New American League single-season home run king Aaron Judge was selected the majors’ player of the year and the AL’s outstanding player of the year in the Players Choice Awards on Friday.

In voting among members of the Major League Baseball Players Association, St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt was chosen the National League’s outstanding player.

Judge bashed 62 home runs, topping the AL mark of 61 set by the Yankees’ Roger Maris in 1961. The New York Yankees outfielder also led the league in RBIs (131), runs (133), on-base percentage (.425) and slugging percentage (.686) while batting .311.

Like Judge, Goldschmidt was in contention for his league’s Triple Crown for much of the season. He wound up third in the NL in batting average (.317), tied for fifth in home runs (35) and second in RBIs (115).

Houston Astros right-hander Justin Verlander won the AL outstanding pitcher and comeback player of the year. Coming off Tommy John surgery at age 39, Verlander led the league in wins while going 18-4 with a majors-best 1.75 ERA.

Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez won the AL outstanding rookie honor. Rodriguez, 21, hit .284 with 28 homers, 75 RBIs and 25 stolen bases in 132 games.

Miami Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara won the NL outstanding pitcher award after going 14-9 with a 2.28 ERA and a major-league-best 228 2/3 innings pitched.

The NL outstanding rookie honoree was Atlanta Braves right-hander Spencer Strider, who finished 11-5 with a 2.67 ERA in 31 games (20 starts).

Braves center fielder Ronald Acuna Jr., who missed the second half of the 2021 season and the first month of the 2022 campaign due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament, was selected the NL comeback player of the year. He batted .266 with 15 homers, 50 RBIs and 29 steals in 119 games.

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor received the Marvin Miller Award for “leadership (that) most inspires others to higher levels of achievement.”

Former major league pitcher and MLBPA executive Steve Rogers was the recipient of the Curt Flood Award, given annually 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.”

–Field Level Media

While it pays to be a World Series contender, it is also well known that World Series contenders have to pay — and sometimes pay big — in order to maintain that kind of elite status.

Give credit to the Cleveland Guardians, Seattle Mariners and Tampa Bay Rays, all of whom forced their way into the 2022 postseason party with a 26-man payroll of less than $90 million, according to Spotrac.

The reality is that six of the eight teams in this year’s division series ranked among the nine-highest spending clubs. And for all of the talk about the underdog Philadelphia Phillies making a surprise run to the World Series, they had the fourth-highest payroll in the sport.

As the MLB spending season approaches, including the biggest holiday shopping season of all from Dec. 4-7 at the winter meetings at San Diego, some difference-makers are available… they just come with a steep price.

TOP FREE AGENTS BY POSITION

SHORTSTOP

The offseason free agent class is all about the shortstops, with MVP-type players galore. Carlos Correa heads the list after his one season with the Minnesota Twins, while the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Trea Turner and the Atlanta Braves’ Dansby Swanson also are available. The class only gets better if the Boston Red Sox’s Xander Bogaerts opts out of his contract, as expected. And the Chicago White Sox have a club option on Tim Anderson. Expect Correa to command top dollar after just turning 28 with an impressive track record that includes a career .836 OPS.

Correa’s projected landing spot: Phillies

OUTFIELD

The most desired free agent acquisition of them all could be New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, who has the perfect storm of bidding-war scenarios after his 62-homer season. His own big-spending club wants to sign him and so do the big spenders across town, the New York Mets. Then there are his regional prospects, as the California kid has interest from the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Judge is pushing $40 million per season in market value. The Mets’ Brandon Nimmo, the San Diego Padres’ Jurickson Profar and the Yankees’ Andrew Benintendi also will garner plenty of interest.

Judge’s projected landing spot: Giants

STARTING PITCHING

Proven stars such as the Mets’ Jacob deGrom, the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw and the Houston Astros’ Justin Verlander all can be had for a price, but with risk attached at the advanced stages of their careers. Injuries have plagued deGrom and Kershaw in recent seasons, but both have delivered when healthy. Verlander emerged from Tommy John surgery to turn back the clock in 2022 at the age of 39. Younger options do exist, although they lack star power: Taijuan Walker, Jameson Taillon and intriguing left-hander Carlos Rodon, who turns 30 in December and could have the most value on the market.

Projected landing spots: deGrom, Mets; Kershaw, Rangers; Verlander, Astros; Rodon, Braves

CATCHER

Rare is the catcher who is also a major run-producer, yet value remains in the player who can guide a pitching staff, deliver with the glove and provide some offense. The Cubs’ Willson Contreras was supposed to have departed Chicago at the trade deadline, but an emotional sendoff never materialized. Now it is Contreras’ turn to have a more measured departure, as he could exit to join a contender. A dearth of elite catchers gives Contreras’ availability more value. Although they have far less of an upside, Gary Sanchez and World Series no-hit catcher Christian Vazquez are available.

Contreras’ projected landing spot: Cardinals

BEST OF THE REST

Josh Bell is expected to command too much on the open market for the Padres to retain him at first base, while the White Sox are expected to move on from former American League MVP Jose Abreu. Now 35, Abreu has unquestioned leadership skills. Adam Frazier and Jean Segura lead the crop at second base, although Segura still has a club option. Brandon Drury leads the group at third base, with Justin Turner (club option) possibly available as well. Expect the Mets to retain closer Edwin Diaz, but not before the Dodgers make a run at him to fill their need at the back end of the bullpen.

–Doug Padilla, Field Level Media

HOUSTON — Much has been made of Houston Astros left-hander Framber Valdez maximizing his abundant talent by utilizing and applying several mental processes to sharpen his focus.

The results for Valdez have been irrefutable, and Houston will look for Valdez (2-0, 1.42 ERA this postseason) to deliver one more quality start on Saturday against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 6 of the World Series, with the Astros leading the best-of-seven series 3-2 and on the brink of securing their second championship in five years.

Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler (1-2, 2.67 ERA) will oppose Valdez.

“Yeah, I think I’m just going to try to continue doing what I’ve been doing all season,” Valdez said. “Just try and attack hitters early, try to breathe, try to stay calm, try to meditate.

“It’s something that’s really exciting. I think it’s something that really adds a lot to your career, and I’m really excited for this opportunity.”

Excitement isn’t in short supply. After Cristian Javier pitched brilliantly and combined with three relievers for a no-hitter in Game 4, Justin Verlander produced an inspired effort in Game 5, grinding his way through five innings of one-run ball despite steady traffic on the bases against the backdrop of a frenzied crowd. If Valdez needs inspiration, his short-term memory would suffice.

“Yeah, definitely helps a lot,” Valdez said. “It helps for me to stay positive. Obviously, our guys did an amazing job. We won two games (in Philadelphia) as well. I think that does help set the tone.

“Obviously, we’re going back home just needing to win one game. And hopefully with God on our side, we’ll be able to win that game.”

The Phillies’ powerful lineup has been stifled by the Astros’ pitching ever since Philadelphia bashed five home runs in Game 3 to slug its way to a 2-1 series lead. The Phillies mustered just two at-bats with runners in scoring position while being no-hit in Game 4, and they finished 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position in Game 5, that hit coming from Jean Segura in the eighth inning.

The Phillies are slashing .174/.272/.342 in the series, and while their power remains a looming threat, their inability to mount and sustain rallies is part of the reason why they sit one game from elimination. At this juncture, the Phillies are hopeful that familiarity with Valdez will pay dividends as Game 6 will mark the third time they’ve faced him since Oct. 5.

Before carrying a shutout into the seventh inning and posting nine strikeouts in Game 2, Valdez recorded 10 strikeouts and limited the Phillies to two hits over five scoreless innings in the regular-season finale last month.

“I think that goes for everybody,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said of the benefit of facing a pitcher multiple times. “I think the more you see a pitcher, the more you see the shape of his pitches and see it up close and how the fastball sinks or rides, I think you have a better chance.

“I thought we had better at-bats in the World Series start than we did in the regular-season start. So hopefully that continues.”

What the Phillies can’t afford to have continue is the Astros’ sudden momentum. Houston appeared on the ropes when the Phillies fashioned a blowout victory in Game 3, only to rebound behind Javier and the combined no-hitter. Now the onus falls on Wheeler to make an old baseball axiom manifest, his primary purpose to keep the Phillies’ title hopes alive.

“I think (momentum) resets day to day,” said Wheeler, whom the Astros tagged for five runs (four earned) on six hits and three walks in five innings in Game 2. “I think everybody probably feels — has their own beliefs, I guess they could say. But I think it resets, especially with a starting pitcher.

“From my standpoint, I’m just going out there and pitching my game and starting new.”

–By MK Bower, Field Level Media

Astros manager Dusty Baker slept well for the first time in recent memory, calmed by the perspective of knowing Houston has two tries to win one game, triggering a World Series celebration in their home park.

“Hey, man, we got two games, potentially two games left and maybe even one,” Baker said Friday on the eve of World Series Game 6 at Minute Maid Park.

The Philadelphia Phillies have to replicate what the Astros pulled off on the road, taking successive games in rowdy, enemy territory, to win the World Series. Philadelphia belted five home runs in a Game 3 trouncing but the Astros turned the tables with a combined no-hitter in Game 4 and a thrilling win in Game 5 highlighted by centerfielder Chas McCormick’s catch to rob catcher J.T. Realmuto of a sure extra-base hit.

“They told me the whole town erupted last night,” Baker said. “They probably erupted when McCormick made that catch because we erupted in the dugout. They’re for us. The town’s for us. Tickets are at a premium because all of a sudden now everybody wants tickets. We could probably hold a couple hundred thousand if we had room.”

The Phillies are turning to Zack Wheeler in Game 6. Wheeler said Friday he doesn’t think the Astros have any momentum, opining he feels a reset when one game ends.

“I take a lot of pride in that and just try to be a stopper and give our team one more chance after tomorrow,” Wheeler said. “So tomorrow’s a must-win and I’ll take pride in that. Hopefully I can go out there and give us the best chance.”

Phillies manager Rob Thomson is focused on winning Game 6 before he can be concerned about a seventh game.

“Everybody’s available,” he said.

Thomson said the plan as of Friday would be to start Aaron Nola in Game 7 in a “full bullpen game” if Ranger Suarez is needed Saturday.

“I think for Game 7 we probably got both Ranger and Nola lined up. Probably not full pitch count. So if we needed Ranger in Game 6, I think I’d use him,” Thomson said.

–Field Level Media

Longtime New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman declined to address Friday whether the club has renewed contract negotiations yet with Aaron Judge’s agent when he spoke at an end-of-the-season news conference.

“I’m gonna no-comment on that but just restate what has been stated by me and ownership and Aaron Boone and anybody related to the Yankees,” Cashman said. “We’d love to be able to bring Aaron Judge back and have him maintain being a member of this franchise. The career path he’s currently on is Hall of Fame-like, and nothing better than to have him continue to man right field for us and impact us both on and off the field the way he has thus far.

“So we’ll have, certainly, the conversations as promised and see where they take us. But he’s put himself in a great position to have a lot of choices.”

While Cashman spoke on behalf of the team, the general manager also confirmed that he is not under contract after his previous deal expired Oct. 31.

Cashman has served as New York’s general manager since February 1998, and in the 25 seasons since, he helped to assemble four World Series-winning teams, though none since 2009.

Assuming Cashman returns, he will lead the Yankees’ front office on the vital question of whether to pay up and re-sign Judge, who hit 62 home runs in 2022 to break Roger Maris’ single-season American League record.

Manager Aaron Boone, who will return for 2023, also faced questions about Judge, who could command a record contract on the open market.

“I think most of you know how I feel about him, how much appreciation I have for our relationship, how it’s grown over the years,” Boone said. “All I’ll say is that of course, I hope he’s back and a Yankee forever.”

But Boone acknowledged that this decision is “above me.”

Judge, who turns 31 in April, has played 729 career games over parts of seven MLB seasons, all with the Yankees. The 2017 AL Rookie of the Year and four-time All-Star is a career .284 hitter who’s hit 220 home runs, 121 doubles and 497 RBIs in that time.

The Yankees went 99-63 and won the American League East in 2022 before the Houston Astros swept them in four games in the American League Championship Series.

“Bottom line is, we’re a really good team. We’ve been knocking on that door now for a long time,” Boone said. “We haven’t punched through. I certainly understand the frustration of that with everyone. We all feel that as much as everyone. Again, that’s why I came back to do this. I want to hoist that trophy with these guys. And the reality is, we are close, and we have a team that is in that conversation. Realistically in that conversation.”

Cashman said the Yankees will pick up the $15 million option to retain right-handed starting pitcher Luis Severino, who has been with the club since 2015.

Other players with personnel issues looming include first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who can opt out of his contract and test the market; outfielder Andrew Benintendi, acquired before the trade deadline; and pitchers Jameson Taillon and Zack Britton.

–Field Level Media

The Baltimore Orioles avoided arbitration with Jake Cave after the outfielder agreed Friday to a contract for 2023.

According to the Baltimore Sun, it will be a split contract with different salaries for whether Cave is in the minor leagues or major leagues. No financial details were reported.

Cave, 29, was selected off waivers from the Minnesota Twins in early October after the regular season had ended. In five major league seasons, all with Minnesota, Cave is a .235 hitter with a .708 OPS, 33 home runs and 118 RBIs in 335 career games.

The Orioles also announced that right-hander Chris Ellis and catcher Aramis Garcia have each elected free agency after they were outrighted off the 40-man roster.

Ellis is 1-0 with a 3.12 ERA in 10 career MLB appearances over three seasons. Garcia is a .216 hitter with 10 home runs and 25 RBIs in 116 career games over four big-league seasons.

–Field Level Media