Washington Nationals announce 2023 Media Awards
The Washington Nationals announced the winners of the eighth annual end-of-season awards as voted on by members of the local media. Outfielder Lane Thomas was voted 2023 Nationals Player of the Year, while right-handed pitcher Kyle Finnegan was named Pitcher of the Year. Right-handed pitcher Josiah Gray was given the Good Guy Award, presented to a player for his always-professional dealings with members of the media, his work in the community and for representing the Nationals organization with class both on and off the field.
Thomas, 28, was named Nationals Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. He enters play on Friday leading Washington with 26 home runs, 278 total bases, 34 doubles, 96 runs, a .470 slugging percentage and a .790 OPS. He also ranks in the top three in hits (2nd, 160), RBI (2nd, 84), stolen bases (2nd, 19) and on-base percentage (3rd, .320). Thomas set career highs in 2023 in games (149), at-bats (591), runs, hits, doubles, triples (3), home runs, RBI and stolen bases. Thomas' 34 doubles and 62 extra-base hits are tied for third among National League outfielders. His 26 homers are tied for sixth.
He leads Major League Baseball with a career-high 17 outfield assists and ranks second in Nationals history (2005-pres.) behind only Alfonso Soriano (22 in 2006) for most outfield assists in a single season.
With one more stolen base, Thomas will record the sixth 20 home run - 20 stolen base season in Nationals history (2005-pres.) and the first since 2016.
Since arriving in Washington on Aug. 15, 2021, the Knoxville, Tenn., native is slashing .259/.319/.447, with 74 doubles, seven triples, 50 home runs, 163 RBI, 31 stolen bases and 191 runs in 339 games. He ranks in the top 10 in National League outfielders in doubles (4th), runs (7th), RBI (8th), hits (T8th) and home runs (10th) during that time.
Also receiving votes for Player of the Year were CJ Abrams and Keibert Ruiz.
Finnegan, 32, enters Friday with a 7-5 record, a 3.66 ERA and 26 saves in 64 games. His 26 saves are a career high and rank seventh in the National League. His seven wins are also a career high. After allowing eight runs in his first three outings, Finnegan pitched to a 1.42 ERA (8 ER/50.2 IP) in 48 games from April 7-August 17. He held opponents to a .207 average, struck out 52 and walked just 13 hitters.
Finnegan is the only pitcher in Major League Baseball to record 25 saves and eight holds this season. He is the 27th pitcher in Major League history to record 25 saves and eight holds in a season and the first since Jake McGee recorded 31 saves and eight holds for San Francisco in 2021.
Since signing with the Nationals as a free agent on December 9, 2019, Finnegan is 19-18 with a 3.50 ERA and 48 saves in 223 games (223.2 IP). His 223 games rank third in the National League since the beginning of 2020, and his 223.2 innings rank third among NL relievers in that span. Finnegan’s 223 games are the seventh-most by a relief pitcher in Nationals history (2005-pres.).
This is the second time Finnegan has been voted Nationals Pitcher of the Year by the local media (2021, 2023). He joins Max Scherzer (2016,2017, 2019, 2020) as the other pitcher to win the award more than once.
Also receiving votes for Pitcher of the Year were Jose A. Ferrer, MacKenzie Gore, Josiah Gray and Hunter Harvey.