The finalists for MVP, Cy Young, and Rookie of the Year all had great 2018 seasons. Some continued along their superstar paths, some emerged as greats, while multiple rookies showed they might soon be in line for bigger things in the years to come. Their accomplishments in 2018 mostly speak for themselves as we head toward winter. But as for next season, some have a greater chance at repeating last year's excellence than others. Here's the 2019 outlook for the 2018 finalists.
American League MVP
Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox: There is little to quibble with the right fielder's great season. He hit for average and power, walked at a high rate, and used his speed to create runs on the basepaths and make outs in the field. In the past decade, only Betts and Mike Trout have put up 10-plus WAR seasons (via FanGraphs' blend, fWAR). Betts didn't have a great postseason, but that hardly matters now, and he did miss some time, which limited him to 136 games. Next season, expect that .346 batting average to be closer to .300, but if he can stay on the field, the 26-year-old might find himself looking at back-to-back MVP awards.
Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels: After missing time in 2017 and putting up "only" 6.9 fWAR, Trout stayed healthy all season and did what Mike Trout does. The worst thing you can say about Trout's game is that he is only a slightly above-average center fielder. The greatest player of his generation looks headed toward one of the greatest careers of all time and there's no reason to expect that to take a break next year.
Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Indians: Ramirez had a great season in 2017 and he responded by doubling his walk rate and his steals while adding 10 homers to his totals. The increased homers came as his average and doubles dropped, and offensively he was 46 percent above league average in both seasons. Next season, expect a middle ground with fewer homers but more doubles and a higher average. Another really good season is likely, but of the three AL MVP candidates, he's the least likely to repeat next year.
National League MVP
Javier Baez, Chicago Cubs: The Cubs' play-anywhere infielder is a fun player, but not a complete one. He was able to garner consideration for the MVP with a ton of homers and very good all-around play, but his sub-5 percent walk rate is going to limit his ceiling. The homers might come down a bit in 2019 as his 24 percent ratio of home runs per fly ball is likely to come down. His ability to make hard contact despite his free-swinging ways serves him well, but if there is a carryover of his slow September -- when he struck out roughly once in every three plate appearances -- he might be merely a good player rather than a great one.
Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers: The former Marlin went from playing in one of the worst parks in baseball for left-handed homers to one of the best in Miller Park, and it showed as Yelich doubled his homer total to 36 this year. Next season, expect the good walk and strikeout rates to continue, but a .373 BABIP seems likely to come down closer to a still-very-good .350-ish mark. The homers might continue as a second-straight 30-homer season is possible, but his 35 percent ratio of home runs to fly balls was the highest in baseball and seems due for a correction. Yelich should still be one of the best players in the National League next season, but he just might not be the best.
Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies: Of the NL's MVP candidates, the Rockies' third baseman is the likeliest to repeat his performance next season. The reason is that the soon-to-be 28-year-old has put up almost the exact same season every year since 2014. Arenado has been between 37 and 42 homers in each of the past four years. In the past three seasons, his walk rate has been right around 10 percent, his on-base percentage between .362 and .374, his isolated slugging between .264 and .275. Between his better-than-average strikeout rate and very good defense, he can be counted on to consistently produce a 5-6 fWAR season every year.
AL Cy Young Award
Corey Kluber, Indians: Cleveland's ace was great once again in 2018, but there are some warning signs that might explain the club's willingness to listen to trades. Kluber has averaged 227 innings per season over the past five years (including the playoffs) as he heads into his age-33 season. He's lost more than a mile per hour on his sinker compared with two years ago. His strikeouts moved down from 34 percent in 2017 to 26 percent last season, in part because he had just 77 strikeouts with his signature slider after averaging 116 the previous four seasons. Kluber should still be very good in 2019, but a decline is coming, or maybe even continuing.
Justin Verlander, Houston Astros: After seeming to be in decline in 2013 and 2014, Verlander has defied the aging process and just put together his best season in half a dozen years. As for next year, Verlander will be 36 years old by Opening Day so a sharp decline could come at any time, but the signals aren't yet there. His fastball still averages above 95 mph, and his 35 percent strikeout rate and 4 percent walk rate were both career bests. Age gets to everyone, but Verlander should have at least one more elite season in him.
Blake Snell, Tampa Bay Rays: The Rays' new ace found a couple of extra miles per hour on his fastball and doubled the use of his curve to achieve a 32 percent strikeout rate and 1.89 ERA. If he can keep doing that with his stuff in 2019, there's no reason to think he won't have another excellent season. That said, hoping for another sub-2.00 ERA is probably wishful thinking as his .241 BABIP and 88 percent left-on-base percentage -- both tops in the American League -- should be due for some regression next year. Snell's walk rate isn't elite, but that might just mean there's room for improvement. Snell's breakout was a nice surprise for the Rays this season, but another really good year in 2019 should shock nobody.
NL Cy Young Award
Jacob deGrom, New York Mets: The best season had by any pitcher belongs to the Mets' star with a 1.70 ERA nearly matched by a 1.99 FIP. Hoping for the same season in 2019 asks a bit much. DeGrom gave up just 10 home runs all season after giving up 28 two seasons ago. Splitting the difference next season would still put the 30-year-old in line for an excellent year, albeit not one as historically great as the campaign he just completed.
Aaron Nola, Philadelphia Phillies: His very good 2017 season might have flown under the radar on a non-contender, but his 2.37 ERA in 2018 on a team fighting for a playoff spot made sure Nola got noticed this time around. His strikeout and walk rates were consistent in both seasons at 27 percent and 7 percent, respectively, though he doubled his infield fly rate to induce more easy outs. He emphasized his four-seam fastball last year while reducing his sinker usage, and that proved to be a good switch with the fours-seamer making a better pairing with his excellent curve. We should see more of the same next season. His .251 batting average on balls in play is an indicator of some good luck that might not repeat itself next year, but his posting an ERA and FIP around 3.00 isn't far-fetched for the 25-year-old.
Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals: The Nats righty has three Cy Young Awards, but might have just completed his best year in a potentially non-Cy Young winning season. His 35 percent strikeout rate was a career high as was his 2.65 FIP, with his 2.53 ERA just a hair above 2017's 2.51 mark. Scherzer is now 34 years old, but the velocity is still there and his increased use of a cutter added yet another weapon to combat hitters. There's little reason to expect a drop-off next year.
AL Rookie of the Year
Shohei Ohtani, Angels: The dual-threat star was impressive in 10 starts on the mound and surprised many with a .285/.361/.564 batting line that was 50 percent above average. He will have to make an impact with his bat alone next season as he recovers from surgery. The power is real, but so is that 28 percent strikeout rate. Look for a drop in his batting average leading to a decline overall in his rate stats, but while putting up close to 30 homers.
Miguel Andujar, New York Yankees: The third baseman posted an Adrian Beltre-like line on offense with 27 homers with barely any walks and a low strikeout total. Andujar was not Beltre-like at all on defense, but look for his glove work to get closer to below-average instead of awful, while his contact- and power-heavy offensive profile at the plate continues to mature.
Gleyber Torres, Yankees: The middle infielder has yet to settle on a position between second base and shortstop, and the club's offseason moves along with Didi Gregorius' recovery from injury will dictate where Torres plays next season. Torres posted a solid walk rate (9 percent) but was a little high with his 25 percent strikeout rate. As Torres becomes acclimated to major league pitching, look for that strikeout rate to go down next year. He might sacrifice some power in the short term, but it should return in time.
NL Rookie of the Year
Ronald Acuna Jr., Atlanta Braves: The Braves' young star doesn't turn 21 until next month, but he'll challenge Freddie Freeman as the best player on Atlanta's roster in 2019 and isn't too far off from becoming one of the best players in the game. He hit 26 homers last season, but 35 or more isn't out of the question next year. That .293 batting average is probably a little high, which means his .366 OBP will come down a bit, but expect big things in Acuna's first full season in the bigs.
Juan Soto, Nationals: The Nats' young outfielder, 20, wasn't expected to be here so fast, jumping four levels from Low-A to the big leagues in a span of six weeks. He'll play all of next season. Expecting growth from last season might be a bit much, but a repeat of his rate stats is a realistic possibility.
Walker Buehler, Los Angeles Dodgers: Thanks to his four postseason starts, the Dodgers' righty is probably a bit more well-known now than he was when ballots were handed in at the end of the season. But the 24-year-old put up a FIP around 3.00 and an ERA even better than that. Armed with a developing arsenal that includes a high-90s fastball and a nasty curve and slider, Buehler does not look like a flash in the pan. If his arm holds up, Clayton Kershaw is going to have company atop the Los Angeles rotation.