One year after being named NL Rookie of the Year, Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant took home MVP honors, becoming the fourth player ever to win both honors in back to back years.  Bryant, the fist Cub to win the award since Sammy Sosa in 1998, puts a final cherry on the ice cream sundae that was the 2016 season.  Teammate Anthony Rizzo, meanwhile, came in fourth place for the second straight year.

With award season over, it’s time to turn the page to 2017, where the Cubs will enter the season as defending champs for the first time since 1909, and Bryant will attempt to duplicate his performance.