Jacob Misiorowski of the Milwaukee Brewers and Cam Schlittler of the New York Yankees were named unanimous winners of the 2026 Cy Young Awards on Wednesday after delivering two of the most dominant pitching seasons in baseball.
Both starters received all 30 first-place votes in their respective leagues, earning the honors in their first full major league campaigns.
Misiorowski claimed the National League award after leading the Brewers to a World Series championship and an MLB-best 103 regular-season wins. He finished ahead of Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sanchez, with Atlanta Braves ace Chris Sale placing third.
Schlittler took home the American League award after becoming the Yankees' breakout No. 1 starter. Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Dylan Cease finished second, while Cleveland Guardians pitcher Parker Messick placed third.
Wednesday's announcements also included the inaugural Baseball Writers' Association of America Reliever of the Year awards, with Mason Miller of the San Diego Padres and Louis Varland of the Blue Jays receiving the honors.
Misiorowski Makes History With Brewers
At 24, Misiorowski put together a remarkable season, finishing 16-5 with a 1.80 ERA, a 0.80 WHIP and 252 strikeouts across 174⅔ innings in 30 starts.
He led all major league pitchers in ERA, WHIP and strikeouts while recording a 6.6 fWAR, the highest total among pitchers.
His 232 ERA+ was the best full-season mark since Pedro Martinez posted a 291 ERA+ in 2000.
Misiorowski became the fourth pitcher in Brewers history to win the Cy Young Award, joining Corbin Burnes (2021), Pete Vuckovich (1982) and Rollie Fingers (1981).
He also became the first pitcher since Randy Johnson in 2001 to win both the Cy Young Award and the World Series in the same season. He is the third pitcher since 2000 to accomplish the feat.
Misiorowski plans to spend some time reflecting on the season before turning his attention to another campaign.
"I'm going to go hunting next week with my dad," Misiorowski said. "And that quiet time in the stand is really going to be my opportunity to think about this year. And think about all the positives that we had, and what to work on and what I need to do, to do this again next year."
Unprecedented Fastball Velocity Powers Misiorowski
One of the defining features of Misiorowski's season was his extraordinary fastball velocity.
His four-seam fastball averaged 100.6 mph, an unprecedented figure for a full-time starting pitcher. He threw more than 1,000 pitches at 100 mph or faster, more than twice the previous record set by Jordan Hicks in 2018.
Misiorowski also recorded more pitches at 101 mph or above than every other pitcher combined from 2008 through 2026.
His fastest pitch reached 105.5 mph in June against Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. It was the fastest pitch recorded by a starting pitcher during the Statcast era.
The right-hander first attracted national attention as a rookie in 2025, when he controversially earned an NL All-Star selection as a replacement after making only five starts.
However, he struggled late in that season, recording a 5.36 ERA over his final 10 regular-season outings. He later posted a 1.50 ERA across 12 innings in three postseason relief appearances.
In 2026, he turned that early potential into sustained dominance. After recording a 3.31 ERA through his first six starts, Misiorowski posted a 1.46 ERA over 142 innings in his final 24 regular-season appearances.
One of his most impressive performances came June 12, when he threw a one-hit shutout against the Phillies with 15 strikeouts and no walks.
He finished the regular season with 10 double-digit strikeout performances before carrying his form into the playoffs. Misiorowski recorded a 1.89 ERA over 19 innings in four postseason starts, including the Brewers' World Series-clinching Game 5 victory.
"It's happened really quick," Misiorowski said. "It's crazy, the opportunity that I got in front of me and being able to take a hold of that and run with it is really cool. It's been a crazy two years, year and a half or whatever it is. It's been fun."
Schlittler Delivers Historic Season for Yankees
Schlittler, 25, became the seventh Yankees pitcher to win the Cy Young Award and the first since Gerrit Cole in 2023.
He is also one of only three homegrown Yankees among the franchise's seven winners, joining Ron Guidry and Whitey Ford.
The Massachusetts native finished 14-6 with a 1.95 ERA and 239 strikeouts in 193⅔ innings across 33 starts. He led the American League in ERA, fWAR (6.2) and ERA+ (215).
Schlittler allowed one run or fewer in 21 starts and was particularly effective on the road, posting a 1.16 ERA in 17 away appearances.
His 1.95 ERA was among the lowest full-season marks in Yankees history. Only Spud Chandler, who recorded a 1.64 ERA in 1943, and Guidry, who finished with a 1.74 ERA in 1978, posted lower figures among qualified starters.
Schlittler's success was especially important for a Yankees rotation that dealt with extended absences from Cole, Max Fried and Carlos Rodon.
"Realistically, I look at it and I'm just happy," Schlittler said. "The goal, honestly, coming into the season was to stay healthy, be consistent, and make all my starts. That's something I was able to do."
Schlittler's Development Leads to Cy Young Recognition
Schlittler's rise to the top of baseball was far from immediate.
The Yankees selected him in the seventh round of the 2022 MLB draft out of Northeastern University. He initially attracted limited attention as he progressed through the minor leagues, with his fastball velocity sitting in the low 90s during his first full professional season in 2023.
A combination of delivery adjustments and added strength gradually increased his velocity. By his major league debut at Yankee Stadium in July 2025, he had reached 100 mph.
After finding his rhythm in his fourth start, Schlittler became one of the Yankees' most important pitchers down the stretch and into the postseason.
His performance against the Boston Red Sox in Game 3 of the American League Wild Card Series was a major turning point. Schlittler held Boston scoreless over eight innings, striking out 12 batters without issuing a walk.
The Yankees entered 2026 expecting further development after his impressive rookie campaign. Instead, he produced one of the greatest pitching seasons in franchise history.
Despite winning the Cy Young Award unanimously, Schlittler believes there is still room for improvement.
"I definitely could have had a better season," Schlittler said. "Obviously, I had a few hiccups along the road. Realistically, I think there's things I can get better at and that's not going to be specifically in one area of the game. But just being out there on the mound and making certain adjustments in the game. Again, I feel like this season was great, but as you look at how I finished, things could have definitely been better."
Miller and Varland Win Inaugural Reliever of the Year Awards
The BBWAA also announced its first Reliever of the Year winners on Wednesday.
San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller claimed the National League award unanimously after recording one of the most impressive relief seasons in recent history.
Miller finished with a 1.67 ERA, 38 saves and 129 strikeouts in 70 innings across 66 appearances. His strikeout total led all major league relievers.
He also recorded a remarkable 47.6% strikeout rate, the sixth-highest figure in history among pitchers with at least 50 innings. His average fastball velocity of 101.4 mph led the majors.
In the American League, Toronto's Louis Varland received 16 of the 30 first-place votes.
Varland posted a 1.27 ERA over 78 innings, the lowest mark among qualified relievers. He finished the season with 35 saves in 71 appearances.
Miller also won the Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year Award, while Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Bryan Baker received the Mariano Rivera American League Reliever of the Year honor.
The Hoffman and Rivera awards are selected by a panel of former relievers, separate from the BBWAA voting process.
Other Major League Baseball Awards
Several additional honors were announced Wednesday, recognizing players and executives for their performances during the 2026 season.
Comeback Player of the Year: Yordan Alvarez (AL), Zack Wheeler (NL)
Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award: Yordan Alvarez
Hank Aaron Award: Yordan Alvarez (AL), Pete Crow-Armstrong (NL)
Executive of the Year: Erik Neander, Tampa Bay Rays
Alvarez collected multiple honors after an impressive season with the Houston Astros, while Crow-Armstrong received the National League Hank Aaron Award for his offensive production with the Chicago Cubs.
The awards capped a memorable season for baseball, highlighted by Misiorowski's historic campaign in Milwaukee and Schlittler's emergence as the Yankees' new pitching ace.
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