Eric Hosmer, Danny Duffy and Jarrod Dyson were named 2016 winners of Kansas City Royals team awards from the Kansas City chapter of the BBWAA.
Hosmer was honored as the Les Milgram Player of the Year, Duffy was named the Bruce Rice Pitcher of the Year and Dyson received the Joe Burke Special Achievement Award.
Hosmer, 27, previously won the top-player award in 2013. The first baseman set career highs in home runs (25) and RBIs (104) while batting .266 with a .433 slugging percentage. He became the second Royals player to be named MVP of the All-Star Game, following Bo Jackson (1989). His 34 go-ahead RBIs were second most in the major leagues, behind only Albert Pujols (35). He hit safely in 18 straight games from April 10-29, the fourth-longest streak in the American League last year, and reached base in the Royals' first 30 games, the 10th-longest streak in franchise history.
Duffy, 28, posted career highs in wins (12), starts (26), innings (179 2/3) and strikeouts (188) while leading all Royals starters with a 3.51 ERA. His 12-3 record matched Larry Gura (also 12-3 in 1978) for the best winning percentage (.800) in franchise history among pitchers with at least 15 decisions. His 188 strikeouts were the most ever by a Royals left-hander. Duffy won 10 straight decisions from June 11-Aug. 21 and set a club record with 16 strikeouts in his Aug. 1 start at Tampa Bay, tossing eight shutout innings and allowing just one hit.
Dyson, 32, set career highs in hits (83), doubles (14), triples (eight) and batting average (.278). His 30 stolen bases tied for second in the AL. The outfielder also set a career high with 11 outfield assists, tied for seventh in the AL and the most by a Royal since Alex Gordon’s 17 assists in 2013. Dyson was traded to the Seattle Mariners on Jan. 6.
