Jake Arrieta Edges Zack Greinke for NL Cy Young Nod

Jake Arrieta edged Zack Greinke for the NL Cy Young Award.

Arrieta joins teammate Kris Benson (Rookie of the Year) and skipper Joe Maddon (Manager of the Year) as Cubs winning recognition for a successful turnaround from a disastrous 2014. The NL Central team went from worst to a playoff berth.

“I was really excited to see [Joe] and Kris win those awards, and to be part of that with those guys and to do what we did as an organization is really incredibly special,” Arrieta told MLB.com, “and it’s just something that we get to continue to look to build on.”

The Baseball Writers’ Association of America cast 17 votes for the Cubs ace, 10 for the Dodgers starter, and three for his teammate Clayton Kershaw, who won the award three of the last four seasons.

Arrieta went 22-6 with a 1.77 ERA and 236 strikeouts. He won his final 13 starts and no-hit the Los Angeles Dodgers in August.

Greinke went 19-3 with a 1.66 ERA and 200 strikeouts. Greinke’s ERA bettered every other pitcher in the majors since Greg Maddux posted a 1.63 mark for the Atlanta Braves in 1995.

Maddux figures into Arreita’s story as well. The 29-year-old righty became the first Cubs Cy Young Award winner since Maddux earned the honor in 1992.