Two first-time honorees were announced as Cy Young Award honorees in the National League and American League on Wednesday. The New York Mets' Jacob deGrom and Tampa Bay Rays' Blake Snell shined in beating out two veteran pitchers for the trophy. 

deGrom got 29 of 30 first-place votes from the Baseball Writers Association of America to best runner-up, three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer. The votes were closer for Snell, but he still edged last year's World Series star, Justin Verlander. 

deGrom 1.70 ERA was by far the best in baseball. It was the sixth-lowest total posted by a qualifying pitcher since MLB lowered the mound in 1969. 

The 217 innings deGrom pitched ranked second in the game and he also set a record for consecutive quality starts. Voters valued his strong season despite his 10-9 record, due largely to the lack of run support he was given by the Mets offense. 

Snell led the AL with a 1.89 ERA and all of baseball with 21 wins. He also paced both leagues in batting average against and ERA+. 

Snell was the best when it mattered the most, posting a 9-2 record and 2.00 ERA against the league's five playoff teams. With his success, he has brought more light to an entirely new role on a pitching staff that the Rays have implemented called the "opener." 

To inquire about Jacob deGrom and Blake Snell's speaking fees and appearance costs, contact the agents at Athlete Speakers by calling us at 800-916-6008 or by Starting Your Booking Request Now.