No MLB workforce has swept the three main Baseball Writers’ Affiliation of America participant awards — Most Priceless Participant, Cy Younger and Rookie of the 12 months — in a single season.
General, 56 groups have claimed two of these three awards in a single season. Previous to 2024, it final occurred in 2019 when the Astros and Mets gained their respective league’s Cy Younger Award (Justin Verlander, Jacob deGrom) and Rookie of the 12 months Award (Yordan Alvarez, Pete Alonso). Houston’s Alex Bregman completed because the runner-up to Mike Trout for AL MVP, leaving the Astros on the doorstep of an awards sweep.
These 56 situations embrace 19 instances when the identical membership produced particularly the MVP and Cy Younger winner (not together with years by which a pitcher gained each awards on his personal). It is occurred solely 4 instances because the league expanded to 30 groups in 1998, with the latest prevalence coming in 2013. That was when Tigers teammates Miguel Cabrera (AL MVP) and Max Scherzer (AL Cy Younger) earned the honors.
Under is a breakdown of every of these 4 situations, adopted by a more in-depth have a look at groups that got here shut to creating historical past by sweeping the three awards.
Groups with MVP and Cy Younger winners
2013 Tigers: Miguel Cabrera (AL MVP), Max Scherzer (AL Cy Younger)One yr after incomes the 2012 AL batting Triple Crown and edging out Trout within the AL MVP race, Cabrera once more held off the Angels famous person in ’13 AL MVP voting. Cabrera took house his second straight AL MVP honor after hitting .348/.442/.636 with 44 homers and 137 RBIs. That was adequate to earn 23 first-place votes, whereas Trout claimed solely 5 because the runner-up. The AL Cy Younger race was much more of a runaway, with Scherzer claiming 28 of the 30 first-place votes after going 21-3 with a 2.90 ERA and 240 strikeouts. Tigers teammate Aníbal Sánchez earned one of many remaining two first-place votes, whereas the opposite went to Chris Sale.
In truth, the Tigers practically accomplished the awards trifecta after a midseason three-team blockbuster introduced José Iglesias to Detroit. The infielder, who started the yr with the Purple Sox, completed because the AL Rookie of the 12 months runner-up behind Tampa Bay’s Wil Myers.
2006 Twins: Justin Morneau (AL MVP), Johan Santana (AL Cy Younger)Whereas Morneau narrowly edged out Derek Jeter in a tightly contested battle for the 2006 AL MVP Award, Santana was a unanimous winner for the AL Cy Younger Award. Santana took house all 28 first-place votes after going 19-6 with a 2.77 ERA and 245 strikeouts for the Twins. Morneau, in the meantime, racked up 34 homers and 130 RBIs en path to receiving 15 first-place votes for the AL MVP Award. That was sufficient to maintain Derek Jeter (12 first-place votes) from incomes his first MVP honor, regardless of the Yankees shortstop hitting .343 with 14 homers, 97 RBIs and 34 stolen bases. Minnesota teammate Francisco Liriano completed a distant third in AL Rookie of the 12 months voting, with future ace Justin Verlander claiming 26 of the 28 first-place votes in his spectacular rookie marketing campaign.
2005 Cardinals: Albert Pujols (NL MVP), Chris Carpenter (NL Cy Younger)Pujols held off Braves outfielder Andruw Jones to win the primary of his three NL MVP Awards in 2005. The then-Cardinals first baseman hit .330 with 41 homers, 117 RBIs, 16 stolen bases and a 1.039 OPS to obtain 18 first-place votes. Jones was a detailed second, garnering 13 first-place votes after ending with 51 homers and 128 RBIs, albeit a .263 common and .922 OPS. Carpenter, in the meantime, earned 19 first-place votes after going 21-5 with a 2.83 ERA and NL-leading 213 strikeouts to beat out Dontrelle Willis (11 first-place votes) and Roger Clemens (two first-place votes) for the NL Cy Younger Award. The Playing cards didn’t have anybody earn an NL Rookie of the 12 months vote, although skipper Tony La Russa completed second in NL Supervisor of the 12 months voting behind Bobby Cox.
2002 Athletics: Miguel Tejada (AL MVP), Barry Zito (AL Cy Younger)Each of those voting outcomes might have turned out very completely different if performed right this moment. Tejada beat out Alex Rodriguez in a little bit of a controversial race, as Tejada had an .861 OPS, 34 homers, 131 RBIs and a 5.7 WAR, whereas A-Rod put up a 1.015 WAR, 57 house runs, 142 RBIs and an 8.8 WAR. Zito additionally gained a detailed battle, holding off Pedro Martinez thanks, partly, to wins and innings pitched. Although Zito had extra wins (23 to Martinez’s 20) and pitched 30 extra innings, it was Martinez who had a large edge in ERA (2.26 to 2.75), strikeouts (239 to 182) and WHIP (0.92 to 1.13). Regardless, it was Zito who claimed the AL Cy Younger Award after receiving 17 first-place votes to Martinez’s 11.
^Signifies pitcher gained a single Cy Younger Award that was given out for AL and NL mixed
Shut requires Award sweeps
Together with the above situations, the identical workforce has produced two of the three MVP, Cy Younger and Rookie of the 12 months Award winners 55 instances, together with each the 2019 Mets (NL Rookie of the 12 months Pete Alonso and NL Cy Younger Jacob deGrom) and Astros (AL Rookie of the 12 months Yordan Alvarez and AL Cy Younger Justin Verlander). It is occurred solely 37 instances when eradicating years by which the identical participant accounted for each, equivalent to Kershaw successful the NL MVP and Cy Younger Awards for the ‘14 Dodgers, or Ichiro Suzuki taking house AL MVP and Rookie of the 12 months honors for the ’01 Mariners.
Of these 55 situations, that very same workforce was liable for the runner-up for the third award simply 9 instances. That quantity drops to seven when eradicating instances that embrace the identical participant vying for a number of awards. In different phrases, solely seven instances in MLB historical past has the identical workforce had three completely different gamers account for successful two of the awards and ending second for the opposite.
Under is an inventory of these 9 instances the identical workforce gained two of three awards and produced the runner-up for the third.
^Signifies participant was a runner-up
Clearly, not each runner-up end is created equal. Jason Bere completed second within the 1993 AL Rookie of the 12 months race, however the White Sox right-hander didn’t obtain a single first-place vote in his quest to affix teammates Frank Thomas (AL MVP) and Jack McDowell (AL Cy Younger) within the winner’s circle. Angels outfielder Tim Salmon was voted the unanimous AL Rookie of the 12 months that season.
Likewise, Cardinals left-hander John Tudor obtained zero first-place votes in his runner-up end for the 1985 NL Cy Younger Award (Dwight Gooden was the unanimous winner). Orioles right-hander Jim Palmer was additionally second to unanimous ’73 AL MVP winner Reggie Jackson, although Palmer a minimum of took house the AL Cy Younger Award that season, whereas teammate Al Bumbry was named the AL Rookie of the 12 months.
Whereas these three runners-up didn’t obtain any first-place votes, Dennis Eckersley and Reggie Smith every obtained precisely one first-place vote, respectively, within the 1988 AL Cy Younger and ’67 AL Rookie of the 12 months races. Eckersley misplaced out to Frank Viola, who obtained the opposite 27 votes, whereas Smith yielded strategy to Rod Carew.
That leaves three really shut calls — the 2019 Astros, 1974 Rangers and ’65 Dodgers.
Whereas Verlander and Alvarez claimed the AL Cy Younger and Rookie of the 12 months Awards, respectively, Bregman completed because the runner-up in AL MVP voting to Mike Trout. The Astros third baseman obtained 13 first-place votes, however Trout claimed the remaining 17 first-place votes en path to successful his third AL MVP Award. Trout edged out Bregman in complete voting factors by a margin of 355-335.
As for the 1974 Rangers, outfielder Jeff Burroughs held off a trio of Athletics — Joe Rudi, Sal Bando and Reggie Jackson — for the 1974 AL MVP Award. Teammate Mike Hargrove gained the AL Rookie of the 12 months Award in decisive vogue, beating out Bucky Dent and George Brett. That left solely the AL Cy Younger Award. Texas right-hander Fergie Jenkins went 25-12 with a 2.82 ERA, 225 strikeouts and 29 full video games in 1974 — however it wasn’t sufficient. Jenkins’ 10 first-place votes have been two fewer than Oakland righty — and fellow future Corridor of Famer — Catfish Hunter, who obtained 12 votes after posting an similar 25-12 file to go together with a 2.49 ERA, 143 strikeouts and 23 full video games.
Shifting on to the 1965 Dodgers, Sandy Koufax was the unanimous Cy Younger Award winner at a time when the award was given to just one participant throughout the Majors, as a substitute of 1 from every league. That very same yr, Dodgers infielder Jim Lefebvre simply claimed Rookie of the 12 months honors over future Corridor of Famer Joe Morgan. As for the NL MVP race, the Dodgers really had two of the highest three finishers — and three of the highest 5. Koufax obtained six first-place votes to go together with his Cy Younger Award, and teammate Maury Wills obtained 5 first-place votes. Neither had sufficient to edge Giants outfielder Willie Mays, who obtained the opposite 9 first-place votes after racking up 52 homers and 112 RBIs.
Although these are the three closest calls because the Cy Younger Award was first handed out in 1956, it is value mentioning the 1952 Philadelphia Athletics. Left-hander Bobby Shantz gained the AL MVP Award, whereas teammate and fellow pitcher Harry Byrd gained AL Rookie of the 12 months honors. The Cy Younger Award didn’t exist but, however it stands to motive that Shantz would have gained the award for the league’s greatest pitcher, contemplating he gained the AL MVP Award in convincing vogue — and the MVP on the NL aspect was outfielder Hank Sauer.
