Last Year's Cy Young Winners Set to Do Something Not Done in Last 19 Years of Baseball History

For the first time since 2005, neither of the previous year's Cy Young winners will be taking the ball on Opening Day. Blake Snell remains unsigned at this point and Gerrit Cole is set to miss at least two months of action with an elbow injury.

Reigning Cy Young winners Blake Snell and Gerrit Cole are set to be part of an unfortunate pairing in baseball history as the 2024 season opens up in 11 days.

Per Bob Nightegale of USA Today:

This will be the first time since 2005 that neither of the defending Cy Young award winners will be pitching opening day with Cole sidelined and Blake Snell still unsigned.

The last Cy Young tandem not to start the following season was Roger Clemens and Johan Santana. 

It's well documented that Snell is still a free agent, with the Houston Astros being the latest team to balk at his contract demands. Cole, on the other hand, is set to miss at least two months of action with an elbow injury.

Ironically enough, the Yankees have been linked to Snell as a possible replacement for Cole, but thus far the team hasn't re-engaged in conversations from earlier this offseason.

Snell is coming off a year in which he went 14-9 with a 2.25 ERA for the San Diego Padres. He won his second Cy Young Award, having also won the AL Cy Young award in 2018 as a member of the Tampa Bay Rays. The 31-year-old is 71-55 lifetime over his eight-year career. He's a one-time All-Star.

The 33-year-old Cole is entering his 12th year in the big leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros and Yankees. He's been in New York since 2020 and won the Cy Young last year, going 15-4 with a 2.63 ERA. His ERA led the American League. He's led the AL in ERA in two separate seasons, also posting a 2.50 in 2019 with Houston.

A six-time All-Star, Cole is 145-75 lifetime with a 3.17 ERA. He's won double-digit games in nine separate seasons.

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