At MLB Awards in Vegas, baseball's best deliver 1 more dazzling show for 2026

LAS VEGAS -- The World Series is commonly considered the biggest stage in baseball, but some of the game’s brightest stars were shining Wednesday night on a different kind of stage.

Two weeks after the Brewers hoisted the Commissioner’s Trophy for the first time in franchise history, a bow was tied on the 2026 season at the Chelsea Theater at the Cosmopolitan, where the MLB Awards presented by MGM Rewards recognized the greatest players and performances of the past year.

For the second straight year, Wednesday night’s show was hosted by Dodgers star Mookie Betts and comedian Roy Wood Jr., who kept the crowd entertained throughout the evening.

“We’ve seen a lot of changes this season,” Betts said. “Like the White Sox going from 121 losses in ’24 to a playoff run this year. Which proves that adding a Pope to your roster can guarantee at least 50 wins.”

Betts and Wood even had some fun with the new ABS system, implementing their own version of it to determine whether their jokes were in the “joke zone” or out of bounds.

But the real stars of the night were the award winners, who were honored for their memorable performances between the lines.

Yordan Alvarez of the Astros and Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Cubs, who are both favored to take home Most Valuable Player honors in their respective leagues on Thursday, were named the winners of this year’s Hank Aaron Award, given annually to the best overall offensive performer in each league. Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. and 2006 Hank Aaron Award winner Ryan Howard accompanied Aaron’s widow, Billye, to present the award along with Commissioner Rob Manfred and MLB Network’s Harold Reynolds.

“It means a lot to me,” Alvarez said, speaking with MLB Network’s Siera Santos while accepting the award on stage. “Especially because I wear the [uniform] No. 44. And I’ve been working pretty hard for this moment. It’s very special for me to see my name on this award.”

Crow-Armstrong was not in attendance but sent a prerecorded video expressing his appreciation.

“I want to give my biggest thanks to Mrs. Aaron and the Aaron family for letting me be a part of Hank Aaron’s legacy in receiving this award,” Crow-Armstrong said. “It’s not something that I will ever take lightly or ever forget. I am so lucky and so grateful for this honor.”

Many Hall of Famers took part in the awards presentations. In addition to Griffey Jr., Andruw Jones, CC Sabathia, Rollie Fingers, Joe Mauer and Jeff Bagwell were among those on hand to help hand out the hardware.

Alvarez, who led the AL in average (.316), on-base percentage (.432), slugging percentage (.601), OPS (1.033) and OPS+ (190) while hitting 42 home runs with 106 RBIs, also won the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award.

Those weren’t the only awards Alvarez took home on Wednesday, as he and Phillies starter Zack Wheeler were honored as Comeback Players of the Year in their respective leagues.

San Diego’s Mason Miller was the winner of the Trevor Hoffman Award recognizing the top reliever in the NL, while Tampa Bay’s Bryan Baker took home the Mariano Rivera Award, given to the AL’s top bullpen arm.

• Baker, Miller pick up Reliever of the Year honors at MLB Awards

Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander was tabbed as MLB Executive of the Year presented by Sage, an award voted on by his fellow execs around the league. It’s the second such honor for Neander, who also won it in 2019. Neander joins friend and former colleague Matt Arnold -- whose Brewers beat the Rays in the World Series last month -- as the award’s only two-time winners.

“Congrats to the Brewers,” Neander said. “Arnie, you were up here a year ago accepting this trophy and cashed it in for a championship. I can’t believe I’m saying this -- but I’ve never wanted to be you more.”

The Flow Mayor Award -- which had previously been known as the Entertainer of the Year to recognize the style, swagger and self-expression that players bring to the game -- went to World Series MVP William Contreras, who was presented with a diamond-studded toothpick by his brother, Willson, who knows a thing or two about swagger.

“Have you seen my home run trot?” Willson Contreras said. “I play this game with a lot of passion and personality. It's been an honor to watch my younger brother develop into that same type of player, and as you saw, I was thrilled to watch him join me as a World Series champion.”

The 2026 All-MLB First and Second Teams were announced during the show, with Alvarez, Bobby Witt Jr., Elly De La Cruz and Jackson Chourio among those in attendance.

The Brewers were represented by Contreras and Jackson Chourio, two of four Milwaukee players represented on this year’s All-MLB Teams.

The All-MLB First Team featured Pete Alonso (1B), Brice Turang (2B), Witt Jr. (SS), Junior Caminero (3B), Gabriel Moreno (C), Crow-Armstrong (OF), Fernando Tatis Jr. (OF) Chourio (OF) and Alvarez (DH).

First Team starting pitchers were Jacob Misiorowski, Cam Schlittler, Chris Sale, Dylan Cease and Cristopher Sánchez, while the relievers were Miller and Louis Varland.

The All-MLB Second Team included Willson Contreras (1B), Brandon Lowe (2B), De La Cruz (SS), Alex Bregman (3B), William Contreras (C), James Wood (OF), Randy Arozarena (OF), Jordan Walker (OF) and Ben Rice (DH).

Second Team starting pitchers were Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Sonny Gray, Tarik Skubal, Drew Rasmussen and Jesus Luzardo, with Baker and Cade Smith filling out the bullpen.