deGrom (1.70 ERA) Takes Home First Cy Young Award
The voters have spoken, and their decision regarding the 2018 NL Cy Young and AL Cy Young are hard to argue with.
New York Mets’ right-hander Jacob deGrom and Tampa Bay Rays’ left-hander Blake Snell were awarded the NL Cy Young and AL Cy Young awards respectively on Wednesday night.
Straight deGromination.
@jdegrom19 is your 2018 NL Cy Young Award winner. pic.twitter.com/ca9v07uRiT— MLB (@MLB) November 14, 2018
Your 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner: Blake Snell. pic.twitter.com/iNlApwxdKe
— MLB (@MLB) November 14, 2018
deGrom led the MLB with a 1.70 ERA this season, but a lack of run support from the 12th ranked offense in the National League led to the right-hander finishing the season 10-9.
Still, deGrom finished second in the National League in innings (217), strikeouts (269) and WHIP (0.91). He holds the MLB record for longest streak of starts with three earned runs or fewer with 29 consecutive starts, a run that began back in April during the regular-season and is still active.
The 30-year-old beat out stiff competition in Max Scherzer — who was gunning for his fourth Cy Young Award — and Aaron Nola, but the king in Gotham takes home the award deservingly so.
He’s just the fourth Mets pitcher in franchise history to win the award as he joins Tom Seaver, Dwight Golden and R.A. Dickey on that short list.
Snell — the only 20-game winner in 2018 — finished the season 21-5 with a 1.89 ERA, striking out 221 batters over 180.2 innings in 2018. His 21 wins led the majors while his 1.89 ERA led the American League this season.
He’s just the second Tampa Bay Rays pitcher in franchise history to win the AL Cy Young Award as David Price did it back in 2012.
He beat out both Justin Verlander and Corey Kluber for the award. Some felt like Verlander’s innings pitched would factor into him winning the award, but the voters thought differently here, awarding the pitcher who dominated in most of his starts.
Did the voters get it right? Leave your comments below!