Braves' Sale and Tigers' Skubal earn Cy Young Awards following stellar seasons

Chris Sale of Atlanta Braves and Tarik Skubal of Detroit Tigers, both of whom secured the 2024 Triple Crown statistical titles, were recognized with the Cy Young awards by Major League Baseball on Wednesday, distinguishing them as the premier pitchers in their respective leagues.

Sale, a 35-year-old left-hander from the U.S., earned the National League award after leading the NL with 18 wins, 225 strikeouts, and a 2.38 earned-run average (ERA) over 177 2/3 innings.

"It means a lot," Sale remarked. "It's a special night."

Skubal, celebrating his 28th birthday, received the American League award following a remarkable Triple Crown season where he also led the AL with 18 wins, 228 strikeouts, and a 2.39 ERA.

He was a unanimous selection among all 30 voters on the media panel, with Kansas City's Seth Lugo finishing second.

"It's pretty special," Skubal shared. "All the hard work, all the behind-the-scenes effort, moments like this make it all worthwhile."

This marked only the second time in a century that MLB pitchers from each league won the Triple Crown of wins, strikeouts, and ERA, the first being in 2011 when Detroit's Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers accomplished the feat.

Historically, no Triple Crown winner has ever failed to secure the Cy Young award.

Sale accumulated 198 points, including 26 first-place votes from the media panel, while runner-up Zack Wheeler of Philadelphia garnered 130 points.

Sale fell just four strikeouts short of achieving the first MLB Triple Crown in a full season since Johan Santana in 2006, but he did become the first pitcher to win the NL Triple Crown in a non-shortened season since Kershaw in 2011.

In his first fully healthy season since 2018, when he won a World Series with Boston, Sale also earned the NL Gold Glove for fielding by pitchers and was named the NL Comeback Player of the Year.

He missed the entire 2020 season due to Tommy John surgery and faced a shoulder injury last year before being traded to Atlanta in December.

Sale remarked, "It was not merely about me being out there and pitching a baseball. The past few years have been challenging. Having endured what I did and receiving such support has made me extremely grateful."

Skubal played a pivotal role in leading the Tigers to their first winning season since 2016 and their first playoff appearance since 2014.

"It was incredibly enjoyable to be involved," Skubal stated. "The experience gained will benefit our team moving forward. We can only improve from here."

His 18 victories marked the highest total for a Tigers pitcher since Max Scherzer achieved 18 wins in 2014, and his earned run average was the lowest for a qualified Tigers starter since rookie Mark Fidrych in 1976.

Skubal limited opponents to two or fewer runs in 24 of his 31 starts.