A pair of young Yankee stars were named to the official All-MLB Team at the MLB Awards Show in Las Vegas—one last serving of pomp and circumstance before a long and soon-to-be contentious winter. Newly-minted AL Cy Young winner Cam Schlittler was named to the All-MLB First Team at starting pitcher, while Ben Rice took home Second Team honors at designated hitter.
Schlittler, who was announced as the AL Cy Young winner a few hours prior to the ceremony, became the third Yankee starting pitcher to receive an All-MLB selection since their introduction in 2019 (in part as a way to salute full season production rather than just a good first half helping an All-Star selection). Max Fried was named to the Team in 2025; Gerrit Cole was previously a First Team honoree in 2023 and 2021 and a Second Team choice in 2020.
Schlittler’s prowess on the mound was unimpeachable in 2026, as he pitched to an AL-best 1.95 ERA in 193.2 innings.
Ben Rice is the first Yankee DH to receive an All-MLB nod. Rice made the All-Star team in 2026 behind a volcanic first half in which he was one of the best hitters in baseball. His overall statline cooled somewhat during the stretch run, in large part due to the prolonged absence of Aaron Judge, but he still finished with 41 home runs and 97 RBI, posting an .897 OPS (149 wRC+). Amazingly, despite the Yankees’ early dismissal from the playoffs in the ALDS, Rice’s four home runs were the most hit by anyone in the 2026 postseason.
Overall, seven Yankees were given All-MLB nominations. Luis García Jr. (1B), Jazz Chisholm Jr. (2B), Cody Bellinger (OF), David Bednar (RP), and Brent Headrick (RP) were put up for consideration in addition to Rice and Schlittler. With stiff competition throughout the league at those premium position groups, it’s perhaps not a surprise to see those latter five names fall short of selection. Bellinger, for his part, has a solid consolation prize in the form of the Platinum Glove he took home earlier in award season.
Below are the full First and Second Team All-MLB honorees:
Schlittler and Rice have already been linked to each other in several ways: their shared home state of Massachusetts, their modest prospect pedigrees at the time they were drafted, and their similarly-timed breakouts as stars in the Bronx. Now, they share All-MLB honors together in 2026. Here’s to more award-worthy campaigns from those two in the future!
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 26: Jackson Chourio #11 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates with Brice Turang #2 after scoring in the third inning during Game Three of the 2026 World Series presented by Capital One between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Monday, October 26, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Entering the eighth year of the All-MLB team, the Brewers have had five players earn the best-at-their-position honors, and another five earn All-MLB Second Team honors. Tonight, three more were added to the first team: Brice Turang, Jacob Misiorowski, and Jackson Chourio. William Contreras also made it on the Second Team at catcher, his second time making it (First Team in 2024).
This award season, the Brewers had seven players nominated for All-MLB honors: Turang, Contreras, Chourio, Misiorowski, Jake Bauers, Trevor Megill, and Abner Uribe. Only the Dodgers, Red Sox, Yankees, Rays, and Braves had more players nominated this season.
As we’ve already seen from the defensive awards, Turang was, without a doubt, the best second baseman in baseball. In just his fourth season in the big leagues, Turang continued to prove himself as one of the best middle infielders in baseball. Despite watching his batting average drop 20 points and racking up 21 more strikeouts than a year ago, Turang saw a big increase in RBIs, doubles, and a few more home runs. The First Team All-MLB honor is the first time he’s been selected for this award, after he made the Second Team a year ago.
For Chourio, it’s his first honors of his career, doing so despite playing in just 127 games after an injury kept him out for the first month of the season. Chourio became the youngest player in MLB history to hit 20 home runs and steal 20 bases in each of his first three seasons. This season, not only was he clutch, but he hit well, batting .291, a career best, while walking 47 times.
As for Misiorowski, he caps off what is officially the most First Team All-MLB winners in Brewers franchise history. On the same night that he won his first Cy Young Award, Miz earns his first career All-MLB award. Miz had an out-of-this-world season, leading all of MLB with a 1.80 ERA and 252 strikeouts; he also was the only pitcher in baseball with a complete-game shutout.
LAS VEGAS — Scott Boras’ “math” tells him an ace of Tarik Skubal’s caliber translates into World Series title possibilities for the team that lands him.
“If we look over a 30- or 40-year period, we might have 10 of these aces that are capable of winning multiple Cy Young Awards,” the superagent said Wednesday, mentioning pitchers such as Greg Maddux, Randy Johnson and Max Scherzer who also won World Series titles. “What that means is it has an ability to allow a franchise to win a coveted world championship.
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“The math on it is something in the sport that is so high that all of these types of unique talents bring you that opportunity over a period of time.”
The lefty Skubal is scheduled to meet with the Mets, among other teams, next week in Southern California as he pursues a contract that could eclipse the $325 million deal — the richest for a pitcher in MLB history — that Yoshinobu Yamamoto received from the Dodgers three years ago.
Boras was asked if he viewed the Mets as motivated buyers this offseason.
Scott Boras, who is the agent of Tarik Skubal, talks to reporters at MLB’s general manager meetings on Nov. 11, 2026 in Las Vegas. AP
“That would be a question for them, but I think there are a lot of unfulfilled expectations in this league,” Boras said. “There are teams that are really close.”
“The one thing that Soto does is you walk in and say, ‘I have got someone that has got a ring on his finger,’ ” Boras said. “ ‘I have got someone who has proven himself to be a champion. I have got someone that in a championship performance, when most required, he is at his best. I have someone who is an elite talent. … I have someone that everyone else would like to acquire.’ If you have someone who has that résumé, I would say I would do that a number of times.”
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal throws against the Atlanta Braves in the sixth inning of NLDS Game 1 on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026, in Los Angeles. Wally Skalij for the CA Post
Mark Vientos’ future with the Mets remains murky, heading toward the deadline for teams to tender contracts to arbitration-eligible players.
Last season, Vientos posted a .652 OPS and was among the game’s worst defensive players by most metrics.
“He didn’t have the season we think he’s capable of having,” president of baseball operations David Stearns said. “He’s going into the offseason as a really motivated player, and that is what came out of our exit meetings with him. This is someone who is very motivated to get his career back where it was a couple of years ago, and if he’s able to do that, he’s going to have an opportunity with us.”
Sale was spectacular once again this past season across 27 starts, posting a superb 2.16 ERA, 2.29 FIP and 2.82 xFIP over the course of 162.2 innings. The veteran lefty struck out 200 hitters and only walked 31, trailing only Jacob Misiorowski in strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Sale also closed out Game 3 of the National League Wild Card Round in heroic fashion at Truist Park as the Braves advanced past the Phillies to move on to the NLDS.
In three seasons with the Braves, Sale has been named to the All-MLB First Team twice. What was a risky buy-low on Sale and his health in December 2023 has turned out magnificently for the Braves and Alex Anthopoulos as the future Hall of Famer has been arguably the best pitcher in the sport across the last three seasons on a per-inning basis.
The Yankees ace walked away with the American League Cy Young Award, garnering all 30 first-place votes to become the third Bronx Bomber to ever win the award unanimously.
Cam Schlittler throws a pitch during the Yankees’ Game 1 win over the Red Sox in an AL wild-card series matchup on Sept. 29, 2026 at the Stadium. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Schlittler’s 14-start stint in 2025 precluded him from being eligible for the AL Rookie of the Year this season, but his strong numbers during that stretch were a harbinger of what was to come in 2026.
The Northeastern University product led the AL with a 1.95 ERA while striking out 239 hitters in 193 ²/₃ innings. He was eighth overall in WAR (6.2) and first among pitchers in the AL, according to FanGraphs.
As MLB stats guru Sarah Langs pointed out in September, Schlittler is just the fourth Yankee to finish a season with a sub-2.00 ERA since ERA became an official stat in 1913.
Schlittler did have more to say when interviewed by MLB Network after his win, as he was flanked by his parents, John and Christine.
“Obviously it’s a special moment for me and my family,” Schlittler said. “So it’s a great position to be in. … I’ve got thank my parents and my brother and my sister for being by my side this whole side. I wouldn’t really be here without them. Same with the extended family, just always supporting my back … My teammates, my coaches, they’ve really helped my development this year. It’s been a special thing to be a part of, and obviously the job isn’t done yet.”
Schlittler is the seventh Yankee to ever win the Cy Young and joins Gerrit Cole (2023) and Ron Guidry (1978) as the only pitchers in pinstripes to garner all the first-place votes.
Cam Schlittler walks to the dugout after the fourth inning in the Yankees’ Game 1 AL wild-card win over the Red Sox at the Stadium. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Dylan Cease of the Blue Jays finished second for the award, while the Guardians’ Parker Messick came in third.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 16: Cole Carrigg #16 of the Colorado Rockies makes a jumping catch into the ivy in a game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on June 16, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois.(Photo by Kyle Cooper/Colorado Rockies/Getty Images)
On Sunday, we gave you a list of the best defensive play of 2026 and asked you to provide others that stuck out to you. As this is a Rockies site, we will be voting on Rockies plays, but an Honorable Mention goes to Colorado Springs Northsider’s nomination of the Colton Cowser walk-off home run robbery in August (that was definitely the play of the year at Coors Field).
So without further ado, here are your Top 5 (in chronological order):
On the first day of the official MLB General Managers’ meetings in Las Vegas, A.J. Preller spoke to the media and the team also announced that starting pitcher Ryan Weiss had signed a one-year contract, including a team option for 2028.
In the first action for the major league roster for this offseason, the Padres signed 29-year-old Ryan Weiss to a reported $1.85 million deal with an option for 2028.
Weiss, originally drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2018, has spent time in the minor leagues, with the Independent Atlantic League, in the Chinese professional league, and in the KBO since being drafted. He made his major league debut last season with the Houston Astros, pitching in nine games. He also appeared in 22 games for their Triple-A team.
He features a high-90s four-seam fastball, a sweeper, a changeup, a sinker, and a curveball in his pitch mix. In his time with the Astros, Weiss posted a 7.62 ERA with two of the games as a starter. He finished the season in Triple-A and had a strong end of his season. Over his last 19.1 innings pitched in 2026, Weiss had a 1.37 ERA.
He will be added to the list of pitchers given the opportunity to show what he can do as a starter and should benefit from the tutelage of pitching coach Ruben Niebla and his staff.
Off-season notes
Padres’ special assistant A.J. Ellis was hired by the New York Mets as manager Andy Green’s strategy coordinator for the major league coaching staff. He had a hybrid role with the Padres, working both in the front office and on the field as a supplemental coach. That is the second staff position that will need to be filled for the Padres after bullpen coach Ben Fritz was hired as the Diamondbacks’ primary pitching coach.
Controlling owners Kwanza Jones and José E. Feliciano were seen in the Dominican Republic with A.J. Preller in late October. While in the DR, Preller signed 18-year-old Venezuelan right-handed pitcher Moises Alcalde for $20,000. He is viewed as a possible starter prospect. Preller also signed 17-year-old Panamanian left-hander Yeremy De León ($30,000), 17-year-old Venezuelan left-hander Raymer Moreno ($50,000), and 17-year-old Cuban infielder Omar Guerra ($25,000).
Japanese RHP Tatsuya Nogami, 18, was signed to a minor league contract per Francys Romero of Beisbol FR. He already has a 98 mph fastball as part of his repertoire. The Padres have reportedly signed more than 50 international prospects during this signing period, the most of any major league organization. The signing period closes on Dec. 15.
1B/DH Nick Pratto has resigned a minor league contract with the organization. Pratto spent most of 2026 with the El Paso Chihuahuas, playing in 71 games while hitting .271 with a .818 OPS.
RHRP Amgel Hernandez, 23, has signed a minor league contract with the Padres per a report from MadFriars.com. Originally part of the Miami Marlins organization, Hernandez played in Mexico in 2026.
Preller had a 45-minute media availability at the GM meetings on Tuesday. Addressing many questions from reporters, Preller outlined plans to meet with pitcher Joe Musgrove soon to plan for his offseason. He also addressed the obvious need for starting pitching and responded to a question from Jon Heyman (New York Post and MLB Network) about whether he was looking for three or four starters. His answer was, “Keep going.” The rumor mill has the Padres linked to Tarik Skubal, but Preller was evasive when questioned about a possible visit to Petco Park.
When asked about the payroll for this season, he said that it was still a fluid situation and would be “player-dependent,” but there would be a better feel for the budget after meeting with players and agents during the GM meetings to see what the market was looking like. He also acknowledged ongoing communication with Michael King and his agent regarding resigning with the team. King is exploring the market but still a possible re-sign, depending on how the free agent market plays out.
New York Mets pitcher A.J. Minter throws a pitch against the Boston Red Sox during the seventh inning at Citi Field in New York, Friday, July 10, 2026.
The Athletic reported earlier in the day that the Mets have also had interest in lefties Alex Vesia and Tim Hill, who are both free agents.
Minter spent 2025 and part of 2026 with the Amazin’s, but the former season was truncated due to season-ending lat surgery. And this past year, Minter was effective upon his return with a 2.35 ERA in 23 outings before he was sent to the Twins as part of the Mets’ trade deadline sell-off.
New York Mets pitcher A.J. Minter throws a pitch against the Boston Red Sox during the seventh inning at Citi Field in New York, Friday, July 10, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The southpaw held a 2.78 ERA in 25 games after the trade to Minnesota.
As part of the deadline fire sale, the Mets also sent away relievers Luke Weaver, Huascar Brazobán and Brooks Raley. Kodai Senga was then shifted into a high-leverage bullpen role, though Stearns said Tuesday that the expectation is that Senga will work toward being a starter in spring training — whenever that begins after the expected MLB labor fight.
Vesia, 30, has spent all but one season with the Dodgers and has been an effective late-inning lefty with a career 2.87 ERA with 443 strikeouts across 332 1/3 innings.
Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Alex Vesia tosses the ball during Game 4 of the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers in Los Angeles, Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026. Wally Skalij for the CA Post
The 36-year-old Hill has pitched the last two and a half seasons in New York with the Yankees. While righties feasted (.909 OPS) off the veteran in 2026, Hill kept lefty hitters consistently in check (.611 OPS).
LAS VEGAS — As someone who spent seven seasons atop the Brewers front office, David Stearns wasn’t totally disconnected as the franchise celebrated its first World Series title two weeks ago.
“I’m just really happy for that group,” the Mets president of baseball operations said Wednesday at the general managers meetings. “I know a lot of those folks over there. They have worked incredibly hard, so it’s incredibly well deserved.”
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Stearns, who stepped aside from running the Brewers after the 2022 season to serve as a team consultant for one year before jumping to the Mets, was careful to distance himself from his former club when asked if he felt any measure of pride in helping develop part of Milwaukee’s core.
He repeated that he was happy for the Brewers, beginning with the team’s ownership.
Were there takeaways from the Brewers’ success that might translate as he attempts to win with the Mets?
“Each situation is unique, and when you see organizations operate on a high level, you always try to learn something from them,” Stearns said. “We also recognize we’re in a different place, different market and need to act differently.”
Most notably, the Brewers won the World Series with a $146 million payroll — less than half of what the Mets spent last season on salaries.
And whereas a rebuilding season or two might be tolerated in the smallest media market for a major league team, it doesn’t work in New York under an owner in Steve Cohen with a stated goal of competing for a championship each season.
David Stearns, president of baseball operations for the New York Mets, speaks to the media at MLB general manager meetings Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2026, in Las Vegas. AP Photo/John Locher
“I think one of the benefits we have is we have the entirety of the player universe and the whole world available to us,” Stearns said. “That is a benefit and it’s also different than what some other markets have, including Milwaukee.”
But that hardly guarantees the right pieces will be selected, as Stearns discovered last season — a calamity he previously described as an “uncapped downside scenario.” The Mets assumed risk with a drastic roster overhaul and significantly underperformed, finishing with 74 victories, far removed from the postseason race.
“There are challenges in all markets,” Stearns said. “My job is to use the advantages we have in our market and to put a consistent winner on the field. I think we’re going to be able to do that.”
The Mets have missed the playoffs the past two seasons, putting Stearns firmly on the hot seat as he begins the fourth year of a contract that runs through 2028.
Milwaukee Brewers players celebrate their Game 5 World Series win against the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Fla., Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. GARY BOGDON/EPA/Shutterstock
This winter’s primary mission is to improve a starting rotation that includes many question marks. Team officials will meet next week with the top free agent on the market, Tarik Skubal, with the hope of luring the left-hander to Queens on what could be a record contract for a starting pitcher.
Asked Wednesday to name the certainties for his starting rotation next season, Stearns named Nolan McLean and Christian Scott.
“I don’t know that I am going to go and line up the entirety of what that group looks like when we’re still [months] away from all showing up in Port St. Lucie,” Stearns said. “But I would also expect there to be a member or members of the rotation who aren’t members of the organization right now.”
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Tarik Skubal pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals in Los Angeles, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2026. Wally Skalij for CA Post
The industry faces a Dec. 2 shutdown, with owners set to impose a lockout as they seek a salary cap. But from Stearns’ perspective, this offseason is like any other.
“I am confident that however this offseason plays out, we’ll be well prepared to handle it,” Stearns said. “And when the games begin, we’re going to have a good team on the field.”
ATLANTA, GA - SEPTEMBER 30: Cristopher Sánchez #61 of the Philadelphia Phillies pitches during Game Two of the National League Wild Card Series presented by AbbVie between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on Wednesday, September 30, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kathryn May/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
We all knew that Jacob Misiorowski was going to finish with the NL Cy Young award thanks to his historic season. The real race was for second place.
Now, we know who took that spot.
The 2026 National League Cy Young Award goes to Jacob Misiorowski.
Sanchez finishing second is no real surprise. Chris Sale may have been better to some, but the fact that Sanchez threw almost 7 full games more than Sale obviously accounted for something.
Jesus Luzardo finishing fifth is a nice surprise. He was truly great this past season, ascending to ace status for many.
This year is the first time the Baseball Writers’ Association of America has voted on the award, and it differs from Trevor Hoffman winning the Rolaids Relief Man Award in 2006 and 1998.
Mason Miller pitching for the National League All-Star Game in Philadelphia last July. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Last year, Miller was selected to his second career All-Star Game, and made 66 appearances for the Padres and converted 38 of 41 save opportunities, while recording a 1.67 ERA and a 0.900 WHIP.
Before 2026, the highest number of saves Miller had was in his rookie season in 2024, notching 28 saves in 55 appearances with the Oakland A’s.
Miller finished last season tied in the National League for saves with Riley O’Brien of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Miller was crowned as the unanimous Reliever of the Year. Jason Szenes for the New York PostMiller finished ahead of Jhoan Duran of the Philadelphia Phillies, who finished with 24 second-place votes. Wally Skalij for CA Post
Miller finished ahead of Jhoan Duran of the Philadelphia Phillies, who finished with 24 second-place votes, and Trevor McGill of the Milwaukee Brewers, who only had two votes for second place.
During the playoffs last October, Miller made MLB history in the Padres’ National League Wild Card series victory over the Chicago Cubs, where he earned his 10th career postseason strikeout after facing his 12th career batter in the playoffs.
Breaking a record was nothing new for Miller last year, as he also set the Padres’ scoreless-innings record by throwing 34 2/3 consecutive innings without giving up a run last season.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia pitches during Game 4 of the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers. CHRIS TORRES/EPA/Shutterstock
All of them played key roles during the club’s run to back-to-back World Series championships in 2024 and 2025.
All of them are now on the free-agent market this offseason, but have indicated hopes of re-signing in Los Angeles.
As this lockout-threatened winter unfolds, they will provide something of a litmus test for how much roster turnover the Dodgers are willing to endure.
The Dodgers have a need for his skill set, seeking right-handed-hitting infielders capable of playing multiple positions across the diamond (especially in the wake of Miguel Rojas’ retirement). They have re-signed the 35-year-old veteran in each of the last three offseasons, as well, seemingly always saving a place on the roster for the franchise’s all-time postseason games played leader.
General manager Brandon Gomes offered no further clarity while speaking at the GM Meetings on Tuesday, saying: “Kiké has been such a huge part of what we’ve done in the past, and we’ll continue to have those conversations. But what that looks like right now, I have no idea.”
Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Kiké Hernández warms up before a game at Dodger Stadium. Carlin Stiehl for CA Post
Hernández’s lack of regular-season production over the past few years explains why the Dodgers might be more hesitant to re-sign him again. Not only has he hit just .219 with a .645 OPS since 2024, but he has missed significant time with elbow and oblique injuries.
What the Dodgers need in 2027 is someone who can be a weapon against left-handed pitching, and give some of their older veteran regulars (like Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy and Mookie Betts) more days off to keep them fresh.
Come October, the Dodgers would still love to have Hernández’s presence in the lineup. But they’ll have to weigh that against the risk of what has become a more inconsistent overall track record.
Vesia, meanwhile, presents a completely different dynamic.
Few relievers have been more consistent than the 30-year-old left-hander since he joined the Dodgers in 2021. He has posted a 2.66 ERA in that time while making 367 appearances for the club (150 more than anyone else).
That durability has made Vesia a hot commodity on this year’s free-agent market, where only Adrian Morejon is seen as a better left-handed reliever option. He has already fielded interest from roughly half the league, according to a source, and could be in line for three-year contract offers.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Evan Phillips throws during the fifth inning of Game 4 of the NLCS. AP Photo/Gregory Bull
Phillips, 32, will figure to field similarly wide-ranging interest, though could have a slightly more limited market thanks to his age and injury history. From 2022 to 2024, he was the Dodgers’ best reliever, collecting a team-high 44 saves with a 2.21 ERA. However, he underwent Tommy John surgery in 2025, and battled bouts of inconsistency in his return this year, albeit before mounting a strong finish to the campaign that included him hitting 100 mph with his fastball.
Both would make sense as re-signing candidates for the Dodgers (who let Phillips linger on the free-agent market last year before bringing him back on a one-year deal). But the team also feels confident about its other returning relievers –– a group headlined by Edwin Díaz, Tanner Scott, Edgardo Henriquez and Brock Stewart –– and has several younger arms it would like to leave opportunities open for next season.
Then there’s Graterol, the hard-throwing right-hander who has not pitched since 2024 because of shoulder and back surgeries.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Brusdar Graterol works on a back field at Camelback Ranch Glendale in Phoenix, Arizona. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The 28-year-old was finally regaining health by the end of this past season, and there is expected to be mutual interest in a reunion with the Dodgers, another source said. But he is also testing the free-agent waters to see what kind of opportunities he could get to re-establish himself as a high-leverage weapon.
Fellow out-of-contract Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen is another name to monitor, though it’s unclear if the 38-year-old right-hander intends to continue playing after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in September (the latest setback in his checkered injury history).
For now, the Dodgers have been described as “slow-moving” on such fronts. In an offseason of potential transition, they are waiting to see how each player’s market develops while evaluating how aggressively they will try to retain them.
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If the closer declines the $23.15 million qualifying offer that the Yankees extended to him by next Tuesday’s deadline (which appears more likely than not), Bednar will hit the open market primed for a payday as one of the top free-agent relievers.
And while there is nothing stopping the Yankees from negotiating a multi-year deal with Bednar before then – Cashman would not say if the two sides were talking about it – they may soon have to put their money where their mouth is in order to address one of their biggest needs this offseason.
“I’ve done it before, I’m not afraid to do it,” Cashman said at the GM meetings when asked about spending big on a reliever. “It just comes down to allocation of resources and the opportunity, what’s in front of you and how realistic it is, and do we like it enough to play those numbers and all that stuff. But I’m not opposed to putting numbers on players at whatever position.”
The Yankees have not put the kind of numbers that Bednar will get on a reliever since 2019, when they signed Zack Britton to a three-year, $39 million deal and added an extra year and $18 million to the five-year, $86 million pact Aroldis Chapman signed ahead of the 2017 campaign.
Neither deal ended well for the Yankees.
This time around, Cashman has said he is working under a budget from Hal Steinbrenner that he would not define.
It likely will cost the Yankees a lot of money to bring closer David Bednar back, whether it’s a one-year qualifying offer or a longer-term deal. Robert Sabo for New York Post
But if the Yankees were able to offer Bednar the $23.15 million for one year (which would be the highest average annual value for any reliever), conceivably they should be able to fit in a multiyear deal, given that the AAV would likely be lower.
That the Yankees already know he can handle the bright lights of New York should make them more comfortable handing out that kind of money to a 32-year-old reliever.
Yankees general manager Brian Cashman talks with reporters during MLB’s general manager meetings on Nov. 10, 2026 in Las Vegas. AP
“Listen, we dropped a big qualifying number on him — that factored [in] a lot,” Cashman said. “He’s a cool customer. From what I understand, even though I’m not in the bullpen, obviously, from what I hear from everybody involved — we’ve been very lucky over the course of time for the most part to have somebody with a strong presence and great leadership to lead out there, and he checked all those boxes along with the performance.
“So I’ve had some good additions, I’ve had some not-so-good additions. He’s been a good addition so far, and hopefully we find a way to keep him so I can worry about surrounding him with more quality individuals that our manager can turn to late in the game to try to close things out.”
Since Chapman and Britton left, the Yankees have either traded for established closers (Bednar, Williams) or found them through reclamation projects (Clay Holmes, Luke Weaver).
They may not have the luxury to try the latter at this point, given that lefty setup man Brent Headrick is the only full-time member of the 2026 bullpen guaranteed to return in 2027.
The other top reliever on the market is former Padres lefty Adrian Morejon, but he figures to be more expensive than Bednar and would also cost the Yankees draft-pick compensation and international bonus pool money because of the qualifying offer attached to him.
“[The bullpen] is probably our biggest need because we have so [many] vacancies of certainly important people that did a great job for us,” Cashman said, with Tim Hill and Paul Blackburn both free agents, while Fernando Cruz is trying to pitch through a partially torn UCL.
“Doesn’t mean we don’t have answers from within that can handle it somehow, some way. But you’re always wondering. You don’t know. There’s no certainty until you play it out and let it play out. So if I can pull down via trade or free agency some individuals that make you sleep better at night, even though bullpens are volatile regardless, that would be a priority for me.”
Jacob Misiorowski won the National League Cy Young Award on Wednesday night after helping the Milwaukee Brewers win their first World Series title while setting a new standard for velocity by a starting pitcher.
New York Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler was a unanimous choice to win the American League Cy Young Award.
This was the first full season in the big leagues for both Misiorowski and Schlittler after they made their respective MLB debuts in the summer of 2025.
The award is voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America.
Toronto’s Louis Varland won the AL reliever of the year award, while San Diego’s Mason Miller was a unanimous selection for the NL version of the award. This marks the first year that the BBWAA voted on a reliever of the year.
Misiorowski becomes the fourth Brewer to win a Cy Young Award. The others were Rollie Fingers (1981), Pete Vuckovich (1982) and Corbin Burnes (2021). Fingers also won the MVP award in 1981, when the Brewers still played in the American League.
The 24-year-old right-hander posted a 1.80 ERA, struck out 252 batters and limited hitters to a .157 batting average to lead the major leagues in all three categories. The only other pitchers since 1950 to lead the majors in ERA, strikeouts and opponents’ batting average were Sandy Koufax in 1965, J.R. Richard in 1979 and Mike Scott in 1986.
That .157 batting average was the lowest since 1900 for any AL or NL pitcher with 100 or more innings. Misiorowski also owned an 0.80 WHIP (walks and hits allowed per innings pitched) that represented the lowest in a full regular season for pitchers with at least 150 innings since Pedro Martinez had an 0.73 for Boston in 2000.
Misiorowski went 16-5 during the regular season while throwing 1,115 pitches of 100 mph or more for the highest total since tracking started in 2008, shattering the prior mark of 673 by Jordan Hicks in 2018.
He followed that up by going 2-0 with an 0.84 ERA during Milwaukee’s 4-1 World Series triumph over the Tampa Bay Rays. Misiorowski threw 5 2/3 shutout innings during Milwaukee’s 4-1 Game 5 win that clinched the Brewers’ first title in franchise history.
The other NL Cy Young Award finalists were Philadelphia’s Cristopher Sánchez and Atlanta’s Chris Sale. Sánchez was 18-7 with a 2.91 ERA and 231 strikeouts in 207 innings. Sale, who won the Cy Young Award in 2024, went 14-9 with a 2.16 ERA and 200 strikeouts in 162 2/3 innings.
Schlittler became the second Yankees pitcher in four years to win the Cy Young Award. Gerrit Cole won it with the Yankees in 2023 before Tarik Skubal won the last two AL Cy Young Awards while pitching for Detroit. Cole had been the first Yankee to win the award since Roger Clemens in 2001.
“Cam had as dominant a season as a starting pitcher can have from start to finish,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said in a statement. “He’s shown an astonishing amount of growth since we drafted him, and his success is no accident. Cam has a tireless appetite for hard work and refinement that has allowed his talents to truly flourish. This Cy Young is richly deserved. Cam was the most dominant pitcher in our league and continues to grow into a foundational player for this franchise.”
Schlittler, 25, went 14-6 with an AL-leading 1.95 ERA that ranked third in Yankees’ history, behind Spud Chandler (1.64 in 1943) and Ron Guidry (1.74 in 1978). Schlittler’s 239 strikeouts tied for second in the AL with Toronto’s Dylan Cease, behind the 248 from Cleveland’s Gavin Williams.
This was his first full season in the big leagues after he made his MLB debut in the summer of 2025.
Schlittler received all 30 first-place votes. The runner-up was Cease, who went 11-6 with a 2.40 ERA. Cleveland’s Parker Messick finished third after going 12-9 with a 2.56 ERA and 193 strikeouts in 186 1/3 innings.
Cease was the second-place selection of 22 of the 30 voters. Messick got seven second-place votes. The other second-place vote went to Tampa Bay’s Drew Rasmussen, who finished fourth in the voting.
This was the second runner-up finish for Cease, who also placed second while pitching for the Chicago White Sox in 2022.
Varland won the reliever of the year award after going 5-6 with a 1.27 ERA, 35 saves and 97 strikeouts in 78 innings. Cleveland’s Cade Smith finished second in the voting and Tampa Bay’s Bryan Baker was third.
Miller was 5-2 with a 1.67 ERA, 38 saves and 129 strikeouts in 70 innings for San Diego. Philadelphia’s Jhoan Duran finished second in the NL reliever of the year voting and Milwaukee’s Trevor Megill was third.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 28: Jacob Misiorowski #32 of the Milwaukee Brewers reacts during the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game five of the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field on October 28, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For the third year in a row, the Cy Young race was somewhat of a foregone conclusion.
Today, Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski was named the unanimous National League Cy Young Award winner, joining Randy Johnson (2001) and Justin Verlander (2022) as the only pitchers since 2000 to win the Cy Young and the World Series in the same year. He is the fourth Brewer to win the award in franchise history, following Rollie Fingers (1981), Pete Vuckovich (1982), and Corbin Burnes (2021).
Misiorowski flashed as a rookie last year, starting off hot and (controversially) making the All-Star team after just five career starts, but he struggled with his command down the stretch and finished the year with a 4.36 ERA. This year, in his first full season as a big-leaguer, Misiorowski worked out the kinks and became completely and utterly dominant, leading the majors in ERA (1.80), strikeouts (252), and WHIP (0.80) while going 16-5.
Highlights from his record-breaking season include:
Making history with the first-ever 15-strikeout “Maddux” (a complete-game shutout on fewer than 100 pitches) in an early-June game against the Phillies. Misiorowski was a Kyle Schwarber single away from a perfect game, and his 15 strikeouts tied Corbin Burnes for the second-most in a game in Brewers history, behind only Ben Sheets (18).
Setting the record for the fastest pitch ever thrown by a starting pitcher, a 105.5-mph fastball.
Throwing 1,115 pitches at 100 mph or harder, the most in a season since tracking began in 2008, shattering Jordan Hicks’ previous record of 673 in 2018.
Making the National League All-Star team for the second time in as many years.
Holding opponents to a .157 batting average, the lowest on record for a full season.
Becoming the first Brewer in history to lead the league in both ERA and strikeouts in the same season.
Starting the game that clinched the first World Series title in franchise history.
Cristopher Sánchez of the Phillies finished second for the second year in a row, receiving 17 of 30 second-place votes, while Braves left-hander Chris Sale finished third.
In the American League, fellow second-year starter Cam Schlittler also won the award unanimously. Schlittler put together an amazing season of his own, leading AL starters in WAR (7.0), ERA (1.95), and ERA+ (215). Dylan Cease of the Blue Jays finished second, and rookie Parker Messick of the Guardians finished third.
