“To get something like this, to be recognized not only as a pitcher but a player, too, it’s amazing,” said Kershaw, who was in the MLB Network studios for the announcements. “You take a step back and think about all the other candidates, amazing players, and just to be associated with those names is awesome.”
Kershaw beat the Angels’ Mike Trout and Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton for Player of the Year; Cincinnati’s Johnny Cueto and St. Louis’ Adam Wainwright for NL Outstanding pitcher; and Washington’s Adam LaRoche and the Cubs’ Anthony Rizzo for the Marvin Miller Man of the Year.
Kershaw also was a finalist for NL Outstanding Player, which went to Stanton.
Kershaw won Players Choice Awards as NL Outstanding Pitcher in 2011 and 2013.
“The coolest thing is that all of the players have your back and they’re the only ones that know how hard this game is and it really means a lot,” he said.
Kershaw on Players Choice Award 3:27
Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw talks about winning the Players Choice Award for 2014 National League Outstanding Pitcher
Kershaw requested that the $90,000 in Players Trust charity donations go to Kershaw’s Challenge, his foundation that raises money for underprivileged children and is building a second orphanage in the African nation of Zambia.
“This is awesome, for the players to vote something like this for me,” Kershaw said after receiving the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award. “I’m really thankful for that.”
The Marvin Miller Award is named in honor of the MLB Players Association’s first executive director and is given annually to the player who inspires others through his on-field performances and contributions to his community. Kershaw is the first Dodgers player to win the award.
Kershaw named Man of the Year 5:52
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw reacts to being named the 2014 Marvin Miller Man of the Year
Kershaw this year became the first pitcher to win four consecutive MLB ERA titles, posting a career-best 1.77 ERA and leading the Majors with a career high-tying 21 wins (also 2011). Kershaw’s .875 winning percentage (21-3) also topped the Majors and was the second-highest mark by a Dodger (minimum 20 starts) behind only Preacher Roe (22-3, 1951).
The 26-year-old was selected to his fourth consecutive All-Star Game and also led the Majors with a 0.86 WHIP and six complete games, while ranking among the NL leaders in strikeouts (239, third), opponents’ batting average (.196, second), shutouts (two, tied for third) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (7.71). The Dodgers went 23-4 in his 27 starts.
Kershaw’s 1.77 ERA is the lowest mark by an MLB starter since Pedro Martinez posted a 1.74 ERA with Boston in 2000 and the lowest ERA for a National Leaguer since Greg Maddux’s 1.63 mark with Atlanta in 1995. It’s the lowest mark by a pitcher with at least 220 innings since Dwight Gooden’s 1.53 ERA in 1985 with the Mets and the fourth-lowest single-season ERA by an NL lefty in the live-ball era (best since Sandy Koufax, 1.73 ERA in 1966).
Koufax is the only other Los Angeles Dodger to record a sub-2.00 ERA season, doing so three times: 1963 (1.88 ERA), 1964 (1.74 ERA) and 1966.
Kershaw’s career-best 11-game winning streak from June 2-Aug. 10 was the longest run in the Majors this year, during which he went 11-0 with a 1.16 ERA (13 earned runs in 101 innings) with five complete games (two shutouts) in 13 starts.
During the streak, he limited opposing hitters to a .178 batting average (62-for-349), with 117 strikeouts against only 12 walks in 101 innings. Kershaw was selected as the NL Pitcher of the Month in June (6-0, 0.82 ERA) and July (4-0, 1.07).
Kershaw also won the Roy Campanella Award for the Dodgers player that best exemplifies Campanella’s spirit and leadership and was the club nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award.
Ken Gurnick is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.