Dodgers P Clayton Kershaw is a finalist for NL MVP, but has unanimously won the Cy Young Award in the National League. It is the 3rd time in his career that Kershaw has won this award, including winning it in 2011 and 2013.
Kershaw went 21-3 with a 1.77 ERA for the NL West champion Dodgers, who finished the year 94-68. He led the majors in wins, ERA, and had 239 strikeouts in 198.1 innings. The star pitcher missed over a month with a back injury. He added his first career no-hitter on June 18th against the Colorado Rockies where he did not walk a batter and struck out 15. The Dodgers' ace did struggle in the postseason, but luckily for him, the voting does not include playoff performances.
Kershaw received all 30 first-place votes, beating out Reds' Johnny Cueto and Cardinals' Adam Wainwright. The 26 year-old is 6th pitcher to win 3 Cy Youngs in a 4-year span, and the 9th pitcher to win 3 overall. He joins Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Steve Carlton, Greg Maddux, Sandy Koufax, Pedro Martinez, Jim Palmer, and Tom Seaver.
Meanwhile, it was a close race in the American League, where Indians' ace Corey Kluber won his first Cy Young award. Kluber edged Mariners' ace Felix Hernandez for the award, receiving 17 first-place votes and 169 points. Hernandez earned 13 first-place votes and 159 points. White Sox pitcher Chris Sale was in 3rd with 78 points.
The Indians ace, in his 2nd full year as a starter, went 18-9 with a 2.44 ERA, and 269 strikeouts in 235.2 innings. Kluber lead the league in wins, second in strikeouts, third in innings pitched, and third in ERA. The 28-year old lead his Indians to an 85-77 record, but missed out on the playoffs for the second straight year. He had a 1.73 ERA after the All-Star break, he won his last 5 starts, posting a 1.12 ERA in that stretch with 54 strikeouts. Kluber is the 4th Indians pitcher to win the award, joining CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee, and Gaylord Perry.
Kershaw went 21-3 with a 1.77 ERA for the NL West champion Dodgers, who finished the year 94-68. He led the majors in wins, ERA, and had 239 strikeouts in 198.1 innings. The star pitcher missed over a month with a back injury. He added his first career no-hitter on June 18th against the Colorado Rockies where he did not walk a batter and struck out 15. The Dodgers' ace did struggle in the postseason, but luckily for him, the voting does not include playoff performances.
Kershaw received all 30 first-place votes, beating out Reds' Johnny Cueto and Cardinals' Adam Wainwright. The 26 year-old is 6th pitcher to win 3 Cy Youngs in a 4-year span, and the 9th pitcher to win 3 overall. He joins Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Steve Carlton, Greg Maddux, Sandy Koufax, Pedro Martinez, Jim Palmer, and Tom Seaver.
Meanwhile, it was a close race in the American League, where Indians' ace Corey Kluber won his first Cy Young award. Kluber edged Mariners' ace Felix Hernandez for the award, receiving 17 first-place votes and 169 points. Hernandez earned 13 first-place votes and 159 points. White Sox pitcher Chris Sale was in 3rd with 78 points.
The Indians ace, in his 2nd full year as a starter, went 18-9 with a 2.44 ERA, and 269 strikeouts in 235.2 innings. Kluber lead the league in wins, second in strikeouts, third in innings pitched, and third in ERA. The 28-year old lead his Indians to an 85-77 record, but missed out on the playoffs for the second straight year. He had a 1.73 ERA after the All-Star break, he won his last 5 starts, posting a 1.12 ERA in that stretch with 54 strikeouts. Kluber is the 4th Indians pitcher to win the award, joining CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee, and Gaylord Perry.
