Miami Marlins’ Sandy Alcantara is named NL Cy Young Award winner after superb season

Miami Marlins star Sandy Alcantara and the Houston Astros’ franchise face Justin Verlander have been recognized for stellar seasons winning the NL and AL Cy Young Awards, respectively.

Both pitchers won the awards unanimously, the first time this has occurred in MLB since 1968. 

Alcantara is the first Dominican to win the prestigious honor in 25 years. Meanwhile, Verlander produced a comeback for the ages from Tommy John surgery to propel Houston to its second World Series in franchise history. 

Justin Verlander took home the AL Cy Young Award, the third time he was done so in his career

Verlander, who is a free agent this offseason, became a three-time winner after securing the award once previous with the Astros in 2019 and in 2011 with the Detroit Tigers. 

He led the entire majors with a 1.75 ERA, 18 wins — the most in the AL — and struck out 185 in 175 innings. 

Verlander is just one of eleven players in MLB history to have won the award three times.

Meanwhile, Alcantara won with ease over left-handed finalists; Julio Urias of the LA Dodgers and Max Fried of the Atlanta Braves. The Dominican received 210 votes — including all 30 first-place votes — to Fried’s 72 and Urias’ 66.

Read Related Also: Dele Alli ‘wasting away’ at Besiktas, but former Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood assures star he ‘still has time’ to reboot career

Miami Dolphins star pitcher, Sandy Alcantara was rewarded Wednesday for a stellar season

Alcantara is the first Miami pitcher to win the award in franchise history, and third-ever from his homeland. Pedro Martinez was a three-time winner in 1997, 1999 and 2000. Meanwhile, Bartolo Colon scooped up the award in 2005. 

Alcantara pitched more innings than any other player in the majors last season, amassing a 4.14 strikeout-to-walk ratio and a 2.28 ERA. 

The 27-year-old watched the MLB Network broadcast from his South Florida home alongside family, his agent and select Marlins teammates. 

Miami Marlins’ Sandy Alcantara was honored with the NL Cy Young Award Wednesday night

Following the announcement, Alcantara took a quick selfie video showing the celebratory scenes inside his home, posted on MLB’s twitter account.

‘Hey guys, guess what? We made it,’ he said. 

Miami acquired their star right-hander in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals back in December of 2017. 

Alcantara made his MLB debut in 2017 for the Cardinals finishing three games before his move to South Beach.