In the midst of a lackluster Yankees season, Gerrit Cole emerged as a standout performer, consistently providing a beacon of hope for victory every time he stepped onto the field. Throughout his exceptional campaign, the ace right-hander remained unwavering in his commitment to the team's success.

On Wednesday, Cole reaped the fruits of his labor, clinching his inaugural American League Cy Young Award. This historic achievement marked the first time a Yankee secured the honor since Roger Clemens in 2001. In a unanimous decision, Cole triumphed over notable AL contenders Kevin Gausman (Blue Jays) and Sonny Gray (Twins).

Cole joins an esteemed group of Yankees who have claimed the Cy Young Award, including Bob Turley (1958), Whitey Ford (1961), Sparky Lyle (1977), Ron Guidry (1978), and Roger Clemens (2001), marking him as the sixth pitcher in pinstripes to achieve this prestigious honor.

“I’m very proud of this season,” Cole said. “I’m very proud of some of the other seasons where I made a pretty strong run at this award as well. There was a lot of momentum going into this.”

At 33 years old, Cole compiled an impressive record of 15-4 with a 2.63 ERA and 222 strikeouts across 33 starts. His ERA stood as the lowest in the AL and the second-lowest in the Majors, with only the Padres' Blake Snell (2.25) surpassing him and securing the NL Cy Young Award.

“We’ve had great pitchers in and out of this place, leaders on and off the field,” Cole said. “Those are people who set a really high example and a really high bar of what it means to be a great Yankee. That served as an inspiration to me as a kid, and now, I’m living out my dream.”

Yankees manager Aaron Boone expressed that the accolade is well-earned for Cole. The ace pitcher had previously secured two second-place finishes in AL Cy Young voting, first in 2019 with the Astros behind teammate Justin Verlander, and then in 2021 with the Yankees trailing Robbie Ray. Additionally, Cole garnered three other top-5 finishes in 2015, 2018, and 2020.

In his fourth season with the Yankees in 2023, Cole expressed that he found an advantage in a more predictable environment, especially considering the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and a player lockout in previous campaigns.

In his fourth season with the Yankees in 2023, Cole expressed that he found an advantage in a more predictable environment, especially considering the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and a player lockout in previous campaigns.

“Over the course of my career, I just attribute it to constantly trying to get better and constantly trying to make adjustments,” Cole said.

In various notable statistical categories, Cole led the Majors with a WHIP of 0.98 and held the top spot in opponents' on-base percentage at .259. He also shared the lead in quality starts with 24, topping the American League in this regard, and recorded two shutouts, placing him at the forefront in this achievement as well.

In 26 out of his 33 starts this season, Cole allowed two runs or fewer, marking the highest tally in the Majors. This achievement also equaled Ron Guidry's performance in 1978, securing the second-highest number of such outings by a Yankee in a single season. Only Jack Chesbro, with 28 in 1904, surpassed this record. Furthermore, Cole's 2.63 ERA stands as the lowest among qualified Yankees since Rudy May's 2.46 in 1980.