With the 2025 World Series between the Blue Jays and Dodgers kicking off on Friday, we’re not only nearing the offseason but also inching closer to awards season.
On Nov. 13 at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, MLB Awards presented by MGM Rewards will unveil the 2025 Mariano Rivera (American League) and Trevor Hoffman (National League) Relievers of the Year Awards. The show will be streamed on MLB Network and MLB.com.
Last year, Emmanuel Clase (Guardians) took home the AL Award, while Ryan Helsley (Cardinals) won the NL Award. Who might take home those honors in 2025? Here’s a look at the top five candidates from each league.
MARIANO RIVERA RELIEVER OF THE YEAR (AMERICAN LEAGUE)
LHP, Aroldis Chapman, Red Sox
Perhaps surprisingly, Chapman has only won this award once (2019 Yankees), despite producing as one of MLB’s top relievers over the last decade-plus. He certainly has a compelling argument to take home his second such award with the Red Sox this year. Chapman boasted a 1.17 ERA, the lowest mark among qualified relievers, in 61 1/3 innings while striking out 85 batters. Chapman did so in his age-37 season, showcasing he still has plenty left in the tank.
RHP Andrés Muñoz, Mariners
Muñoz has been a stable force at the end of games for the Mariners for a half-decade and it was no different in 2025 for a Seattle team that was one win away from its first World Series appearance. In 62 1/3 innings, Muñoz had a 1.73 ERA, fourth-best among qualified relievers, while striking out 83 batters. His 38 saves were a career high and ranked third in the Majors.
RHP Cade Smith, Guardians
Smith has blossomed into one of baseball’s top relievers over the last two seasons. By FanGraphs’ version of Wins Above Replacement, Smith led the league in the category in both 2024 and ‘25 (2.7 WAR each season). Smith’s ERA jumped from 1.91 in 2024 to 2.93 in ‘25, but the underlying numbers suggested that he was more or less the same dominant late-inning arm.
RHP Bryan Abreu, Astros
Abreu has been overshadowed a bit as a non-closer in excellent Astros bullpens in past years, but he’s undoubtedly one of baseball’s top relievers. Abreu churned out another superb season in 2025, posting a 2.28 ERA and striking out the second-most hitters (105) of any reliever across 71 innings. His 2.2 fWAR was tied for third-best among qualified relievers.
RHP David Bednar, Yankees
Bednar returned to his previous dominance after a down 2024 season (5.77 ERA) and an early season demotion to the Minors in ‘25. In his time with the Pirates and later with the Yankees after a Trade Deadline deal, Bednar had a 2.30 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 62 2/3 innings while locking down 27 saves with Pittsburgh and New York.
TREVOR HOFFMAN RELIEVER OF THE YEAR (NATIONAL LEAGUE)
RHP Jhoan Duran, Phillies
Duran is one of baseball’s most dynamic relievers with incredible results to boot. In 70 innings with the Twins and Phillies after a Deadline deal that sent him to Philadelphia, Duran had a 2.06 ERA and 80 strikeouts along with 32 saves. Duran’s 100-plus mph fastball, unique splinker and devastating curveball, along with good command and elite groundball rates, have made him one of MLB’s most feared closers.
RHP Edwin DÃaz, Mets
DÃaz is no stranger to these awards, as he won the NL Award in 2022 with the Mets and the AL Award in 2018 with the Mariners. DÃaz was excellent in 2025 after an up-and-down ’24 season with the Mets, as the right-hander had a 1.63 ERA, 98 strikeouts and 28 saves in 66 1/3 innings. If DÃaz wins again, he’d join Josh Hader (Brewers — 2018, ’19, ’21) as the only relievers to win the award three times since it debuted in 2014.
RHP Abner Uribe, Brewers
Uribe burst onto the scene for a Brewers squad that led the Majors with 97 wins. In his age-25 season, Uribe had a 1.67 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 75 1/3 high-leverage innings, including seven saves. Uribe used a high-octane two-pitch mix, featuring an upper-90s sinker and a slider that was one of baseball’s top pitches. The 64 strikeouts Uribe generated on his slider was the third-most among on any single pitch among relievers.
RHP Mason Miller, Padres
Miller has a good argument for the most overpowering pitcher in the sport … maybe ever? Miller averaged 101.2 mph on his four-seamer in 2025 and generated whiffs on 54.6 percent of swings against his nasty slider. As a result, Miller had a 2.63 ERA and a whopping 104 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings. The right-hander led the Majors with a 45.2 percent whiff rate and a 44.4 percent strikeout rate with the A’s and the Padres after he was sent to San Diego at the Deadline.
LHP Adrian Morejon, Padres
San Diego’s dominant bullpen featured an array of top-shelf relievers, but Morejon and Miller had a good argument for the best of the bunch. Morejon appeared in 75 games for the Padres, tossing 73 2/3 innings with a 2.08 ERA and 0.90 WHIP. Morejon made up for his pedestrian strikeout rate (24.5 percent) by allowing some of the weakest contact of any pitcher. Morejon ranked in the 97th percentile or better in barrel rate, hard-hit rate and average exit velocity, leading to a 2.97 expected ERA that was 12th-best among qualified relievers.
