These Guardians could take home hardware during awards season

This story was excerpted from Tim Stebbins’ Guardians Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CLEVELAND -- Parker Messick entered Spring Training this year with seven big league starts to his name, a resumé that had him squarely on the roster bubble at the onset of camp. Not only did he earn a spot in Cleveland’s Opening Day rotation, but he proved to be a catalyst for the American League Central champions.

Soon, Messick’s work could garner him some hardware.

Messick is a contender for the American League Rookie of the Year Award and the AL Cy Young Award, which are voted upon by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America at the conclusion of the regular season. Finalists will be announced Monday on MLB Network from 6-8 p.m. ET.

The AL and NL Rookie of the Year winners will be announced on Nov. 9, and the Cy Young Award winners will follow on Nov. 11.

“I know we wouldn't be in the position we're in without Parker and his contributions,” Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said last month. “In my view, he not only should be in consideration for Rookie of the Year, but the American League Cy Young Award winner. He’s been that good.”

Sandy Alomar Jr. (1990) was the most recent Cleveland player to win Rookie of the Year, and Shane Bieber (2020) was the most recent Cy Young winner. Messick has a strong case for each.

Among qualified starters, Messick (who’s also a finalist for the All-MLB Team), ranked sixth in MLB with a 2.56 ERA this season. He finished with a 6.3 bWAR, a 1.06 WHIP and 193 strikeouts in 186 1/3 innings over 32 starts. Among rookies in Cleveland franchise history, only Herb Score logged more strikeouts (245 in 1955), and only Vean Gregg had a higher bWAR (9.1 in 1911).

Messick ranked second among AL pitchers and among AL rookies in bWAR, trailing Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler (7.0) in the former and Tigers infielder Kevin McGonigle (7.1) in the latter. Schlittler is considered the Cy Young favorite. Many prognosticators consider McGonigle the Rookie of the Year favorite, though that is viewed as a more open race.

Messick is among several Guardians who could be honored this MLB awards season. Cleveland has five All-MLB Team finalists and two Gold Glove Award contenders. Here is a full look:

Chase DeLauter, OF
DeLauter, an All-MLB Team finalist, could garner some Rookie of the Year votes and be in the AL Silver Slugger Award mix. In 133 games, the 25-year-old logged a .287/.363/.457 slash line with 30 doubles, 16 home runs, 67 RBIs and 60 walks with 82 strikeouts. DeLauter became the second Cleveland rookie to finish in the top five in the AL in batting average, joining Shoeless Joe Jackson (.408 in 1911).

Cade Smith, RHP
Smith is an All-MLB Team finalist and a contender for the BBWAA’s inaugural Relief Pitcher of the Year honor. In his first full season as the Guardians’ closer, the 27-year-old recorded 41 saves, which was tied for first in MLB with Tampa Bay’s Bryan Baker. In 74 innings over 69 appearances, Smith logged a career high in bWAR (2.9), strikeouts (107, first among AL relievers) and games finished (60, first in MLB), while recording a 1.95 ERA and a 0.96 WHIP.

Gavin Williams, RHP
Williams is an All-MLB Team finalist who could get some love in Cy Young voting. The big right-hander finished second in MLB in strikeouts this season (248) behind Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski (252). Williams recorded a 3.76 ERA in 184 1/3 innings over 32 starts.

Foster Griffin, LHP
Griffin made a successful return to MLB after pitching in Japan the previous three seasons. The 30-year-old, who's an All-MLB Team finalist, finished with a 3.60 ERA in 172 2/3 innings over 31 starts between the Guardians and Nationals. Griffin was named an All-Star with Washington, with which he had a 3.06 ERA in 129 1/3 innings over 22 starts, before Cleveland acquired him in August.

Tanner Bibee, RHP
Bibee is an AL Gold Glove Award finalist alongside the Rangers’ Jacob deGrom and the Angels'/Blue Jays’ José Soriano. Bibee, who topped both hurlers in Outs Above Average (+6) and Defensive Runs Saved (+5), already took home his second career Fielding Bible Award.

Steven Kwan, OF
A four-time Gold Glove winner in left field, Kwan is a finalist in center field this season. The 29-year-old split his time between the two positions in 2026 as a way to give the Guardians increased lineup flexibility. It went smoothly; Kwan logged +5 Outs Above Average over 637 innings in center. He’s a finalist alongside Boston’s Ceddanne Rafaela and Texas’ Evan Carter.