With the second half of the MLB season underway, it’s time to check on the various awards races. According to BetMGM, the American League Cy Young is the closest market, with Cam Schlittler (+130) from the New York Yankees and Dylan Cease (+135) from the Toronto Blue Jays neck-and-neck.
Manager of the Year is also shaping up to be one of the most competitive races in both leagues. It could come down to which manager has a better relationship with voters from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA).
In the National League, Don Mattingly (+300) from the Philadelphia Phillies is a slight favorite over Clayton McCullough (+320) from the Miami Marlins. In a fun twist of fate, Mattingly won his only NL Manager of the Year award with the Marlins in 2020, before the club fired him two seasons later.
The AL is also a two-man race. Chicago White Sox skipper Will Venable (+120) is trying to deny Kevin Cash (+230) from winning a third AL Manager of the Year award with the Tampa Bay Rays.
NL Manager of the Year: Mattingly, McCullough, or Murphy?
Two NL East managers are battling for the Manager of the Year, and the outcome of the division could determine who wins the prestigious award. At the All-Star break, the Atlanta Braves led the Phillies by two games and the Marlins by four. If either the Phillies or Marlins can overtake the Braves for first place in the division, the manager of the first-place squad will probably secure the award.
At the start of the season, the Phillies fell 10 games under .500, and they fired Rob Thompson. When Don Mattingly took control, the Phillies went on a huge run under their new skipper. At the break, the Phillies (54-43) were back in the division race and 11 games over .500 thanks to Mattingly’s leadership.
The Marlins were the hottest team heading into the break at 52-45 thanks to a 20-6 record in June. No one expected the Marlins to be competing for an NL Wild Card berth, let alone a divisional title, so credit second-year manager McCullough.
Mattingly (+300) and McCullough (+320) are nearly deadlocked, but don’t overlook Pat Murphy. The defending two-time NL Manager of the Year led the Milwaukee Brewers (59-37) to the second-best record in baseball at the break. Murphy is third on BetMGM‘s awards board to win a third-straight award at +500.
AL Manager of the Year: Venable or Cash?
The race in the American League pits baseball’s biggest turnaround against one of its most accomplished managers.
The White Sox are the feel-good story of the year and a massive surprise. At the All-Star break, the White Sox were tied for first place in the AL Central with a 50-45 record. It’s a remarkable feat considering where they were only one and a half seasons ago.
In 2024, the White Sox were an utter embarrassment. They set a modern MLB record with 121 losses. No one wanted the managerial position, but Will Venable stepped up. He went 60-102 as a rookie manager, but at least the White Sox were trending in the right direction after winning only 41 games the previous season. At their current pace, the White Sox should exceed last year’s win total in early August.
Kevin Cash is the longest-tenured manager in baseball. The Rays hired him in 2015, and he guided them to an AL pennant and trip to the World Series. He previously won the AL Manager of the Year in 2020 and 2021. Although the Rays missed the postseason in the last two seasons, Cash led the Rays to the AL’s best record at the break at 56-28.
Venable is the consensus favorite to win AL Manager of the Year at +120, but this is only his second season. Time will tell if he can handle the pressures of a divisional race in September, because the Cleveland Guardians seek a third-straight AL Central title.
Meanwhile, this is Cash’s 12th season, and he developed a good relationship with the baseball writers who cast the deciding vote. His experience down the stretch is also a major factor, so he offers better value than Venable at +230.
AL Cy Young: Schlittler or Cease?
Should a pitcher on a last-place team be considered for the Cy Young versus a player in the thick of a divisional crown? That ongoing debate between individual brilliance versus team success is fueling the AL Cy Young race between Dylan Cease and Cam Schlittler.
Tarik Skubal, the Detroit Tigers ace, won the AL Cy Young in back-to-back seasons. He’s not in contention this season after he recovers from surgery to remove bone chips from his left pitching elbow. So now the Cy Young focus is on Cease and Schlittler.
At the break, Cease was clearly the lone bright spot on the last-place Blue Jays. He posted only a 6-4 record, but he held a 2.56 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. He was second in the majors with 148 strikeouts. Even though Schlittler boasted better numbers in the first half, Cease earned the start for the AL in the All-Star Game.
When the starting rotation for the Yankees battled injuries, Schlittler emerged as the ace in the Bronx. In the first half, Schlittler went 9-5 with a 2.05 ERA and 0.94 WHIP, plus 137 strikeouts. His price dipped from +120 to +130 after he lost his first start following the break, but he remains a slight favorite over Cease at +135.
If Cease pitches lights out in the second half and helps the Blue Jays crawl out of the AL East cellar, then he’ll attract more attention from voters.
Meanwhile, the Yankees’ front office could step in and protect their young ace. Fans are worried that manager Aaron Boone will lighten Schlittler’s workload in the second half to keep him fresh for the playoffs. If Schlittler skips multiple starts, those missed innings could impact his chances of winning the Cy Young. It’s an important storyline to keep tabs on.
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