NEW YORK -- For the first time in three years, Jacob deGrom is an underdog to win the National League Cy Young Award. But he is once again a finalist for the honor, nonetheless.

deGrom joined Cincinnati’s Trevor Bauer and the Cubs' Yu Darvish as the finalists for this year’s award. Although Bauer is widely considered the favorite after leading the NL with a 1.73 ERA and finishing second with 100 strikeouts, deGrom was solid throughout the abbreviated season as well, posting a 2.38 ERA and finishing with 104 strikeouts.

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Heading into the final week of the regular season, deGrom was arguably the NL Cy Young favorite. But with the Reds in a pennant push, Bauer delivered his finest start of the year, striking out 12 Brewers over eight innings of one-run ball. Three days later, deGrom proved relatively mortal in allowing three runs to the Nationals.

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When asked after that start whom he believed should win the NL Cy Young Award, deGrom replied: “I don’t know, honestly. I guess Bauer, Yu Darvish? I don't know. I would have liked to have been there in the talks, but I don’t think today helped me.”

Few in the history of baseball know what it takes more than deGrom, who in 2018-19 became the 11th pitcher in history to win consecutive Cy Young Awards. He was a near-unanimous pick both seasons, going a combined 21-17 with a 2.05 ERA and 524 strikeouts. In each season, deGrom pulled away from the pack with a dominant September.

The shortened 2020 campaign did not afford him the same opportunity. Instead, deGrom battled minor neck and back injuries that forced him to miss a start and cut short another. He ranked just 14th in the NL in innings after finishing in the top three in that category in each of the previous two seasons.

The Baseball Writers’ Association of America, which votes on the award, will reveal the winner on Nov. 11. All ballots were submitted before the start of the postseason.

Only two pitchers, Greg Maddux and Randy Johnson, have won three or more consecutive Cy Young Awards.