Sporting News MLB Player of the Year Award explained

Sporting News Player of the Year Award
Sport:	Baseball
League:	Major League Baseball
Givenfor:	Most outstanding player
Presenter:	Sporting News
Country:	United States, Canada
First:	1936

The Sporting News Player of the Year Award is awarded annually by Sporting News to the most outstanding player in Major League Baseball. The honor was first given in 1936.^[1]

History

The Sporting News established in 1936 the Player of the Year award. It is the oldest and most prestigious award given to the single player in MLB who had the most outstanding season. Until 1969, it was the only major award given to a single player from MLB, rather than to a player in each league. In 1969, Baseball Digest began its Player of the Year award for one player in all of MLB. (The award became limited to position players in 1994, when Baseball Digest added a new award for "Pitcher of the Year.") In 1993, the first Best Major League Baseball Player ESPY Award was given. In 1998, the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) began its own Player of the Year award, for one player in all of MLB, as part of its Players Choice Awards. Baseball America also began its Major League Player of the Year award in 1998. In 2012, MLB's "GIBBY Awards" added an MLB Most Valuable Player category, which was renamed the Most Valuable Major Leaguer in 2014; its current name is the "Esurance MLB Awards" Best Major Leaguer.

Winners

Key

NL	National League
AL	American League
P	Pitcher
C	Catcher
1B	First baseman
2B	Second baseman
3B	Third baseman
SS	Shortstop
OF	Outfielder
DH	Designated hitter
BA	Batting average
RBI	Run batted in
HR	Home runs
W-L	Win Loss Record
K	Strikeouts
ERA	Earned run average
SB	Stolen bases
R	Runs scored
	Member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
	Player is active
	Led League

Awardees

Year	Name	Club	League	Pos	Notes	References
1936		New York Giants	NL	P	W-L: 26*-6, ERA: 2.31*, K: 123	^[2] ^[3]
1937		Cleveland Indians	AL	P	W-L: 15-1, ERA: 2.55, K: 87	^[4] ^[5]
1938		Cincinnati Reds	NL	P	W-L: 15-10, ERA: 3.12, K: 125	^[6] ^[7]
1939		New York Yankees	AL	OF	BA: .381*, RBI: 126, HR: 30	^[8] ^[9]
1940		Cleveland Indians	AL	P	W-L: 27*-11, ERA: 2.61*, K: 261*, AL Triple Crown	^[10] ^[11]
1941	^(1)	Boston Red Sox	AL	OF	BA: .406*, RBI: 120, HR: 37*, Runs: 135*, BB: 147*	^[12] ^[13]
1942	^(2)	Boston Red Sox	AL	OF	BA: .356*, RBI: 137*, HR: 36*, Runs: 141*, BB: 145*, MLB Triple Crown
1943		New York Yankees	AL	P	W-L:20*-4, ERA:1.64*, K:134	^[14]
1944		St. Louis Cardinals	NL	SS	BA: .263, RBI: 63, HR: 6	^[15]
1945		Detroit Tigers	AL	P	W-L: 25*-9, ERA: 1.81*, K: 212*, MLB Triple Crown	^[16] ^[17]
1946	^(1)	St. Louis Cardinals	NL	1B	BA: .365*, RBI: 103, HR: 16, Runs: 124*	^[18] ^[19]
1947	^(3)	Boston Red Sox	AL	OF	BA: .343*, RBI: 114*, HR: 32*, Runs: 125*, BB: 162*, AL Triple Crown
1948		Cleveland Indians	AL	SS	BA: .355, RBI: 106, HR: 18	^[20]
1949	^(4)	Boston Red Sox	AL	OF	BA: .343, RBI: 159*, HR: 43*, Runs: 150*, BB: 162*
1950		New York Yankees	AL	SS	BA: .324, RBI: 66, HR: 7	^[21]
1951	^(2)	St. Louis Cardinals	NL	OF	BA: .355*, RBI: 108, HR: 32, Runs: 124
1952		Philadelphia Phillies	NL	P	W-L: 28*-7, ERA: 2.59, K: 148	^[22] ^[23]
1953		Cleveland Indians	AL	3B	BA: .336, RBI: 145, HR: 43	^[24]
1954		New York Giants	NL	OF	BA: .345*, RBI: 110, HR: 41, Runs: 119	^[25]
1955		Brooklyn Dodgers	NL	OF	BA: .309, RBI: 136*, HR: 42, Runs: 126*	^[26]
1956		New York Yankees	AL	OF	BA: .353*, RBI: 130*, HR: 52*, Runs: 132*, MLB Triple Crown	^[27]
1957	^(5)	Boston Red Sox	AL	OF	BA: .388*, RBI: 87, HR: 38, BB: 119
1958		New York Yankees	AL	P	W-L: 21*-7, ERA: 2.97, K: 168	^[28] ^[29]
1959		Chicago White Sox	AL	P	W-L: 22*-10, ERA: 3.17, K: 179	^[30] ^[31]
1960		Pittsburgh Pirates	NL	2B	BA: .273, RBI: 64, HR: 11, Gold Glove	^[32]
1961		New York Yankees	AL	OF	BA: .269, RBI: 141*, HR: 61*, Runs: 132*, Single Season Home Run Record	^[33]
1962		Los Angeles Dodgers	NL	SS	BA: .299, RBI: 48, HR: 6, SB: 104*	^[34]
1962		Los Angeles Dodgers	NL	P	W-L: 25*-9, ERA: 2.83 K: 232*	^[35] ^[36]
1963	^(1)	Los Angeles Dodgers	NL	P	W-L: 25*-5, ERA: 1.88* K: 306*, MLB Triple Crown	^[37] ^[38]
1964		St. Louis Cardinals	NL	3B	BA: .295, RBI: 119*, HR: 24	^[39]
1965	^(2)	Los Angeles Dodgers	NL	P	W-L: 26*-8, ERA: 2.04* K: 382*, MLB Triple Crown
1966		Baltimore Orioles	AL	OF	BA: .316*, RBI: 122*, HR: 49*, Runs: 122, AL Triple Crown
1967			AL	OF	BA: .326*, RBI: 121*, HR: 44*, Runs: 112*, AL Triple Crown
1968		Detroit Tigers	AL	P	W-L: 31*-6, ERA: 1.96 K: 280	^[40] ^[41]
1969		San Francisco Giants	NL	1B	BA: .320, RBI: 126*, HR: 45*
1970		Cincinnati Reds	NL	C	BA: .293, RBI: 148*, HR: 45*
1971		St. Louis Cardinals	NL	3B	BA: .363*, RBI: 137, HR: 24
1972		Chicago Cubs	NL	OF	BA: .333*, RBI: 122, HR: 37
1973		Oakland Athletics	AL	OF	BA: .293, RBI: 117*, HR: 32*, Runs: 99*
1974		St. Louis Cardinals	NL	OF	BA: .306, RBI: 48, HR: 3, SB: 118*, R: 105
1975	^(1)	Cincinnati Reds	NL	2B	BA: .327, RBI: 94, HR: 17, SB: 67, R: 107
1976	^(2)	Cincinnati Reds	NL	2B	BA: .320, RBI: 111, HR: 27, SB: 60, R: 113
1977		Minnesota Twins	AL	1B	BA: .388*, RBI: 100, HR: 14, SB: 23, R: 128*
1978		New York Yankees	AL	P	W-L: 25*-3, ERA: 1.74* K: 248	^[42] ^[43]
1979		Pittsburgh Pirates	NL	1B	BA: .281, RBI: 82, HR: 32
1980		Kansas City Royals	AL	3B	BA: .390*, RBI: 118, HR: 24
1981		Los Angeles Dodgers	NL	P	W-L 13-7, ERA: 2.48 K: 180*	^[44] ^[45]
1982		Milwaukee Brewers	AL	SS	BA: .331 RBI: 114, HR: 29
1983	^(1)	Baltimore Orioles	AL	SS	BA: .318 RBI: 102, HR: 27, Runs: 121*
1984		Chicago Cubs	NL	2B	BA: .314 RBI: 84, HR: 19, Runs: 114
1985		New York Yankees	AL	1B	BA: .324 RBI: 145*, HR: 35
1986		Boston Red Sox	AL	P	W-L: 24*-4, ERA: 2.48*, K: 238	^[46] ^[47]
1987		Toronto Blue Jays	AL	OF	BA: .308 RBI: 134*, HR: 47
1988		Los Angeles Dodgers	NL	P	W-L: 23*-8, ERA: 2.26, K: 178	^[48] ^[49]
1989		San Francisco Giants	NL	OF	BA: .291 RBI: 125*, HR: 47*
1990	^(1)	Pittsburgh Pirates	NL	OF	BA: .301, RBI: 114, HR: 33	^[50] ^[51]
1991	^(2)	Baltimore Orioles	AL	SS	BA: .323, RBI: 114, HR: 34
1992		San Diego Padres	NL	OF	BA: .330*, RBI: 100, HR: 33
1993		Chicago White Sox	AL	1B	BA: .317, RBI: 128, HR: 41
1994		Houston Astros	NL	1B	BA: .368, RBI: 116*, HR: 39, Runs: 104*
1995		Cleveland Indians	AL	OF	BA: .317, RBI: 126*, HR: 50*, Runs: 121*
1996	^(1)	Seattle Mariners	AL	SS	BA: .358*, RBI: 123, HR: 36, Runs: 141*	^[52] ^[53]
1997		Seattle Mariners	AL	OF	BA: .304, RBI: 147*, HR: 56*, Runs: 125
1998		Chicago Cubs	NL	OF	BA: .308, RBI: 158*, HR: 66, Runs: 134*
1999		Texas Rangers	AL	1B	BA: .324, RBI: 148, HR: 47
2000		Toronto Blue Jays	AL	1B	BA: .344, RBI: 137, HR: 41, Runs: 115
2001	^(2)	San Francisco Giants	NL	OF	BA: .328, RBI: 137, HR: 73*, Runs: 129, BB: 177*, Single Season Home Run Record
2002	^(2)	Texas Rangers	AL	SS	BA: .300, RBI: 142*, HR: 57*, Runs: 125, Gold Glove
2003	^(1)	St. Louis Cardinals	NL	1B	BA: .359*, RBI: 124, HR: 43, Runs: 137*	^[54] ^[55]
2004	^(3)	San Francisco Giants	NL	OF	BA: .362*, RBI: 101, HR: 45, Runs: 129, BB: 232*
2005		Atlanta Braves	NL	OF	BA: .263, RBI: 128, HR: 51*, Runs: 95*, Gold Glove
2006		Philadelphia Phillies	NL	1B	BA: .313, RBI: 149*, HR: 58*, Runs: 104
2007	^(3)	New York Yankees	AL	3B	BA: .314, RBI: 156*, HR: 54*, Runs: 143*
2008	^(2)	St. Louis Cardinals	NL	1B	BA: .357, RBI: 116, HR: 37, Runs: 100
2009	^(3)	St. Louis Cardinals	NL	1B	BA: .327, RBI: 135, HR: 47*
2010		Texas Rangers	AL	OF	BA: .359*, RBI: 100, HR: 32
2011		Detroit Tigers	AL	P	W-L: 24*-5, ERA: 2.40*, K: 250*, AL Triple Crown	^[56] ^[57]
2012	^(1)	Detroit Tigers	AL	3B	BA: .330*, RBI: 139*, HR: 44*, Runs: 109, AL Triple Crown	^[58] ^[59]
2013	^(2)	Detroit Tigers	AL	3B	BA: .348*, RBI: 137, HR: 44, Runs: 103
2014		Los Angeles Dodgers	NL	P	W-L: 21*-3, ERA: 1.77*, K: 239	^[60]
2015		Toronto Blue Jays	AL	3B	BA: .297, RBI: 123*, HR: 41, Runs: 108	^[61]
2016	^(1)	Houston Astros	AL	2B	BA: .338*, RBI: 96, HR: 24, Runs: 108	^[62]
2017	^(2)	Houston Astros	AL	2B	BA: .346*, RBI: 81, HR: 24, Runs: 112	^[63]
2018		Boston Red Sox	AL	OF	BA: .346*, RBI: 80, HR: 32, Runs: 129*, SLG:.640	^[64]
2019		Los Angeles Angels	AL	OF	BA: .291, RBI: 104, HR: 45, Runs: 110, SLG:.645*	^[65]
2020		Chicago White Sox	AL	1B	BA: .317, RBI: 60*, HR: 19, Runs: 43, SLG: .617*, Hits: 76*	^[66]
2021		Los Angeles Angels	AL	P / DH	W-L: 9-2, ERA: 3.18, K: 156 BA: .257, RBI: 100, HR: 46, Runs: 103, SLG: .592, SB: 26	^[67]
2022		New York Yankees	AL	OF / DH	BA: .311, Runs: 133*, HR: 62*, RBI: 131*, BB: 111*, OBP: .425*, SLG: .686*, OPS: 1.111*, TB: 391*	^[68]
2023		Atlanta Braves	NL	OF / DH	BA: .337, OBP: .416*, Runs: 149*, Hits: 217*, HR: 41, RBI: 106, SB: 73*, BB: 80, OBP: .416*, SLG: .596, OPS: 1.012*, TB: 383*	^[69]
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Multiple wins

Players

Several players have won the award more than once. Ted Williams, Joe Morgan, Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera, and José Altuve are the only players to win the award in consecutive years. Ted Williams won the award five times. Sandy Koufax is the only pitcher to win the award more than once. Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds are the only players to win the award while playing with different teams. Stan Musial and Alex Rodriguez are the only players to win the award while playing different positions. The only tie was in 1962, when Don Drysdale and Maury Wills shared the honor. Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds are the only players to win the award with multiple teams. Alex Rodriguez won the award with the most teams (3).

Winning multiple SN Player of the Year awards has been seen as guaranteed admission to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Barry Bonds is the only player with multiple awards, eligible for the Hall of Fame, but not a member of the Hall of Fame. The table is of the Players that have won two or more awards and the year they were inducted into Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.^[70] Active players are not eligible for the Hall of Fame.

Player	of Awards	Years	Year inducted into HOF
Ted Williams	5	1941–1942, 1947, 1949, 1957	1966
Barry Bonds	3	1990, 2001, 2004	-
Alex Rodriguez	3	1996, 2002, 2007	-
Albert Pujols	3	2003, 2008–2009	Active-Not Eligible
Stan Musial	2	1946, 1951	1969
Sandy Koufax	2	1963, 1965	1972
Joe Morgan	2	1975–1976	1990
Cal Ripken Jr.	2	1983, 1991	2007
Miguel Cabrera	2	2012–2013	Active-Not Eligible
José Altuve	2	2016–2017	Active-Not Eligible

Outfielders and Pitchers have won the most awards.

Position	of Awards
Outfield	30
Pitcher	19
First Baseman	14
Shortstop	9
Third Baseman	8
Second Baseman	6
Catcher	1

Player of the Decade

SN named Willie Mays as the player of the 1960s decade. SN named Mike Trout as the player of the 2010s decade.

See also

• Players Choice Awards Player of the Year (in MLB; for all positions) (there are also Outstanding Player and Outstanding Pitcher awards in each league)
• Baseball America Major League Player of the Year (in MLB; for all positions)
• Best Major League Baseball Player ESPY Award (in MLB; for all positions)
• "Esurance MLB Awards" Best Major Leaguer (MLB award for best player, including all positions) (also Best Hitter and Best Pitcher)
• Baseball Digest Player of the Year (in MLB; for position players) (from 1969 to 1993, included all positions; in 1994, a separate Pitcher of the Year award was added)
• Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award (in each league; for all positions)
• Cy Young Award (MLB award for top pitcher in each league)
• The Sporting News Most Valuable Player Award (in each league) (discontinued in 1946)
• Baseball awards
• List of MLB awards
• SN Pitcher of the Year (replaced by Starting Pitcher and Relief Pitcher awards)
• SN Starting Pitcher of the Year
• SN Relief Pitcher of the Year
• SN Rookie of the Year
• SN Reliever of the Year
• SN Comeback Player of the Year
• SN Manager of the Year
• SN Executive of the Year

Notes and References

1. Web site: Baseball Almanac Major League Player of the Year Award by The Sporting News. baseball-almanac.com. October 27, 2012.
2. Web site: Carl Hubbell Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
3. Web site: Carl Hubbell Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
4. Web site: Johnny Allen Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
5. Web site: Johnny Allen Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
6. Web site: Johnny Vander Meer Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
7. Web site: Johnny Vander Meer Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
8. Web site: Joe DiMaggio Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
9. Web site: Joe Dimaggio Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
10. Web site: Bob Feller Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
11. Web site: Bob Feller Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
12. Web site: Ted Williams Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
13. Web site: Ted Williams Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
14. Web site: Spud Chandler Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
15. Web site: Marty Marion Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
16. Web site: Hal Newhouser Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
17. Web site: Hal Newhouser Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
18. Web site: Stan Musial Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
19. Web site: Stan Musial Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
20. Web site: Lou Boudreau Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
21. Web site: Phil Rizzuto Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
22. Web site: Robin Roberts Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
23. Web site: Robin Roberts Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
24. Web site: Al Rosen Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
25. Web site: Willie Mays Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
26. Web site: Duke Snider Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
27. Web site: Mickey Mantle Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
28. Web site: Bob Turleys Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
29. Web site: Bob Turley Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
30. Web site: Early Wynn Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
31. Web site: Early Wynn Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
32. Web site: Bill Mazeroski Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
33. Web site: Roger Maris Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
34. Web site: Maury Wills Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
35. Web site: Don Drysdale Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
36. Web site: Don Drysdale Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
37. Web site: Sandy Koufax Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
38. Web site: Sandy Koufax Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
39. Web site: Ken Boyer Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
40. Web site: Denny McLain Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
41. Web site: Denny McLain Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
42. Web site: Ron Guidry Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
43. Web site: Ron Guidry Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
44. Web site: Fernando Valenzuela Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
45. Web site: Fernando Valenzuela Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
46. Web site: Roger Clemens Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
47. Web site: Rogers Clemens Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
48. Web site: Orel Hershiser Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
49. Web site: Orel Hershiser Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
50. Web site: Barry Bonds Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
51. Web site: Barry Bonds Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
52. Web site: Alex Rodriguez Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
53. Web site: Alex Rodriguez Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
54. Web site: Albert Pujols Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
55. Web site: Albert Pujols Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
56. Web site: Justin Verlander Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
57. Web site: Justin Verlander Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
58. Web site: Miguel Cabrera Baseball Almanac Awards. Baseball Almanac.
59. Web site: Miguel Cabrera Statistics. Baseball-Reference.com.
60. Web site: Clayton Kershaw edges Mike Trout for Sporting News Player of the Year. Jesse. Spector. Sporting News. October 23, 2014. October 23, 2014. October 23, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141023192559/http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/story/2014-10-23/sporting-news-mlb-awards-2014-clayton-kershaw-mike-trout-player-of-the-year?eadid=SOC%2FFB%2FSNMain. dead.
61. 4659598-sporting-news-mlb-awards-2015-josh-donaldson-blue-jays-bryce-harper-nationals
62. Web site: Astros' Jose Altuve voted Sporting News MLB Player of the Year for 2016. 29 October 2021 .
63. Web site: Jose Altuve voted Sporting News 2017 MLB Player of the Year. 12 August 2021 .
64. Web site: Red Sox star Mookie Betts named Sporting News MLB Player of the Year. 12 August 2021 .
65. Web site: Angels star Mike Trout voted 2019 Sporting News MLB Player of the Year. 12 August 2021 .
66. Web site: José Abreu named Sporting News MLB Player of the Year. .
67. Web site: 'Beyond incredible': Shohei Ohtani constantly left MLB peers in awe during historic 2021 season. 29 October 2021 .
68. Web site: 'Aaron Judge voted top player'. 27 October 2022 .
69. Web site: 'The 2023 Sporting News MLB Award Winners and All-Stars'. 26 October 2023 .
70. [List of members of the Baseball Hall of Fame|Members of Baseball Hall of Fame]