Closers Aroldis Chapman of the New York Yankees and Josh Hader of the Milwaukee Brewers were named relievers of the year on Saturday.
Hader won the National League award, which is named for Trevor Hoffman, for the second straight season, and Chapman earned the American League award, named for Mariano Rivera. Both Hall of Famers were on the panel that voted for the awards, along with former relievers Dennis Eckersley, Rollie Fingers, Lee Smith, John Franco and Billy Wagner.
Both Chapman and Hader finished with 37 saves in the regular season, tied for third in the majors behind the 41 of San Diego’s Kirby Yates and the 38 of Houston’s Roberto Osuna.
Hader helped the Brewers go 51-10 in games in which he pitched, finishing with 138 strikeouts — the most of any reliever — and a 2.62 ERA. He joins Craig Kimbrel and Kenley Jansen as the only two-time winners since the awards debuted in 2014.
Chapman posted a 2.21 ERA while earning more than 25 saves for the seventh consecutive season.
Yates and Giants closer Will Smith were the runners-up in the NL; Oakland’s Liam Hendriks and Osuna came in after Chapman in the AL.