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Archer unfamiliar with Tampa reporter who snubbed Verlander

Rick Osentoski / USA TODAY Sports

Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Chris Archer opted to weigh in on the American League Cy Young controversy after Justin Verlander became the first player in AL history to receive more first-place votes but not win the award.

Verlander was awarded 14 first-place votes to Rick Porcello's eight, though Porcello finished with 137 points to Verlander's 132 thanks to two Tampa Bay writers completely leaving him off their ballots.

Bill Chastain of MLB.com and Fred Goodall of the Associated Press were the two Tampa reporters. Archer admitted to not knowing the identity of the latter despite all his time spent with the Rays.

According to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, Goodall does not solely cover baseball, but rather a variety of sports in Tampa Bay, while Chastain reportedly submitted his ballot with a week remaining in the regular season.

Chastain's ballot consisted of Porcello, Zach Britton, Corey Kluber, Chris Sale, and Masahiro Tanaka, while Goodall went with Porcello, Kluber, J.A. Happ, Britton, Aaron Sanchez.

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