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Which Detroit Tigers have won the AL Cy Young award, along with Tarik Skubal?
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- Which Detroit Tigers have won the AL Cy Young award, along with Tarik Skubal?
On Wednesday — his 28thbirthday — Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal became the ninth American League pitcher to win the Cy Young Award unanimously, for a total of 13 times.
The others? Shane Bieber (2020), Roger Clemens (1986, '98), Gerrit Cole (2023), Ron Guidry (1978), Pedro Martinez (1999, 2000), Denny McLain (1968), Johan Santana (2004, '06) and Justin Verlander (2011, '22).
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He's also the fifth Tiger to take the award (for a total of six times). A quick look at all the Tigers' Cy Young winners:
1968: Denny McLain
1968; Unknown location, USA; FILE PHOTO; Detroit Tigers pitcher Denny McLain in action on the mound during the 1968 season. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY NETWORK
The numbers:31-6, 1.96 ERA, 280 strikeouts, 336 innings.
The buzz:No pitcher since has won more games than McLain's 31, as he took all 20 votes while also winning the AL MVP and a World Series championship. He led the majors in starts (41) and the AL in complete games (28) and home runs allowed (31).
BREAKING NEWS: Detroit Tigers' Tarik Skubal unanimously wins 2024 American League Cy Young Award
1969: Denny McLain
The numbers:24-9, 2.80, 181 strikeouts, 325 innings.
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The buzz:McLain had nine shutouts in splitting the award with Baltimore 's Mike Cuellar. Both received 10 of the 24 first-place votes cast by the BBWAA. His wins, innings and starts (41) led the AL, as did his hits allowed (288).
1984: Willie Hernández
Tigers pitcher Willie Hernandez on Aug. 21, 1984.
The numbers:9-3, 32 saves, 1.92 ERA, 112 strikeouts, 140⅓ innings.
The buzz:In his first season with the Tigers after a spring training trade from the Phillies , the closer picked up 32 saves with a 1.92 ERA and finished an MLB-high 68 games. Hernández received 12 of 28 first-place votes, with teammates Dan Petry and Jack Morris finishing fifth and seventh, respectively.
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2011: Justin Verlander
Detroit Tigers' Justin Verlander reacts after pitching his way out of a bases loaded situation by getting Texas Rangers' Ian Kinsler to hit into a double play in the sixth inning in Game 5 of ALCS series between the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2011.
The numbers:24-5, 2.40 ERA, 250 strikeouts, 251 innings.
The buzz:In also winning the AL pitching Triple Crown (leading his league in ERA, strikeouts and wins) and MVP, J.V. picked up 24 victories — five more than the next AL pitcher — and all 30 first-place votes. Verlander was the first starting pitcher to win Cy Young and MVP in the same season since Clemens in 1986.
2013: Max Scherzer
Detroit Tigers pitcher Max Scherzer celebrates getting out of an eight-inning jam against the Oakland Athletics in game 4 of the ALDS. Kirthmond F. Dozier, Detroit Free Press
The numbers:21-3, 2.90 ERA, 240 strikeouts, 214⅓ innings.
The buzz:The righty led the majors in wins and WHIP (0.970) while collecting 28 of 30 first-place votes from the writers. (Teammate Aníbal Sánchez received one of the other first-place votes and Chicago 's Chris Sale received the other.)
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2024: Tarik Skubal
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) throws against Cleveland Guardians during the second inning at Game 5 of ALDS at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024.
The numbers:18-4, 2.39 ERA, 228 strikeouts, 192 innings.
The buzz:Not only was Skubal the third Tiger to win the AL pitching Triple Crown, along with Verlander (2011) and left-hander Hal Newhouser (1945), he nearly won the Crown for all of MLB. He led both leagues in wins (18) and strikeouts (228) but finished a single hundredth behind Sale, now with the Atlanta Braves , in ERA (2.38-2.39), with Sale missing the final 10 days of the season with an injury.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers AL Cy Young award winners before Tarik Skubal?
