Champions Seager, Semien finalists for AL’s MVP
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Jeff Passan, ESPN
Two of the World Series champion Texas Rangers are finalists for the American League Most Valuable Player award alongside Shohei Ohtani, and a pair of Los Angeles Dodgers will vie with Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. for the National League MVP, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America announced Monday in a show televised on MLB Network.
Ohtani, World Series MVP Corey Seager and Rangers second baseman Marcus Semien were the top three in AL MVP voting by the BBWAA, which receives ballots for two writers in each of the 15 cities in each league that are submitted at the end of the regular season. Acuna will face his former teammate, Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman, and Freeman’s current teammate, outfielder/infielder Mookie Betts.
The AL Cy Young Award will come down to three right-handers vying for their first plaque: the New York Yankees‘ Gerrit Cole, Toronto Blue Jays‘ Kevin Gausman and Minnesota Twins‘ Sonny Gray, who officially hit free agency at 5 p.m. ET on Monday. In the NL, left-hander Blake Snell — also a free agent — is the favorite to win his second Cy Young, while San Francisco’s Logan Webb and Zac Gallen of NL champion Arizona are seeking their first.
Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll is the distinct favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year and is a finalist alongside New York Mets right-hander Kodai Senga and Dodgers outfielder James Outman. AL Rookie of the Year finalists include Baltimore shortstop Gunnar Henderson, Cleveland right-hander Tanner Bibee and Boston first baseman Triston Casas.
The final BBWAA award, Manager of the Year, is headlined in the NL by Craig Counsell, who was hired away Monday from Milwaukee by the Chicago Cubs. He’s opposed by Atlanta’s Brian Snitker and the favorite, Miami manager Skip Schumaker, who led the Marlins to the postseason despite a -57 run differential. The AL slate is led by Rangers manager Bruce Bochy — who last won the award in 1996 — along with two-time winner Kevin Cash of Tampa Bay and Baltimore’s Brandon Hyde, who led the Orioles to a 101-win season and the AL East title.
Rookie of the Year results will be announced a week from today, with Manager of the Year on Nov. 14, Cy Young on Nov. 15 and MVP on Nov. 16.
Wisconsin will start true freshman quarterback Carter Smith at No. 2 Indiana on Saturday, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel, replacing Danny O’Neil after the sophomore was carted off the field with a right leg injury last week.
O’Neil was injured on a 21-yard keeper during the first quarter of last Saturday’s 13-10 win over then-No. 23 Washington. He had a towel over his head as he was carted to the locker room.
Smith made his season debut following O’Neil’s injury, completing 3 of 12 passes for 8 yards while rushing for 47 yards and a touchdown.
Also available to the Badgers at quarterback is senior Hunter Simmons, who is 48-for-95 for 485 yards with two touchdowns and five interceptions this season.
For Indiana, wide receiver Elijah Sarratt is doubtful to play, sources said. Sarratt, who is tied for the Big Ten lead with 10 touchdown receptions, injured his hamstring against Maryland on Nov. 1 and missed the Penn State game last week.
With Indiana having a bye next week, Sarratt is on track to return against Purdue on Nov. 28.
Quarterback issues have hindered Wisconsin all season and throughout coach Luke Fickell’s three-year tenure.
Billy Edwards Jr. was Wisconsin’s first-team quarterback at the start of the season, but he sprained his knee in the second quarter of the Badgers’ opener and has played only one full series since.
Tanner Mordecai missed 3½ games with a broken hand in 2023. Miami transfer Tyler Van Dyke tore his ACL in the third game of the 2024 season.
Wisconsin’s intended season-opening starting quarterback has been available for the entirety of only 11 of the 34 games the Badgers have played since the beginning of the 2023 season. The last time Fickell had his season-opening starting quarterback healthy for a full game was in a 27-13 victory over South Dakota on Sept. 7, 2024.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava will not play Saturday against No. 1 Ohio State because of a concussion, sources confirmed to ESPN.
Iamaleava was injured during last week’s loss to Nebraska. He began experiencing concussion symptoms after the game, according to On3, which first reported that Iamaleava would not play.
With Iamaleava out, redshirt sophomore Luke Duncan will make his first career start. Duncan has not attempted a pass in college as he tries to take down the top-ranked Buckeyes.
Iamaleava has thrown for 1,659 yards with 12 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in his first year with the Bruins after transferring from Tennessee.
He led UCLA to three straight wins in October, including a victory over then-No. 7 Penn State, but the Bruins (3-6) have lost two straight and need to win out to become bowl eligible.
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