Tarik Skubal, the star pitcher for the Detroit Tigers, is adding some more hardware to his mantle. Skubal has won the AL Cy Young Award for a second straight year. With the win, Skubal has achieved a feat not accomplished in 25 years.
Skubal became the first pitcher to win the AL Cy Young Award in consecutive seasons since Pedro Martinez did that in 1999 and 2000, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. Originally, the award was given as a combined award to all of MLB. That lasted from 1956-1966. Since then, the award has been given to a player from both the AL and NL.
Four different players have won the AL Cy Young in consecutive seasons before Skubal, occurring five different times. Skubal joined Denny McLain as the only Tigers to win in back-to-back seasons, as McLain won in 1968 and 1969. Still, McLain split the award in 1969.
Jim Palmer won the award in 1975 and 1976 for the Baltimore Orioles. Roger Clemens won it in consecutive seasons in 1986 and 1987 for the Boston Red Sox, and then did it again in 1997 and 1998 for the Toronto Blue Jays. Finally, Martinez did it for the Red Sox in 1999 and 2000.
Skubal took 26 of 30 first-place votes this year, while also receiving four second-place votes. Garrett Crochet of the Red Sox took the other four first-place votes and the other 26 second-place votes.
The left-handed pitcher is coming off another emmaculate season. He was 13-6 with a 2.21 ERA and 0.89 WHIP. His WHIP was first in the majors while his ERA was second. Further, he was second in baseball with 241 strikeouts.
Now, Skubal can turn his focus to the offseason. The pitcher may not have a chance to make it three in a row with the Tigers, as Skubal has been rumored in potential trade talks away from Detroit.
