The Baseball Writers’ Association of America announced the creation of a new award, as starting in 2026, the writers will now be voting on a Relief Pitcher Of The Year in both the American and National League. The RPOY will join the MVP Awards, the Cy Young Awards, the Rookie of the Year Awards, and the Manager of the Year Awards as the most prominent year-end honors voted on by the BBWAA.
This isn’t the first time relievers have gotten their own trophy. The old “Rolaids Relief Man Award” existed from 1976-2012, with winners determined by a points system rather than a voting system. Since 2014, Major League Baseball has a Reliever Of The Year trophy that has been decided by a panel of former relief pitchers, with the AL version of the award named after Mariano Rivera and the NL version named for Trevor Hoffman. The Rivera and Hoffman Awards are expected to continue, as per The Athletic’s Steve Berman, though it seems possible the league could retire their awards if the BBWAA’s trophy becomes the most public standard for relief pitching achievement.
Jayson Stark was one of the driving forces behind the creation of the Relief Pitcher of the Year Award, and Stark outlined the BBWAA’s thought process in a piece for The Athletic. Simply put, “relief pitching now dominates this sport — how it’s played, how it’s managed, who sprays champagne every fall — in a way it never has before,” Stark writes, and thus relievers deserve their own dedicated award to reflect their specific role.
While relievers are naturally eligible for other awards, a relief pitcher hasn’t won a Cy Young Award since Eric Gagne in 2003. Stark notes that it is increasingly rare to see relievers receive any first-place votes in Cy Young or MVP races, and even the Rivera/Hoffman Awards usually focus on closers (as one ex-player on the voting committee admitted to Stark). The creation of a prominent award for relievers also adds some historical weight to their careers, which helps in future Hall of Fame voting and for a fuller appreciation of just how good a particular relief pitcher was in any given year or any given era.
It’s probably safe to assume closers will still win Relief Pitcher Of The Year Award the majority of the time, yet the broader scope allows the BBWAA voters to consider all types of relievers, who are arguably even more overlooked in terms of recognition. Pitchers like Abner Uribe, Garrett Whitlock, Randy Rodriguez, Bryan Abreu, or (from the Padres alone) Jeremiah Estrada, Jason Adam, or Adrian Morejon are examples from 2025 of pitchers who have been dominant out of the pen in set-up or fireman roles.
From a transactional standpoint, a high finish in a RPOY vote may not necessarily mean much for a relief pitcher in free agency, as teams will still prioritize statistics and projections even if a RPOY Award gives a player a bit more acclaim. The creation of this award could mean a few extra dollars for relievers in terms of contractual bonuses, in the same way that hitters and starting pitchers often receive incentive bonuses attached to any top-3, top-5, etc. finishes in MVP or Cy Young Award balloting.
Bring back Roloids!
Isn’t that a PED?
Rolaids didn’t work, nor did Tums. I wonder how an Arm & Hammer Baking Soda Relief Pitcher of the Year award would have gone over?
Are they allowed to do this? Did they check with Scumbag first? He may declare that the award annually go to the former player who golfs with him.
What are “Roloids”? LOL
Rolaids were an over-the-counter antacid – they were a chewable tablet that supposedly relieved heartburn. Do a video search for “Rolaids Davey Johnson commercial”. They were the corporate sponsor of the “Reliever of the Year” award – search “Rolaids Relief Man Award”
I know exactly what “rolaids” are. But you still didn’t answer my original querie.
Eric Gagne was pumping 103 mph fastballs before biomechanics. It was probably just Wheaties though…
Really like this development.
Why? The writers do a horrible job in my view relying on saberstats? What’s wrong with a panel of former relievers who understand the job better? Sometimes the best change is no change.
They’re not eliminating the Mo and Hoffman Awards so the panel still gets to vote for them. These are additional annual awards.
Yankees, yes I read that but a) is there a need for multiple awards and b) the current one will likely be eliminated. Why have both? I just believe the current voters rely on a computer more than their eyes. Sometimes computer stats are misleading. That said even former players and execs don’t always vote impartially or with their head. I don’t want to bring up who has been elected because just to be considered, one had to have a very good career. That said, I have a laundry list of players who I watched and considered HOF worthy such as Evans , Tiant, Munson, Smith, Garvey, Hernandez and so many more. 3,000 hits and/or 500 home runs used to be automatic enshrining but PEDs ruined that as well as MLB manufacturing hits with ownership of Rawlings. Also, eliminating the shift is just stupid. The best players will always be able to hit through any shift. What would Ted Williams hit today? His eyes were considered 20/10 if that’s possible so I doubt speed or spin rate would have affected him.
Old man yells at cloud, more at 11
Dave Kingman is a hypothetical example that nevertheless proves that it is an understandable myth that 500 HRs meant automatic HOF enshrinement. Yes, each pre-steroid era player with 500 made it but they deserved it. Add two 29-HR seasons and Kingman has 500. He hit .236 with poor defense and no postseason or All-Star legacy to speak of. He played for multiple teams and was disliked by the writers. No way he gets 75% of the votes — maybe 30%.
What are you even saying? Your first sentence makes no sense
I’m stating the obvious. Kingman was a 1-tool, 1-dimensional player disliked by voters and even players. He had no chance of making the HOF.even if he had reached 500 HRs. When an interviewer asked Reggie Jackson if he was just a lefty-hitting Dave Kingman, Reggie angrily replied, “You can call me whatever you’d like, but don’t ever compare me to THAT guy.
When do bat boys get their own award?
When it’s acceptable to allow grown men to participate in little league.
Relief pitcher? So we’re celebrating failed starting pitchers? Everyone gets a trophy!
Teams need set up guys to get to the closer. 7th and 8th innings are usually reserved for them. They’re the best pitchers in the bullpen besides the closer they’re usually credited with “holds” or blown saves if they cant keep the lead. Devin Williams was a set up guy before Hader left for free agency in Milwaukee Ryan Helsley was once a set up guy. Brad lidge used to pitch the 8th setting up for Billy Wagner
@LaFleur
Guy’s who can’t go the full 9 innings are failed starters, yes.
Your first words to answer a person named “LaFleur” was “Guy” 😂
So… every starter in the league? Only 24 starters have a complete game this year, and only 2 of those have done it twice. By this metric, no pitcher is good by any consistent metric. And we both know that’s categorically false.
No, Helsley was a middle reliever for his first 2+ seasons who went straight to closer when he broke out in 2022. He is now a setup man (not really his fault), but that’s going in the other direction.
Helsley in 2019 had the raw stuff to be a closer, he didnt break out… he finally healed from a nagging hip injury that derailed his 2020-21 seasons. Him, Genesis Cabrera, Alex Reyes and Giovanni Gallegos were the “set up guys” for Mike Shildt/Marmol in 2019-2022 until Gallegos became the closer and Reyes then after him, then finally Helsley/Gallegos… Are you not paying attention?
“Everyone gets a trophy” is the most tired, boring comment. If you’re expecting a thumbs up for this, you’re basically asking for a participation ribbon, too.
@Ben T
It’s not a tired, boring comment and no, I don’t post on here to get thumbs up. If you’re here for that, then you’re part of the problem with baseball culture. Now, move along and go find out what your favorite streamer is posting today.
Man even your comebacks are tired
@raregokus
“Man even your comebacks are tired”
– What you’re saying is that you aren’t smart enough to reply. Yes, I’d agree, you should probably return to school to get a better education.
Better to stay silent and let others think you’re a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
@baked mcbride
So, why didn’t you take your own advice?
His name is Old York after all… old = tired
The “everyone gets a trophy” crowd always chastises those receiving the trophy instead of the people who are giving them out.
@rct
I think that’s what my post did. Clearly, it went over your head… Not unexpected, though…
Most dominant relief pitchers haven’t been failed starters for over half a century now. They are essentially two different positions that have different skill requirements.
For example, velocity and K rates are (even) more important for relievers than they are for starters, as is the ability to pitch 3 or 4 times a week (when necessary) in shorter stints.
@Lanidrac
We don’t need 1 dimensional players. Bring back the starter going the whole game and start teaching your pitchers to properly hit the ball. You got 9 players on the field and all 9 should hit.
Shhh Lanidrac. Let OLD York tilt at his windmills. He hasn’t actually watched baseball since the 1960s when starting pitchers completed most games. Ignoring him is always best.
@Pads Fans
I haven’t watched it since 1930s.
Starters rarely finish games anymore so why celebrate them?
You don’t have to constantly pitch complete games to be celebrated
@Steinbrenner2728
Not in today’s trophy for everyone world we built. I think it was created because someone didn’t get a trophy when they were younger and got angry about it. Instead of getting angry you should do better and train to win. Not my fault…
Its akin to everyone getting a comment. Imagine someone being foolish enough to think players such as Mo, Eckhart, Rollie, Goose, Lee Smith, Hoffman, Wagner, Nathan, etc… should not have been celebrated.
What we truly don’t need is stale nostalgic biased. We dont need pitchers hitting, the vast majority have been neat automatic outs. We dont need pitchers going 9 innings just to fuel nostalgia. Aside from injury risk, it has been statistically proven decades ago that the third time through an order pitchers are far less effective. You are arguing for inferior play in the name of nostalgia….
@Tigers3232
I think they’re a difference between celebrating them and giving them an award for pitching one inning.
And your complaint about not wanting pitchers hitting is mainly because we’ve stopped teaching pitchers to hit. So, of course, they get worse at it over time. Do you think you’d be able to practice medicine when you’ve never done it in your life? Clearly, there is a failed bias in your perspective.
That’s because it was impossible to teach pitchers to hit while also teaching them to be the best pitchers they can be. Guys who already weren’t as good at hitting as most of the guys getting drafted as actual hitters just can’t keep up when they only have shortened batting practices and one to three PAs every five games to work on their hitting. The rest of their practice time needs to be directed towards their pitching (and a little PFP).
@Skeptical
Which is an embarrassment to the game and a reason I don’t support awarding the Cy Young anymore because most of them can’t get out of the 4th inning. But celebrating a guy who throws 1 inning is even worse.
@Old York In 2024 the average MLB start lasted 5.24 innings where as in 1978 it was 5.92. The change has not been all that drastic. I arbitrarily picked 1978 without cherrypicking. Figured it was a # roughly in between mound being lowered and dawn of steroid era.
I did not complain about pitching, I simply explained a reality. And they did not suddenly stop teaching them to hit. They also did not suddenly become poor hitters. So let’s now try and spin it into something thats utterly false.
Skeptical, they dont win either… the cy young award should go.. if a pitcher cant get 20-30 wins why give em a trophy named after a man who could win 30 and throw 40-50 complete games… LOL its a disgrace to his memory
MLB suffers from Participation Fever.
I guess we should cancel fielding awards for second and third basemen, because we would then be celebrating “failed” shortstops? Ha, ridiculous, thanks for the bad joke!
@Longinus
How are you celebrating failed SS? These individuals are playing most of the games at their position. I don’t see a 3B or 2B being pulled after 4 innings or them only playing 1 inning. They play the full 9 innings.
Congratulations on introducing two fallacies. First, that relief pitchers must be failed starters. Second, that recognizing athletic excellence at the highest level equals the “everybody gets a trophy” mantra.
As to your first fallacy, the modern game depends upon pitchers maintaining peak performance. Let’s take a close game, or a game a team is winning. When that peak performance from your pitcher begins to wane, the manager chooses to go with a pitcher they rely upon to maintain the lead. The new pitcher gives them the best chance of that, based upon their knowledge and experience. In many cases these pitchers spend their entire careers as a reliever. They warm up quickly, enter into a pressure situation, and attempt to seal the win or keep the game close. It is not that they have failed at something, it is that they excel at one facet of the sport. They are heavily relied upon, are celebrated (or booed) based on how well they accomplish a skill that is very much in the microscope, at a critical point in the game. Discounting that as being unskilled, in your “failed starter” statement, is both inaccurate and incendiary. And it also implies that ANY starter could fill that role. Certainly untrue, with many examples.
Furthermore, describing how an award has been announced to recognize the BEST at doing this high pressure work, at the highest level, is the exact opposite of everybody gets a trophy. Only the best of the best will get the award.
@BuxBombers
We used to have pitchers going the distance but that was with less teams and better quality players back then. Now, we have pitchers focused on max effort all the time, which means they pitch for 4 innings and are gassed out, resulting in needing more and more RPs, but just because a guy goes 1 inning doesn’t mean he should be celebrated, especially for not even being able to pitch deeper into the games, even as a RP. It’s an embarrassment to the game and an example of how poorly managed our teams are in that we need so many pitchers just to get through one game. I don’t agree with celebrating any of that.
@old York
The problem is with pitchers not going deep anymore is a few reasons but imo the biggest ones are. The hitters have gotten stronger and faster than 30+ years ago thanks to medical science. You also have most hitters studying how each pitcher pitches making harder for starters to stay in after a 3rd trip tur the order. My 2nd reason why starters are having trouble is I feel most of them have been playing bb exclusively from a young age and by the time they get to the mlb there’s already a lot of wear on that arm before they throw there first professional pitch.
@brodie-bruce
First, I’d like to say thank you for the level headed response. I’d imagine you’re probably a very reasonable person in real life.
Now, all of those points are correct but I don’t think that’s something specific to today compared to before. Teams studied players decades ago to get the edge up on them. That’s been part of the scouting programs they used to have.
Personally, I think it’s part of a pitch sequence issue along with non-stop max effort that plays a big factor in the longevity of the pitcher in a game. There are still guys in this game that don’t throw gas all the time, such as peak Kyle Hendricks at the time. He’s gotten older now so he’s not as effective but it’s about pitch sequence and placement just as much as the velocity. But we don’t see those guys nowadays because development programs put more value in velocity, so we see more of those guys.
As for playing baseball all year round, yes, I believe there are numerous studies out there that have shown that if a player s going to specialize at one sport, it should be around 17 years of age. My oldest son is a baseball player but he also swims competitively full-time and plays school volleyball as well. I feel the mix of sports helps improve his overall athleticism and makes helps build his strength and endurance.
So by your logic, a stud reliever is worse than a crappy starter because they “failed” as a starter? Maybe the Rockies should trade Sentenzela and Freeland to San Diego for Morejon and Mason Miller. Sure would imagine that Pads would love to get rid of those failures.
@holecamels35
A’s did well to get rid of Miller. He looks like he’ll have some negative regression in a few years.
Great, now we just need a best pinch runner award!
Billy Hamilton Award
Must be the last name because if there was a pinch hitting award, David Hamilton could indeed win it. That said, it would have to be called the Dave Roberts’ award.
Meant pinch running….
The Herb Washington award
Terrence gore award the greatest pinch runner of all time
Steven Wright: I didn’t win?
Cy young is two names dude
They mean two names as in the “Hoffman” for the NL award and the “Rivera” for the AL award.
Those relievers from the 70s and 80s pitched two and even three innings. While Goose was great, imagine what you could do with “Fingers” award? Lyle, Marshall, Sutter and Smith are all deserving but to me Fingers is who a multiple inning relief award should be named after.
Never in the history of the internet has there been a better unintentional double entendre written than “While Goose was great, imagine what you could do with “Fingers” award?”
Those relievers back in the 70s/80s were a different breed.
You asked him?
No one tell Miller that a separate Cy Young Award is given out to the best pitcher in the NL and AL. That will just confuse him.
Well, Cy Young did pitch in both leagues.
The BBWAA will find a way to screw this up too
And it after Rollie Fingers. Imagine where you could place your “Fingers Award”…
Bring on The Goose!
The goose should also have a Rollie fingers mustache and it holding an mvp award to represent Eckersley
I’m a fan of different names for the NL and AL versions of an award. That said, I think your idea is fun and totally can get behind it.
Ah, bring back the “Fireman of the Year Award”. (Given out by Sporting News from 1960 to 2000, before the name of the award was changed. Discontinued in 2011)
Great comment …. A lot of people don’t remember the fireman of the year award.
Most posters seem to be unaware of it as witnessed by old York’s posts.
One of my first magazine subs as a kid along with Yankees Magazine.
YBC… as a kid growing up in Chicago I use to get a publication called DIEHARD, ( Redsox) of course by the time I would get the copy it was already 5 weeks old news but it was cool… seeing articles about upcoming players and reading about players and their families… one one occasion Eduardo Perez when Tony had a cup of coffee in Boston… good stuff back then…
It was the only way to see the fun, human side of players and find addresses to write fan mail. A few lesser known Yankees did write me back which was pretty cool.
Plop plop fizz fizz oh what a relief he is
I’m one of those that believe the starting pitcher should be used longer in games, but this sounds like a good idea!
How about they introduce better voter standards for the HOF
That one person who didn’t vote ichiro in must’ve been angry about his WAR total not being Barry bonds levels
WAR, huh. What is it good for
This sounds like something Manfraud has his hands all over.
Why was the Rolaids Reliever of the Year done away with anyways? Just bring back the Rolaids award and name AL version after Rivera and NL after Hoffman and leave the writers out of it.
Ah good, another excuse for more fan snark.
Back to the fireman’s relief award… all those great all time relievers… But didn’t Bill Campbell win it at least once?? Ah the 70’s!!! Baseball digest!!!
Soup was great until he needed surgery. I recall sitting behind home plate (wish I could afford those seats today…) and I saw how much Soup’s ball moved. In those seats you appreciate the pitcher.
Dewey, had to look it up… actually won the first two Rolaids reliever of the year in AL.. remember TWIB talking about him… then came to Chicago in 82-83 at end or close to it and pitched over 100 innings in one of them… have two cards of his… one with Boston and other with Cubs.. great memories… different times… Didn’t Mike Marshal have the most innings one year as a reliever!!! Crazy….
ohmtiant. Yes, Marshall one year pitched in so many games that today that the MLBPA would protest as he pitched the equivalent of three relievers today but only got paid once. I also don’t recall Campbell in Chicago. Before Boston, he was with the Twins. I still remember listening to the radio in the living room when it was reported that Boston had signed their first ever free agent.
I bet Emmanuel Clase will win
The Guardians have no clase
Awesome. Love me a solid reliever. Underrated. I greatly appreciate a lower heart rate in the latter innings. Good work baseball.
Speaking of retiree awards I miss the Wilson defensive player of the year award
Even though guys like trout didnt deserve it I liked how it encompassed the whole league NFL style
I would love an overall MLB MVP award but then it would just be called the shohei ohtani award
“R-O-L-A-I-D-S spells relief”
On a different matter and being a Cowboys fan.. Roger Staubach…Rolaids ‘pitchman’
They’ll find a way to give it to Ohtani
Shut the hell up.
His haters are more annoying than his fans.
Sanchez leads MLB in bWAR. Misii*** has a 4.19 ERA and four career wins. So naturally, Miso makes the AS team over the possible Cy Young award winner.
The odds of them not screwing this up are about -0-
There was talk about Miso getting ROY 5 starts into his MLB career. How screwed up is that? I guess that means Hurston Waldrep deserves consideration too.
There’s a fairly strong correlation between % of converted save opportunities and overall success, so relievers definitely are important, but I don’t see the need for any more awards than what they already get. It’s just another newsday for baseball after the World Series is over.
Great, now we need to separate/differentiate the MVP award from the idiots that think Most Statistics=MVP. Start an MSP award and educate people that you can hit a million homeruns and pitch a million innings but if your team never makes the playoffs then how are you the most valuable player in the league? (think Shohei/Angels)
“The creation of this award could result in ‘A FEW EXTRA DOLLARS’… ” LOL Love when the amount of money I make working a full year gets referred to as chump change 😂
Supply and demand, Doug
BBWAA and the Department of Redundancy Department announce award that already exists.