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          MLB Awards Watch: Baseball's early MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year favorites

          AP Photo/Brynn Anderson
          • Bradford Doolittle
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            Bradford Doolittle
            ESPN Staff Writer
            • Sports reporter, Kansas City Star, 2002-09
            • Writer, Baseball, Baseball Prospectus
            • Co-author, Pro Basketball Prospectus
            • Member, Baseball Writers Association of America
            • Member, Professional Basketball Writers Association
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          • David Schoenfield
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            David Schoenfield
            ESPN Senior Writer
            • Covers MLB for ESPN.com
            • Former deputy editor of Page 2
            • Been with ESPN.com since 1995
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          May 17, 2021, 07:00 AM ET

          We're already a quarter of the way through the 2021 MLB season, so it's time to take stock of how this year's major awards races are shaping up.

          While it's far too early to tell who will take home baseball's MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year hardware so far, the names who will be at the heart of this year's conversation are starting to take shape.

          We asked ESPN MLB experts Bradford Doolittle and David Schoenfield to break down where the awards battles stand right now using Doolittle's AXE formula and their own takes on the top candidates.