Weiss, Sale named finalists for heavy hardware in 2026
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ATLANTA -- Braves manager Walt Weiss and ace Chris Sale are among the finalists for this year’s Baseball Writers’ Association of America awards.
Weiss joins the Brewers’ Pat Murphy and the Phillies’ Don Mattingly as the finalists for the National League Manager of the Year Award. The winner will be announced on Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. ET on MLB Network.
Sale joins the Brewers’ Jacob Misiorowski and the Phillies’ Cristopher Sánchez as the finalists for the NL Cy Young Award. The winner will be announced on Nov. 11 at 7 p.m. ET on MLB Network.
While Sale is in contention for what would be his second Cy Young Award within the past three years, Weiss is vying for what would be his first major postseason award since he was named the American League Rookie of the Year in 1988.
Before presuming the Brewers’ run to the World Series title solidified Murphy’s bid to be named the NL Manager of the Year for a third straight season, you should know that BBWAA members cast their ballots for each award before the postseason began.
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Weiss excelled while overcoming regular adversity during his first season as Atlanta’s skipper. The Braves lost four starting pitchers (Spencer Schwellenbach, Spencer Strider, Hurston Waldrep and Joey Wentz) to injuries during Spring Training. Jurickson Profar’s right-handed presence in the lineup was erased by a season-long PED suspension and Ronald Acuña Jr. missed nearly one-third of the season.
Still, the Braves took control of the NL East during the early weeks of the season and comfortably captured their seventh division title in nine seasons.
Misiorowski is the overwhelming favorite to win the NL Cy Young Award. But Sale’s performance this year may have netted him this honor at the end of many other seasons. The 37-year-old left-hander ranked second among NL pitchers with a 2.16 ERA and tied for fourth with 200 strikeouts.