ESPN's Jeff Passan Hands Out Alternative MLB Season Awards

ESPN baseball writer Jeff Passan has released his annual set of end-of-season awards, a wide-ranging list that goes beyond the traditional Most Valuable Player and Cy Young Award races to recognize other standout, and sometimes unusual, achievements from the 2026 Major League Baseball regular season.

The awards, published as the regular season winds down, are designed to celebrate players and moments that might otherwise be overlooked once postseason races and traditional honors dominate the conversation. Passan's list has become a yearly tradition for the outlet, offering a lighter and more eclectic complement to the official league awards that will be voted on by the Baseball Writers' Association of America once the season concludes.

A wider lens on the season

Rather than focusing solely on the sport's marquee honors, the piece takes stock of performances across all 30 teams, from breakout rookies to veterans having unexpected resurgences. The format allows for recognition of players who may not factor into MVP or Cy Young ballots but who nonetheless left a mark on the season.

Passan's award categories have in the past included honors for things like the best defensive play, the most improbable comeback, and standout performances in low-profile games, giving fans a broader picture of the season than headline statistics alone can capture.

The full rundown arrives as attention across the league begins to shift toward the postseason picture, with division races and wild card contention entering their final stretch. For many teams already eliminated from playoff contention, individual performances like those highlighted in Passan's awards offer one of the few remaining storylines of the season.

ESPN has not indicated whether the specific award winners for this year's edition differ significantly from past seasons, but the format itself remains consistent: a chance to look past the top-line races and give credit to the season's less conventional highlights.