New Awards for Relief Pitchers in Baseball Starting in 2026
The Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) has announced the creation of a Reliever of the Year award in both the American League (AL) and the National League (NL), starting in the 2026 season.
The decision to implement this new award was made recently, so it will not be included in the current season. MLB Network is already working on defining the dates for the awards ceremony, and a process will be established for the presidents of each chapter to select the voters in each city.
With the addition of the Reliever of the Year award, the BBWAA will have a total of five annual awards. These are in addition to the existing ones: Most Valuable Player, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, and Manager of the Year.
