Milwaukee Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski and New York Yankees sensation Cam Schlittler were officially named the unanimous Cy Young Award recipients on Wednesday, confirming widespread expectations for the two most dominant starting pitchers of the 2026 Major League Baseball season.
Misiorowski, who was instrumental in leading the Brewers' pitching staff to the franchise's inaugural World Series championship, garnered all 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sanchez secured second place, while veteran Atlanta Braves southpaw Chris Sale finished third in the voting.
Schlittler, making his mark in his first full season with the Yankees, emerged as a breakout star within a formidable rotation. He, too, received all 30 first-place votes. Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dylan Cease and Cleveland Guardians hurler Parker Messick placed second and third, respectively, in the American League balloting.
Additionally, Wednesday's announcements included the inaugural Reliever of the Year awards. San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller was honored in the National League, while Blue Jays closer Louis Varland received the award for the American League.
Misiorowski's Championship Season Dominance
The 24-year-old Misiorowski, renowned for his triple-digit fastball, delivered an exceptional season. He recorded the lowest earned run average for a starting pitcher in all of baseball at an astounding 1.80. Across 30 starts, he also led the league with 252 strikeouts.
As the Brewers amassed an impressive 103 regular-season victories, Misiorowski, affectionately known as "The Miz," maintained an elite 0.80 WHIP and posted a 6.6 fWAR, leading all pitchers in this advanced metric.
His Cy Young win marks him as only the fourth pitcher in Brewers history to receive the esteemed award, following Corbin Burnes in 2021, Pete Vuckovich in 1982, and Rollie Fingers in 1981.
Even more remarkably, Misiorowski became the first pitcher since Hall of Famer Randy Johnson in 2001 (with the Arizona Diamondbacks) to achieve the rare feat of winning both the Cy Young Award and a World Series title in the same season.
Standing at 6-foot-7, Misiorowski made history in June when his fastball against Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Chicago Cubs registered an astonishing 105.5 mph, becoming the fastest pitch ever thrown by a starter in the Statcast era. Throughout the season, he averaged 100.6 mph on his fastballs, delivering over 1,000 pitches at that velocity or higher.
Schlittler's Unexpected Rise in the American League
In the American League, the 6-foot-6 Schlittler also consistently unleashed a triple-digit four-seamer. While Misiorowski's peak velocity might edge him out, Schlittler proved equally dominant in his first full season with the Yankees, building on an impressive showing in 2025.
Few in the Bronx anticipated the 25-year-old would become the ace of a rotation that already featured established stars like Gerrit Cole, the Yankees' most recent Cy Young winner in 2023, Carlos Rodon, and Max Fried.
Schlittler concluded the season with an AL-best 1.95 ERA and notched 239 strikeouts over 33 starts. The Yankees' pitching staff led the league in ERA during the regular season, a testament to Schlittler's pivotal contributions, which included allowing one run or fewer in 21 of his 33 outings.
Notably, Schlittler seemed to thrive away from his home stadium, posting an outstanding 1.16 ERA across 17 starts on the road.
From Seventh-Round Pick to Ace
A Massachusetts native, Schlittler grew up a devoted Boston Red Sox fan and now playfully antagonizes that fanbase on social media. He is a product of the Yankees' robust minor league system, originally a seventh-round draft choice out of Northeastern University.
Early in his career, Schlittler's arsenal didn't always feature the high-velocity fastballs he's known for today, instead mixing in a devastating curveball, cutter, and sinker. However, after making significant mechanical adjustments and adding considerable muscle, the Yankees witnessed a dramatic increase in Schlittler's velocity, moving from the low 90s to the upper 90s, frequently touching triple digits. Similar to Misiorowski, Schlittler possesses the rare ability to not only overpower hitters but also command his heaters with pinpoint accuracy, making him exceptionally difficult to square up.
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