Clayton Kershaw named finalist for 2013 NL Cy Young Award

The Baseball Writers Association of America announced finalists for their major awards on Tuesday, and for the third straight season Clayton Kershaw will finish in the top three in National League Cy Young Award voting.

The three finalists for the National League Cy Young Award are Kershaw, Adam Wainwright of the Cardinals and Jose Fernandez of the Marlins.

Kershaw is the overwhelming favorite to win the award, which would be his second in three years. Kershaw was also a finalist in 2012, finishing second to R.A. Dickey of the Mets.

Kershaw was 16-9 with a 1.83 ERA in 2013, his third straight season leading the majors in ERA. Kershaw pitched a career-high 236 innings and led the NL with 232 strikeouts, the second time in three seasons leading the league in whiffs.

With a guaranteed top three finish, Kershaw will join Sandy Koufax (1963-66) and Fernando Valenzuela (1981-82, 1987) as the only Dodgers pitchers to finish in the top three in Cy Young balloting at least three times. Koufax, with three wins, is the only Dodger to win the award more than once.

The BBWAA will announce the Cy Young Award winners in both leagues on Nov. 13, on MLB Network.