As the 2026 Major League Baseball season closes in on its All-Star break, the races for the American and National League MVP, Cy Young, and Rookie of the Year awards are taking shape. It is time for our official MLB midseason awards watch to break down the midseason favorites, betting odds, and emerging superstars dominating the diamond.
2026 MLB Midseason Awards Watch
American League MVP
The AL features one of the most exciting MVP battles in recent memory. While stars like Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals and Athletics slugger Nick Kurtz have put together spectacular first-half campaigns, Houston Astros powerhouse Yordan Alvarez has surged to the front of the pack. Alvarez is posting an incredible batting average well over .300 alongside robust home run and RBI totals, making him the oddsmakers’ favorite to claim his first MVP award.
However, guys like Witt, Kurtz, and Junior Caminero are still within striking distance and a strong second half from any of these players could help them leapfrog Alvarez. Any thorough MLB midseason awards watch must note that these players underlying metrics could easily close the gap, but it is Alvarez’s award to lose for the time being.
National League MVP
If there is one award that feels like a lock as we near the All-Star break, it is the National League Most Valuable Player. Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani continues to put up video-game numbers at the plate. Having secured three consecutive MVP trophies, Ohtani is once again the runaway favorite.
His unmatched power, speed, and overall command of the strike zone leave the rest of the field trailing by a wide margin. While players like Pete Crow-Armstrong have enjoyed breakout stretches, they are simply chasing history in Ohtani’s shadow. For our MLB midseason awards watch, the NL MVP race is less about who will win and more about how historic Ohtani’s final stat line will be.
American League Cy Young
The battle for the American League Cy Young is incredibly tight. New York Yankees ace Cam Schlittler has held down the top spot for much of the first half, showcasing a stellar ERA and elite strikeout numbers. With a WHIP hovering around 0.93, Schlittler has established himself as the premier arm in the AL East.
Chasing him closely are Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen and veteran Dylan Cease. Rasmussen has been rapidly ascending the betting boards after an incredibly consistent stretch of starts. If Schlittler stumbles at all down the stretch, this MLB midseason awards watch anticipates a massive shift in the AL Cy Young voting by the end of the season.
National League Cy Young
Over in the National League, Milwaukee Brewers flamethrower Jacob Misiorowski has separated himself as the clear-cut favorite to claim the NL Cy Young award. Misiorowski has been lights-out, boasting a sub-1.50 ERA and an astonishing strikeout rate. His ability to miss bats at an elite level has given him a comfortable lead in both traditional statistics and the futures market.
His primary challenger at this stage of the season is probably Cristopher Sanchez of the Philadelphia Phillies, but Sanchez is coming off of a brutal outing against the Royals on Monday that has widened the gap significantly. Overall Sanchez has been a steady anchor for the Phillies’ rotation, consistently delivering deep, high-quality outings. However, catching Misiorowski will require a historic run from Sanchez in the second half, along with a rough stretch by the Brewers ace.
Rookies to Watch
In the rookie categories, the narratives may already be becoming clear. In the NL, St. Louis Cardinals phenom JJ Wetherholt remains the favorite to take home Rookie of the Year honors. Over in the AL, Detroit Tigers top prospect Kevin McGonigle is making a strong case for himself, cementing his status as one of the brightest young stars in baseball. It appears that Munetaka Murakami is the only threat to McGonigle on the AL side, while Sal Stewart is the biggest threat to Wetherholt on the NL side.
 The Home Stretch Awaits
The second half of the MLB season is bound to provide plenty of twists and turns. While Ohtani appears to have the NL MVP on lockdown, the remaining major awards feature heated, neck-and-neck races that could be decided by just a few standout performances in September. We will update our MLB midseason awards watch as the pennant races heat up and the betting lines shift.
Main Image: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images
