Schlittler And Rice Earn Historic MVP Votes Despite Yankees’ Early Exit

In a season marred by the Yankees' early playoff exit, two players from the team managed to earn historic MVP votes. Yordan Alvarez received all 30 first-place votes, but the Yankees' own Schlittler and Rice made notable strides in the league's award lists.

Schlittler, the standout pitcher, received an AL-best 1.95 ERA over 193.2 innings, leading him to the AL Cy Young Award. He became the third Yankee starter to be selected for the All-MLB First Team since its inception in 2019. Although the team's offense faltered at times, Schlittler's consistent pitching kept the Yankees in games. His performance earned him a second-place vote in the MVP race, demonstrating his value beyond just wins and losses.

Ben Rice, who handled the designated hitter role, had a stellar season with 41 home runs, 97 RBI, a .897 OPS, and 149 wRC+. His .897 OPS and 149 wRC+ highlighted his status as one of the league's top hitters. Rice was the first Yankee DH to receive an All-MLB nod, landing on the Second Team for his plate performance. He also shone in the playoffs, hitting four home runs, the most by any player in the postseason.

Two of his three third-place votes in MVP voting affirmed his significance to the Yankees' lineup during a challenging year.

Despite the Yankees' early exit, seven players earned All-MLB nominations in total. Junior Caminero finished second in the MVP voting, missing only three second-place votes. In the AL MVP race, only Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice secured votes, with the league already acknowledging their contributions through these top honors.