CLEVELAND -- We’re in the heart of baseball’s awards season, and the local Cleveland writers have some hardware to hand out.
On Sunday, the Cleveland chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America announced the winners of its annual honors for excellence on and off the field. Guardians closer Cade Smith was named the winner of the Bob Feller Man of the Year Award, and starter Parker Messick earned the Frank Gibbons/Steve Olin Good Guy Award.
Smith, Messick, starter Gavin Williams, and outfielders Chase DeLauter and Steven Kwan were nominated for the Man of the Year honor, which dates to 1946 and recognizes a player for his on-field contributions in a season. Each was a worthy nominee, though Smith (a first-time recipient) earned the honor following a stellar 2026 campaign.
The Guardians have been known for their bullpen excellence in recent seasons, certainly in the ninth inning. Smith has been a central figure in that success, though 2026 marked his first full campaign as Cleveland’s closer -- a role he took on down the stretch in ‘25 in Emmanuel Clase’s stead.
Smith didn’t miss a beat. If you have a hard time remembering instances in which he ran into trouble, it’s because there weren't many. The 27-year-old converted 41 of his 46 save opportunities, tied with Rays closer Bryan Baker for the MLB lead. His consistency was a hallmark and a luxury for the Guardians.
Smith recorded a 1.95 ERA, a 0.96 WHIP and a career-high 107 strikeouts in 74 innings over 69 appearances. He earned his first All-Star selection in July, and is a finalist for the BBWAA’s inaugural AL Reliever of the Year Award, the winner of which will be announced Wednesday on MLB Network.
The Good Guy Award dates to 1968 and recognizes a person in the organization for their respect, reliability and accommodation with the media. The Guardians’ organization is full of such individuals; Messick, Kwan, Williams and catcher Austin Hedges were each nominated this year.
Messick carried himself with humility throughout his first full big league season, whether in an interview setting or otherwise. The 26-year-old would greet anyone from reporters to teammates to staffers pregame, even on his scheduled start days -- when pitchers tend to keep to themselves.
All the while, Messick was considerate to the frequent media requests he received as reporters documented his breakout season, for which he was named a finalist for the AL Rookie of the Year Award and the AL Cy Young Award.
The Rookie of the Year Award winner (Monday) and the Cy Young Award winner (Wednesday) will also be announced this coming week on MLB Network.