Lugo, Ragans finish top four in Cy Young voting
Detroit’s Tarik Skubal wins unanimously.
The Royals had some of the best starting pitching in baseball in 2024, and Cy Young Award voting reflected that. Seth Lugo and Cole Ragans each finished in the top four ,the first time two Royals pitchers have finished in the top four in voting since 1985 when Bret Saberhagen won and Dan Quisenberry tied for third (Charlie Leibrandt finished fifth that year). Lugo finished second and Ragans finished fourth as Detroit’s Tarik Skubal was the unanimous choice.
Skubal led the American League in wins (18), ERA (2.39), strikeouts (228) and rWAR (6.3), and is the twelfth unanimous choice in the American League. Lugo, in just his second year as a starter and first in the American League, finished second in wins (16), second in innings pitched (206.2), sixth in ERA (3.00), fourth in FIP (3.25), tenth in strikeouts (181), and second in rWAR (5.3). Ragans was in his first full year as a starter and led the league in strikeouts-per-nine innings (10.8), was second in strikeouts (223), eighth in ERA (3.14), seventh in innings pitched (186.1), and third in rWAR (4.9).
Lugo’s second-place showing is the highest by a Royals pitcher since Zack Greinke won the Award in 2009, and the first time a Royals pitcher has received any votes since Wade Davis in 2015.
Former Royals Review writer Jeff Zimmerman voted for Skubal, followed by Ragans, Lugo, Logan Gilbert, and Yusei Kikuchi.
In the National League, Atlanta’s Chris Sale took home the award, with Philadelphia’s Zach Wheeler finishing second, and Pittsburgh rookie Paul Skenes finishing third.