Complete voting results by year
1979 A.L. Mike Flanagan, Baltimore Orioles
26 of 28 first-place votes
Led league in: Wins (23), shutouts (5)
Noteworthy: It was the only season Flanagan received Cy Young Award votes. He was not in the top 10 in the A.L. in WAR but was fourth in ERA (3.08). Dennis Eckersley tied for the league lead in WAR (7.2 with Jerry Koosman) and led the A.L. in ERA+ (149) but finished seventh in voting.
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page, SABR bio
1979 N.L. Bruce Sutter, Chicago Cubs
10 of 24 first-place votes
Led league in: Saves (37)
Noteworthy: Sutter edged Joe Niekro by just six voting points. It was the first of four consecutive seasons league the league in saves, five overall in his career.
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page, Hall of Fame bio, SABR bio
1978 A.L. Ron Guidry, New York Yankees
28 of 28 first-place votes
Led league in: Wins (25), ERA (1.74), shutouts (9), ERA+ (208), FIP (2.19), WHIP (0.946)
Noteworthy: Guidry finished second in A.L. MVP voting to Jim Rice, although Guidry had the higher WAR (9.6 to 7.6). His .893 win percentage (25-3) is the highest of any pitcher to win 20+ games in the Cy Young Award era.
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page, SABR bio
1978 N.L. Gaylord Perry, San Diego Padres
22 of 24 first-place votes
Led league in: Wins (21)
Noteworthy: Perry allowed just nine home runs in 260.2 innings. He is one of just five Cy Young Award winners to make 30 or more starts and allow less than 10 home runs. He was seventh in ERA (2.73) and not in the top 10 of WAR, which was dominated by Atlanta knuckleballer Phil Niekro (10.4). Niekro finished sixth in Cy voting.
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page, Hall of Fame bio, SABR bio
1977 A.L. Sparky Lyle, New York Yankees
9 of 28 first-place votes
Led league in: Games (70), games finished (60)
Noteworthy: Lyle had 26 saves and a 2.17 ERA. He finished sixth in MVP voting. Six pitchers received first-place votes leaving Lyle with the second-lowest total vote points (56) ever. Perry (1970 had 55).
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page, SABR bio
1977 N.L. Steve Carlton, Philadelphia Phillies
17 of 24 first-place votes
Led league in: Wins (23),
Noteworthy: Five pitchers received first-place votes, all were 20-game winners. Rick Reuschel and John Candelaria both had higher WAR and ERA+ than Carlton. A win would have elevated the impression of either of their careers quite a bit. Tom Seaver also had a solid case. Tommy John finished second. But Carlton had the edge in wins, strikeouts and innings.
Background resources: See 1982
1976 A.L. Jim Palmer, Baltimore Orioles
19 of 24 first-place votes
Led league in: Wins (22), Innings (315)
Noteworthy: Mark “the Bird” Fidrych was the pitching story of 1976, but Palmer had the “you must knock out the champion to beat the champion” factor as the defending Cy winner and one of the most consistent pitchers in the American League from the mid-60s into the ‘80s. Fidrych had a much higher WAR (9.6 to Palmer’s 6.55) a better ERA+ (159 to 130) and lower ERA (2.34). Fidrych went 19-9 and did receive five first-place votes. Palmer pitched six shutouts and 315 innings with a 2.51 ERA.
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page, Hall of Fame bio, SABR bio
1976 N.L. Randy Jones, San Diego Padres
15 of 24 first-place votes
Led league in: Wins (22), complete games (25), innings (315.1) WHIP (1.027)
Noteworthy: Jones led the league in losses in 1974 then posted back-to-back 20-win seasons finishing second in Cy voting in 1975 before moving to the top in 1976 ahead of Jerry Koosman. Jones had one of the lowest strikeout rates of any Cy Young winner (93 in 315.1 innings).
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page, SABR bio
1975 A.L. Jim Palmer, Baltimore Orioles
15 of 24 first-place votes
Led league in: Wins (23), ERA (2.09), shutouts (10), ERA+ (169), WAR (8.4)
Noteworthy: The 8.4 WAR was the highest of Palmer’s career. Palmer’s 10 shutouts made him one of just four Cy winners with 10 shutouts. No Cy winner has posted 10 since Palmer in 1975 but one non-Cy winner did – John Tudor had an excellent season for the 1985 Cardinals but Dwight Gooden had one of the best pitching seasons ever to win the Cy unanimously.
Background resources: See 1976
1975 N.L. Tom Seaver, New York Mets
15 of 24 first-place votes
Led league in: Wins (22), Strikeouts (243), FIP (2.35), WAR (7.8)
Noteworthy: As dominant as the Cincinnati Big Red Machine was in 1975, they had a very balanced pitching staff with no standouts. Don Gullett finished fifth in Cy Young voting. Seaver had two more wins than Randy Jones, who received seven first-place votes and had a better ERA (2.24 vs. Seaver’s 2.38), better ERA+ (156 vs. 146) and better WHIP (1.046 vs. 1.088).
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page, Hall of Fame bio, SABR bio
1974 A.L. Catfish Hunter, Oakland Athletics
12 of 24 first-place votes
Led league in: Wins (25), ERA (2.49), WHIP (0.986)
Noteworthy: It was Hunter’s career high in wins and his third out of four consecutive seasons in the top four of Cy Young voting. He won 20+ games for five consecutive seasons as the A’s dominated the A.L. and won the World Series in 1972, ‘73, and ’74. Six A.L. pitchers won 21+ games in 1974. Fergie Jenkins (7.7), Gaylord Perry (8.5), Luis Tiant (7.7) each had higher WAR than Hunter (6.9).
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page, Hall of Fame bio, SABR bio
1974 N.L. Mike Marshall, Los Angeles Dodgers
17 of 24 first-place votes
Led league in: Games (106), games finished (83), saves (21)
Noteworthy: It was Marshall’s third consecutive season in the top four of Cy voting and the top 10 of MVP voting. Marshall’s teammates, Andy Messersmith (2nd) and Don Sutton (4th) also received first-place votes. But it was Phil Niekro who had the best season statistically.
Marshall is one of five Cy Young winners with a losing career record. All are relivers. Marshall went 97-112.
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page
1973 A.L. Jim Palmer, Baltimore Orioles
14 of 24 first-place votes
Led league in: ERA (2.40)
Noteworthy: Palmer went 22-9. Despite a career high in walks, he outpointed Nolan Ryan during Ryan’s record 383-strikeout season. Ryan received nine first-place votes, the most of his eight seasons appearing in the Cy Young Award voting. Palmer finished second in A.L. MVP voting to the unanimous winner, Reggie Jackson.
Background resources: See 1976
1973 N.L. Tom Seaver, New York Mets
10 of 24 first-place votes
Led league in: ERA (2.08), Complete Games (18), Strikeouts (251), ERA+ (175), FIP (2.57), WHIP 0.976), WAR (10.6)
Noteworthy: This vote shouldn’t have been close. Seaver was the runaway leader in WAR, ERA and ERA+. The 10.6 WAR was the highest of his career. Mike Marshall received nine first-place votes for a 14-win, 31-save season. Seaver was 19-10.
Background resources: See 1975
1972 A.L. Gaylord Perry, Cleveland Indians
9 of 24 first-place votes
Led league in: Wins (24), complete games (29), WAR (10.8)
Noteworthy: The 24 wins were Perry’s career high. His 10.8 WAR was a fraction ahead of Wilbur Wood (10.7). Wood received seven first-place votes. Of the pitchers in the Cy Young Award era to not win the award, Wood has the highest two WAR totals. Perry’s six-point margin of victory is the third smallest in Cy history. From 1967 through 1975, Perry had at least 12 losses each season but received Cy Young votes in four of those seasons.
Background resources: See 1978
1972 N.L. Steve Carlton, Philadelphia Phillies
24 of 24 first-place votes
Led league in: Wins (27), ERA (1.97), complete games (30), innings (346.1), strikeouts (310), ERA+ (182), FIP (2.01), WAR (12.1).
Noteworthy: This is widely considered the greatest pitching season ever for a bad team. Carlton earned 27 of the Phillies’ 72 wins. His 30 complete games ties Ferguson Jenkins for most in a Cy Young-winning season. His 12.1 WAR is second to Dwight Gooden’s 1985 12.2 in the Cy era.
Background resources: See 1982
1971 A.L. Vida Blue, Oakland Athletics
14 of 24 first-place votes
Led league in: ERA (1.82), shutouts (8), FIP (2.20), WHIP (0.952)
Noteworthy: Blue went 24-8 with 301 strikeouts and a 9.0 WAR. Strangely, while he was not nearly the unanimous Cy Young winner (Mickey Lolich received nine first-place votes) Blue was also the A.L. MVP. He beat his Oakland teammate Sal Bando for MVP. Bando had four first-place MVP votes compared to Blue’s 14. There weren’t many standout offensive seasons in the A.L. in ’71. Only four players hit 30 home runs (Melton 33, Cash 32, R. Jackson 32, R. Smith 30) and only Harmon Killebrew (119) pass 100 RBI. Blue went on to earn Cy votes in three other seasons. Wilbur Wood’s 11.7 WAR (1.91 ERA, 1.0 WHIP, 189 ERA+, 334 innings, 22-13 record) was the highest ever not to win the Cy Young Award.
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page, SABR bio
1971 N.L. Fergie Jenkins, Chicago Cubs
17 of 24 first-place votes
Led league in: Wins (24), complete games (30), innings (325),
Noteworthy: Jenkins through a lot of strikes, making a living with a down-and-away fastball, but he allowed a lot of home runs also. This was one of seven seasons that Jenkins lead the league in HRs allowed. He had seven 20-win seasons, including six in a row from 1967-72. Tom Seaver has a valid argument for more support in 1971. He finished second, earning six first-place votes, but had an ERA a run lower than Jenkins, a much higher ERA+ (194 to 141). Jenkins’ 10.1 WAR was a tick behind Seaver (10.2) and by far the best of his career.
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page, Hall of Fame bio, SABR bio
1970 A.L. Jim Perry, Minnesota Twins
6 of 24 first-place votes
Led league in: Wins (24),
Noteworthy: Statistically, Perry’s 1969 season was better, but the way the voting worked out in 1970 brought him the Cy Young Award in the first season that utilized ranked-choice voting beyond first place. Perry’s six first-place votes are the lowest-ever total for a winner. He was one of seven pitchers to receive first-place votes; in order of overall finish (Dave McNally 5, Sam McDowell 4, Mike Cuellar 6, Jim Palmer 1, Clyde Wright 1, Ron Perranoski 1). McDowell probably should have earned his only Cy Young Award.
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page, SABR bio
1970 N.L. Bob Gibson, St. Louis Cardinals
23 of 24 first-place votes
Led league in: Wins (23), FIP (2.29), WAR (8.9)
Noteworthy: It was the only season Gibson led the N.L. in wins. His ERA was 3.12. It was lower every other year between 1963 and 1974. It was Gibson’s third consecutive season leading the N.L. in FIP. When he was dependent on his own fielding, he was very good. He won eight consecutive Gold Glove Awards.
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page, Hall of Fame bio, SABR bio