The Cy Young Award is the ultimate prize for MLB pitchers, but sometimes, even the best arms in baseball history get snubbed.
Whether they were overshadowed by legends, suffered from bad timing, or just never had that one dominant season, these 10 pitchers had Hall of Fame talent but never took home the Cy Young. Let’s count them down!
10. Charlie Hough – The Knuckleball Workhorse
Charlie Hough might not be the first name that comes to mind, but the guy was a machine. He threw over 3,800 innings, racked up 216 wins, and made hitters miserable with his knuckleball. He had some strong seasons, but in an era dominated by power pitchers, a knuckleballer was never going to get enough votes.
9. Kevin Appier – Perpetually Underrated
Kevin Appier was one of the most underrated pitchers of the ‘90s, posting a 2.56 ERA in 1993 and leading the league in WAR. But since he played for the Royals—who weren’t exactly making headlines—he never got the Cy Young love he deserved.
8. Mark Langston – The Strikeout King Who Got Snubbed
Langston was an elite strikeout artist, leading the AL in K’s three times. He had some dominant years, especially in the late ‘80s, but he always seemed to finish behind someone having a slightly better season. He did get a ring with the 1995 Braves, but no Cy Young.
7. Jimmy Key – Consistently Great, Never the Best
Jimmy Key had four top-five Cy Young finishes but never won the award. He wasn’t flashy, but he was rock-solid, winning 186 games and posting a career ERA of 3.51. Unfortunately, he played in an era packed with dominant aces who overshadowed him.
6. Jon Lester – The Big-Game Ace Without a Cy
Lester was a monster in the postseason, helping the Red Sox and Cubs break their respective curses. But despite multiple top-five Cy Young finishes, he never took home the hardware. Maybe if they gave out an award for October dominance, he’d have a couple.
5. Bert Blyleven – The King of “How Did He Not Win One?”
Blyleven finally got into the Hall of Fame, but somehow, he never won a Cy Young despite being one of the most dominant pitchers of his era. He struck out over 3,700 batters and had 60 shutouts, but playing for mediocre teams hurt his chances.
4. Nolan Ryan – The Biggest Snub of Them All
Nolan Ryan threw seven no-hitters, racked up 5,714 strikeouts (the all-time record), and was basically a baseball god. But because he played in an era when win-loss records mattered way too much, he never won a Cy Young. If voters had focused on his strikeouts and dominance rather than his sometimes-high ERA, he’d have won multiple.
3. Curt Schilling – More Rings, No Cy Young
Schilling was dominant in the postseason, helping the Diamondbacks and Red Sox win World Series titles. He also had three second-place Cy Young finishes but was always the runner-up—twice to his own teammate (Randy Johnson). His lack of a Cy Young is one of baseball’s great injustices.
2. Mike Mussina – Mr. Almost
Mussina had six top-five Cy Young finishes and never won. He was one of the most consistent pitchers of his time, dominating with both the Orioles and Yankees. His best chance came in 1999, but Pedro Martínez was unstoppable that year. Bad timing.
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1. Jim Kaat – 25 Seasons, 283 Wins, Zero Cy Youngs
Kaat pitched for 25 years, won 283 games, and even took home 16 Gold Gloves. Despite all that, he never won a Cy Young. The main reason? He played in an era stacked with legendary pitchers like Sandy Koufax and Bob Gibson. Even though he finally got into the Hall of Fame in 2022, the Cy Young always eluded him.
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