Baseball Writers Announce Finalists For Major Awards
NEW YORK (AP) — Washington Nationals slugger Bryce Harper is one of three finalists for the NL MVP award from teams that failed to make the playoffs.
Harper is joined by Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt and Cincinnati's Joey Votto, the Baseball Writers' Association of America announced Tuesday. The last MVP from a club that did not reach the postseason was St. Louis' Albert Pujols in 2008.
Lorenzo Cain of the World Series champion Royals, Josh Donaldson of the AL East champion Blue Jays and 2014 winner Mike Trout of the Angels are the American League finalists for MVP.
Winners will be announced next week on MLB Network, beginning with Rookie of the Year awards on Monday. Managers of the Year get revealed Tuesday, followed by Cy Young Award winners Wednesday and MVPs on Thursday.
The Cy Young Award finalists in the NL are reigning winner Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers teammate Zack Greinke and the Cubs' Jake Arrieta.
Oakland's Sonny Gray, Houston lefty Dallas Keuchel and 2012 winner David Price, traded from Detroit to Toronto during the season, are the finalists in the AL.
Houston's Carlos Correa, Cleveland's Francisco Lindor and Minnesota's Miguel Sano are up for AL Rookie of the Year. Correa and Lindor are shortstops, while Sano played nearly all his 80 games at designated hitter.
In the NL, Cubs slugger Kris Bryant, San Francisco third baseman Matt Duffy and Pittsburgh infielder Jung Ho Kang are finalists.
First-time managers Jeff Banister of Texas and Paul Molitor of Minnesota join A.J. Hinch of Houston as finalists for the AL's top manager.
In the NL, the contenders are 66-year-old Terry Collins of the Mets, Joe Maddon of the Cubs and Mike Matheny of the Cardinals.
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