Four Cubs named as finalists for baseball writers’ year-end awards – Chicago Tribune

Kris Bryant, Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks and manager Joe Maddon are finalists for the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s year-end awards, one year after the Cubs won three of the four National League categories.

Bryant is up for Most Valuable Player against Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy and Dodgers rookie shortstop Corey Seager. Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo was not named as a finalist Monday night.

Lester and Hendricks joined the Nationals’ Max Scherzer as Cy Young Award finalists, while Maddon, who won Manager of the Year last year, is again in the running with the Nationals’ Dusty Baker and the Dodgers’ Dave Roberts.

All 12 NL finalists came from the Cubs, Nationals and Dodgers, including Rookie of the Year candidates Seager, Dodgers pitcher Kenta Maeda and Nationals outfielder Trea Turner.