Free agent Zack Greinke was named the National League Outstanding Pitcher by the Major League Baseball Players Association on Monday night. The awards are exclusively voted on by players.
In being recognized by his peers for the dominant 2015 season he had with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Greinke beat out Chicago Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta and teammate Clayton Kershaw for Outstanding Pitcher.
Kershaw won the Outstanding Pitcher Award in 2013 and 2014. Greinke was named the American League Outstanding Pitcher after his 2009 season with the Kansas City Royals.
Greinke was also nominated for the Player of the Year Award this year, but lost to Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson. Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper rounded out the nominees in the category.
Harper won the NL Outstanding Player Award, with Donaldson taking home the AL honor. Greinke falls shy of matching Kershaw, who last year won the same NL Outstanding Pitcher Award, as well as the Player of the Year and Marvin Miller Man of the Year awards.
Greinke went 19-3 with an MLB-best 1.66 ERA, 225 ERA+ and 0.84 WHIP. He also accumulated a 45.2 scoreless innings streak and snapped Kershaw’s four-year run of leading the Majors in ERA.
Greinke figures to finish no worst than second in NL Cy Young Award voting, and is in line to sign a long term contract in excess of $100 million. Over the last three seasons with the Dodgers, Greinke went 51-15 with a 2.30 ERA in 92 starts.
