Bryce Harper wins first NL MVP in a landslide

Bryce Harper has been named the National League Most Valuable Player in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. The announcement was made live on MLB Network tonight.

Harper was a unanimous selection, easily beating the other two finalists, first basemen Paul Goldschmidt of the Diamondbacks and Joey Votto of the Reds. Goldschmidt finished second. The complete balloting results are available here. Harper is the youngest unanimous MVP in baseball history.

Harper is the fourth-youngest MVP winner overall and the third in the NL behind Vida Blue (22 in 1971); Johnny Bench (22 in 1970); and Stan Musial (22 in 1943).

"I'm just very ecstatic, very happy," Harper said on MLB Network. "I can't thank my teammates and my family and just everybody that's been a part of this year for me."

The Nationals slugger smashed 42 homers, tying Colorado's Nolan Arenado for tops in the league, drove in 99 runs and scored a league-high 118 runs. He led the majors in on-base percentage (.460), slugging percentage (.649) and OPS (1.109), while his .330 batting average was second in the league to Miami's Dee Gordon.

Harper made his third All-Star team, breaking the NL record for votes. He was awarded the NL Player of the Month in May and honored three times during the season as NL Player of the Week.

After extended stints on the disabled list during the previous two years, Harper avoided injuries in 2015, allowing him to develop as one of the game's most disciplined hitters. Harper set a franchise record with 124 walks, the second-highest total in the majors.

"Definitely trying not to get emotional," Harper said on MLB Network. "Seeing my family over here and being able to enjoy that with them. Being able to know that all the hard work I put in when I was younger, all the way through with my dad and my mom and my family. I'm just very blessed to have them in my life.

"Being able to play this game every single day, being on the field, that's the main goal. I want to be able to do the things I can for my city and my town. And that's D.C. Do the things I can every single day to give back to them. That's playing hard every single day. That's playing hard to win ballgames. I love my team very much and I love the city of D.C. I'm very grateful to bring back that MVP trophy to them."

At 22 years, 335 days old, Harper also became the sixth-youngest player in major league history to hit 40 home runs in a season, behind Mel Ott (1929; 20 years, 203 days), Eddie Mathews, (1953; 21 years, 316 days), Bench (1970; 22 years, 249 days), Joe DiMaggio (1937; 22 years, 285 days) and Juan Gonzalez (1992; 22 years, 331 days).

"The entire Lerner family extends congratulations to Bryce on his well-deserved Most Valuable Player award and his tremendous, record-setting season," said Washington Nationals managing principal owner Theodore N. Lerner in a team-issued release. "It's such a pleasure to watch him play and we look forward to his future outstanding contributions to the team."

Harper wins the first MVP award in the history of the Nationals/Expos franchise and the first in Washington since Roger Peckinpaugh in 1925 for the American League Senators (Hall of Fame pitcher Walter Johnson of the Senators won the AL MVP in 1913 and 1924). Harper already has taken NL honors with the Hank Aaron Award, Silver Slugger Award and been recognized by his peers as the league's Outstanding Player of 2016 in the Players Choice Awards.

"What a remarkable achievement for Bryce, to become the first Nationals or Expos player ever to earn the Most Valuable Player award," said Nationals president of baseball operations and general manager Mike Rizzo in a team-issued release. "There has never been a question about Bryce's talent. It's transcendent. And to watch him put together the type of historic season he did in 2015 - at age 22 - only heightens the excitement for what remains ahead of him. We are extremely proud."