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The Twinsâ recent dominance of Cy Young contenders could be historic
TL;DR
The Minnesota Twins recently showcased impressive performances against top Cy Young contenders, sparking discussions about their potential historic dominance. This comes after a notable game where they outperformed three pitchers likely in the running for the AL Cy Young Award.
Key points
- Minnesota Twins showcased impressive performances
- Dominated against Cy Young contenders
- Potential historic dominance in the AL Cy Young race
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 07: Tarik Skubal #29 of the Detroit Tigers reacts to his strikeout for the 900th of his career in the first inning against Luke Keaschall #15 of the Minnesota Twins (not pictured) at Target Field on April 07, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) | Getty Images
After some particularly impressive performances against usually-dominant starting pitchers last week, this graphic began making the rounds on social mediaâŠ
A truly remarkable battering of three hurlers who could easily find themselves in AL Cy Young Award consideration by seasonâs end.
Per my usual âthis got me wondering aboutâŠâ thought process, I looked back at the past 15 years (2011-2025) of AL Cy Young Award winners to see how the Twins performed against each in their hardware haul campaigns. What I found was surprising in just how easily the Cy Young chuckers carved up MN lumber:
- 2011 Justin Verlander: 3-0, 21.2 IP, 2.49 ERA, 1.11 WHIP
- 2012 David Price: 1-0, 7 IP, 2.57 ERA, 1.00 WHIP
- 2013 Max Scherzer: 3-0, 20.1 IP, 1.77 ERA, 0.98 WHIP
- 2014 Corey Kluber: 2-1, 23.1 IP, 2.70 ERA, 1.11 WHIP
- 2015 Dallas Kuechel: 1-0, 8 IP, 3.38 ERA, 0.88 WHIP
- 2016 Rick Porcello: 1-0, 13.2 IP, 3.29 ERA, 1.02 WHIP
- 2017 Kluber: 0-0, 7 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.71 WHIP
- 2018 Blake Snell: 1-1, 10 IP, 3.60 ERA, 1.30 WHIP
- 2019 Verlander: 1-1, 14 IP, 1.29 ERA, 0.57 WHIP
- 2020 Shane Bieber: 2-1, 21 IP, 2.14 ERA, 0.81 WHIP
- 2021 Robbie Ray: 1-0, 6 IP, 1.50 ERA, 1.17 WHIP
- 2022 Verlander: 2-0, 14 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.21 WHIP
- 2023 Gerrit Cole: 1-0, 9 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0.33 WHIP
- 2024 Tarik Skubal: 2-0, 18 IP, 2.50 ERA, 0.89 WHIP
- 2025 Skubal: 1-0, 14 IP, 1.93 ERA, 0.71 WHIP
In a certain sense, this is a little unsurprising. For a pitcher to win the award named after Denton True Young, wire-to-wire dominance is nearly a requirement. Even so, I would have expected the Twins to have at least put a crooked number in the tally of one award-winner over the past decade and a half. But outside of âhey, we scored a couple run off Blake Snell in 2018â, it hasnât happened.
So, if the likes of Valdez, Skubal, or Crochet hoist hardware in November, 2026 would represent the first time in a while that the Twins have truly traumatized a top-flight black-ink bump man.
Q&A
How did the Minnesota Twins perform against Cy Young contenders?
The Minnesota Twins delivered remarkable performances against three starting pitchers who are strong candidates for the AL Cy Young Award.
What impact could the Twins' recent performances have on the Cy Young race?
The Twins' dominance over Cy Young contenders could significantly influence the award race, highlighting their offensive strength against top pitchers.
Who are the Cy Young contenders the Twins faced recently?
The Twins faced three starting pitchers who are expected to be in contention for the AL Cy Young Award, though specific names were not mentioned in the excerpt.
