"I congratulate David Ortiz and Kris Bryant on earning the 2016 Hank Aaron Awards," Manfred said. "David created an extraordinary legacy with the Red Sox. Fans will never forget his consistent excellence at the plate and his performances on the game's greatest stages. Kris followed up an award-winning rookie season by helping lead the Cubs to their best regular season in more than a century. Both David and Kris are deserving of an honor named for one of the greatest players and individuals that our game has ever known."
"It is an honor that the awards, which distinguish the top offensive performers in baseball, have my name on it," Aaron said.