Murphy voted NL Most Outstanding Player by peers

Daniel Murphy earned the Nationals' first end-of-season award tonight when he was named the National League's Most Outstanding Player as part of the annual Players Choice Awards.

Murphy was selected by his peers in the NL in voting that was conducted in mid-September. He beat out the Cubs' Kris Bryant and the Rockies' Nolan Arenado, the other two finalists.

"That, for me, is the highest praise you can get: to be recognized by your peers," Murphy said during the award show televised on MLB Network.

In his first season in Washington, the 31-year-old second baseman ranked at or near the top of the league in most offensive categories. He was tops in slugging percentage (.595) and OPS (.985), second in batting average (.347), and fourth in RBIs (104) and extra-base hits (77).

Murphy also tied the Nationals' single-season club record for hits (184) and doubles (47).

This is the first end-of-season award to go to a Nationals player so far, but there could be more coming in the near future. Murphy is favored to win a Silver Slugger Award on Thursday night, and he's a finalist for NL MVP honors along with Bryant and Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager. (That award will be revealed next Thursday.)

Seager beat out Nationals center fielder Trea Turner for NL Outstanding Rookie in tonight's Players Choice Awards. They'll go head-to-head on Monday night (along with Dodgers right-hander Kenta Maeda) for NL Rookie of the Year.

Kyle Hendricks of the Cubs beat out Max Scherzer and Los Angeles' Clayton Kershaw for NL Outstanding Pitcher in the Players Choice Awards. Hendricks, Scherzer and Chicago's Jon Lester are finalists for the NL Cy Young Award, to be handed out next Wednesday.