The finalists for the 2022 Players Choice Awards were revealed by the MLBPA on Thursday, which include two Toronto Blue Jays figures, pitcher Alek Manoah and former catcher/current announcer Buck Martinez.
These awards have been given out since 1992, and are voted on by MLB players. They award both on-the-field achievements and off-the-field work.
Two members of the Blue Jays are finalists: Manoah, 24, for American League Outstanding Pitcher, and Martinez, for the Curt Flood Award, which is given to a “former player, living or deceased, who in the image of Flood demonstrated a selfless , longtime devotion to the Players Association and advancement of Players’ rights.”
Martinez, who was treated to a very warm reception at the Rogers Center this summer when he returned to the broadcast booth following a successful cancer treatment, has a storied resume for the prestigious award.
He has served as a player rep and union leader for the MLBPA, managed the Blue Jays and Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, and served as director of the Baseball Assistance Team, which seeks to assist former players in need of various forms of help .
The other finalists in the category are former Baltimore Oriole third baseman and Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson, and former Montreal Expos All-Star pitcher Steve Rogers.
Manoah, who was an All-Star this season and helped push the Blue Jays to a playoff appearance with a 16-7 record, 2.24 earned run average and 180 strikeouts, is up against Chicago White Sox’ right-hander Dylan Cease and Houston Astros ‘ veteran Justin Verlander. This is his first nomination in this category.
The Marvin Miller Man of the Year finalists are Francisco Lindor, of the New York Mets, Brent Suter, who pitches for the Milwaukee Brewers, and Marcus Semien, second baseman for the Texas Rangers and winner of the award in 2021 with the Blue Jays. The finalists for Player of the Year are New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani.
The winners of the awards will be announced on Thursday, Nov. 3.