MLB's top relievers are set to get their due in 2026 and beyond.
The Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) announced Saturday that it will be adding a Relief Pitcher of the Year Award in both the American and National Leagues at the end of next season.
The BBWAA adds the award to its list of existing end-of-year honours, which includes the Most Valuable Player, Cy Young, Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year and Manager of the Year in both leagues.
It will be the first new award voted upon by the BBWAA since the introduction of the Manager of the Year in 1983, per USA Today's Bob Nightengale.
MLB has awarded a Reliever of the Year — named after Mariano Rivera in the AL and Trevor Hoffman in the NL — since 2014. Previously, the MLB honour was named the Delivery Man of the Year Award, and was first introduced in 2005. Those awards are voted on by a panel of retired relievers.
Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase and former St. Louis Cardinal Ryan Helsley were the 2024 winners of the Reliever of the Year in their respective leagues.
