Messick finishes 2nd behind McGonigle in AL Rookie of the Year Award voting
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Parker Messick finished second in the American League Rookie of the Year voting, trailing behind McGonigle. Over the season he logged 32 starts and pitched 186 1/3 innings, the seventh‑most in the majors, and posted a 2.56 ERA, ranking sixth among qualified starters.
He struck out 193 batters and posted a 6.3 wins‑above‑replacement value, the second‑highest among AL rookies after McGonigle’s 7.1. Historically, his bWAR is the best for a Cleveland rookie pitcher since Vean Gregg in 1911, and his strikeout total is the most since Herb Score’s 245 in 1955.
Messick also joined an exclusive group of rookie starters with at least 150 innings who posted a sub‑2.60 ERA and a K/9 rate above nine, matching the likes of Dwight Gooden, Hideo Nomo and José Fernández.
Manager Stephen Vogt praised Messick’s poise, noting that even in spring training the left‑hander performed as if he were on a postseason stage, a temperament that defined his 2026 campaign and gave Cleveland a competitive edge throughout the year.
