Top 30 Cy Young Award Winners of all-time
By Jason Evans
30. Willie Hernandez-1984 Detroit Tigers
9-3 1.82 ERA 32 saves
1984 AL MVP winner
0.94 WHIP
2.58 FIP
204 ERA+
In 1984, the Detroit Tigers went wire to wire in the American League and won the World Series, beating the San Diego Padres. One of the big reasons was the relief of Willie Hernandez.
When you can lock-down the end of the game, it’s a valuable commodity. Just ask the New York Yankees when they had Mariano Rivera.
Hernandez was sixth in WAR among all AL pitchers in 1984 and the only reliever to make the cut. He led all AL pitchers in games with 80. Hernandez was first in the AL in Win Probability Added at 8.6. Second place? A full four wins behind him.
Hernandez also led the league in games finished with 68. Hernandez had one of the best seasons a reliever ever had in the modern era. Whether or not you agree with the vote for MVP, you have to appreciate what Hernandez did for a team that won the World Series.
Yes it was different era than the specialized era we are in now, but that doesn’t mean you can take away what he accomplished.
Hernandez won’t be the only reliever on this list, but it’s the last time you’ll see him on it. The next two seasons, Hernandez made the All-Star team, but never reached the heights he did in 1984 and retired five years later.