When Tarik Skubal settled permanently into the Detroit Tigers’ rotation in 2021, Chris Sale was recovering from Tommy John surgery, just beginning a three-year stint in which he’d make just 11 starts and see his career viability wither.
Wednesday night, the two dominant left-handers claimed their first Cy Young Awards, a pair of honorees who a couple years ago looked equally unlikely yet are now undeniably deserving.
Sale’s career renaissance with the Atlanta Braves was rewarded in voting by the Baseball Writers Association of America, as he claimed 26 of 30 first-place votes to prevail over Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler, who claimed the other four first-place votes in repeating his second-place National League Cy Young finish from 2021.
Skubal, who celebrated his 28th birthday Wednesday, was a unanimous choice in the American League, a just reward after leading the major leagues in strikeouts (239) and the AL in ERA (2.39) wins (18) and pitching WAR (6.3).
It was a definitive statement from a pitcher who essentially missed a year’s worth of starts after undergoing flexor tendon surgery in August 2022, delaying a promising start to his career. Skubal hadn’t exceeded 150 innings or 29 starts in a single season before this year’s master class, during which he gave up two or fewer runs in 24 of his 31 starts.
Follow every MLB game: Latest MLB scores, stats, schedules and standings.
Sale’s path was so different – finishing between second and sixth in AL Cy Young voting seven consecutive seasons from 2012 to 2018 yet facing massive obstacles in the past five years.
Tommy John surgery. A broken pinkie. A fractured wrist after a bicycling mishap. A stress reaction in his ribs. Shoulder inflammation.
In all, nine trips to the IL as a Boston Red Sox, his Cy Young bona fides fading after their World Series championship season of 2018. The Red Sox practically gave him away to Atlanta, acquiring struggling infielder Vaughn Grissom while sending along $17 million to defray Sale’s salary.
What a steal.
Sale led the majors in ERA (2.38), adjusted ERA (174), strikeouts per nine innings (11.4) and wins (18), while leading the NL with 225 strikeouts in 177 ⅔ innings. It was his first time topping the 200-strikeout mark since 2019, when he struck out 308 batters yet finished second in AL Cy voting to Corey Kluber.
Skubal and Sale are the first left-handed duo to sweep the Cy Youngs since Barry Zito and Hall of Famer Randy Johnson in 2002. And they did it dominantly, both winning their leagues’ pitching Triple Crown – leading in wins, strikeouts and ERA.
‘If you look at his career, it’s no surprise he’s winning this award. He’s an extremely talented baseball player,’ Skubal said Wednesday night on a conference call after his win. ‘I’d love to share a clubhouse with him because of what I’ve heard about him.
‘The list goes on with that guy. To be able to win the award this same year and share the pitching Triple Crown with him, that’s awesome and something I’ll be able to live with my entire life.’
DODGERS WIN WORLD SERIES: Celebrate with this commemorative coffee table book!
2024 Cy Young Award voting results 2024
(Voting on 5-3-1 basis)
American League
Tarik Skubal, Tigers (30 first-place votes): 150
Seth Lugo, Royals: 93
Emmanuel Clase, Guardians: 66
Cole Ragans, Royals: 48
Corbin Burnes, Orioles: 47
Logan Gilbert, Mariners: 25
Framber Valdez, Astros: 17
Kirby Yates, Rangers: 2
Yusei Kikuchi, Astros; Cade Smith, Guardians: 1
National League
Chris Sale, Braves (26 first-place votes): 198
Zack Wheeler, Phillies (4 first-place votes): 130
Paul Skenes, Pirates: 53
Dylan Cease, Padres: 45
Shota Imanaga, Cubs: 38
Logan Webb, Giants: 18
Michael King, Padres: 14
Hunter Greene, Reds: 5
Ryan Hesley, Cardinals: 4
Cristopher Sanchez, Phillies: 2
Reynaldo Lopez, Braves; Sean Manaea, Mets; Aaron Nola, Phillies: 1
AL Cy Young winner: Tarik Skubal, Tigers
Tarik Skubal’s rise from Arizona truck-stop town to smaller-school draft pick to the best pitcher in the American League was completed Wednesday night.
The Detroit Tigers left-hander was unanimously named the AL Cy Young Award winner in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. It was a just reward after Skubal, who turned 28 Wednesday, led the major leagues in strikeouts (228) and the AL in ERA (2.39), WAR (6.3) and wins (18).
That breakthrough came after Skubal missed roughly a full season worth of starts after August 2022 flexor tendon surgery. But he emerged in 2024 as a virtually unhittable ace, and eventually the near-automatic win the Tigers followed from trade-deadline seller in August to AL wild-card qualifier come October.
Kansas City Royals right-hander Seth Lugo finished second in voting, followed by Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase.
NL Cy Young Award winner: Chris Sale, Braves
One of the game’s greatest recent comeback stories hit its peak as Atlanta Braves left-hander Chris Sale was awarded the NL Cy Young Award.
Sale, 35, wins his first Cy Young after so many near-misses – he finished between second and sixth seven consecutive years in AL balloting from 2012-2018. This time, his major league-best 2.38 ERA and 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings could not be denied.
Sale topped Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler by earning 26 of 30 first-place votes in balloting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Wheeler earned four first-place votes to finish second, while Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes – already NL Rookie of the Year – was third.
2024 AL Cy Young finalists
Tarik Skubal, Tigers
Emmanuel Clase, Guardians
Seth Lugo, Royals
2024 NL Cy Young finalists
Chris Sale, Braves
Zack Wheeler, Phillies
Paul Skenes, Pirates
Cy Young Award winners
2023: Gerrit Cole (Yankees), Blake Snell (Padres)
2022: Justin Verlander (Astros), Sandy Alcantara (Marlins)
2021: Robbie Ray (Blue Jays), Corbin Burnes (Brewers)
2020: Shane Bieber (Cleveland), Trevor Bauer (Reds)
2019: Justin Verlander (Astros), Jacob deGrom (Mets)
2018: Blake Snell (Rays), Jacob deGrom (Mets)
2017: Corey Kluber (Cleveland), Max Scherzer (Nationals)
2016: Rick Porcello (Red Sox), Max Scherzer (Nationals)
2015: Dallas Keuchel (Astros), Jake Arrieta (Cubs)
2014: Corey Kluber (Cleveland), Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers)
2013: Max Scherzer (Tigers), Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers)
2012: David Price (Rays), R.A. Dickey (Mets)
2011: Justin Verlander (Tigers), Clayton Kershaw (Dodgers)
2010: Felix Hernandez (Mariners), Roy Halladay (Phillies)
2009: Zack Greinke (Royals), Tim Lincecum (Giants)
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.