San Diego Padres right-hander Yu Darvish has been named the National League Pitcher of the Month for September, Major League Baseball said Monday.
Darvish received the second monthly honor of his major league career, moving him into a tie for the most by a Japanese player alongside Hideo Nomo, Hideki Irabu and Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani.
In six September starts, Darvish went 5-1 with a 1.85 ERA and 44 strikeouts in 39 innings. The Padres have clinched a spot in the postseason.
"It's an honor," Darvish said of his first Pitcher of the Month award since July-August of the COVID-shortened 2020 season with the Chicago Cubs.
"I'm glad to have received the award with a team that was in the race for the playoffs. It's good (to have pitched well), but more than anything, my team is heading to the playoffs."
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Alek Manoah was the American League Pitcher of the Month after going 4-0 with a 0.88 ERA in six starts.
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge claimed his fifth career AL Player of the Month award with a .417 average, 10 home runs and 17 RBIs, while the NL Player of the Month award went to New York Mets third baseman Eduardo Escobar, who hit .340 with eight homers and 24 RBIs.
