THE APEX TIMES
Cristopher Sánchez earned a finalist spot for the NL Cy Young Award, Jhoan Duran is among the NL Reliever of the Year finalists and Don Mattingly is a finalist for NL Manager of the Year, as the Phillies aim to preserve their rotation while addressing other roster needs this offseason.
Cristopher Sánchez, Jhoan Duran and Don Mattingly are finalists for Baseball Writers’ Association of America awards, a rare sweep that highlights three different pillars of the Phillies’ 2026 team identity: starting pitching, late-inning relief and managerial impact.
Sánchez became a finalist for the NL Cy Young Award after going 18-7 with a 2.91 ERA in 33 starts. He also led all major league pitchers in bWAR with 8.1 and tied for the MLB lead in wins, according to the MLB report. He produced a 50 2/3-inning scoreless stretch from late April to early June, described as the longest such streak in Phillies history and the fifth-longest single-season streak since 1893.
Duran was named a finalist for NL Reliever of the Year after posting a 2-6 record, a 1.82 ERA, 33 saves and 3.4 bWAR. The other NL Reliever of the Year finalists listed were Mason Miller of San Diego and Trevor Megill of Milwaukee.
Mattingly earned the NL Manager of the Year finalist designation as one of three finalists. The other finalists were Milwaukee’s Pat Murphy and Atlanta’s Walt Weiss, with the report stating Murphy is the favorite to win a third consecutive Manager of the Year award.
The MLB release also framed why Mattingly’s case stands apart, noting he replaced former Phillies manager Rob Thomson on April 28 when Philadelphia was 9-19. The Phillies then finished the season with the fourth-best record in baseball for the remainder of the year, and the report added that BBWAA ballots are submitted before the postseason begins, so Milwaukee’s playoff performance does not affect the result.