Country United States First awarded 1936 | Presented by Sporting News Currently held by José Altuve | |
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Awarded for Most Outstanding Player in Major League Baseball | ||
This is a list of the Major League Baseball players awarded by Sporting News (formerly TSN, now SN) since 1936 as recipients of the Sporting News Player of the Year.
Contents
History
The Sporting News established in 1936 the Player of the Year award. It is the oldest and most prestigious award given to the single player in MLB who had the most outstanding season. Until 1969, it was the only major award given to a single player from MLB, rather than to a player in each league. In 1969, Baseball Digest began its Player of the Year award for one player in all of MLB. In 1993, the first Best Major League Baseball Player ESPY Award was given. In 1998, the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) began its own Player of the Year award, for one player in all of MLB, as part of its Players Choice Awards. Baseball America also began its Major League Player of the Year award in 1998. In 2012, MLB's "GIBBY Awards" added an MLB Most Valuable Player category, which was renamed the Most Valuable Major Leaguer in 2014; its current name is the "Esurance MLB Awards" Best Major Leaguer.
Players
Several players have won the award more than once. Ted Williams, Joe Morgan, Albert Pujols and Miguel Cabrera are the only players to win the award in consecutive years. Ted Williams won the award five times. Sandy Koufax is the only pitcher to win the award more than once. Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds are the only players to win the award while playing with different teams. Stan Musial and Alex Rodriguez are the only players to win the award while playing different positions. The only tie was in 1962, when Don Drysdale and Maury Wills shared the honor. Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds are the only players to win the award with multiple teams. Alex Rodriguez won the award with the most teams (3).
Winning multiple SN Player of the Year awards has been seen as guaranteed admission to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Barry Bonds is the only player with multiple awards, eligible for the Hall of Fame, but not a member of the Hall of Fame. The table is of the Players that have won two or more awards and the year they were inducted into Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. Active players are not eligible for the Hall of Fame.
Outfielders and Pitchers have won the most awards.