By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Joey Votto (Etobicoke, Ont.) has been named a finalist for the National League Most Valuable Player Award.

It was announced on Monday that the Cincinnati Reds first baseman was one of three finalists along with Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton. 

Votto enjoyed arguably his best all-around season in 2017. He set a Reds' franchise record by reaching base 321 times (He broke his own record of 319 set in 2015) and finished the campaign as the National League leader in OBP (.454), walks (134), intentional walks (20) and on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) (1.032).

He also ended up third in the league in batting average (.320), tied for fifth in home runs (36) and sixth in slugging percentage (.578). In the field, he topped National League first basemen in assists and was named a Gold Glove finalist. He also became the first Reds player in a non-strike season to start all 162 games since 1975.

A previous CBN article documented Votto's long list of impressive 2017 statistical accomplishments, you can read it here.

For his efforts this season, the Canadian slugger was named to the National League All-Star team for the fifth time and was nominated for the National League’s Hank Aaron Award.

Votto won the National League MVP Award in 2010 to become just the second Canadian to capture the honour. Maple Ridge, B.C., native Larry Walker was the National League MVP in 1997. Votto has also finished in the top 10 in MVP voting four other times (2011, 2013, 2015, 2016).

The winner of the National League MVP Award will be announced on November 16.

You can find a complete list of the 2017 Major League Baseball Award finalists here.