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Washington Nationals: Max Scherzer Wins Second Cy Young Award

By Ricky Keeler

May 11, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) is doused with water after striking out an MLB record 20 batters against the Detroit Tigers at Nationals Park. The Washington Nationals won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
May 11, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) is doused with water after striking out an MLB record 20 batters against the Detroit Tigers at Nationals Park. The Washington Nationals won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /
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Tonight, Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer won the NL Cy Young Award and claimed the second Cy Young of his career

For the first time in their short franchise history, a Washington Nationals pitcher has won the Cy Young Award. Tonight, Max Scherzer won the NL Cy Young Award over two Chicago Cubs pitchers, Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks.

This is Scherzer’s second Cy Young award, but his first in the National League (won the AL Cy Young in 2013 with the Tigers). Plus, he is just the sixth pitcher in baseball history to win a Cy Young award in both leagues.

Scherzer was able to get 25 of the 30 first place votes from the BBWAA (Baseball Writers Association Of America). Here is the link for the full results and the ballots of the writers who voted on this particular award:

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In 34 starts this season, Scherzer went 20-7 with a 2.96 ERA and struck out 284 batters. He led the National League in wins, innings pitched (228.1), strikeouts, and WHIP (0.97).

During the second half, when Stephen Strasburg went on the disabled list, Scherzer pitched some of his best baseball. He went 10-1 with a 2.86 ERA in his final 15 starts and had 120 strikeouts in 100.2 innings. Although, his best pitching performance of the season came on May 9 when he struck out 20 Detroit Tigers in a 3-2 win.

When the Washington Nationals signed Max Scherzer in January 2015, everyone was surprised as it seemed like the franchise had enough pitching. In the two seasons he has pitched in D.C, Scherzer has been the ace this team has needed and then some. When he takes the mound, there’s a chance that history might happen (two no-hitters or 20 K’s in a game).

I had a vote for the NL Cy Young on my IBWAA ballot and I went with Scherzer. The reasons for that were because of the high strikeout totals, the amount of wins, and the dominance he showed this season. Out of his 34 outings, he gave up two earned runs or fewer in 23 of them. Plus, he went seven innings or more in 20 starts.

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Tomorrow night, the BBWAA awards conclude with the announcement of the NL MVP, an award in which Washington Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy is one of the three finalists. The other two finalists are Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant and Dodgers shortstop/Rookie Of The Year Corey Seager. You can watch that announcement on MLB Network at 6:00 p.m ET.

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