Tarik Skubal has his first Cy Young award. The Baseball Writers Association of America announced that the Tigers ace won the AL Cy Young by a unanimous margin. He received all 30 first-place votes. Kansas City’s Seth Lugo placed runner-up, while Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase rounded out the top three.
Whether Skubal would win the award was never in doubt. The hard-throwing southpaw, who turns 28 today, won the AL’s pitching Triple Crown. He led the Junior Circuit with a 2.39 earned run average across 192 innings. He held the major league lead in wins (18) and strikeouts (228). Skubal was essentially dominant from start to finish, as he didn’t allow an ERA higher than 3.05 in any month. He carried a 2.41 mark into the All-Star Break to earn his first selection to the Midsummer Classic.
Skubal fired 76 innings of 2.37 ERA ball after the Break, serving as the one constant in a Detroit rotation that was patched together after the Jack Flaherty deadline trade. He was the biggest contributor to the Tigers’ Cinderella run to a Wild Card in the second half. He punctuated the regular season with seven scoreless innings in a 2-1 victory over the Rays that more or less ensured Detroit would clinch a playoff spot in the final weekend of the regular season.
This was the first season in which Skubal topped 150 innings. He looked like a budding ace in 2022, when he turned in a 3.52 ERA with huge strikeout numbers across 21 starts. A late-season flexor injury brought that year to a halt. Skubal underwent surgery in August and was out into July ’23. He struck out 102 batters with a 2.80 ERA in 15 starts to close that season. Skubal was a trendy preseason Cy Young pick coming into 2024. He more than lived up to that promise.
Lugo, who turned 35 earlier this week, had the best season of his career. He turned in an even 3.00 ERA across 206 2/3 innings. Only Logan Gilbert threw more innings than Lugo, a former reliever who didn’t move back to the rotation until the ’23 season. The Royals made out incredibly well in the first season of a three-year, $45MM free agent deal. Lugo’s stellar year was a big reason that K.C. snapped a nine-year playoff drought of their own.
Clase had one of the best seasons by a reliever ever. The Guardians’ closer managed a 0.61 ERA across 74 1/3 frames. He locked down 47 saves in 50 attempts. Clase has led the majors in saves in three straight seasons. He anchored an elite Cleveland bullpen that carried the Guardians to an AL Central title. He’s the first reliever since Francisco Rodríguez in 2008 to earn a top three finish in Cy Young balloting.
While Skubal had a monopoly on first-place votes, five pitchers placed second on at least one ballot. In addition to Lugo and Clase, Cole Ragans, Corbin Burnes and Gilbert all picked up a second-place vote. Framber Valdez was the only other pitcher to receive any top three votes. Kirby Yates, Yusei Kikuchi and Cleveland rookie reliever Cade Smith all appeared on one ballot in fourth or fifth place.
Image courtesy of Imagn. Full voter breakdown courtesy of the BBWAA.
And he was almost traded lol…good for Skubal
And Skubal is the second of the remaining four awards that we know the winners. Sale, Subal, with Ohtani and Judge tomorrow.
I don’t believe he was almost traded. I doubt he was even ever available. Since they appeared to be out of the running, I’m sure teams were trying to get him but no.
False! Many baseball insiders stated that the Tigers were listening and would seriously consider “the right deal”
(meaning a Soto to the Padres blockbuster loaded with top young prospects that would expedite the Tigers rebuild).
The Orioles had Cy Young Winner Corbin Burns.
With Burns and Skubal, the Orioles 1-2 rotation punch could
have vaulted them over the Yankees and right into the WS.
And, Skubal could have pitched in 3 pennant races/playoffs for the O’s
Burns is now gone and probably not coming back to birdland.
Skubal would still be there as the ace for 2 more years.
Skubal’s dominant year helped propel the surprising Tigers into the playoffs.
Skubal and Burns together could have brought back rings
and a World Series Championship trophy to Baltimore.
The Orioles will look back on that trade deadline as a huge mistake if they do not win a World Series with this present group.
And, the Tigers injecting some of that top, young major league ready talent into their hitting lineup would have made them strong contenders for the AL Central Title for years to come.
It is still happening for Detroit.
They just need to hit the free agent and/or trade market for more bats…
I think that was just a rumor, Harris said it himself he had no intent on trading Skubal. I guess anyone is tradable if given a good enough package.
Trust me, as someone who used to work for the Whitecaps, been a fan of the Tigers as far back as I can remember, and who knows a few of the players….we were not that close to trading Skubal at all…sports writers just needed something to talk about during the trade deadline, and Skubal was the sexy pick, because at the time he was the best pitcher on what was supposed to not be a playoff team.
Did Harris listen to offers? Yes. Were any of them even close to being considered…. No one offered two top 100 pitching prospects, so there was no trading Skubal. And that’s not even taking into consideration that the Tigers wanted a couple of bats as well. The only reason Skub was even remotely dangled out there, was to see if any other team was stupid enough to trade their farm system for what was going to be a year and a half rental. (Boras is going to make sure he gets paid). Now the real issue is what are the Tigers going to do moving forward considering Boras is look for 50-70M per?
@the fett. There is no way Boras is asking 50-70m/yr for Skubal, unless it’s from the Rockies as a joke.
That is Boras’ Modus Operandi. Hit them with an insanely high number (50-70M) and then see who bites the highest. I never said that Skub is going to get that kind of money, but I know how Boras works, He’s saying 50-70 trying to get over $40M per. You don’t start out with a low ball number in negotiations, from an agent’s perspective, it’s far easier to work down numbers wise then try and work up. Trust me, the number Boras is throwing out is higher than you’d ever want it to be, it always has been. It’s why small market teams hate to work with him.
It was not a “year and a half rental”.
It was 2 and 1/2 years
including 3 pennant races and 3 full playoffs races.
That is huge for a Cy Young starter especially in year 1
with Burns still on the team.
Soto to the Padres type deal would have
sent Skubal to the Orioles.
Orioles just did not want to pay the going rate for young, cost controlled Cy Young caliber LHSP.
He wasn’t even a thought on being traded. Harris would have been tarred and feathered if he’d even thought about it
Wash Nats are very happy with the return from the Padres for Soto.
Nats received multiple, young building blocks for their young team that will be the core of their next championship team:
OF Woods, SS CJ Abrams, RHSP McKenzie Gore, CF Robert Hassell III
and more in the minors.
We will never know if he was almost traded, but we do know the writers liked to speculate about it.
Bammmmm!!!! Awesome year for Skubal and the Tigers. Sign that man long term.
A 9th round draft pick
I guess the scouts and fans blew that assessment of him
Talent assessment is one of the most essential skills management can have
Or he just got better. Either way, he is very good!
Missed 2017 Seattle University season rehabbing Tommy John. Diamondbacks still drafted him in the 29th round he declined to stay in college.
High 90s fastball and a good slider highlights. Control not so great.
Huge Tiger coaching and training win.
Avila was great at the draft, and building the minors. He just never should have been allowed to sign any free agent.
Avila was terrible. Especially trades and drafting. Puhlease.
Let’s not get carried away. He did hit on a few but his first round picks have not been an overwhelming success as a whole.
skubal was drafted in the 9th round, 255th overall
it aint always about the #1 overall pick or the top 10
sometimes players develop later, sometimes they make the right adjustments, sometimes they have the right coaches and are in the right organization.
congrats tarik
Skub got drafted that low because he blew out his elbow in college, and no one knew what he was going to be like afterward..
Skubal was drafted in the 9th round the same year Mize went 1st overall…ironic how everything seems to even out isn’t it?
Congratulations on your well-earned hardware, Tarik. And thank you for bringing some dignity to our team and hope to our fans!
Congrats, good to see it was unanimous
Correct. Anyone who didn’t vote, should have had their voting rights stripped.
MLB is littered with stories of great players being overlooked initially. I think Mookie was picked in the 5th round. Piazza was picked like last in the 62nd round!
We could go on, but it’s a great story for both Skubal and the Tigers.
Yep, and Piazza was drafted strictly as a favor from Tommy Lasorda who was his godfather.
Got it right on both CY awards.
Truly dominating this season, among the all time Tiger bests. Hopefully 2025 can be a repeat like Denny in 68-69.
Red Wings: If MLB hadn’t lowered the mound after 30 wins, Skubal and others would at least have had a chance.
Well deserved, favorite pitcher to watch right now. Absolute bulldog from the left hand side. Hopefully he stays healthy, happy for Detroit as well. Lions are next!!!
Getting traded from Boston, post Dave Dombrowski, is good for a player’s career. Mookie gets another ring, Sale gets the Cy Young – pleased for both.
Dombrowski knows talent…
Wait wait wait no one has discussed the real story – someone gave Yusei Kikuchi, oh he of the 4.05 ERA and 1.4 WAR, a vote!!
HOW?
ruthlessly: Because the media does the voting.
Houston beat writer for sure
No that’s what’s even weirder! A Kansas City writer
It was only a 5th place vote. My guess is that they went “Eh, what the heck” and did it for fun.
Maybe he gets a bonus for votes and the fix was in!
It’s been meaningless since 2016 when Zack Britton got ripped off.
Surely you mean “meaningless since 2016 when VERLANDER got ripped off.”???
0 blown saves, 0.18 era since May 1st, pitching in a pressure packed situation every time. Whatcha got?
He was 10th in WAR of people who got a CYA vote that year. Now I take WAR with a grain of salt, but come on, hard to say Britton was a slam dunk when there were two 20 game winners, Verlander struck out 250, etc.
He had more wild pitches than Verlander in 160 less innings. Thats why he shouldn’t have gotten the CY. Thats just sloppy. Honestly, it’s disgusting and people don’t talk it.
Checkmate.
This is another well deserved award. Congratulations!
Congrats Skubal!
“Schoolboy” wins!
Congrats to Skubal.
This has to be the biggest year for hardware recognition the AL Central has probably ever had
BOOOOOOM !!
That might be one of the best birthday gifts a MLB player has ever gotten.
And that bday gift will certainly reflect luminously during his first-year arb filing.
incoming dodger
It doesn’t matter but I’m surprised Clase didn’t take second place in the voting.
Clase – showing PEDs are still the way to go , sad
Congratulations, Dr. Skubal…..
Unanimous choice, as it should be
Trade him now
Congrats to Tarik Skubal for the well deserved Award and recognition!
The Orioles must be having regrets for not trading for Skubal at the Trade deadline last summer!
As I was posting, a 1-2 rotation punch of Burns and Skubal could have propelled the Orioles past the Yankees and into the World Series.
And, the Orioles had the talent to seriously challenge the Dodgers for the World Series Title last year.
And, yes “Baseball Insiders” were saying that there were discussions and a “kicking of the tires” by the Orioles with the Tigers regarding Skubal.
It would have required a “Soto to the Padres” top blockbuster to
land Skubal at the trade deadline since he still had 2 1/2 years team control and could have pitched in 3 pennant races for the Orioles.
3B Mayo, C Basallo, RHPMcDermott, Holladay and another young pitcher or two?!
Flags fly forever.
Big risk trading all that talent.
Also, a big risk not taking advantage of a clear path to a World Series Title in 2024.
AL East is getting stronger with the Yankees Red Sox, Rays etc.
The coming years will be a more difficult path to the World Series for AL East teams including the Orioles.
Burns is gone and may not be back.
Orioles wasted prospects on iffy deals at the deadline that for the most part did not pan out…