The 2024 season was makred by outstanding performances on the mound, with several pitchers dominating their respective leagues. Among them, two standout arms emerged as the best of the best, earning the highest honor in pitching: the Cy Young Award. In the American League, Tarik Skubal‘s historic campaign made him a clear frontrunner, while in the National League, Chris Sale‘s remarkable resurgence led to his first Cy Young Award. Here’s a closer look at the impressive seasons that earned these two aces the top pitching honors.
2024 Cy Young Award Winners
American League: Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
Skubal led the AL with 18 wins, 228 strikeouts, and a 2.39 ERA. Skubal’s impressive statistics stand out in Tigers history. His 18 wins are the most by a Tiger since Max Scherzer in 2014. With a 2.39 ERA, Skubal boasts the lowest ERA by a qualified Detroit starter since Mark Fidrych‘s rookie season in 1976 (2.34 ERA). His 5.9 fWAR is also notable, trailing only Justin Verlander‘s 2009 and 2010 seasons as the most by a Tigers pitcher in his age 27 season or younger since 1971.
UNANIMOUS
2024 American League Cy Young Award Winner Tarik Skubal 🏆 pic.twitter.com/8D3paCfMlN
— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) November 20, 2024
Skubal’s consistency was a hallmark of his outstanding season. He limited opponents to two runs or less in 24 of his 31 starts, with 21 of those performances spanning at least six innings. Skubal’s clutch gene was on full display during Detroit’s crucial stretch-run surge. He earned a pair of 2-1 victories, including a standout effort against the Boston Red Sox on August 31, when he tossed eight innings of one-run ball. His impressive strikeout rate of 30.3% was complemented by exceptional control, as he walked only 4.6% of the batters he faced.
National League: Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves
Sale’s 2024 season was a resounding testament to his durability, marking his first fully healthy campaign since 2018. In a remarkable achievement, Sale fell just four strikeouts short of becoming the first pitcher since Johan Santana in 2006 to claim MLB’s Triple Crown in a non-shortened season. Although he narrowly missed the Triple Crown, Sale still secured a historic distinction: becoming the first pitcher to win the NL’s Triple Crown in a full season since Clayton Kershaw in 2011. Sale’s impressive statistics included tying for the major league lead in wins (18), while also leading MLB in ERA (2.38) and pitching fWAR (6.4). His 225 strikeouts paced the NL and trailed only Skubal’s MLB-best total by three.
Cy Sale. #BravesCountry pic.twitter.com/m5DxBvKA6f
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) November 20, 2024
Sale’s dominance extended to advanced metrics, as he led MLB with a 2.09 FIP and 174 ERA+. This stellar performance earned him his first Cy Young Award, a long-awaited recognition after finishing among the top five in voting six times previously.
Every pitcher who has won their league’s Triple Crown since the award’s inception in 1956 has also taken home the Cy Young. Sale received 26 of 30 first-place votes. Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler finished second and Pittsburgh’s rookie Paul Skenes finished third. Skubal received all 30 first-place votes. Kansas City’s Seth Lugo finished second and Cleveland’s Emmanuel Clase third.
Main Photo: © Matt Krohn-Imagn Images`
