Padres’ Blake Snell, Yankees’ Gerrit Cole win Cy Young Awards

San Diego Padres starter Blake Snell won his second Cy Young Award on Wednesday, this time in the National League, while New York Yankees hurler Gerrit Cole took home his first award unanimously after finishing in the top five for the honor five times previously.

Snell, 30, became the seventh player — and second left-hander — to win the award in each league. He previously won the AL Cy Young while a member of the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018.

Snell was 14-9 with an MLB-leading 2.25 ERA and 180 innings pitched in 2023. He also gave up the fewest hits (5.8) per nine innings while leading the majors in walks (99).

He’s the third pitcher to win the award while leading his league in free passes. Bob Turley and Early Wynn did it in 1958 and 1959, respectively.

Snell also ranked first in opponent slugging percentage (.286) and second in strikeout percentage (31.5).

Snell threw the fewest innings (5.6) per start of any Cy Young winner, breaking his own mark when he averaged 5.8 innings in 2018.

He’s the 22nd pitcher overall to win the award multiple times.

Currently a free agent, Snell beat out the San Francisco Giants‘ Logan Webb and Arizona Diamondbacks‘ Zac Gallen for the award, receiving 28 of 30 first-place votes. Webb and Gallen each received one first-place vote.

Atlanta Braves right-hander Spencer Strider finished fourth in voting. Chicago Cubs left-hander Justin Steele finished fifth.

Cole, 33, was 15-4 with an AL-leading 2.63 ERA and league-leading 209 innings. He also led the league in fewest hits allowed (6.8) per nine innings, as well as WHIP (0.981). He’s the second No.1 overall pick to take home the award, joining David Price in 2012.

Cole finished fourth in voting for the NL Cy Young in 2015 while in Pittsburgh, then had a string of top-five finishes from 2018-21. The six-time All-Star finished as the runner-up for the AL Cy Young in 2019, while a member of the Houston Astros, and in 2021 with the Yankees.

Cole beat out the Minnesota Twins‘ Sonny Gray and Toronto Blue Jays‘ Kevin Gausman, receiving all 30 first-place votes. Baltimore Orioles right-hander Kyle Bradish finished fourth, while Seattle Mariners veteran Luis Castillo was fifth.