Arrow-right Camera
Subscribe now
Seattle Mariners

M’s ace Felix Hernandez loses Cy Young to Cleveland’s Corey Kluber

Seattle’s Felix Hernandez led the majors with a 2.14 ERA. (Associated Press)
Bob Dutton Tacoma News Tribune

SEATTLE – Sigh instead of Cy.

Seattle Mariners ace Felix Hernandez saw anticipation turn to keen disappointment Wednesday when he fell short in his bid to win the American League Cy Young Award for the second time in his career.

The honor went instead to Cleveland’s Corey Kluber in a tight vote.

“I don’t know what to say,” Hernandez said. “That was tough. I’m a little disappointed, but you know what? It just gives me more motivation to work harder and to be better next year.”

Kluber received 17 of the 30 first-place votes and 169 points from a Baseball Writers’ Association of America panel, which consisted of two members from chapters in each of the A.L.’s 15 cities.

Hernandez got the other 13 first-place votes and finished with 159 points. Chicago left-hander Chris Sale was third with 78 points.

Each ballot listed five pitchers with points assigned on a 7-4-3-2-1 basis – seven points for a first-place vote, four for a second-place vote, and so on.

All balloting took place prior to the start of postseason.

“It’s pretty awesome,” said Kluber, who finished 18-9 with a 2.44 ERA. “I definitely didn’t expect it, so it’s a pleasant surprise.”

Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw was a unanimous selection in winning the National League award for the third time in four years.

Hernandez, 28, loomed as the A.L. favorite after his previous selection as the league’s best pitcher in balloting by his peers (Players Choice Award) and A.L. executives (The Sporting News).

One possible explanation for why he failed to win the Cy Young Award: The Mariners fell one game short of reaching postseason for the first time since 2001 – and perhaps some voters viewed one poor late-season outing by Hernandez as a decisive argument for Kluber.

The BBWAA vote typically takes place later than balloting on the other awards, which might have placed extra weight on Hernandez’s Sept. 23 performance in Toronto, when he allowed eight runs in 4 2/3 innings.

“Probably,” Hernandez said. “It was just one start. What can I say?”

Despite that stumble, Hernandez finished 15-6 in 34 starts and led the majors with a 2.14 ERA. He snatched the A.L. ERA crown away from Sale by pitching 5 1/3 scoreless innings in the season’s final game.

Hernandez pointed to another game – July 30 in Cleveland, when he lost 2-0 to Kluber, who pitched a three-hit complete game. It was their only head-to-head matchup of the season.

“He beat me in Cleveland,” Hernandez said. “He had a great year. Sale, Kluber, myself…we all deserve that award. But you know, there’s only one winner.”

Even so, Hernandez contends he pitched better this season than in 2010, when he won the Cy Young Award by going 13-12 with a 2.27 ERA for a team that finished 61-101.