Yankees ace Gerrit Cole unanimously wins AL Cy Young award
Gerrit Cole turned in one of the best pitching seasons in Yankees history in 2023, and he's been rewarded for it with his first Cy Young award.
Cole was a unanimous winner, picking up all 30 first-place votes. Cole, who beat out fellow finalists Kevin Gausman and Sonny Gray, had been a runner-up for the award in 2021 and 2019.
“Congratulations to Gerrit on deservedly receiving the American League Cy Young Award," GM Brian Cashman wrote in a statement. "He was simply dominant this year and took the ball every time it was his turn. What makes Gerrit so great is how dedicated he is to being the best version of himself he can be. He’s meticulous in scouting opponents and evaluating his performances, while continually immersing himself in new ideas to make himself even better. He’s a pitcher’s pitcher, and we are lucky to have him leading our rotation and leading by example in our clubhouse. This recognition puts a further stamp on his career, so people understand he’s one of the absolute best of his generation.”
The 32-year-old Cole led the American League this past season with a 2.63 ERA, and his 0.98 WHIP was the best in baseball. He also led the AL in innings pitched (209.0), hits per nine (6.8) and ERA+ (165).
Cole is the first Yankee to win the award since Roger Clemens in 2001.
The other Yankees to win it are Ron Guidry (1978), Sparky Lyle (1977), Whitey Ford (1961), and Bob Turley (1958).
Cole will be entering the fifth year of a nine-year $324 million deal in 2024.
Since signing with the Yanks ahead of the 2020 season, he has posted a 3.08 ERA and 1.01 WHIP while striking out 816 batters in 664 innings over 108 starts.
