Alcantara unanimously wins NL Cy Young Award

Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcantara was the unanimous winner of the 2022 National League Cy Young Award.

Alcantara, the first Marlin to earn this honor, is the 15th unanimous winner in the NL and the first since Clayton Kershaw in 2014. Atlanta Braves southpaw Max Fried finished in second place, while Los Angeles Dodgers lefty Julio Urias came third.

Here's a look at the top five as voted by the Baseball Writers' Association of America:

In an era dominated by bullpens, Alcantara turned back the clock in 2022 and emerged as the majors' preeminent workhorse starter. The 27-year-old threw 228 2/3 innings for the Marlins, some 23 2/3 ahead of the next-closest pitcher (Nola). His six complete games were the most by any pitcher since 2017 - when Ervin Santana and Corey Kluber each had five - and the most by an NL hurler in eight years.

Alcantara went 14-9 with a 2.28 ERA, 2.99 FIP, 0.98 WHIP, and 207 strikeouts. He allowed just 16 home runs and finished in the top five in multiple categories.

The Azua native is just the third Dominican to win the Cy Young, joining Bartolo Colon in 2005, and Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez, who won it three times.

His win is also historic for the Marlins, who were one of only three teams without a Cy Young winner. Two Marlins hurlers, Kevin Brown in 1996 and Dontrelle Willis in 2005, previously finished as runners-up for the award.

The only remaining teams without a Cy Young winner are the Colorado Rockies and Texas Rangers.

Milwaukee Brewers ace Corbin Burnes, last year's NL Cy Young winner, finished seventh in this year's voting. Burnes, San Francisco Giants lefty Carlos Rodon, and New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz were the only pitchers outside the top five who received a second-place vote.

Kyle Wright, Logan Webb, and Ryan Helsley each earned at least one down-ballot vote.

Alcantara and American League Cy Young winner Justin Verlander were both unanimous honorees Wednesday. It's just the second time in the award's history that both winners were unanimous, joining Denny McLain and Bob Gibson in 1968, according to Sarah Langs of MLB.com.