Chris Sale was one of the ace left-handers Tarik Skubal idolized as a teenager. Now the two will be linked forever after winning their first Cy Young Awards on Wednesday.
Skubal was a unanimous pick for the American League honor following a brilliant season with the Detroit Tigers. Sale's selection in the National League capped an incredible comeback with the Atlanta Braves after the 35-year-old had been derailed by injuries since helping Boston win the 2018 World Series.
"It means a lot. It's a special night," Sale said. "I just can't express how thankful I am for everybody that stuck by me. It would have been easy to jump ship and write me off."
Skubal and Sale shared the MLB lead with 18 wins this season and dominated their respective leagues.
Sale went 18-3 and topped the NL with 225 strikeouts, while his 2.38 ERA in 29 starts was the best among all major league qualifiers. It was his first season in the National League during a big league career that began in 2010 with the Chicago White Sox.
