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When was the last Triple Crown winner in MLB?

By Bethany Cohen

Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera.
Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera. / Mark Cunningham/GettyImages
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One of the many coveted honors a Major League Baseball player can achieve is a Triple Crown. There are two types of Triple Crowns in baseball — one on the hitting side of the game and the other for starting pitchers.

With three months of the 2024 MLB season complete, it's hard to tell whether or not the league will see another Triple Crown winner this season. In the meantime, take a look back at Major Leaguers who have achieved this accomplishment.

What is the Triple Crown in baseball?

There are two different types of Triple Crowns in Major League Baseball. The most talked about would be the Triple Crown title that a hitter can accomplish. The player must finish as the league leader in home runs, RBIs (runs batted in) and batting average.

The other type of Triple Crown title is on the pitching side of the game. The pitcher must finish as the league leader in ERA (earned run average), wins and strikeouts in order to win the title.

Last MLB Triple Crown winner

Former Detroit Tigers infielder Miguel Cabrera is the last hitter to win the Triple Crown title. The now-retired Cabrera, did so in 2012, making it only the 12th time a player in Major League Baseball hit for a Triple Crown. Cabrera was also the first player to do so in 45 years. Miguel Cabrera finished the 2012 MLB season with a .330 batting average, 44 home runs and 139 RBIs. In 2012, Cabrera also had the first 200-hit season of his MLB career. He was named the American League Most Valuable Player for his historic season.

The last MLB pitcher to win the Triple Crown title was Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Shane Bieber. Unfortunately for Bieber, his achievement came in the 2020 MLB season that was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bieber finished the 60-game season with eight wins, a 1.63 ERA and 122 strikeouts.

Every batting Triple Crown winner in MLB history

There have 12 hitters in Major League Baseball history to win a Triple Crown title. Winning the title is a tough feat, a big reason as to why it has been 12 years since Miguel Cabrera managed it. Below are the 12 MLB hitters who have won a Triple Crown along with the team they played for and the season in which it was achieved.

  • 2012: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers
  • 1967: Carl Yastrzemski, Boston Red Sox
  • 1966: Frank Robinson, Baltimore Orioles
  • 1956: Mickey Mantle, New York Yankees
  • 1947: Ted Williams, Boston Red Sox
  • 1942: Ted Williams, Boston Red Sox
  • 1937: Joe Medwick, St. Louis Cardinals
  • 1934: Lou Gherig, New York Yankees
  • 1933: Jimmie Foxx, Philadelphia Athletics
  • 1933: Chuck Klein, Philadelphia Phillies
  • 1925: Roger Hornsby, St. Louis Cardinals
  • 1922: Roger Hornsby, St. Louis Cardinals

Every pitching Triple Crown winner in MLB history

Unlike the Triple Crown title for hitters, there have been more pitchers who have won the title. A total of 28 pitchers have won the title in MLB history and as mentioned above Shane Bieber was the last to do so in 2020. Only six pitchers have done it this century.

  • 2020: Shane Bieber, Cleveland Indians — 8 wins, 1.63 ERA, 122 K's
  • 2011: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers — 21 wins, 2.28 ERA, 248 K's
  • 2007: Jake Peavy, San Diego Padres — 19 wins, 2.54 ERA, 240 K's
  • 2006: Johan Santana, Minnesota Twins — 19 wins, 2.77 ERA, 245 K's
  • 2002: Randy Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks — 24 wins, 2.32 ERA, 334 K's
  • 1999: Pedro Martinez, Boston Red Sox — 23 wins, 2.07 ERA, 313 K's
  • 1998: Roger Clemens, Toronto Blue Jays — 20 wins, 2.65 ERA, 271 K's
  • 1997: Roger Clemens, Toronto Blue Jays — 21 wins, 2.05 ERA, 292 K's
  • 1985: Dwight Gooden, New York Mets — 24 wins, 1.53 ERA, 268 K's
  • 1972: Steve Carlton, Philadelphia Phillies — 27 wins, 1.97 ERA, 310 K's
  • 1966: Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodgers — 27 wins, 1.73 ERA, 317 K's
  • 1965: Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodgers — 26 wins, 2.04 ERA, 382 K's
  • 1963: Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodgers — 25 wins, 1.88 ERA, 306 K's
  • 1945: Hal Newhouser, Detroit Tigers — 25 wins, 1.81 ERA, 212 K's
  • 1940: Bob Feller, Cleveland Indians — 27 wins, 2.61 ERA, 261 K's
  • 1939: Bucky Walters, Cincinnati Reds — 27 wins, 2.29 ERA, 137 K's
  • 1937: Lefty Gomez, New York Yankees — 21 wins, 2.33 ERA, 194 K's
  • 1934: Lefty Gomez, New York Yankees — 26 wins, 2.33 ERA, 158 K's
  • 1931: Lefty Grove, Athletics — 31 wins, 2.06 ERA, 175 K's
  • 1930: Lefty Grove, Athletics — 28 wins, 2.54 ERA, 209 K's
  • 1924: Walter Johnson, Senators — 23 wins, 2.72 ERA, 158 K's
  • 1924: Dazzy Vance, Robins — 28 wins, 2.16 ERA, 262 K's
  • 1920: Pete Alexander, Chicago Cubs — 27 wins, 1.91 ERA, 173 K's
  • 1918: Walter Johnson, Senators — 23 wins, 1.27 ERA, 162 K's
  • 1918: Hippo Vaughn, Chicago Cubs — 22 wins, 1.74 ERA, 148 K's
  • 1916: Pete Alexander, Phillies — 33 wins, 1.55 ERA, 167 K's
  • 1915: Pete Alexander, Phillies — 31 wins, 1.22 ERA, 241 K's
  • 1913: Walter Johnson, Senators — 36 wins, 1.14 ERA, 243 K's
  • 1908: Christy Mathewson, Giants — 37 wins, 1.43 ERA, 259 K's
  • 1905: Rube Waddell, Athletics — 27 wins, 1.48 ERA, 287 K's
  • 1905: Christy Mathewson, Giants — 31 wins, 1.28 ERA, 206 K's
  • 1901: Cy Young, Americans — 33 wins, 1.62 ERA, 158 K's
  • 1894: Amos Rusie, Giants — 36 wins, 2.78 ERA, 195 K's
  • 1889: John Clarkson, Beaneaters — 49 wins, 2.73 ERA, 284 K's
  • 1888: Tim Keefe, Giants — 35 wins, 1.74 ERA, 335 K's
  • 1884: Old Hoss Radbourn, Grays — 59 wins, 1.38 ERA, 441 K's
  • 1877: Tommy Bond, Red Stockings — 40 wins, 2.11 ERA, 170 K's
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