Oct. 23 (UPI) — First basemen Freddie Freeman of the Atlanta Braves and Jose Abreu of the Chicago White Sox won top honors Thursday night during the 2020 MLB Players Choice Awards.
Freeman was named Player of the Year and National League Outstanding Player. He hit a career-best .341 with 13 home runs and 53 RBIs in 60 games during the abbreviated 2020 season. He also led Major League Baseball with 51 runs and 23 doubles.
Freeman also hit .279, two home runs, seven RBIs and scored nine runs in 12 playoff games before Atlanta was eliminated in seven games in the National League Championship Series.
Abreu was named American League Outstanding Player after hitting .317 in 60 games this season with 19 home runs, a league-best 60 RBIs and 148 total bases. Abreu also led the American League with 76 hits.
“I am extremely grateful for all of the guys and players who voted for me,” Abreu said. “I am pleased to know that the players know and understand the results I had on a day-to-day basis on the field.”
Players named Trevor Bauer of the Cincinnati Reds and Shane Bieber of the Cleveland Indians Outstanding Pitchers for the National League and American League, respectively.
Bauer posted a career-best 1.73 ERA and allowed a league-low 5.1 hits per nine innings in 11 starts for Cincinnati. Bieber went 8-1 and posted a 1.63 ERA, both league highs, in 12 starts and led baseball with 122 strikeouts.
MLB Players have voted to honor Hall of Famer Andre Dawson as the first ever recipient of The Curt Flood Award for his selflessness and longtime devotion to the Players Association and advancement of Players’ rights.
Thank you and congratulations, Andre! pic.twitter.com/S00DYfbUro— MLBPA (@MLB_PLAYERS) October 22, 2020
San Diego Padres shortstop Jake Cronenworth was named National League Outstanding Rookie for hitting .285 with four home runs and 20 RBIs in 54 games. Colorado Rockies pitcher Daniel Bard was named National League Comeback Player after going 4-2 with a 3.65 ERA in 23 appearances.
Seattle Mariners outfielder Kyle Lewis was named American League Outstanding Rookie after hitting .262 with 11 home runs and 28 RBIs in 58 games. Cleveland Indians pitcher Carlos Carrasco earned American League Comeback Player honors for going 3-4 with a 2.91 ERA and posted a career-best 10.9 strikeouts per nine innings in 12 starts.
Minnesota Twins slugger Nelson Cruz earned the Marvin Miller Award, which is given to a player considered “most respected based on his leadership on the field and in the community.”
Chicago Cubs legend and Hall of Famer Andre Dawson received the Curt Flood Award for his role in creating free agency in Major League Baseball and advancing player rights.
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