THE APEX TIMES
Cleveland will have a Rookie of the Year finalist in Parker Messick and an inaugural Reliever of the Year finalist in Cade Smith, with the award winners set for next week on MLB Network.
The Cleveland Guardians are headed into a prominent awards week with two pitchers in position to add individual hardware. Parker Messick is a finalist for the American League Rookie of the Year and the AL Cy Young Award, and Cade Smith is a finalist for the inaugural AL Reliever of the Year Award.
The Baseball Writers’ Association of America votes on these postseason awards after the regular season, with playoffs not included in the consideration. MLB Network will announce Rookie of the Year on Monday, Nov. 9, followed by Cy Young and Reliever of the Year on Wednesday, Nov. 11.
Messick’s 2026 run came after he secured his spot in Cleveland’s starting rotation during Spring Training. He followed a brief debut stint the prior year with a breakout campaign that produced a 2.56 ERA across 32 starts, along with a 1.06 WHIP and 193 strikeouts in 186 1/3 innings.
In addition to his traditional pitching numbers, the release highlighted advanced value from Baseball Reference, noting Messick’s 6.3 wins above replacement ranked fifth in the AL, including second among rookies behind Tigers rookie Kevin McGonigle. It also states he was Cleveland’s standout rookie in franchise history aside from Vean Gregg, who logged a higher bWAR in 1911.
For the bullpen side, Smith’s path to the awards picture started with a late-July 2025 role shift when he was elevated to closer after Emmanuel Clase went on leave. In 2026, the team describes Smith as adjusting his routine to the demands of the ninth inning and keeping his workload consistent across a full season.
As a full-time closer this year, Smith totaled 41 saves, tied for the MLB lead, and led the majors in games finished with 60. The release credits him with a 1.95 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP, and 107 strikeouts over 74 innings in 69 appearances, marking a career high in strikeouts.