Houston Astros right-hander Justin Verlander became the 11th pitcher to win three or more Cy Young Awards on Wednesday when he was announced as the unanimous American League winner on MLB Network.

The 39-year-old became the 16th unanimous Cy Young winner just an hour after National League winner Sandy Alcantara of the Miami Marlins became the 15th.

Verlander received all 30 first-place votes and the maximum 210 points in balloting by 30 Baseball Writers Association of America voters.

Chicago White Sox right-hander Dylan Cease (97 points) was second, Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah (87) finished third and Los Angeles Angels right-hander Shohei Ohtani (82) was fourth.

Verlander missed the 2021 season due to Tommy John surgery and returned this season to lead the majors with a 1.75 ERA while compiling an 18-4 record. He struck out 185 in 175 innings and made the All-Star team for the ninth time.

“What a journey this has been from the start of my Tommy John,” Verlander said on MLB Network. “… I really just tried to enjoy this ride and appreciate every moment because it was almost taken away from me. It makes it all worth it.”

After being injured in 2020, Verlander didn’t know how things would work out, but he said he focused on his family and keeping positive vibes in his rehab.

He is now a free agent and doesn’t see his career ending soon.

“I think about it almost every day, which is why I’m working so hard,” Verlander said of how much longer he will pitch. “… For me, the one thing I can focus on is to continually adapt and be the best version of myself.”

Verlander also won the award in 2011 with the Detroit Tigers and 2019 with the Astros. He was also a unanimous winner in 2011 when he was named AL MVP.

Rogers Clemens holds the record of seven Cy Young Awards while Randy Johnson won five and Steve Carlton and Greg Maddux each won four.

Those to win three are Sandy Koufax, Tom Seaver, Jim Palmer, Pedro Martinez, Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer and now Verlander.

This is just the second time both the NL and AL winners were unanimous choices in the same year. The other time was 1968 when Denny McLain of the Detroit Tigers was the AL winner and Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals won the NL award.

Verlander has won two of Houston’s five Cy Youngs. The others are Dallas Keuchel (2015) in the AL and Mike Scott (1986) and Clemens (2004) when the Astros were in the NL.

Manoah, 24, went 16-7 with a 2.24 ERA in his second major league season. The All-Star struck out 180 in 196 2/3 innings.

Cease, 26, went 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA that was second in the AL behind Verlander. He struck out 227 in 184 innings and set a major league record with 14 consecutive starts of allowing one or fewer earned runs.

Ohtani, 28, compiled a 15-9 record and 2.33 ERA while also again serving as a hitter for the Angels. He struck out 219 in 166 innings.

Astros left-hander Framber Valdez (14 points) placed fifth.

–Field Level Media

Miami Marlins right-hander Sandy Alcantara rode his major-league best six complete games to become a unanimous winner of the National League Cy Young Award, it was announced Wednesday on the MLB Network.

Alcantara is the third Dominican-born pitcher to win the award. Pedro Martinez (1997, 1999, 2000) won it three times and Bartolo Colon won it in 2005. He is the 15th unanimous Cy Young winner and American League winner Justin Verlander became the 16th an hour later.

Alcantara, 28, received all 30 first-place votes and the maximum 210 points in balloting by 30 Baseball Writers Association of America voters.

Atlanta Braves left-hander Max Fried finished second with 72 points and Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Julio Urias was third with 66.

“I’ve made it, the third Dominican player to win a Cy Young and that’s something I will never forget,” Alcantara said on the MLB Network. “I feel so special right now. I hope this is special for my country and my team.”

Alcantara is the first Marlins’ pitcher to win the honor.

Alcantara went 14-9 with a 2.28 ERA and led the majors in innings pitched (228 2/3) and complete games (six). He was an All-Star for the second straight season.

Alcantara’s ERA was third-lowest in Marlins’ history behind Kevin Brown (1.89 in 1996) and Jose Fernandez (2.13 in 2003).

“I can’t wait to see everybody in spring training and give thanks to everyone,” Alcantara said.

This is just the second time both the NL and AL winners were unanimous choices in the same year. The other time was 1968, when Denny McLain of the Detroit Tigers was the AL winner and Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals won the NL award.

Urias, 26, went 17-6 with an NL-best 2.16 ERA. He struck out 166 in 175 innings.

Fried, 28, made the NL All-Star team for the first time and went 14-7 with a 2.48 ERA. He struck out 170 in 185 1/3 innings.

Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola (48) was fourth and Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen (45) was fifth.

–Field Level Media

Two-time National League MVP Bryce Harper will undergo elbow surgery next week in Los Angeles.

The Philadelphia Phillies star was hampered throughout the 2022 season by damage to the ulnar collateral ligament of his right throwing elbow. Because of the injury, he spent the bulk of the season at the designated hitter position — 90 of 99 games played — instead of in his customary right field.

He also missed two months with a broken left thumb.

Dave Dombrowski, president of baseball operations, said the team won’t know the extent of the elbow injury — and a subsequent timeline for return — until Dr. Neal ElAttrache performs the surgery on Nov. 23. ElAttrache won’t be able to determine whether the ligament can be repaired or if Harper will need Tommy John surgery to reconstruct the ligament until he gets a closer look in surgery, Dombrowski said.

“I would think it will slow him down for the season,” Dombrowski told reporters. “But we’ll know more next week.”

Harper, 30, was unable to throw the ball past mid-April. He hurt his elbow on April 11 as he made a throw to home plate in a game against the New York Mets and soon after converted to the DH role when an MRI showed a strain in the muscles and tendons where the elbow and forearm meet.

Dombrowski said that even if Harper has an extended recovery period, the Phillies won’t need to scramble to replace him.

“Right now, we’re looking at him coming back and DHing at some portion of (the season),” Dombrowski said. “We have other players that can DH.”

Despite the injuries, Harper hit .286 with 18 home runs and 65 RBIs for the Phillies, who lost to the Houston Astros in the World Series in six games. In 17 postseason games, he batted .349 with six homers and 13 RBIs.

A seven-time All-Star, Harper was voted league MVP in 2021 after he hit .309 with 35 home runs, 84 RBIs and a major-league leading 42 doubles.

–Field Level Media

All-Star left-hander Tyler Anderson signed a three-year, $39 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday.

The multi-year deal comes after Anderson declined a one-year, $19.65 million qualifying offer by the crosstown Los Angeles Dodgers. Therefore, the Angels will lose their second-round pick and the Dodgers will gain a selection after the fourth round in next year’s draft.

Anderson, 32, fashioned a career year with the Dodgers. He went 15-5 with a 2.57 ERA in 30 games (28 starts) this past season, earning his first All-Star nod. It was his only season with the Dodgers after signing a one-year deal worth $8 million last year.

Anderson is 44-43 with a 4.16 ERA in 147 career games (141 starts) with five teams. He was selected No. 20 overall by the Colorado Rockies in the 2011 draft.

–Field Level Media

The San Diego Padres are locking up their top arms on the pitching staff this offseason.

The Padres reached a three-year deal worth $26 million to bring back right-hander Nick Martinez, MLB.com and the New York Post reported Wednesday. The deal is pending a physical. With options, the deal could be worth up to $42 million, per MLB.com.

The report comes less than a week after the Padres locked up right-handed relief pitcher Robert Suarez with a five-year contract.

Martinez, 32, opted out of his old deal last week that would have paid him $19.5 million over three years.

Martinez went 4-4 with 3.47 ERA in 47 games (10 starts) this past season, adding eight saves. He’s expected to bolster the back end of the team’s starting rotation in 2023.

Martinez went 17-30 with a 4.77 ERA in 88 career appearances (68 starts) for the Texas Rangers from 2014-17 before spending four years playing in Japan.

–Field Level Media