Cleveland Indians ace Shane Bieber became the seventh pitcher in MLB history to unanimously win the Cy Young Award on Wednesday.
The right-hander is the first to unanimously win since Clayton Kershaw in 2014. Kenta Maeda of the Minnesota Twins finished second.
Bieber led the league in wins (8), ERA (1.63) and strikeouts (122) — otherwise known as the Pitching Triple Crown — the first pitcher to do so since Kershaw and Justin Verlander in 2011.
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Why was this decision unanimous?
Zack Meisel, Indians writer: Pick your statistic. He led the league in multiple categories. He didn’t allow more than three runs in any of his 12 starts. Bieber limited opposing hitters to a .167/.229/.265 slash line, the sort of output we typically see from pitchers faking it at the plate. This season provided a smaller sample than usual, but beginning with Opening Day — when Bieber tallied 14 strikeouts across six scoreless innings — Bieber has looked the part of an award-winning ace.
What makes Bieber so special?
Meisel: Bieber’s developmental path is similar to a spacecraft launching from Cape Canaveral. The Indians drafted the former college walk-on in the fourth round in 2016. He broke into the majors in 2018, claimed All-Star Game MVP honors in 2019 and in 2020 and he’s the sport’s first unanimous Cy Young winner in six years. Guidance from the Indians’ pitching factory has certainly helped, but Bieber has put in the work. He possesses five effective pitches that keep hitters guessing, wishing, hoping, praying and, usually, swinging and missing.
By the numbers
Eno Sarris, national MLB analytics writer: This one wasn't close. Bieber led the entire league in wins, Wins Above Replacement (by FanGraphs), ERA, strikeouts per nine, strikeouts (by 18), and strikeout minus walk rate. He only lost one game all year. Mostly, he did it by adding a cutter, upping his breaking ball usage, and using the fastball less often — even though he pushed his fastball to places people never thought it would go when he was a prospect. Great command, yes, but now he's throwing 94+ with three breaking balls and a good changeup. Easy choice for the Cy.
(Photo: David Richard / USA Today)