Sonny Gray was honored as one of the top three pitchers in the American League this season, named a Cy Young Award finalist on Monday for the second time in his career.

Thirty members of the Baseball Writers Association of America voted on the award — two from each AL market — before the postseason began, and the winner will be announced on MLB Network during a show that begins at 5 p.m. CST on Nov. 15.

Toronto starter Kevin Gausman and New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole, the front-runner for the award, were also named finalists.

Gray, whom the Twins extended a qualifying offer to on Monday, was recognized for a season in which he did not miss a start, posting a 2.79 earned-run average across 184 innings. The starter was remarkably consistent, limiting opponents to three or fewer runs in all but three games.

He finished with a 5.3 bWAR (Wins Above Replacement per Baseball Reference) and was named the Twins’ Most Valuable Player. Gray is the first Twins pitcher since Kenta Maeda was the Cy Young runner up in 2020 to be named a finalist. The last Twin to win the award was Johan Santana in 2006.

The starter now looks ticketed for free agency, though the Twins have extended him the qualifying offer — a one-year deal worth $20.325 million for the 2024 season. Gray has until Nov. 14 to decide whether to accept or reject the deal. He is widely expected to decline the offer to seek a multi-year deal and test the waters of free agency, something that he has not yet done in his career.

Should Gray reject the qualifying offer, the Twins would be entitled to compensation in the form of a draft pick. If Gray’s new deal is worth more than $50 million, as expected, the Twins would receive an extra pick after the first round. If he inked a contract for less than $50 million, the Twins would receive a pick after the competitive balance round B (before the third round).

While Gray has expressed a desire to test free agency, president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said last month they would continue to have dialogue about a potential return.

“We have a ton of respect for him, for his agent and ultimately we’ll stay in contact with him. That process needs to play out to some degree. I’m really proud of what he accomplished over the last couple of years for us,” Falvey said last month. “I’m sure he’s going to be respected through this process by a whole host of clubs.”

Minnesotans who have personally seen the negative effects of social media on kids and teens have an opportunity to share their experiences.

The office of Attorney General Keith Ellison has launched an online form for sharing personal stories about mental and physical health problems tied to platforms like TikTok, Snapchat, and Instagram.

The move comes as Ellison takes part in a multi-state lawsuit alleging Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta use features aimed at addicting children. In October, Ellison announced he would join a coalition of more than 40 other states in the action.

“By sharing your stories, you will help us understand the harm these platforms are causing so we can better stop that bad behavior moving forward,” Ellison said in a statement Monday.

Social media has come under increased scrutiny from health experts and government officials in recent decades for its addictiveness and potential threat to children’s mental health.

In 2021, a group of state attorneys general, including Ellison, asked Facebook to create a separate Instagram platform for children under 13.

In a 2023 health advisory, the American Psychological Association recommended a greater degree of parental supervision on social media in early adolescence and screening for harmful content that encourages dangerous behavior and discrimination.

The APA also noted signs of problematic social media use, including a tendency to use social media when it interferes with necessary tasks, repeatedly spending more time on social media than intended and lying or deceptive behavior to retain access to social media.

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Hall of Fame former Chicago Bears head coach Mike Ditka and his wife, Diana, have placed their longtime two-bedroom, 1,904-square-foot condominium on the 39th floor of a Streeterville high-rise on the market for $599,900.

Known as “Iron Mike,” Ditka, 84, was a six-time All-Pro tight end for the Bears. He later was the team’s head coach from 1982 until 1992, during which he led the Bears to their only Super Bowl victory ever, in 1986. Ditka maintained a presence in the Chicago area even after his time as the Bears head coach came to an end, as he kept a house in Bannockburn until selling it in 1997.

Also in 1997, Ditka lent his name to a Magnificent Mile steakhouse — the first of several that eventually would open — in which he was an investor. After Ditka’s second and final head coaching stint, with the New Orleans Saints, concluded in early 2000, he and his wife resumed being area homeowners, paying $700,000 several months later for their Streeterville condo.

Located in the Olympia Centre building, the corner-unit condo has two bathrooms, a grand foyer, hardwood floors, a kitchen with stainless steel appliances and granite countertops and a primary bedroom suite with two walk-in closets and plenty of built-ins. The unit also has access to the building’s common rooftop deck on the 64th floor.

“The energy in the apartment is palpable,” listing agent Emily Sachs Wong of @properties told Elite Street. “Great ideas happened here. The custom woodwork, reminiscent of old city clubs, makes it feel 100 percent Chicago.”

Wong told Elite Street that the couple listed the condo because they no longer live in the city. Indeed, records show that they continue to own and live in a 4,294-square-foot house in Naples, Fla., that they built in 2002.

The Ditkas first listed the condo on Oct. 13, and it currently has a contract pending to sell it.

The condo had a $14,613 property tax bill in the 2022 tax year.

Goldsborough is a freelance reporter.

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