Complete voting results by year
2009 A.L. Zack Grienke, Kansas City Royals
25 of 28 first-place votes
Led league in: ERA (2.16), ERA+ (205), FIP (2.33), WHIP (1.073), WAR (10.4)
Noteworthy: Grienke probably should have been unanimous in 2009 but the Royals were bad and he won just 16 games. Despite having 205 career wins through 2019, Grienke has never led the league in wins. He has led the league in losses, however, with 17 in 2005 as a 21-year-old.
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page
2009 N.L. Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants
11 of 32 first-place votes
Led league in: Complete games (4), shutouts (2), strikeouts (261), FIP (2.34), WAR (7.4)
Noteworthy: Lincecum was 15-7 and is one of three pitchers to win the Cy Young Award without receiving the most first-place votes (Porcello and Glavine also). Adam Wainwright finished third with 12 first-place votes. Wainwright’s teammate Chris Carpenter was second, receiving nine first-place votes.
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page
2008 A.L. Cliff Lee, Cleveland Indians
24 of 28 first-place votes
Led league in: Wins (22), ERA (2.54), shutouts (2), ERA+ (167), FIP (2.83), WAR (6.8)
Noteworthy: Lee went 22-3 a season after being demoted to the minors. He walked only 34 batters in 31 starts. Lee’s win gave Cleveland back-to-back Cy Young Award winners. The Indians traded 2007 winner C.C. Sabathia to Milwaukee midway through the 2008 season when they fell out of contention.
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page
2008 N.L. Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants
23 of 32 first-place votes
Led league in: Strikeouts (265), ERA+ (168), FIP (2.62), WAR (7.8)
Noteworthy: Just 5-foot-11 and 160 pounds, Lincecum defied scouting logic with a funky delivery and went 18-5 in his first full season. He would receive Cy Young Award votes in four consecutive seasons before his fastball and his career faded quickly.
Background resources: See 2009
2007 A.L. C.C. Sabathia, Cleveland Indians
19 of 28 first-place votes
Led league in: Innings (241)
Noteworthy: Sabathia is one of 10 pitchers to receive Cy votes at least five consecutive seasons (2007-2011). Josh Beckett, pitching for Boston, had an argument for more support. He finished second and had eight first-place votes. Beckett edged Sabathia in WAR (6.5 to 6.3), ERA+ (145 to 141) and wins (20 to 19) but Sabathia pitched 40 more innings.
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page
2007 N.L. Jake Peavy, San Diego Padres
32 of 32 first-place votes
Led league in: Wins (19), ERA (2.54), strikeouts (240), FIP (2.84), WHIP (1.061)
Noteworthy: In the Cy Young Award era, Peavy is one of 10 pitchers (13 instances) to win the pitching triple crown (W, ERA, K). It was the only season he received Cy Young Award votes. Peavy is the only unanimous Cy winner to never receive votes in another season.
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page
2006 A.L. Johan Santana, Minnesota Twins
28 of 28 first-place votes
Led league in: Wins (19), ERA (2.77), innings (233.2), strikeouts (245), ERA+ (162), FIP (3.04), WHIP (0.997), WAR (7.6)
Noteworthy: Santana is one of just five pitchers with two unanimous Cy seasons (Koufax, Clemens, Maddux, P. Martinez). This was his only season leading the league in wins. He received Cy Young votes in 2007 and 2008 stretching his consecutive seasons with votes streak to six.
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page
2006 N.L. Brandon Webb, Arizona Diamondbacks
15 of 32 first-place votes
Led league in: Wins (16), shutouts (3), ERA+ (152), FIP (3.18), WAR (7.0)
Noteworthy: Webb followed up his 2006 win by placing second in 2007 and 2008 but then never won another game. Without a standout in the N.L. in 2006, it was strange that no pitcher appeared on the ballot of all 32 voters. Trevor Hoffman finished second and had 12 first-place votes. It was one of two seasons for Hoffman with at least 12 first-place votes, enough to win in some years, but neither time got the eventual career saves leader his Cy.
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page
2005 A.L. Bartolo Colon, Anaheim Angels
17 of 28 first-place votes
Led league in: Wins (21)
Noteworthy: Colon’s 3.48 ERA in 2005 is the third highest ever for a winner behind Pete Vuckovich (1982) and Roger Clements (3.51). Johan Santana deserved this Cy Young Award. His results were better than Colon in every important category other than wins (21 to 16). It would have made Santana a winner of three in a row. Colon earned Cy votes in four seasons, 15 seasons apart from 1999-2013.
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page
2005 N.L. Chris Carpenter, St. Louis Cardinals
19 of 32 first-place votes
Led league in: Complete games (7)
Noteworthy: Rogers Clemens had an ERA nearly a run lower (1.87) than Carpenter, WAR of 7.8 vs. 5.8 for Carp, and also a lower WHIP. But Clemens won only 13 games. It could have easily been Cy No. 8 for Clemens, who received two first-place votes. But Carpenter beat Clemens in their two regular-season matchups and led the Cardinals to a 100-win season and the World Series.
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page, SABR bio
2004 A.L. Johan Santana, Minnesota Twins
28 of 28 first-place votes
Led league in: ERA (2.61), strikeouts 265, ERA+ (182), FIP (2.92), WHIP (0.921), WAR (8.7) Noteworthy: Santana went 20-6 with a .192 batting average against leading the Twins to the A.L. Central title. In his final 15 starts, he went 13-0 with a 1.21 ERA. Santana led the A.L. in strikeouts, ERA+, FIP and WHIP three consecutive seasons.
Background resources: See 2006
2004 N.L. Roger Clemens, Houston Astros
23 of 32 first-place votes
Led league in: Win percentage (.818, 18-4)
Noteworthy: Clemens received 181 career first-place Cy votes, far and away the record ahead of Randy Johnson (148). But this 2004 season is probably one where he should have received fewer. Johnson had a far better WAR in 2004 (8.4 vs. 5.4 for Clemens). Johnson also had lower ERA, WHIP, and 72 more strikeouts. But Johnson’s record was 16-14. Reverse their first-place votes (23 Clemens, 8 Johnson), and their career vote totals are much closer.
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page, SABR bio
2003 A.L. Roy Halladay, Toronto Blue Jays
26 of 28 first-place votes
Led league in: Wins (22), complete games (9), shutouts (2), Innings (266), WAR (8.1)
Noteworthy: The voting here should have been tighter. Esteban Loaiza and Pedro Martinez were both in some ways better than (or at least as good as) Halladay. Halladay was the league leaders in complete games nine times in his career.
Background resources: See 2010
2003 N.L. Eric Gagne, Los Angeles Dodgers
28 of 32 first-place votes
Led league in: Saves (55), games finished (67)
Noteworthy: Gagne was a failed starting pitcher but a dominant closer. In 2003, his ERA was 1.20, FIP 0.86 and WHIP 0.692. He averaged 15 strikeouts per nine. He had 152 saves from 2002-04 finishing in the top seven in Cy voting each season and in the top 12 in MVP voting. Mark Prior and Jason Schmidt split the other four first-place votes, each in their only career appearances in Cy Young voting.
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page
2002 A.L. Barry Zito, Oakland Athletics
17 of 28 first-place votes
Led league in: Wins (23)
Noteworthy: Zito went 23-5 and placed 13th in MVP voting also. He was second in WAR (7.2 behind Roy Halladay at 7.3) and third in ERA (2.75) behind Derek Lowe and Pedro Martinez (2.26). Martinez received the other 11 first-place votes. Zito joins Sandy Koufax and Clayton Kershaw in the competition for most wicked left-handed curve ball. Zito placed 21st in A.L. MVP voting in 2001, when he went 17-8, but did not receive any votes for the Cy Young Award.
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page
2002 N.L. Randy Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks
32 of 32 first-place votes
Led league in: Wins (24), ERA (2.32), complete games (8), innings (260), strikeouts (334), ERA+ (195), WAR (10.7)
Noteworthy: 2002 was Johnson’s fourth consecutive season of at least 334 strikeouts. No other pitcher has more than three seasons with 300+ strikeouts. Nolan Ryan did it five out of six from 1972-77 but missed in 1975.
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page, Hall of Fame bio, SABR bio
2001 A.L. Roger Clemens, New York Yankees
21 of 28 first-place votes
Led league in: Win percentage (.870, 20-3)
Noteworthy: Clemens’ teammate, Mike Mussina, had a higher WAR (7.1 vs. 5.7), lower ERA 3.15 vs. 3.51 (2nd worst of a Cy winner) and better ERA+ 143 vs. 128). Mussina also had more strikeouts and fewer walks but finished fifth in voting because he was 17-11 whereas Clemens went 20-3. Clemens received MVP votes in 10 seasons and Cy Young votes in 12 seasons.
Background resources: See 2004
2001 N.L. Randy Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks
30 of 32 first-place votes
Led league in: ERA (2.49), strikeouts (372), ERA+ 188, FIP (2.13), WHIP (1.009), WAR (10.1)
Noteworthy: Johnson was 5-1 in the playoffs and was named World Series MVP for the Diamondbacks only title. In his career, however, he went just 7-9 in postseason starts. Johnson was the last Cy Young Award winner to pitch for a World Series champion. Johnson set his career high in strikeouts at age 37.
Background resources: See 2002
2000 A.L. Pedro Martinez, Boston Red Sox
28 of 28 first-place votes
Led league in: ERA (1.74), shutouts (4), strikeouts (284), ERA+ (291), FIP (2.17), WHIP (0.737)
Noteworthy: 2000 was Martinez’s career-high WAR season. His 11.7 mark is the fourth highest of all Cy winning seasons. His ERA+ of 291 is the best in the Cy Young Award era. Martinez’s 1.74 ERA was over three runs less than the American League average ERA in 2000 (4.92). He posted the most strikeouts per walk (8.8) of any Cy Young Award winner. He also has the second-best total (8.45 in his 1999 Cy-winning season).
Background resources: Baseball-reference.com page, Hall of Fame bio, SABR bio
2000 N.L. Randy Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks
22 of 32 first-place votes
Led league in: Complete games (8), shutouts (3), strikeouts (347), ERA+ 181, FIP (2.53), WAR (8.1)
Noteworthy: Johnson went 19-7 and four other pitchers received first-place votes (Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Robb Nen, Darryl Kile). Johnson had 130 more strikeouts than the next best, Chan Ho Park.
Background resources: See 2002