Paul Skenes Unanimously Wins 2025 NL Cy Young Award to Join Historic MLB Club

Welcome to the history books, Paul Skenes.

The Pittsburgh Pirates ace won the 2025 National League Cy Young award on Wednesday, and he did so in unanimous fashion. That made him the first National League pitcher to take home the award unanimously since Sandy Alcantara did so in 2022 as a member of the Miami Marlins.

Skenes' girlfriend, Livvy Dunne, had a set up ready for him after winning the award:

While just winning the Cy Young alone is an incredible achievement, he joined a list of some of the best pitchers in the history of the game who won it unanimously.

Here are all the unanimous winners:

• Sandy Koufax (three times)
• Greg Maddux (twice)
• Sandy Alcantara
• Clayton Kershaw
• Roy Halladay
• Jake Peavy
• Randy Johnson
• Orel Hershiser
• Dwight Gooden
• Rick Sutcliffe
• Steve Carlton
• Bob Gibson
• Roger Clemens (twice)
• Pedro Martinez (twice)
• Johan Santana (twice)
• Justin Verlander (twice)
• Denny McLain
• Ron Guidry
• Gerrit Cole
• Tarik Skubal

While the Pirates finished in last place this season, Skenes was an obvious bright spot as he established himself as a foundational centerpiece for the franchise.

The 2024 NL Rookie of the Year posted a 1.97 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 216 strikeouts in 187.2 innings. He led the league in ERA, WHIP, ERA+ (217), FIP (2.36) and home runs per nine innings (0.5), per Baseball Reference.

Pittsburgh couldn't have asked for a better start to his career.

The right-hander caught the league by storm as an All-Star who finished third in Cy Young voting as a rookie and picked up right where he left off as the best pitcher in the National League throughout his second season.

With his complete control of the game from the mound and head-turning velocity, Skenes is appointment viewing every time he takes the field. That he is just 23 years old suggests he might become even more dominant as he picks up more experience at the major league level.

If he does, this might be the first of many unanimous Cy Young awards for the fireballer.