NEW YORK — Jake Arrieta of the Chicago Cubs aced out Los Angeles Dodgers stars Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw for the National League Cy Young Award while Houston Astros lefty Dallas Keuchel won the American League honor Wednesday.
In what was expected to be a tighter three-person race, Arrieta got 17 first-place votes for 169 points from members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Greinke drew 10 first-place votes and had 147 points. Kershaw had the other three firsts and 101 points.
Arrieta led the majors in wins, going 22-6. He went 11-0 in his last 12 starts, pushing the Cubs into the playoffs for the first time since 2008. The 29-year-old righty had a 1.77 ERA, struck out 236 batters and pitched a no-hitter.
Arrieta was the first Cubs pitcher to win the honor since Greg Maddux in 1992.
The Cubs won a major postseason award for the third straight day. Kris Bryant was the NL Rookie of the Year and Joe Maddon was the NL Manager of the Year.
The MVP awards will be announced Thursday.
Greinke posted a 1.66 ERA that was the lowest in the majors since Maddux in 1995. Greinke went 19-3, fanned 200 and had a scoreless streak of 45 2/3 innings.
Kershaw had won three of the previous four NL Cy Youngs. He struck out 301, the most in the majors since 2002, and went 16-7 with a 2.13 ERA for the NL West champions.
Keuchel got 22 first-place votes for 186 points. David Price drew eight first-place votes and 143 points for his split season with the Detroit Tigers and Toronto Blue Jays, and Oakland Athletics pitcher Sonny Gray finished third.
Keuchel led the AL in wins, going 20-8 and helping Houston reach the playoffs for the first time since 2005. The bearded 27-year-old with a dominant sinker and sharp slider had a 2.48 ERA and 216 strikeouts.
Price went 18-5 with a 2.45 ERA and 225 strikeouts. Traded from Detroit to Toronto in late July, he was a key reason the Blue Jays made their first playoff appearance since 1993.
Keuchel became the first Houston pitcher to win the Cy Young since Roger Clemens in 2004, and the first do it since the Astros joined the AL.
Thumbnail photo via Anthony Gruppuso/USA TODAY Sports Images
