has his first Cy Young award. The Baseball Writers A sociation of America announced that the Tigers ace won the AL Cy Young by a unanimous margin. He received all 30 first-place votes. Kansas Citys placed runner-up, while Cleveland closer 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 ALs pitching Pete Fairbanks Jersey Triple Crown. He led the Junior Circuit with a 2.39 earned run average acro s 192 innings. He held the major league lead in wins (18) and strikeouts (228). Skubal was e sentially dominant from start to finish, as he didnt 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 Cla sic. 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 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 scorele s innings in a 2-1 victory over the Rays that more or le s 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 acro s 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 acro s 206 2/3 innings. Only threw more innings than Lugo, a former reliever who didnt 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. Lugos 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 acro s 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.Hes the first reliever since 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, , and Gilbert all picked up a second-place vote. was the only other pitcher to receive any top three votes. , and Cleveland rookie reliever all appeared on one ballot in fourth or fifth place. Image courtesy of Imagn. courtesy of the BBWAA. Jacob Lopez Jersey