Angels' Mike Trout, Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw win MVP awards

Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout and Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw are the 2014 American League and National League MVP award winners, Major League Baseball announced Thursday

Trout was a unanimous selection. He beat out finalists Michael Brantley of the Cleveland Indians and Victor Martinez of the Detroit Tigers to win the award.

His win comes after consecutive second-place finishes, both times losing out to Miguel Cabrera. He also won the 2012 AL Rookie of the Year award by unanimous vote. Trout got 420 points during the voting process, Martinez finished second with 229 points and Brantley came in third with 191 points.

Trout hit .287 this season and his 36 home runs and 111 RBI were career highs. In just his third full season, he matched his personal bests in doubles with 39, and triples with nine. He also led MLB with 84 extra base hits and was awarded All-Star game MVP over the summer.

“It’s something special, for sure,” Trout said on an MLB Network broadcast. “If you would have told me this before the season started, I would have just laughed at you. It’s just an unbelievable feeling.”

Trout drew 77 intentional walks this season, and posted a 167 OPS+. Trout started 149 games at center and had a combined 435 bases this season, including total bases, steals and walks.

He is the fifth-youngest MVP in league history, at 23 years and 51 days. He joins Don Baylor and Vladimir Guerrero as the only Angels players to win AL MVP.

Kershaw took NL MVP honors, the first pitcher to win the award since Bob Gibson in 1968. His win comes after he received his third NL Cy Young award earlier this week.

Kershaw got 18 of 30 first place votes and garnered 355 total points during the voting process. Miami's Giancarlo Stanton finished second with eight first place votes and 298 total points, while Andrew McCutchen of the Pirates took four first place votes and 271 total points. McCutchen won the award last year.

After missing April with a left shoulder injury, Kershaw posted a strong showing throughout the rest of the season. In his final 23 appearances, Kershaw recorded a 1.43 ERA, going 19-2 over that period. In his 27 starts this season, he pitched at least six innings and allowed three runs or less in 24.

Even though he pitched less than 200 innings and only made 27 starts, Kershaw faced 749 batters.

"I'm blown away right now,” Kershaw said on MLB Network. “I'm going to try to do it in the postseason now, too."

Kershaw threw his first no-hitter this year, as well, striking out 15 batters and not allowing any walks against the Colorado Rockies in June. The Dodgers finished 94-68 and won their second consecutive NL West title.