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The Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year Award is the oldest of three annual awards in Major League Baseball given to one player in each league who has reemerged as a star in that season. It was established in 1965. The winner in each league is selected by the TSN editorial staff.

In 2005, Major League Baseball officially sponsored its own Comeback Player of the Year Award for the first time. TSN and MLB honored the same players in 2005—Ken Griffey, Jr. in the National League and Jason Giambi in the American League.

In 1992, the first Players Choice Awards were given, to the Comeback Player in each league. There were no other awards that year. In 1993, the Comeback Player awards were replaced by an Outstanding Player award for each league. In 1994, two more categories were added (Outstanding Pitcher and Outstanding Rookie in each league). In 1997, the dual Comeback Player awards were again named. The Players Choice Awards are unique because the electorate consists of the players themselves.

Listed below are the players honored with the TSN award by year, name, team and league.

Honorees

• 1965
  • Norm Cash, Detroit Tigers, AL
  • Vern Law, Pittsburgh Pirates, NL
• 1966
  • Boog Powell, Baltimore Orioles, AL
  • Phil Regan, Los Angeles Dodgers, NL
• 1967
  • Dean Chance, Minnesota Twins, AL
  • Mike McCormick, San Francisco Giants, NL
• 1968
  • Ken Harrelson, Boston Red Sox, AL
  • Alex Johnson, Cincinnati Reds, NL
• 1969
  • Tony Conigliaro, Boston Red Sox, AL
  • Tommie Agee, New York Mets, NL
• 1970
  • Clyde Wright, California Angels, AL
  • Jim Hickman, Chicago Cubs, NL
• 1971
  • Norm Cash (2), Detroit Tigers, AL
  • Al Downing, Los Angeles Dodgers, NL
• 1972
  • Luis Tiant, Boston Red Sox, AL
  • Bobby Tolan, Cincinnati Reds, NL
• 1973
  • John Hiller, Detroit Tigers, AL
  • Davey Johnson, Atlanta Braves, NL
• 1974
  • Fergie Jenkins, Texas Rangers, AL
  • Jimmy Wynn, Los Angeles Dodgers, NL
• 1975
  • Boog Powell (2), Cleveland Indians, AL
  • Randy Jones, San Diego Padres, NL
• 1976
  • Dock Ellis, New York Yankees, AL
  • Tommy John, Los Angeles Dodgers, NL
• 1977
  • Eric Soderholm, Chicago White Sox, AL
  • Willie McCovey, San Francisco Giants, NL
• 1978
  • Mike Caldwell, Milwaukee Brewers, AL
  • Willie Stargell, Pittsburgh Pirates, NL
• 1979
  • Willie Horton, Seattle Mariners, AL
  • Lou Brock, St. Louis Cardinals, NL
• 1980
  • Matt Keough, Oakland Athletics, AL
  • Jerry Reuss, Los Angeles Dodgers, NL
• 1981
  • Richie Zisk, Seattle Mariners, AL
  • Bob Knepper, Houston Astros, NL
• 1982
  • Andre Thornton, Cleveland Indians, AL
  • Joe Morgan, San Francisco Giants, NL
• 1983
  • Alan Trammell, Detroit Tigers, AL
  • John Denny, Philadelphia Phillies, NL
• 1984
  • Dave Kingman, Oakland Athletics, AL
  • Joaquín Andújar, St. Louis Cardinals, NL
• 1985
  • Gorman Thomas, Seattle Mariners, AL
  • Rick Reuschel, Pittsburgh Pirates, NL
• 1986
  • John Candelaria, California Angels, AL
  • Ray Knight, New York Mets, NL
• 1987
  • Bret Saberhagen, Kansas City Royals, AL
  • Rick Sutcliffe, Chicago Cubs, NL
• 1988
  • Storm Davis, Oakland Athletics, AL
  • Tim Leary, Los Angeles Dodgers, NL
• 1989
  • Bert Blyleven, California Angels, AL
  • Lonnie Smith, Atlanta Braves, NL
• 1990
  • Dave Winfield, California Angels, AL
  • John Tudor, St. Louis Cardinals, NL
• 1991
  • José Guzmán, Texas Rangers, AL
  • Terry Pendleton, Atlanta Braves, NL
• 1992
  • Rick Sutcliffe (2), Baltimore Orioles,
  • Gary Sheffield, San Diego Padres, NL
• 1993
  • Bo Jackson, Chicago White Sox, AL
  • Andrés Galarraga, Colorado Rockies, NL
• 1994
  • José Canseco, Oakland Athletics, AL
  • Tim Wallach, Los Angeles Dodgers, NL
• 1995
  • Tim Wakefield, Boston Red Sox, AL
  • Ron Gant, Cincinnati Reds, NL
• 1996
  • Kevin Elster, Texas Rangers, AL
  • Eric Davis, Cincinnati Reds, NL
• 1997
  • David Justice, Cleveland Indians, AL
  • Darren Daulton, Philadelphia Phillies and Florida Marlins, NL
• 1998
  • Bret Saberhagen (2), Boston Red Sox, AL
  • Greg Vaughn, San Diego Padres, NL
• 1999
  • John Jaha, Oakland Athletics, AL
  • Rickey Henderson, New York Mets, NL
• 2000
  • Frank Thomas, Chicago White Sox, AL
  • Andrés Galarraga (2), Atlanta Braves, NL
• 2001
  • Rubén Sierra, Texas Rangers, AL
  • Matt Morris, St. Louis Cardinals, NL
• 2002
  • Tim Salmon, Anaheim Angels, AL
  • Mike Lieberthal, Philadelphia Phillies, NL
• 2003
  • Gil Meche, Seattle Mariners, AL
  • Javy López, Atlanta Braves, NL
• 2004
  • Paul Konerko, Chicago White Sox, AL
  • Chris Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals, NL
• 2005
  • Jason Giambi, New York Yankees, AL
  • Ken Griffey, Jr., Cincinnati Reds, NL
• 2006
  • Jim Thome, Chicago White Sox, AL
  • Nomar Garciaparra, Los Angeles Dodgers, NL
• 2007
  • Carlos Peña, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, AL
  • Dmitri Young, Washington Nationals, NL
• 2008
  • Cliff Lee, Cleveland Indians, AL
  • Fernando Tatis, New York Mets, NL
• 2009
  • Aaron Hill, Toronto Blue Jays, AL
  • Chris Carpenter (2), St. Louis Cardinals, NL

Notes

• The only players to be named twice in the American League are Norm Cash, Boog Powell and Bret Saberhagen.
• The only players to be named twice in the National League are Andrés Galarraga and Chris Carpenter.
• The only player to be named in both leagues is Rick Sutcliffe.

See also

• MLB Comeback Player of the Year Award
• Players Choice Awards (including Comeback Player)
• Baseball awards
• List of MLB awards
• TSN Player of the Year
• TSN Pitcher of the Year
• TSN Rookie of the Year
• TSN Reliever of the Year
• TSN Manager of the Year
• TSN Executive of the Year