Okamoto, Cease, Varland Earn All-MLB Nominations

Three standout players received nominations for the 2026 All-MLB team honors.

Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Baseball

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Kazuma Okamoto, Dylan Cease, and Louis Varland were named as nominees for the 2026 All-MLB team, honoring the season's top performers. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Kazuma Okamoto, Dylan Cease, and Louis Varland have been named as nominees for the 2026 All-MLB team. The selection process honors the top players across both leagues, with spots available for elite starters and relievers.

Why it matters

All-MLB team selections recognize the most impactful performers of the season across all professional baseball. The nominations highlight exceptional statistical achievements for these athletes in a competitive year.

Okamoto finished his rookie year with 33 home runs and 92 RBI. Cease posted a 2.40 ERA over 169 innings, while Varland recorded 35 saves and an 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings rate.

The players

Kazuma Okamoto

He is a professional baseball player who completed a notable rookie campaign.

Dylan Cease

He is a professional pitcher who is currently in the running for the American League Cy Young award.

Louis Varland

He is a relief pitcher recognized for a dominant season featuring 35 saves.

The details

The All-MLB team honors the top performers by selecting two teams without regard to league affiliation. The process designates five starting pitchers and two relief pitchers for each of the two teams.

Timeline

  1. Nominees for the 2026 All-MLB team were recognized during the 2026 season.

Season Trajectory

These nominations reflect the shifting landscape of top-tier talent as players vie for end-of-season awards. The recognition marks a critical milestone for these athletes heading into the final postseason considerations.

The nomination of Dylan Cease bolsters his profile as a frontrunner for the American League Cy Young award. These roster acknowledgments provide a baseline for comparing individual defensive and offensive contributions heading into the playoffs.

The takeaway

Nominations of this caliber serve as a benchmark for evaluating player value throughout the season. These selections provide fans with a definitive list of the top performers to track during the final playoff push.

Further reading

For more on league performance, visit the Baseball section.

Live Poll

Does individual player recognition matter to you when your team fails to make the playoffs?