NEW YORK – Jake Arrieta posted one final win, perhaps against his most formidable competition yet.
The Chicago Cubs righty aced out Dodgers stars Zack Greinke and Clayton Kershaw to earn the NL Cy Young Award by a comfortable margin Wednesday.
“There was some anxiety involved,” Arrieta said on a conference call.
Arrieta topped the majors with 22 victories, boosted by a record 0.75 ERA after the All-Star break. He acknowledged the super stats piled up by his Los Angeles rivals spurred him.
“Deep down inside, we think we can catch them, do a little bit better,” he said.
Astros lefty Dallas Keuchel won the AL Cy Young Award, easily beating David Price.
Keuchel led the AL in wins, going 20-8 and helping Houston reach the playoffs for the first time since 2005.
“For years to come, we’re going to be contenders,” the bearded Keuchel said.
Voting by members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America was conducted before the postseason.
Keuchel then started the playoffs by pitching six shutout innings to win at Yankee Stadium in the AL wild-card game. The next day, Arrieta threw a five-hit shutout at Pittsburgh in the NL wild-card game.
In a tight race between three very worthy contenders, Arrieta received 17 of 30 first-place votes and 169 points. Greinke drew 10 first-place votes and 147 points. Kershaw got the other three firsts and 101 points.
Arrieta went 22-6, including 11-0 in his last 12 starts in pushing the Cubs into the playoffs for the first time since 2008. The 29-year-old had a 1.77 ERA, struck out 236 and pitched a no-hitter.