San Diego Padres pitcher Blake Snell and New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole have won the NL and AL Cy Young, respectively, in the 2023 season. For Snell, it marks the second Cy Young of his career, while Cole notches the his first of his career. Blake Snell enters free agency with a peak year. On the other hand, Gerrit Cole is locked through 2028 with the Yankees.
Blake Snell Wins Second Cy Young
His win-loss record may tarnish Blake Snell’s dominance in the 2023 season, but that isn’t the whole story. Becoming the first Padres pitcher to win the Cy Young since Jake Peavy in 2007, Snell’s swing-and-miss ability is scary. With a record of 14–9, Snell helped keep the Padres in many games, posting a 2.25 ERA, 1.189 WHIP, and 234 strikeouts in 180 innings and 32 starts. He was second in strikeouts, behind Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Strider. The 30-year old led the majors in opponents’ batting average, ERA, and hits per nine innings (5.8).
Snell won his first Cy Young with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018 and became the seventh pitcher in major league history to win the Cy Young across the American and National League. He beat out San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb and Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen, earning 28 out of 30 first-place votes.
Gerrit Cole Gets Over the Hump
Gerrit Cole, who finished second in 2019 and 2021 in Cy Young voting, won his first Cy Young on Wednesday. Cole posted dominating numbers in the iconic pinstripes this season. With dominating velocity and punch-out material, Cole dealt a 15–4 record, 2.63 ERA, 0.981 WHIP, and 222 strikeouts in 209 innings across 33 starts this season. Cole led the majors in WHIP and opponents on-base percentage (.259). Across the AL, Cole led in innings pitched, ERA, opponents’ batting average (.206), OPS (.581), and quality starts (24).
Cole won the Yankees’ first Cy Young since Roger Clemens in 2001. Cole, who’s finished in the top five in Cy Young voting across five seasons before 2023, finally wins his first Cy Young. He beat out Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman and Minnesota Twins pitcher Sonny Gray. He was unanimously selected, earning all 30 first-place votes.
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