Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Josh Hader and Chicago White Sox right-hander Liam Hendriks were named the relievers of the year on Wednesday.
Hader won the Trevor Hoffman Award as the National League’s top reliever, while Hendriks was named winner of the Mariano Rivera Award as best in the American League.
Hader, 27, recorded 34 saves and a career-best 1.23 ERA in 60 appearances this season while winning the Hoffman Award for the third time in the past four seasons.
The three-time All-Star went 4-2 and struck out 102 in only 58 2/3 innings.
Hendriks led the American League with 38 saves and posted a 2.54 ERA. He went 8-3 in 69 appearances and led all relievers with 113 strikeouts in just 71 innings while making the All-Star team for the second time in his career.
Hendriks, 32, also won the 2020 Rivera Award as a member of the Oakland Athletics.
The AL runners-up were Los Angeles Angels right-hander Raisel Iglesias (2.57 ERA, 34 saves) and Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Jordan Romano (2.14 ERA, 23 saves). The other NL finalists were Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Kenley Jansen (2.22 ERA, 38 saves) and San Diego Padres right-hander Mark Melancon (2.23 ERA, major-league best 39 saves).
Balloting for the awards is conducted by seven former top-notch relievers: Hall of Famers Rivera, Hoffman, Dennis Eckersley, Rollie Fingers and Lee Smith as well as John Franco and Billy Wagner.
