Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello take home 2016 NL, AL Cy Young awards

Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello are the winners of the 2016 National and American League Cy Young awards, MLB announced Wednesday.

Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello are the winners of the 2016 National and American League Cy Young awards, MLB announced Wednesday.

Nationals ace Scherzer beat out Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks of the Cubs in that order to take the honors. He also won it in 2013 as a member of the Tigers. The 32-year-old went 20–7 with a 2.96 ERA and 0.97 WHIP in 228 1/3 innings and led the Nationals to a 95–87 record and an NL East title. 

Porcello led the Red Sox to the AL East title and 93 wins, going 22–4 with a 3.15 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 189 strikeouts in 223 innings. He did not receive the most first-place votes, with Justin Verlander receiving six more, but his number of second place votes gave Porcello the edge to win the award. Corey Kluber of the Indians finished third behind Verlander.

Scherzer is the first pitcher in Nationals history to win the award. Pedro Martinez won the award when the franchise was the Montreal Expos in 1997. Porcello is a first-time winner and the first Red Sox pitcher to win it since Martinez, who won the award in 1999 and 2000 with Boston.