Cy Young Award

In the world of Major League Baseball, where individual brilliance often shines brightest, few honors are as revered as the Cy Young Award. This prestigious accolade celebrates the game's most dominant pitchers, commemorating a true titan of the mound whose legacy continues to inspire. It's a recognition of unparalleled skill, consistency, and the sheer artistry of pitching at the highest level, year after year. The Cy Young Award, named after a legendary pitcher, has evolved from a single league honor to recognizing the top hurlers in both the American and National Leagues. A sophisticated voting process by baseball writers ensures that the most deserving pitchers are recognized through a weighted system that values consistent excellence. The award's history is rich with milestones, showcasing not only individual dominance but also pivotal shifts in pitching roles, like the rise of relief specialists.

Source: Wikipedia

AI Summary

The Cy Young Award, named after a legendary pitcher, has evolved from a single league honor to recognizing the top hurlers in both the American and National Leagues.
A sophisticated voting process by baseball writers ensures that the most deserving pitchers are recognized through a weighted system that values consistent excellence.
The award's history is rich with milestones, showcasing not only individual dominance but also pivotal shifts in pitching roles, like the rise of relief specialists.

Celebrating Pitching Excellence

The Cy Young Award stands as a testament to pitching supremacy in Major League Baseball. Each year, two deserving aces—one from the American League and one from the National League—are bestowed with this honor, marking them as the premier pitchers of their season. But who was Cy Young, and what led to an award being named after him?

A Legend's Legacy

The award was established in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford C. Frick, just one year after the passing of Denton 'Cy' Young, a true icon of the game. Young's career spanned from 1890 to 1911, leaving behind an astonishing record that includes 511 wins—a figure that remains unmatched and likely unbreakable in professional baseball. Honoring him with this award immortalizes his unparalleled dominance.

Evolution of the Award

Initially, from 1956 to 1966, the Cy Young Award was given to just one pitcher across all of Major League Baseball. However, after Commissioner Frick's retirement in 1967, and due to growing fan demand, the award format changed. It was decided that one pitcher from each league—the American League and the National League—would be honored separately, doubling the celebration of excellence.

The Ballot Box: Who Votes?

Deciding who wins these prestigious awards falls to the Baseball Writers' Association of America, or BBWAA. This respected group of journalists and reporters carefully considers each season's performances. Local BBWAA chapter chairmen in every MLB city recommend two writers to cast their votes for their respective league's award.

A Weighted Decision

The voting process has evolved over time. Since 2010, each writer casts a ballot for five pitchers, ranking them from first to fifth place. These votes are then tallied using a weighted system: a first-place vote receives 7 points, second place gets 4, third 3, fourth 2, and fifth place 1 point. The pitcher with the highest total score in each league is crowned the winner.

Prior to 2010, the system was slightly different. From 1970 to 2009, voters selected three pitchers, with a 5-3-1 point system for first, second, and third place, respectively. Even earlier, before 1970, writers simply voted for one best pitcher, receiving a single point per vote. These adjustments reflect a continuous effort to best quantify pitching excellence.

Firsts and Milestones

The very first Cy Young Award, presented in 1956, went to Don Newcombe of the Brooklyn Dodgers, who notched an impressive 27 wins. Over the years, many other pitchers have etched their names into history with unique achievements. For example, Warren Spahn became the first left-handed winner in 1957, and Sandy Koufax delivered the first unanimous victory in 1963.

The award has also seen record-breaking longevity and youth. Gaylord Perry became the oldest winner at 40 in 1978, a record later broken by Roger Clemens at 42. On the other end of the spectrum, Dwight Gooden holds the record as the youngest recipient, winning at just 20 years old in 1985. The game continues to see diverse talent rise to the top, even a knuckleballer, R. A. Dickey, claimed the award in 2012.

Relief Pitchers Break Through

While starting pitchers typically dominate the award, relief pitchers have also proven their indispensable value. Mike Marshall became the first relief pitcher to win in 1974, a groundbreaking achievement. Later, closers like Dennis Eckersley in 1992 and Éric Gagné in 2003 showed that those final, high-pressure outs are just as critical to a team's success.

Legends of the Mound: Multiple Winners

Winning one Cy Young Award is a career-defining accomplishment for any pitcher, but some have achieved it multiple times, cementing their status among baseball's all-time greats. Twenty-two pitchers have earned this honor more than once, with a select few building truly remarkable collections.

Record Holders

No pitcher has won more Cy Young Awards than Roger Clemens, who collected an astounding seven over his illustrious career. His first win came in 1986, and his last in 2004, spanning an incredible 18 years of elite performance. This longevity and sustained excellence are a rare feat in any sport.

Other pitching titans have demonstrated incredible consistency, winning the award in consecutive seasons. Greg Maddux and Randy Johnson share the record for most consecutive wins, each claiming the trophy for four straight years. Their sustained dominance is a testament to their unwavering skill and focus.

Crossing League Lines

A special distinction belongs to pitchers who have won the Cy Young Award in both the American and National Leagues. This exclusive group includes Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martínez, Gaylord Perry, Roy Halladay, Max Scherzer, and Blake Snell. Their ability to dominate in different environments underscores their adaptability and sheer talent.

Pitcher	# of Awards	Years
Roger Clemens	7	1986, 1987, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2004
Randy Johnson †	5	1995, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
Steve Carlton †	4	1972, 1977, 1980, 1982
Greg Maddux †	4	1992, 1993, 1994, 1995
Sandy Koufax †	3	1963, 1965, 1966
Tom Seaver †	3	1969, 1973, 1975
Jim Palmer †	3	1973, 1975, 1976
Pedro Martínez †	3	1997, 1999, 2000
Clayton Kershaw	3	2011, 2013, 2014
Max Scherzer	3	2013, 2016, 2017
Justin Verlander	3	2011, 2019, 2022
Denny McLain	2	1968, 1969
Bob Gibson †	2	1968, 1970
Gaylord Perry †	2	1972, 1978
Bret Saberhagen	2	1985, 1989
Tom Glavine †	2	1991, 1998
Johan Santana	2	2004, 2006
Tim Lincecum	2	2008, 2009
Roy Halladay †	2	2003, 2010
Corey Kluber	2	2014, 2017
Jacob deGrom	2	2018, 2019
Blake Snell	2	2018, 2023

Team Dominance

Some franchises have consistently developed or acquired Cy Young caliber talent. The Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers, for instance, lead all teams with an impressive 12 Cy Young Awards won by their pitchers. It's a testament to their long-standing tradition of pitching excellence.

Team	# of Awards	Years
Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers	12	1956, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1974, 1981, 1988, 2003, 2011, 2013, 2014
Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves	8	1957, 1991, 1993–1996, 1998, 2024
Philadelphia Phillies	7	1972, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1987, 2010
Boston Red Sox	7	1967, 1986, 1987, 1991, 1999, 2000, 2016
New York Mets	7	1969, 1973, 1975, 1985, 2012, 2018, 2019
Baltimore Orioles	6	1969, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980
Cleveland Indians	6	1972, 2007, 2008, 2014, 2017, 2020
Detroit Tigers	6	1968, 1969, 1984, 2011, 2013, 2024
New York Yankees	6	1958, 1961, 1977, 1978, 2001, 2023
Arizona Diamondbacks	5	1999–2002, 2006
Oakland Athletics	5	1971, 1974, 1990, 1992, 2002
Chicago Cubs	5	1971, 1979, 1984, 1992, 2015
Toronto Blue Jays	5	1996–1998, 2003, 2021
Houston Astros	5	1986, 2004, 2015, 2019, 2022
San Diego Padres	5	1976, 1978, 1989, 2007, 2023
Kansas City Royals	4	1985, 1989, 1994, 2009
Minnesota Twins	4	1970, 1988, 2004, 2006
Chicago White Sox	3	1959, 1983, 1993
San Francisco Giants	3	1967, 2008, 2009
St. Louis Cardinals	3	1968, 1970, 2005
Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals	3	1997, 2016, 2017
Milwaukee Brewers	3	1981, 1982, 2021
Los Angeles Angels	2	1964, 2005
Pittsburgh Pirates	2	1960, 1990
Seattle Mariners	2	1995, 2010
Tampa Bay Rays	2	2012, 2018
Cincinnati Reds	1	2020
Miami Marlins	1	2022
Colorado Rockies	0	none
Texas Rangers	0	none

The Unanimous Vote

Achieving a unanimous vote for the Cy Young Award is a rare and powerful declaration of absolute dominance, meaning every single voter agreed that one pitcher stood head and shoulders above the rest. Only 21 players have managed this extraordinary feat, totaling 28 unanimous wins. Legends like Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, and Roger Clemens are among this elite group.

In some truly exceptional seasons, a unanimous Cy Young Award has been paired with an MVP award, signaling a pitcher's unparalleled impact on their team's success. These moments underscore the magnitude of a pitcher's performance, elevating them to an iconic status in baseball history.

Article

Cy Young Award

The Cy Young Award, officially the Cy Young Memorial Award, is given annually to the best pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB), one each for the American League (AL) and National League (NL). The award was introduced in 1956 by Baseball Commissioner Ford C. Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955. The award was originally given to the single best pitcher in the major leagues, but in 1967, after the retirement of Frick, the award was given to one pitcher in each league.

Each league's award is voted on by members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA). Local BBWAA chapter chairmen in each MLB city recommend two writers to vote for each award. Final approval comes from the BBWAA national secretary-treasurer. Writers vote for either the American League or National League awards, depending on the league in which their local team plays. A total of 30 writers vote for each league's awards. Writers cast their votes prior to the start of postseason play.

As of the 2010 season, each voter places a vote for first, second, third, fourth, and fifth place among the pitchers of each league. The formula used to calculate the final scores is a weighted sum of the votes.[A] The pitcher with the highest score in each league wins the award. If two pitchers receive the same number of votes, the award is shared. From 1970 to 2009, writers voted for three pitchers, with the formula of five points for a first-place vote, three for a second-place vote and one for a third-place vote. Before 1970, writers only voted for the best pitcher and used a formula of one point per vote.

History

Cy Young Award

Cy Young, for whom the award is named.

The Cy Young Award was introduced in 1956 by Commissioner of Baseball Ford C. Frick in honor of Hall of Fame pitcher Cy Young, who died in 1955. Originally given to the single best pitcher in the major leagues, the award changed its format over time. From 1956 to 1966, the award was given to one pitcher in Major League Baseball. After Frick retired in 1967, William Eckert became the new Commissioner of Baseball. Due to fan requests, Eckert announced that the Cy Young Award would be given out both in the American League and the National League. From 1956 to 1958, a pitcher was not allowed to win the award on more than one occasion; this rule was eliminated in 1959. After a tie in the 1969 voting for the Cy Young Award, the process was changed, in which each writer was to vote for three pitchers: the first-place vote received five points, the second-place vote received three points, and the third-place vote received one point.

The first recipient of the Cy Young Award was Don Newcombe of the Dodgers. The Dodgers are the franchise with the most Cy Young Awards. In 1957, Warren Spahn became the first left-handed pitcher to win the award. In 1963, Sandy Koufax became the first pitcher to win the award in a unanimous vote; two years later he became the first multiple winner. In 1978, Gaylord Perry (age 40) became the oldest pitcher to receive the award, a record that stood until broken in 2004 by Roger Clemens (age 42). The youngest recipients were Dwight Gooden (age 20 in 1985) and Fernando Valenzuela. In 2012, R. A. Dickey became the first knuckleball pitcher to win the award.

In 1974, Mike Marshall became the first relief pitcher to win the award. In 1992, Dennis Eckersley was the first modern closer (first player to be used almost exclusively in ninth-inning situations) to win the award. Since then only one other relief pitcher has won the award, Éric Gagné in 2003 (also a closer). Nine relief pitchers have won the Cy Young Award across both leagues.

Steve Carlton in 1982 became the first pitcher to win more than three Cy Young Awards, while Greg Maddux in 1994 became the first to win at least three in a row (and received a fourth straight the following year), a feat later repeated by Randy Johnson.

Winners

Cy Young Award

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Each year is linked to an article about that Major League Baseball season.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>ERA</td><td>Earned run average</td></tr><tr><td>(#)</td><td>Number of wins by pitchers who have won the award multiple times</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Also named Most Valuable Player (11 occurrences as of 2025)</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Also named Rookie of the Year (1 occurrence as of 2025, by Fernando Valenzuela)</td></tr><tr><td>†</td><td>Member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum (22 individuals as of 2025)</td></tr></tbody></table>

Major Leagues combined (1956–1966)

Don Newcombe, the first winner

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Pitcher</th><th>Team</th><th>Record[B]</th><th>Saves[C]</th><th>ERA</th><th>Ks</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1956</td><td>Don Newcombe</td><td>Brooklyn Dodgers (NL)</td><td>27–7</td><td>0</td><td>3.06</td><td>139</td></tr><tr><td>1957</td><td>Warren Spahn†</td><td>Milwaukee Braves (NL)</td><td>21–11</td><td>3</td><td>2.69</td><td>111</td></tr><tr><td>1958</td><td>Bob Turley</td><td>New York Yankees (AL)</td><td>21–7</td><td>1</td><td>2.97</td><td>168</td></tr><tr><td>1959</td><td>Early Wynn†</td><td>Chicago White Sox (AL)</td><td>22–10</td><td>0</td><td>3.17</td><td>179</td></tr><tr><td>1960</td><td>Vern Law</td><td>Pittsburgh Pirates (NL)</td><td>20–9</td><td>0</td><td>3.08</td><td>120</td></tr><tr><td>1961</td><td>Whitey Ford†</td><td>New York Yankees (AL)</td><td>25–4</td><td>0</td><td>3.21</td><td>209</td></tr><tr><td>1962</td><td>Don Drysdale†</td><td>Los Angeles Dodgers (NL)</td><td>25–9</td><td>1</td><td>2.84</td><td>232</td></tr><tr><td>1963</td><td>Sandy Koufax†</td><td>Los Angeles Dodgers (NL)</td><td>25–5</td><td>0</td><td>1.88</td><td>306</td></tr><tr><td>1964</td><td>Dean Chance</td><td>Los Angeles Angels (AL)</td><td>20–9</td><td>4</td><td>1.65</td><td>207</td></tr><tr><td>1965</td><td>Sandy Koufax† (2)</td><td>Los Angeles Dodgers (NL)</td><td>26–8</td><td>2</td><td>2.04</td><td>382</td></tr><tr><td>1966</td><td>Sandy Koufax† (3)</td><td>Los Angeles Dodgers (NL)</td><td>27–9</td><td>0</td><td>1.73</td><td>317</td></tr></tbody></table>

American League (1967–present)

Tarik Skubal, 2024, and 2025 AL winner

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Pitcher</th><th>Team</th><th>Record[B]</th><th>Saves[C]</th><th>ERA</th><th>Ks</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1967</td><td>Jim Lonborg</td><td>Boston Red Sox</td><td>22–9</td><td>0</td><td>3.16</td><td>246</td></tr><tr><td>1968</td><td>Denny McLain</td><td>Detroit Tigers</td><td>31–6</td><td>0</td><td>1.96</td><td>280</td></tr><tr><td>1969</td><td>Mike Cuellar</td><td>Baltimore Orioles</td><td>23–11</td><td>0</td><td>2.38</td><td>182</td></tr><tr><td>1969</td><td>Denny McLain (2)</td><td>Detroit Tigers</td><td>24–9</td><td>0</td><td>2.80</td><td>181</td></tr><tr><td>1970</td><td>Jim Perry</td><td>Minnesota Twins</td><td>24–12</td><td>0</td><td>3.04</td><td>168</td></tr><tr><td>1971</td><td>Vida Blue</td><td>Oakland Athletics</td><td>24–8</td><td>0</td><td>1.82</td><td>301</td></tr><tr><td>1972</td><td>Gaylord Perry†</td><td>Cleveland Indians</td><td>24–16</td><td>1</td><td>1.92</td><td>234</td></tr><tr><td>1973</td><td>Jim Palmer†</td><td>Baltimore Orioles</td><td>22–9</td><td>1</td><td>2.40</td><td>168</td></tr><tr><td>1974</td><td>Catfish Hunter†</td><td>Oakland Athletics</td><td>25–12</td><td>0</td><td>2.49</td><td>143</td></tr><tr><td>1975</td><td>Jim Palmer† (2)</td><td>Baltimore Orioles</td><td>23–11</td><td>1</td><td>2.09</td><td>193</td></tr><tr><td>1976</td><td>Jim Palmer† (3)</td><td>Baltimore Orioles</td><td>22–13</td><td>0</td><td>2.51</td><td>159</td></tr><tr><td>1977</td><td>Sparky Lyle</td><td>New York Yankees</td><td>13–5</td><td>26</td><td>2.17</td><td>68</td></tr><tr><td>1978</td><td>Ron Guidry</td><td>New York Yankees</td><td>25–3</td><td>0</td><td>1.74</td><td>248</td></tr><tr><td>1979</td><td>Mike Flanagan</td><td>Baltimore Orioles</td><td>23–9</td><td>0</td><td>3.08</td><td>190</td></tr><tr><td>1980</td><td>Steve Stone</td><td>Baltimore Orioles</td><td>25–7</td><td>0</td><td>3.23</td><td>149</td></tr><tr><td>1981</td><td>Rollie Fingers†</td><td>Milwaukee Brewers</td><td>6–3</td><td>28</td><td>1.04</td><td>61</td></tr><tr><td>1982</td><td>Pete Vuckovich</td><td>Milwaukee Brewers</td><td>18–6</td><td>0</td><td>3.34</td><td>105</td></tr><tr><td>1983</td><td>LaMarr Hoyt</td><td>Chicago White Sox</td><td>24–10</td><td>0</td><td>3.66</td><td>148</td></tr><tr><td>1984</td><td>Willie Hernández</td><td>Detroit Tigers</td><td>9–3</td><td>32</td><td>1.92</td><td>112</td></tr><tr><td>1985</td><td>Bret Saberhagen</td><td>Kansas City Royals</td><td>20–6</td><td>0</td><td>2.87</td><td>158</td></tr><tr><td>1986</td><td>Roger Clemens</td><td>Boston Red Sox</td><td>24–4</td><td>0</td><td>2.48</td><td>238</td></tr><tr><td>1987</td><td>Roger Clemens (2)</td><td>Boston Red Sox</td><td>20–9</td><td>0</td><td>2.97</td><td>256</td></tr><tr><td>1988</td><td>Frank Viola</td><td>Minnesota Twins</td><td>24–7</td><td>0</td><td>2.64</td><td>193</td></tr><tr><td>1989</td><td>Bret Saberhagen (2)</td><td>Kansas City Royals</td><td>23–6</td><td>0</td><td>2.16</td><td>193</td></tr><tr><td>1990</td><td>Bob Welch</td><td>Oakland Athletics</td><td>27–6</td><td>0</td><td>2.95</td><td>127</td></tr><tr><td>1991</td><td>Roger Clemens (3)</td><td>Boston Red Sox</td><td>18–10</td><td>0</td><td>2.62</td><td>241</td></tr><tr><td>1992</td><td>Dennis Eckersley†</td><td>Oakland Athletics</td><td>7–1</td><td>51</td><td>1.91</td><td>93</td></tr><tr><td>1993</td><td>Jack McDowell</td><td>Chicago White Sox</td><td>22–10</td><td>0</td><td>3.37</td><td>158</td></tr><tr><td>1994</td><td>David Cone</td><td>Kansas City Royals</td><td>16–5</td><td>0</td><td>2.94</td><td>132</td></tr><tr><td>1995</td><td>Randy Johnson†</td><td>Seattle Mariners</td><td>18–2</td><td>0</td><td>2.48</td><td>294</td></tr><tr><td>1996</td><td>Pat Hentgen</td><td>Toronto Blue Jays</td><td>20–10</td><td>0</td><td>3.22</td><td>177</td></tr><tr><td>1997</td><td>Roger Clemens (4)</td><td>Toronto Blue Jays</td><td>21–7</td><td>0</td><td>2.05</td><td>292</td></tr><tr><td>1998</td><td>Roger Clemens (5)</td><td>Toronto Blue Jays</td><td>20–6</td><td>0</td><td>2.65</td><td>271</td></tr><tr><td>1999</td><td>Pedro Martínez† (2)</td><td>Boston Red Sox</td><td>23–4</td><td>0</td><td>2.07</td><td>313</td></tr><tr><td>2000</td><td>Pedro Martínez† (3)</td><td>Boston Red Sox</td><td>18–6</td><td>0</td><td>1.74</td><td>284</td></tr><tr><td>2001</td><td>Roger Clemens (6)</td><td>New York Yankees</td><td>20–3</td><td>0</td><td>3.51</td><td>213</td></tr><tr><td>2002</td><td>Barry Zito</td><td>Oakland Athletics</td><td>23–5</td><td>0</td><td>2.75</td><td>182</td></tr><tr><td>2003</td><td>Roy Halladay†</td><td>Toronto Blue Jays</td><td>22–7</td><td>0</td><td>3.25</td><td>204</td></tr><tr><td>2004</td><td>Johan Santana</td><td>Minnesota Twins</td><td>20–6</td><td>0</td><td>2.61</td><td>265</td></tr><tr><td>2005</td><td>Bartolo Colón</td><td>Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim</td><td>21–8</td><td>0</td><td>3.48</td><td>157</td></tr><tr><td>2006</td><td>Johan Santana (2)</td><td>Minnesota Twins</td><td>19–6</td><td>0</td><td>2.77</td><td>265</td></tr><tr><td>2007</td><td>CC Sabathia†</td><td>Cleveland Indians</td><td>19–7</td><td>0</td><td>3.21</td><td>209</td></tr><tr><td>2008</td><td>Cliff Lee</td><td>Cleveland Indians</td><td>22–3</td><td>0</td><td>2.54</td><td>170</td></tr><tr><td>2009</td><td>Zack Greinke</td><td>Kansas City Royals</td><td>16–8</td><td>0</td><td>2.16</td><td>242</td></tr><tr><td>2010</td><td>Félix Hernández</td><td>Seattle Mariners</td><td>13–12</td><td>0</td><td>2.27</td><td>232</td></tr><tr><td>2011</td><td>Justin Verlander</td><td>Detroit Tigers</td><td>24–5</td><td>0</td><td>2.40</td><td>250</td></tr><tr><td>2012</td><td>David Price</td><td>Tampa Bay Rays</td><td>20–5</td><td>0</td><td>2.56</td><td>205</td></tr><tr><td>2013</td><td>Max Scherzer</td><td>Detroit Tigers</td><td>21–3</td><td>0</td><td>2.90</td><td>240</td></tr><tr><td>2014</td><td>Corey Kluber</td><td>Cleveland Indians</td><td>18–9</td><td>0</td><td>2.44</td><td>269</td></tr><tr><td>2015</td><td>Dallas Keuchel</td><td>Houston Astros</td><td>20–8</td><td>0</td><td>2.48</td><td>216</td></tr><tr><td>2016</td><td>Rick Porcello</td><td>Boston Red Sox</td><td>22–4</td><td>0</td><td>3.15</td><td>189</td></tr><tr><td>2017</td><td>Corey Kluber (2)</td><td>Cleveland Indians</td><td>18–4</td><td>0</td><td>2.25</td><td>265</td></tr><tr><td>2018</td><td>Blake Snell</td><td>Tampa Bay Rays</td><td>21–5</td><td>0</td><td>1.89</td><td>221</td></tr><tr><td>2019</td><td>Justin Verlander (2)</td><td>Houston Astros</td><td>21–6</td><td>0</td><td>2.58</td><td>300</td></tr><tr><td>2020</td><td>Shane Bieber</td><td>Cleveland Indians</td><td>8–1</td><td>0</td><td>1.63</td><td>122</td></tr><tr><td>2021</td><td>Robbie Ray</td><td>Toronto Blue Jays</td><td>13–7</td><td>0</td><td>2.84</td><td>248</td></tr><tr><td>2022</td><td>Justin Verlander (3)</td><td>Houston Astros</td><td>18–4</td><td>0</td><td>1.75</td><td>185</td></tr><tr><td>2023</td><td>Gerrit Cole</td><td>New York Yankees</td><td>15–4</td><td>0</td><td>2.63</td><td>222</td></tr><tr><td>2024</td><td>Tarik Skubal</td><td>Detroit Tigers</td><td>18–4</td><td>0</td><td>2.39</td><td>228</td></tr><tr><td>2025</td><td>Tarik Skubal (2)</td><td>Detroit Tigers</td><td>13–6</td><td>0</td><td>2.21</td><td>241</td></tr></tbody></table>

National League (1967–present)

Paul Skenes, 2025 NL winner

<table><thead><tr><th>Year</th><th>Pitcher</th><th>Team</th><th>Record[B]</th><th>Saves[C]</th><th>ERA</th><th>Ks</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1967</td><td>Mike McCormick</td><td>San Francisco Giants</td><td>22–10</td><td>0</td><td>2.85</td><td>150</td></tr><tr><td>1968</td><td>Bob Gibson†</td><td>St. Louis Cardinals</td><td>22–9</td><td>0</td><td>1.12</td><td>268</td></tr><tr><td>1969</td><td>Tom Seaver†</td><td>New York Mets</td><td>25–7</td><td>0</td><td>2.21</td><td>208</td></tr><tr><td>1970</td><td>Bob Gibson† (2)</td><td>St. Louis Cardinals</td><td>23–7</td><td>0</td><td>3.12</td><td>274</td></tr><tr><td>1971</td><td>Ferguson Jenkins†</td><td>Chicago Cubs</td><td>24–13</td><td>0</td><td>2.77</td><td>263</td></tr><tr><td>1972</td><td>Steve Carlton†</td><td>Philadelphia Phillies</td><td>27–10</td><td>0</td><td>1.98</td><td>310</td></tr><tr><td>1973</td><td>Tom Seaver† (2)</td><td>New York Mets</td><td>19–10</td><td>0</td><td>2.08</td><td>251</td></tr><tr><td>1974</td><td>Mike Marshall</td><td>Los Angeles Dodgers</td><td>15–12</td><td>21</td><td>2.42</td><td>143</td></tr><tr><td>1975</td><td>Tom Seaver† (3)</td><td>New York Mets</td><td>22–9</td><td>0</td><td>2.38</td><td>243</td></tr><tr><td>1976</td><td>Randy Jones</td><td>San Diego Padres</td><td>22–14</td><td>0</td><td>2.74</td><td>93</td></tr><tr><td>1977</td><td>Steve Carlton† (2)</td><td>Philadelphia Phillies</td><td>23–10</td><td>0</td><td>2.64</td><td>198</td></tr><tr><td>1978</td><td>Gaylord Perry† (2)</td><td>San Diego Padres</td><td>21–6</td><td>0</td><td>2.73</td><td>154</td></tr><tr><td>1979</td><td>Bruce Sutter†</td><td>Chicago Cubs</td><td>6–6</td><td>37</td><td>2.22</td><td>110</td></tr><tr><td>1980</td><td>Steve Carlton† (3)</td><td>Philadelphia Phillies</td><td>24–9</td><td>0</td><td>2.34</td><td>286</td></tr><tr><td>1981</td><td>Fernando Valenzuela</td><td>Los Angeles Dodgers</td><td>13–7</td><td>0</td><td>2.48</td><td>180</td></tr><tr><td>1982</td><td>Steve Carlton† (4)</td><td>Philadelphia Phillies</td><td>23–11</td><td>0</td><td>3.11</td><td>286</td></tr><tr><td>1983</td><td>John Denny</td><td>Philadelphia Phillies</td><td>19–6</td><td>0</td><td>2.37</td><td>139</td></tr><tr><td>1984</td><td>Rick Sutcliffe</td><td>Chicago Cubs</td><td>16–1</td><td>0</td><td>2.69</td><td>155</td></tr><tr><td>1985</td><td>Dwight Gooden</td><td>New York Mets</td><td>24–4</td><td>0</td><td>1.53</td><td>268</td></tr><tr><td>1986</td><td>Mike Scott</td><td>Houston Astros</td><td>18–10</td><td>0</td><td>2.22</td><td>306</td></tr><tr><td>1987</td><td>Steve Bedrosian</td><td>Philadelphia Phillies</td><td>5–3</td><td>40</td><td>2.83</td><td>74</td></tr><tr><td>1988</td><td>Orel Hershiser</td><td>Los Angeles Dodgers</td><td>23–8</td><td>1</td><td>2.26</td><td>178</td></tr><tr><td>1989</td><td>Mark Davis</td><td>San Diego Padres</td><td>4–3</td><td>44</td><td>1.85</td><td>92</td></tr><tr><td>1990</td><td>Doug Drabek</td><td>Pittsburgh Pirates</td><td>22–6</td><td>0</td><td>2.76</td><td>131</td></tr><tr><td>1991</td><td>Tom Glavine†</td><td>Atlanta Braves</td><td>20–11</td><td>0</td><td>2.55</td><td>192</td></tr><tr><td>1992</td><td>Greg Maddux†</td><td>Chicago Cubs</td><td>20–11</td><td>0</td><td>2.18</td><td>199</td></tr><tr><td>1993</td><td>Greg Maddux† (2)</td><td>Atlanta Braves</td><td>20–10</td><td>0</td><td>2.36</td><td>197</td></tr><tr><td>1994</td><td>Greg Maddux† (3)</td><td>Atlanta Braves</td><td>16–6</td><td>0</td><td>1.56</td><td>156</td></tr><tr><td>1995</td><td>Greg Maddux† (4)</td><td>Atlanta Braves</td><td>19–2</td><td>0</td><td>1.63</td><td>181</td></tr><tr><td>1996</td><td>John Smoltz†</td><td>Atlanta Braves</td><td>24–8</td><td>0</td><td>2.94</td><td>276</td></tr><tr><td>1997</td><td>Pedro Martínez†</td><td>Montreal Expos</td><td>17–8</td><td>0</td><td>1.90</td><td>305</td></tr><tr><td>1998</td><td>Tom Glavine† (2)</td><td>Atlanta Braves</td><td>20–6</td><td>0</td><td>2.47</td><td>157</td></tr><tr><td>1999</td><td>Randy Johnson† (2)</td><td>Arizona Diamondbacks</td><td>17–9</td><td>0</td><td>2.49</td><td>364</td></tr><tr><td>2000</td><td>Randy Johnson† (3)</td><td>Arizona Diamondbacks</td><td>19–7</td><td>0</td><td>2.64</td><td>347</td></tr><tr><td>2001</td><td>Randy Johnson† (4)</td><td>Arizona Diamondbacks</td><td>21–6</td><td>0</td><td>2.49</td><td>372</td></tr><tr><td>2002</td><td>Randy Johnson† (5)</td><td>Arizona Diamondbacks</td><td>24–5</td><td>0</td><td>2.32</td><td>334</td></tr><tr><td>2003</td><td>Éric Gagné</td><td>Los Angeles Dodgers</td><td>2–3</td><td>55</td><td>1.20</td><td>137</td></tr><tr><td>2004</td><td>Roger Clemens (7)</td><td>Houston Astros</td><td>18–4</td><td>0</td><td>2.98</td><td>218</td></tr><tr><td>2005</td><td>Chris Carpenter</td><td>St. Louis Cardinals</td><td>21–5</td><td>0</td><td>2.83</td><td>213</td></tr><tr><td>2006</td><td>Brandon Webb</td><td>Arizona Diamondbacks</td><td>16–8</td><td>0</td><td>3.10</td><td>178</td></tr><tr><td>2007</td><td>Jake Peavy</td><td>San Diego Padres</td><td>19–6</td><td>0</td><td>2.54</td><td>240</td></tr><tr><td>2008</td><td>Tim Lincecum</td><td>San Francisco Giants</td><td>18–5</td><td>0</td><td>2.62</td><td>265</td></tr><tr><td>2009</td><td>Tim Lincecum (2)</td><td>San Francisco Giants</td><td>15–7</td><td>0</td><td>2.48</td><td>261</td></tr><tr><td>2010</td><td>Roy Halladay† (2)</td><td>Philadelphia Phillies</td><td>21–10</td><td>0</td><td>2.44</td><td>219</td></tr><tr><td>2011</td><td>Clayton Kershaw</td><td>Los Angeles Dodgers</td><td>21–5</td><td>0</td><td>2.28</td><td>248</td></tr><tr><td>2012</td><td>R. A. Dickey</td><td>New York Mets</td><td>20–6</td><td>0</td><td>2.73</td><td>230</td></tr><tr><td>2013</td><td>Clayton Kershaw (2)</td><td>Los Angeles Dodgers</td><td>16–9</td><td>0</td><td>1.83</td><td>232</td></tr><tr><td>2014</td><td>Clayton Kershaw (3)</td><td>Los Angeles Dodgers</td><td>21–3</td><td>0</td><td>1.77</td><td>239</td></tr><tr><td>2015</td><td>Jake Arrieta</td><td>Chicago Cubs</td><td>22–6</td><td>0</td><td>1.77</td><td>236</td></tr><tr><td>2016</td><td>Max Scherzer (2)</td><td>Washington Nationals</td><td>20–7</td><td>0</td><td>2.96</td><td>284</td></tr><tr><td>2017</td><td>Max Scherzer (3)</td><td>Washington Nationals</td><td>16–6</td><td>0</td><td>2.51</td><td>268</td></tr><tr><td>2018</td><td>Jacob deGrom</td><td>New York Mets</td><td>10–9</td><td>0</td><td>1.70</td><td>269</td></tr><tr><td>2019</td><td>Jacob deGrom (2)</td><td>New York Mets</td><td>11–8</td><td>0</td><td>2.43</td><td>255</td></tr><tr><td>2020</td><td>Trevor Bauer</td><td>Cincinnati Reds</td><td>5–4</td><td>0</td><td>1.73</td><td>100</td></tr><tr><td>2021</td><td>Corbin Burnes</td><td>Milwaukee Brewers</td><td>11–5</td><td>0</td><td>2.43</td><td>234</td></tr><tr><td>2022</td><td>Sandy Alcántara</td><td>Miami Marlins</td><td>14–9</td><td>0</td><td>2.28</td><td>207</td></tr><tr><td>2023</td><td>Blake Snell (2)</td><td>San Diego Padres</td><td>14–9</td><td>0</td><td>2.25</td><td>234</td></tr><tr><td>2024</td><td>Chris Sale</td><td>Atlanta Braves</td><td>18–3</td><td>0</td><td>2.38</td><td>225</td></tr><tr><td>2025</td><td>Paul Skenes</td><td>Pittsburgh Pirates</td><td>10–10</td><td>0</td><td>1.97</td><td>216</td></tr></tbody></table>

Multiple winners

With 7, Roger Clemens has the most Cy Young Awards.

Randy Johnson, five-time Cy Young Award winner.

Twenty-two (22) pitchers have won the award multiple times. Roger Clemens has won the most Cy Young Awards, with seven. His first and last wins were 18 years apart. Greg Maddux (1992–1995) and Randy Johnson (1999–2002) share the record for the most consecutive awards won, with four. Clemens, Johnson, Pedro Martínez, Gaylord Perry, Roy Halladay, Max Scherzer, and Blake Snell are the only pitchers to win the award in both the American League and National League. Sandy Koufax is the only pitcher to win multiple awards during the period when only one award was presented for all of MLB. Roger Clemens was the youngest pitcher to win a second Cy Young Award, while Tim Lincecum is the youngest pitcher to do so in the National League, and Clayton Kershaw is the youngest left-hander to do so. Kershaw is the youngest pitcher to win a third Cy Young Award. Clemens is also the only pitcher to win the award with four different teams; nobody else has done so with more than two different teams. Justin Verlander has the most seasons separating his first (2011) and second (2019) Cy Young Awards.

<table><thead><tr><th>Pitcher</th><th># of Awards</th><th>Years</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Roger Clemens</td><td>7</td><td>1986, 1987, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2004</td></tr><tr><td>Randy Johnson †</td><td>5</td><td>1995, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002</td></tr><tr><td>Steve Carlton †</td><td>4</td><td>1972, 1977, 1980, 1982</td></tr><tr><td>Greg Maddux †</td><td>1992, 1993, 1994, 1995</td></tr><tr><td>Sandy Koufax †</td><td>3</td><td>1963, 1965, 1966</td></tr><tr><td>Tom Seaver †</td><td>1969, 1973, 1975</td></tr><tr><td>Jim Palmer †</td><td>1973, 1975, 1976</td></tr><tr><td>Pedro Martínez †</td><td>1997, 1999, 2000</td></tr><tr><td>Clayton Kershaw</td><td>2011, 2013, 2014</td></tr><tr><td>Max Scherzer</td><td>2013, 2016, 2017</td></tr><tr><td>Justin Verlander</td><td>2011, 2019, 2022</td></tr><tr><td>Denny McLain</td><td>2</td><td>1968, 1969</td></tr><tr><td>Bob Gibson †</td><td>1968, 1970</td></tr><tr><td>Gaylord Perry †</td><td>1972, 1978</td></tr><tr><td>Bret Saberhagen</td><td>1985, 1989</td></tr><tr><td>Tom Glavine †</td><td>1991, 1998</td></tr><tr><td>Johan Santana</td><td>2004, 2006</td></tr><tr><td>Tim Lincecum</td><td>2008, 2009</td></tr><tr><td>Roy Halladay †</td><td>2003, 2010</td></tr><tr><td>Corey Kluber</td><td>2014, 2017</td></tr><tr><td>Jacob deGrom</td><td>2018, 2019</td></tr><tr><td>Blake Snell</td><td>2018, 2023</td></tr><tr><td>Tarik Skubal</td><td>2024, 2025</td></tr></tbody></table>

Wins by teams

Only two teams have never had a pitcher win the Cy Young Award. The Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers have won more than any other team with 12.

<table><thead><tr><th>Team</th><th># of Awards</th><th>Years</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers</td><td>12</td><td>1956, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1974, 1981, 1988, 2003, 2011, 2013, 2014</td></tr><tr><td>Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves</td><td>8</td><td>1957, 1991, 1993–1996, 1998, 2024</td></tr><tr><td>Detroit Tigers</td><td>7</td><td>1968, 1969, 1984, 2011, 2013, 2024, 2025</td></tr><tr><td>Philadelphia Phillies</td><td>1972, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1987, 2010</td></tr><tr><td>Boston Red Sox</td><td>1967, 1986, 1987, 1991, 1999, 2000, 2016</td></tr><tr><td>New York Mets</td><td>1969, 1973, 1975, 1985, 2012, 2018, 2019</td></tr><tr><td>Baltimore Orioles</td><td>6</td><td>1969, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980</td></tr><tr><td>Cleveland Indians</td><td>1972, 2007, 2008, 2014, 2017, 2020</td></tr><tr><td>New York Yankees</td><td>1958, 1961, 1977, 1978, 2001, 2023</td></tr><tr><td>Arizona Diamondbacks</td><td>5</td><td>1999–2002, 2006</td></tr><tr><td>Oakland Athletics</td><td>1971, 1974, 1990, 1992, 2002</td></tr><tr><td>Chicago Cubs</td><td>1971, 1979, 1984, 1992, 2015</td></tr><tr><td>Toronto Blue Jays</td><td>1996–1998, 2003, 2021</td></tr><tr><td>Houston Astros</td><td>1986, 2004, 2015, 2019, 2022</td></tr><tr><td>San Diego Padres</td><td>1976, 1978, 1989, 2007, 2023</td></tr><tr><td>Kansas City Royals</td><td>4</td><td>1985, 1989, 1994, 2009</td></tr><tr><td>Minnesota Twins</td><td>1970, 1988, 2004, 2006</td></tr><tr><td>Chicago White Sox</td><td>3</td><td>1959, 1983, 1993</td></tr><tr><td>Pittsburgh Pirates</td><td>1960, 1990, 2025</td></tr><tr><td>San Francisco Giants</td><td>1967, 2008, 2009</td></tr><tr><td>St. Louis Cardinals</td><td>1968, 1970, 2005</td></tr><tr><td>Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals</td><td>1997, 2016, 2017</td></tr><tr><td>Milwaukee Brewers</td><td>1981, 1982, 2021</td></tr><tr><td>Los Angeles Angels</td><td>2</td><td>1964, 2005</td></tr><tr><td>Seattle Mariners</td><td>1995, 2010</td></tr><tr><td>Tampa Bay Rays</td><td>2012, 2018</td></tr><tr><td>Cincinnati Reds</td><td>1</td><td>2020</td></tr><tr><td>Miami Marlins</td><td>2022</td></tr><tr><td>Colorado Rockies</td><td>0</td><td>none</td></tr><tr><td>Texas Rangers</td><td>none</td></tr></tbody></table>

Unanimous winners

There have been 22 players who unanimously won the Cy Young Award, for a total of 29 wins.

Six of these unanimous wins were accompanied by a win of the Most Valuable Player award (marked with below; denotes that the player's unanimous win was accompanied by a unanimous win of the MVP Award).

In the National League, 13 players have unanimously won the Cy Young Award, for a total of 16 wins.

• Sandy Koufax (1963, 1965, 1966) • Greg Maddux (1994, 1995) • Bob Gibson (1968) • Steve Carlton (1972) • Rick Sutcliffe (1984) • Dwight Gooden (1985) • Orel Hershiser (1988) • Randy Johnson (2002) • Jake Peavy (2007) • Roy Halladay (2010) • Clayton Kershaw (2014) • Sandy Alcántara (2022) • Paul Skenes (2025)

In the American League, nine players have unanimously won the Cy Young Award, for a total of 13 wins.

• Denny McLain (1968) • Ron Guidry (1978) • Roger Clemens (1986, 1998) • Pedro Martínez (1999, 2000) • Johan Santana (2004, 2006) • Justin Verlander (2011, 2022) • Shane Bieber (2020) • Gerrit Cole (2023) • Tarik Skubal (2024)