Dodgers' Kershaw Wins Third NL Cy Young Award

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Make it three for Clayton Kershaw.

The Dodgers' southpaw won his third National League Cy Young Award Monday afternoon.

Last season, Kershaw became the first pitcher ever to win four consecutive Major League Baseball ERA titles, posting a career-best 1.77 ERA and an MLB-leading 21 wins, which tied his career high in 2011.

Kershaw's .875 winning percentage (21-3) was also an MLB best and was the second-highest mark by a Dodger behind only Preacher Roe, who went 22-3 in 1951.

He was among four starters on the Dodgers roster with 13 or more wins, along with Zack Greinke, Hyun-Jin Ryu and Dan Haren.

Kershaw also joined Sandy Koufax as the only other Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher to record a sub-2.00 ERA season. Koufax hit the mark in 1963 (1.88 ERA), 1964 (1.74 ERA) and 1966.

While the Dodgers fell short of getting to the World Series after losing 3-1 to the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Division Series, their playoff defeat is unlikely to be a factor in the race since voting for the Cy Young takes place before the postseason.

Adam Wainwright of the Cardinals and Johnny Cueto of Cincinnati were the other two finalists for the NL Cy Young Award.

By winning the 2014 Cy Young, Kershaw becomes one of nine Major Leaguers in history to win at least three, joining former Dodgers Sandy Koufax, Pedro Martinez, and Greg Maddux.

The selection also extended the Dodgers' lead for total Cy Young winners to 12. The Braves are next in line, with seven.