Mason Miller, Louis Varland win first BBWAA reliever of the year awards
The New York Times • • sports
Key Points:
- Mason Miller of the San Diego Padres and Louis Varland of the Toronto Blue Jays became the first recipients of the newly created National League and American League reliever of the year awards, respectively, as announced by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA).
- Miller delivered an outstanding season with a 1.67 ERA, 38 saves, and a major league-leading fastball velocity of 101.4 mph, earning All-Star honors and dominating the National League bullpen.
- Varland had a breakout year with a 1.27 ERA and 35 saves in 71 appearances, also earning his first American League All-Star selection while serving as the Blue Jays' closer.
- The BBWAA introduced the reliever of the year awards to recognize the significant impact of relief pitchers, complementing existing honors like the Cy Young Award, which typically favors starting pitchers.
