s Phillies have held the division lead all season thanks to his brilliance, which might be the tie-breaking factor in a pretty close race.

New talent breaks into the major leagues every year, and 2024 is no exception. The best first year players in the American League this year have been Colton Cowser of the Baltimore Orioles, Austin Wells of the New York Yankees, Wilyer Abreu of the Boston Red Sox, and Luis Gil of the New York Yankees.

Gil got off to an excellent start in New York this season, but has fallen off since the first half. Wells and Cowser appear to be picking up steam as the games get more important, putting themselves in the driver’s seat to take home the award in 2024.

Fox Sports noted that Cowser’s odds of winning AL Rookie of the Year on FanDuel increased to -350 in August from -550 in July. As of mid-September, Cowser only has the third-best odds, behind Gil and Wells. It's possible the two Yankees cancel each other out, leaving Cowser with the ultimate honor.

The National League Rookie of the Year race might be the tightest of them all. Jackson Merrill of the San Diego Padres and Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates appear to be the favorites. Jackson Chourio of the Milwaukee Brewers and Tyler Fitzgerald of the San Francisco Giants would appear to have outside chances.

Skenes has been a phenom since being called up to the major leagues in May. His lack of service time might cost him a chance at the Cy Young award, but he is a legitimate candidate to take home Rookie of the Year. He has more name recognition than Merrill, but Merrill will have more chances to impact a pennant race.

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It’s going to come down to the wire, but Skenes might just have the edge. MLB’s website believes that his consideration as one of the best pitchers in the game might help him earn the “consolation prize” of Rookie of the Year. However, Merrill has had some big hits this summer, and won’t go away quietly.