CHICAGO -- Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks was named Outstanding Pitcher in the National League on Wednesday by his peers as part of the Major League Baseball Players Association's Players Choice Awards.
Hendricks, 26, led the Major Leagues with a 2.13 ERA, going 16-8 in 31 games (30 starts) for the Cubs. The right-hander, who made five postseason starts, including the decisive Game 6 of the NL Championship Series against the Dodgers and Game 7 of the World Series against the Indians, began the season as the Cubs' fifth starter.
The awards were voted on in September by Major League players, and Hendricks won over the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw and the Nationals' Max Scherzer.
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"To be in the same sentence as those other two guys in this category [is an honor]," Hendricks said. "I didn't think of any of that when I started the season."

Each player receives $20,000 to donate to the charity of their choice, and during the broadcast on MLB Network on Wednesday, Hendricks said he had yet to decide which organization he would support.
The Cubs' Kris Bryant was a finalist for the NL Outstanding Player Award, but the Nationals' Daniel Murphy won that honor. Chicago's Anthony Rizzo also was a finalist for the Marvin Miller Man of the Year award, which the Mets' Curtis Granderson won.
Hendricks was asked about pitching in Game 7 of the World Series.
"That was the most insane game I've ever been a part of," Hendricks said of the game he started one week ago at Progressive Field. "There were a little nerves, a little anxiety before the game, but once you get on the field ... it's the same game. The way that ended, there's no other way to end the Cubs' curse."