Gerrit Cole Unanimously Selected 2023 AL Cy Young Award Winner
November 15, 2023 | Baseball
Former UCLA right-hander and current New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole has been named the winner of the 2023 American League Cy Young Award, it was announced on Wednesday afternoon by the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA).
It marks the first-career Cy Young for Cole, who has received votes for the award in each of the last six seasons, including four consecutive top-five finishes from 2018-21.
Cole becomes the second Bruin all-time to take home a Cy Young Award, making UCLA one of just eight schools in the country to have produced multiple Cy Young winners. Paired with Trevor Bauer's 2020 NL Cy Young, UCLA is the first Division I institution to have had multiple Cy Young winners on the same team.ย
"Gerrit has been the consummate pro over his career," said UCLA head coach John Savage. "Winning the Cy Young Award is a testament to his drive, determination, and attention to detail. On behalf of the Bruin family, I want to congratulate Gerrit, his family, and the Yankees organization on winning this prestigious award."
Cole was the unanimous selection for the 2023 AL Cy Young, garnering all 30 first-place votes.
Cole went 15-4 this past season with the Yankees, leading the AL in a wide variety of statistics including ERA (2.63), WAR (7.4), winning percentage (.789), innings (209), WHIP (0.98), hits allowed per nine innings (6.8), ERA+ (165), and shutouts (two). He added 222 strikeouts, his third consecutive 200+ K season. ย
The other finalists for the award were Kevin Gausman (Toronto Blue Jays) and Sonny Gray (Minnesota Twins).
A three-year standout atop the UCLA rotation from 2009-11, Cole was inducted into the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022. Over 50 career appearances in Westwood, Cole recorded a 3.38 ERA and 376 strikeouts over 322 1/3 innings. At the conclusion of his junior year, he was selected No. 1 overall in the 2011 MLB Draft by Pittsburgh, becoming the first-ever No. 1 pick in program history.
A Freshman All-American in 2009 and second-team All-American in 2010, Cole helped the Bruins to back-to-back NCAA Tournament berths in 2010 and 2011, including a trip to the 2010 College World Series. He still ranks second in program history in career strikeouts, while also ranking fifth in games started (49) and seventh in innings pitched.
Stay tuned to @UCLABaseball on Twitter for all team updates.
The 2023 AL Cy Young Award winner is Gerrit Cole! pic.twitter.com/eytKsQYECA
โ MLB (@MLB) November 15, 2023