Fastball

Chris Sale, Tarik Skubal Both Aiming For Rarely-Seen Baseball History in 2024

The Tigers and Braves aces appear set to win the Cy Young Awards, but can they accomplish the rarely-seen Triple Crown?

Brady Farkas

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale (51) in action against the Colorado Rockies in the seventh inning at Truist Park on Sept 3.
Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale (51) in action against the Colorado Rockies in the seventh inning at Truist Park on Sept 3. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images
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Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal and Atlanta Braves ace Chris Sale both appear set to capture their first-ever Cy Young Awards this season.

However, they are each angling for more than that. Each pitcher has a theoretical chance at history rarely seen on the mound.

The following note came from Bob Nightengale of USA Today on Sunday morning:

 While Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is a lock to be the AL Cy Young award winner, he has a chance to join an exclusive group: Leading the major leagues in victories, ERA and strikeouts.

The only two pitchers to win the pitching triple crown: Mets starter Dwight Gooden in 1985 and Mets starter Johan Santana in 2006.

However, after that note came out, Sale went 6.0 scoreless innings for Atlanta. So, both players actually have a chance to accomplish this feat, though Sale now has the inside track.

Chris Sale

Tarik Skubal

Win-loss record

16-3 (t-1st in wins)

16-4 (t-1st in wins)

ERA

2.38 (1st)

2.53 (2nd)

Strikeouts

213 (1st)

208 (2nd)

Skubal can get there, but he'll need a little slip-up from Sale at the end of the season. Both pitchers need to be on top of their games as their teams are still in contention.

Atlanta enters play on Monday in a tie for the third and final wild card spot in the National League. Detroit is 3.5 games back in the American League, but the Twins are reeling in front of them, having just been swept by the Kansas City Royals.

The Braves will open up a new series on Monday against the Cincinnati Reds. First pitch is 6:40 p.m. ET. The Tigers are off Monday but will take on the Rockies beginning Tuesday.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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