Kershaw captures MLBPA top player award

New York, NY (SportsNetwork.com) – Clayton Kershaw’s offseason collection of hardware began on Monday with the Dodgers ace being named the 2014 Player of the Year as voted by the Major League Baseball Players Association.

Kershaw led the majors with 21 wins in just 27 starts this past season, and his minuscule 1.77 ERA and 0.86 WHIP rank among the best of the last century. The left-hander, who threw a no-hitter against the Rockies on June 18, recorded 239 strikeouts with just 31 walks in 198 1/3 innings.

Kershaw also won the NL best pitcher award and was named the Marvin Miller Man of the Year for his off-the-field contributions to his community.

Despite winning MLBPA’s biggest award, Kershaw lost out on the NL player of the year ballot to Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton, who hit 37 homers, knocked in 105 runs and recorded a .950 on-base plus slugging percentage. Stanton missed the final three weeks of the season after he was struck on the left side of his face by a fastball on Sept. 11.

The AL’s outstanding player was awarded to Angels outfielder Mike Trout. The 23-year-old Trout finished fifth in the majors in OPS (.939), scored 115 runs and set career highs with 36 homes runs and 111 RBI.

The top pitcher in the AL was Seattle’s Felix Hernandez, who nearly matched Kershaw with a 0.92 WHIP and went 15-6 with a 2.14 ERA and 248 strikeouts.

Chicago White Sox outfielder Jose Abreu was named the top rookie in the AL. Abreu finished third in the AL in home runs (36), fourth in RBI (107) and fifth in batting average (.317).

Jacob DeGrom took home the NL rookie honor after pitching to a 2.69 ERA for the Mets this season. He tied a modern-era record by striking out the first eight Miami hitters he faced on Sept. 15.

Seattle’s Chris Young and Miami’s Casey McGehee were awarded the comeback player of the year awards for the AL and NL, respectively.

Young did not pitch in the majors in the 2013 season due to injuries but battled back and went 12-9 with a 3.65 ERA for the Mariners this season.

One season after playing in Japan, McGehee batted .287 with 76 RBI in 160 games with the Marlins.

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