The Cy Young Award has gone to a pitcher every year since 1956, when it was created to honor the game’s winningest pitcher a year after his death. For its first eleven seasons only one award was given across all of Major League Baseball. From 1967 on, the American and National Leagues have each crowned their own.
Here is every winner, along with the records that have piled up along the way.
One Award for All of Baseball: 1956–1966
| Year | Pitcher | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Don Newcombe | Brooklyn Dodgers |
| 1957 | Warren Spahn | Milwaukee Braves |
| 1958 | Bob Turley | New York Yankees |
| 1959 | Early Wynn | Chicago White Sox |
| 1960 | Vern Law | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| 1961 | Whitey Ford | New York Yankees |
| 1962 | Don Drysdale | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| 1963 | Sandy Koufax | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| 1964 | Dean Chance | Los Angeles Angels |
| 1965 | Sandy Koufax | Los Angeles Dodgers |
| 1966 | Sandy Koufax | Los Angeles Dodgers |
Koufax won three of the last four single-award years and remains the only pitcher to win it three times when just one was given out.
Two Awards: 1967–Present
| Year | American League | National League |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Tarik Skubal, Tigers | Paul Skenes, Pirates |
| 2024 | Tarik Skubal, Tigers | Chris Sale, Braves |
| 2023 | Gerrit Cole, Yankees | Blake Snell, Padres |
| 2022 | Justin Verlander, Astros | Sandy Alcantara, Marlins |
| 2021 | Robbie Ray, Blue Jays | Corbin Burnes, Brewers |
| 2020 | Shane Bieber, Guardians | Trevor Bauer, Reds |
| 2019 | Justin Verlander, Astros | Jacob deGrom, Mets |
| 2018 | Blake Snell, Rays | Jacob deGrom, Mets |
| 2017 | Corey Kluber, Guardians | Max Scherzer, Nationals |
| 2016 | Rick Porcello, Red Sox | Max Scherzer, Nationals |
| 2015 | Dallas Keuchel, Astros | Jake Arrieta, Cubs |
| 2014 | Corey Kluber, Guardians | Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers |
| 2013 | Max Scherzer, Tigers | Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers |
| 2012 | David Price, Rays | R.A. Dickey, Mets |
| 2011 | Justin Verlander, Tigers | Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers |
| 2010 | Félix Hernández, Mariners | Roy Halladay, Phillies |
| 2009 | Zack Greinke, Royals | Tim Lincecum, Giants |
| 2008 | Cliff Lee, Guardians | Tim Lincecum, Giants |
| 2007 | CC Sabathia, Guardians | Jake Peavy, Padres |
| 2006 | Johan Santana, Twins | Brandon Webb, Diamondbacks |
| 2005 | Bartolo Colón, Angels | Chris Carpenter, Cardinals |
| 2004 | Johan Santana, Twins | Roger Clemens, Astros |
| 2003 | Roy Halladay, Blue Jays | Eric Gagné, Dodgers |
| 2002 | Barry Zito, Athletics | Randy Johnson, Diamondbacks |
| 2001 | Roger Clemens, Yankees | Randy Johnson, Diamondbacks |
| 2000 | Pedro Martínez, Red Sox | Randy Johnson, Diamondbacks |
| 1999 | Pedro Martínez, Red Sox | Randy Johnson, Diamondbacks |
| 1998 | Roger Clemens, Blue Jays | Tom Glavine, Braves |
| 1997 | Roger Clemens, Blue Jays | Pedro Martínez, Expos |
| 1996 | Pat Hentgen, Blue Jays | John Smoltz, Braves |
| 1995 | Randy Johnson, Mariners | Greg Maddux, Braves |
| 1994 | David Cone, Royals | Greg Maddux, Braves |
| 1993 | Jack McDowell, White Sox | Greg Maddux, Braves |
| 1992 | Dennis Eckersley, Athletics | Greg Maddux, Cubs |
| 1991 | Roger Clemens, Red Sox | Tom Glavine, Braves |
| 1990 | Bob Welch, Athletics | Doug Drabek, Pirates |
| 1989 | Bret Saberhagen, Royals | Mark Davis, Padres |
| 1988 | Frank Viola, Twins | Orel Hershiser, Dodgers |
| 1987 | Roger Clemens, Red Sox | Steve Bedrosian, Phillies |
| 1986 | Roger Clemens, Red Sox | Mike Scott, Astros |
| 1985 | Bret Saberhagen, Royals | Dwight Gooden, Mets |
| 1984 | Willie Hernández, Tigers | Rick Sutcliffe, Cubs |
| 1983 | LaMarr Hoyt, White Sox | John Denny, Phillies |
| 1982 | Pete Vuckovich, Brewers | Steve Carlton, Phillies |
| 1981 | Rollie Fingers, Brewers | Fernando Valenzuela, Dodgers |
| 1980 | Steve Stone, Orioles | Steve Carlton, Phillies |
| 1979 | Mike Flanagan, Orioles | Bruce Sutter, Cubs |
| 1978 | Ron Guidry, Yankees | Gaylord Perry, Padres |
| 1977 | Sparky Lyle, Yankees | Steve Carlton, Phillies |
| 1976 | Jim Palmer, Orioles | Randy Jones, Padres |
| 1975 | Jim Palmer, Orioles | Tom Seaver, Mets |
| 1974 | Catfish Hunter, Athletics | Mike Marshall, Dodgers |
| 1973 | Jim Palmer, Orioles | Tom Seaver, Mets |
| 1972 | Gaylord Perry, Guardians | Steve Carlton, Phillies |
| 1971 | Vida Blue, Athletics | Ferguson Jenkins, Cubs |
| 1970 | Jim Perry, Twins | Bob Gibson, Cardinals |
| 1969 | Denny McLain, Tigers and Mike Cuellar, Orioles (tie) | Tom Seaver, Mets |
| 1968 | Denny McLain, Tigers | Bob Gibson, Cardinals |
| 1967 | Jim Lonborg, Red Sox | Mike McCormick, Giants |
Team names reflect current franchise naming where a club has since been renamed. The 1969 American League vote ended in the award’s only tie.
Most Cy Young Awards
| Wins | Pitcher(s) |
|---|---|
| 7 | Roger Clemens |
| 5 | Randy Johnson |
| 4 | Steve Carlton, Greg Maddux |
| 3 | Sandy Koufax, Tom Seaver, Jim Palmer, Pedro Martínez, Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander |
| 2 | Denny McLain, Bob Gibson, Gaylord Perry, Bret Saberhagen, Tom Glavine, Johan Santana, Tim Lincecum, Roy Halladay, Corey Kluber, Jacob deGrom, Blake Snell, Tarik Skubal |
Quirks Worth Knowing
Only one tie. The 1969 American League vote finished level between Denny McLain and Mike Cuellar, and both were given the award. It has not happened since.
Relievers have won nine times. Mike Marshall was first in 1974, followed by Sparky Lyle, Bruce Sutter, Rollie Fingers, Willie Hernández, Steve Bedrosian, Mark Davis, Dennis Eckersley and Éric Gagné. None since Gagné in 2003, and the modern usage of closers makes another unlikely.
Four pitchers have won in both leagues. Gaylord Perry, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martínez and Roger Clemens all managed it, with Perry the first — taking the AL award with Cleveland in 1972 and the NL award with San Diego in 1978.
Skubal joined short company in 2025. His second straight AL award made him the 23rd pitcher with multiple Cy Youngs and the 12th to win in consecutive seasons. He is also the first Tiger to win more than one since Denny McLain in 1968 and 1969.
Skenes did something nearly unprecedented. The Pirates right-hander followed a Rookie of the Year season with a unanimous Cy Young, matching Dwight Gooden’s 1984-85 run. He also became the first starter to win the award without a winning record, finishing 10-10 for a 71-91 team.
The Bottom Line
Roger Clemens leads everyone with seven Cy Young Awards, ahead of Randy Johnson’s five and the four apiece won by Steve Carlton and Greg Maddux. Sandy Koufax remains the only three-time winner from the era when a single award covered all of baseball. The reigning winners are Tarik Skubal in the American League, now back-to-back, and Paul Skenes in the National League, unanimously in just his second season.