Crew eyes more hardware with Miz, Murph, Megill, Turang named BBWAA Award finalists

MILWAUKEE – After spending the past week taking the Commissioner’s Trophy on a tour from St. Petersburg to Milwaukee to Studio 8H at Rockefeller Center in New York City, it’s time for the Brewers to begin hauling home some hardware for themselves.

When the Baseball Writers’ Association of America unveiled three finalists in each of its major award categories on Monday, the World Series champion Brewers were as well-represented as you’d expect. And it’s not just presumptive National League Cy Young Award winner Jacob Misiorowski and two-time defending NL Manager of the Year Award winner Pat Murphy. Besides those two being finalists in their categories, second baseman Brice Turang is a finalist for the NL MVP Award and closer Trevor Megill is a finalist for the NL Reliever of the Year Award, a new addition to this year’s BBWAA slate.

The finalists are the top three vote-getters in each category in each league, based on balloting that took place prior to the first pitch of the postseason. Winners will be announced next week on MLB Network at 6 p.m. CT each night: Rookie of the Year on Nov. 9, Manager of the Year on Nov. 10, Cy Young and Reliever of the Year on Nov. 11 and MVP on Nov. 12.

Here’s a look at the Brewers’ candidates and competition in the order the winners will be announced:

NL Manager of the Year Award
Finalists: Murphy, Don Mattingly (Phillies), Walt Weiss (Braves)

Murphy was the first Brewers manager to win this award, which dates to 1983, after leading the Brewers to a division title in 2024 in his first year as skipper. Then he led the Brewers to a franchise-record and Major League-leading 97 victories in 2025 and won again, making him one of 18 managers to win the award multiple times, and one of four to win in consecutive years (with 2024 and '25 AL Manager of the Year Stephen Vogt being one of the others). Nobody has ever won the award three years in a row.

• Complete list of Manager of the Year Award winners

It seems only voter fatigue could stand in Murphy’s way this year after the Brewers again set a franchise record and again led the Major Leagues with 103 victories while again defying expectations, considering that the most widely cited projection systems expected 81-82 wins going into this season. Murphy and the Brewers ignored those low expectations and won with a starting rotation comprised almost entirely of players with less than two years of Major League experience, with a rookie shortstop from June onward in Cooper Pratt, who was benched by Murphy in August for failing to show hustle, and with players like Jake Bauers, Garrett Mitchell, Jackson Chourio and Turang all having career years.

All along the way, Murphy credited his players.

“When people believe in themselves,” he said, “that gives you the greatest joy you can ever believe.”

NL Reliever of the Year Award
Finalists: Megill, Jhoan Duran (Phillies) Mason Miller (Padres)

Megill bounced from the Padres’ farm system, to the Cubs, to the Twins before finding a home with the Brewers and transforming himself into one the the league’s most reliable and determined relievers. He doesn’t get credit for all of the tough work he did in the postseason, including recording the final six outs of the Brewers’ first World Series championship, because these awards are based on regular-season work. But Megill’s regular season work was plenty worthy. He logged a 2.63 ERA with 30 saves and a 0.89 WHIP that ranked fourth-best among qualifying relievers. A big part of that was walking a career-low 6.2 percent of hitters this season.

“He’s just really comfortable. He’s commanding the baseball. I think this year, that’s the biggest difference,” Brewers pitching coach Chris Hook said. “This is just a guy who knows how to handle the situation.”

NL Cy Young Award
Finalists: Misiorowski, Cristopher Sánchez (Phillies), Chris Sale (Braves)

The Pirates’ Paul Skenes was the 16th unanimous winner of this award in the NL a year ago, and it would be something of a surprise if Misiorowski is not the 17th after a year in which he touched 105.5 mph on the radar gun and was the hardest starting pitcher to hit in history. The 6-foot-7, 24-year-old Brewers ace finished as the Major League leader in ERA (1.80), strikeouts (252), WHIP (0.80) and opponents’ average (.157) in 174 2/3 scintillating innings during the regular season.

• Complete list of Cy Young Award winners

He joined Justin Verlander (2019) and Pedro Martínez (2000) as the only pitchers in history with 250-plus strikeouts and a WHIP as low as 0.80. And according to the Elias Sports Bureau, Misiorowski joined Sandy Koufax (1965), J.R. Richard (1979) and Mike Scott (1986) as the only pitchers since 1950 to lead the Majors in ERA, strikeouts and opponents’ average. Misiorowski’s .157 opponents’ average was the lowest on record for a full season, surpassing Martínez’s .167 in his spectacular 2000 campaign.

You could keep going like that forever.

“He deserves everything that's coming his way,” said catcher and World Series MVP William Contreras. “He deserves the Cy Young that's coming his way and all the success he had this year.”

NL MVP Award
Finalists: Turang; Pete Crow-Armstrong (Cubs), Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers)

It’s been three years since Murphy predicted a quantum leap for Turang, and he keeps taking them. After rubbing shoulders with the likes of Team USA’s Aaron Judge and Bryce Harper in the World Baseball Classic, Turang set career highs for home runs (21), RBIs (100), on-base percentage (.366) and slugging percentage (.450) while stealing 19 bases and playing Gold Glove defense at second base. And he was his best when it mattered most, leading the Majors for September in average (.361) and on-base percentage (.475).

• Complete list of MVP Award winners

Wherever he finishes among the finalists, Turang will become the first Brewers infielder to finish in the Top 3 in MVP Award balloting since first baseman Prince Fielder finished third in 2011 (the year left fielder Ryan Braun won the honor). And Turang will be the Brewers’ first middle infielder to finish in the top three since Robin Yount won the American League MVP Award at shortstop in 1982.

“He plays every day, whether he's injured or not. Plays every day,” Murphy said. “He's a force on the bases. Is a force at the plate. Will get a bunt down when you need it. Hit a homer. Hit a double. He's a baseball rat. This guy loves baseball. This year he went from ‘good player’ to, like, a dude.”