Every Dodgers Cy Young Winner Ranked
No franchise in Major League Baseball commands a pitching pedigree quite like the Los Angeles Dodgers. Since Major League Baseball inaugurated the Cy Young Award in 1956, Brooklyn and Los Angeles pitchers have captured the honor a record 12 times across eight different arms. From unmatched multi-year peaks to cultural phenomena that changed baseball forever, having all the Dodgers Cy Young winners ranked side-by-side reveals just how ridiculously high the standard on Chavez Ravine has always been.
To build this ranking, we weighed peak single-season dominance, raw run prevention (ERA and ERA+), workload, historical impact, and how their award-winning campaigns hold up against the greatest pitching seasons of all time.
How We Evaluate Dodger Pitching Royalty
Ranking award winners from different eras is inherently difficult. Don Newcombe won the very first Cy Young Award back when only one pitcher in all of baseball received the trophy, tossing 268 innings in a 154-game schedule. Decades later, Éric Gagné claimed the hardware throwing barely 82 innings out of the bullpen.
When examining the Dodgers Cy Young winners ranked by sheer dominance, we place heavy emphasis on run prevention adjusted for era (ERA+), strikeout superiority, and the burden carried by each pitcher. While relief dominance is remarkable, starter workload and playoff-caliber endurance carry greater weight when separating the good from the immortal.
The Specialists and Trailblazers: No. 8 to No. 6
8. Éric Gagné (2003)
Season Line: 2-3, 55 SV (55 opportunities), 1.20 ERA, 137 K, 82.1 IP, 337 ERA+
Gagné's 2003 season remains one of the most electric bullpen displays ever seen. Backed by guns-and-roses stadium theatrics and an unhittable vulcan changeup, Gagné converted every single save opportunity he faced while striking out 15.0 batters per nine innings. Relievers winning the Cy Young is a controversial rarity today, which lands Gagné at No. 8 despite his immaculate season.
7. Mike Marshall (1974)
Season Line: 15-12, 21 SV, 2.42 ERA, 143 K, 208.1 IP, 141 ERA+
Long before modern pitch counts and load management, Mike "Iron Mike" Marshall authored a campaign that will never be repeated. Marshall pitched in an absurd 106 games—all in relief—logging 208.1 innings out of the bullpen. He was manager Walter Alston's ultimate escape hatch, winning 15 games in relief and taking home the first Cy Young ever awarded to a bullpen arm.
6. Don Newcombe (1956)
Season Line: 27-7, 3.06 ERA, 139 K, 268.0 IP, 131 ERA+
Before Koufax or Drysdale arrived, "Newk" set the benchmark. In 1956, Don Newcombe made history by winning both the inaugural Cy Young Award and the National League MVP. He led baseball with 27 wins and completed 18 games while walking just 46 batters over 268 innings. His milestone season laid the groundwork for Brooklyn's transition into the West Coast pitching powerhouse it became.
The Cultural Giants and Workhorses: No. 5 to No. 3
When assessing the Dodgers Cy Young winners ranked in baseball history, this middle tier features the pitchers who defined generations of Los Angeles sports culture.
5. Fernando Valenzuela (1981)
Season Line: 13-7, 2.48 ERA, 180 K, 192.1 IP, 135 ERA+, 8 Shutouts
"Fernandomania" was not just a pop-culture craze; it was built on pure dominance. In the strike-shortened 1981 season, the 20-year-old rookie took the baseball world by storm, tossing eight shutouts in 25 starts. Fernando Valenzuela remains the only player in Major League history to capture the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Award in the same season, capping off his magical year with a gritty World Series ring.
4. Don Drysdale (1962)
Season Line: 25-9, 2.83 ERA, 232 K, 314.1 IP, 133 ERA+
Operating in the same rotation as Sandy Koufax, "Big D" had his finest individual season in 1962. Drysdale led the majors in wins (25), starts (41), innings pitched (314.1), and strikeouts (232). Renowned for his menacing sidearm delivery and inside brushback pitches, Drysdale gave the Dodgers an intimidating workhorse who refused to leave the hill.
3. Orel Hershiser (1988)
Season Line: 23-8, 2.26 ERA, 178 K, 267.0 IP, 149 ERA+, 8 Shutouts
Orel Hershiser's 1988 campaign represents one of the most clutch single seasons in modern baseball history. Beyond his 23 wins and eight shutouts, "The Bulldog" ended the regular season with 59 consecutive scoreless innings, shattering Don Drysdale's long-standing major league mark. Hershiser carried that momentum directly into October, earning NLCS and World Series MVP honors in one of the most dominant postseasons ever pitched.
The Immortals: Kershaw vs. Koufax for the Crown
Choosing the top spot among Dodgers Cy Young winners ranked by modern metrics comes down to two iconic left-handers who defined two distinct golden eras of Dodger baseball.
2. Clayton Kershaw (2011, 2013, 2014)
Best Year (2014): 21-3, 1.77 ERA, 239 K, 198.1 IP, 197 ERA+
Clayton Kershaw's four-year peak between 2011 and 2014 is the most lethal pitching stretch of the modern era. Kershaw led the NL in ERA for four straight seasons, picking up Cy Young awards in 2011, 2013, and 2014 (and finishing second in 2012).
His 2014 season was nothing short of breathtaking: despite missing a month with an injury, he went 21-3 with a 1.77 ERA, threw a no-hitter that was an infield throwing error away from perfection, and claimed both the NL Cy Young and NL MVP. Over his three Cy Young seasons, Kershaw struck out 709 batters and posted an astonishing 0.93 WHIP in an offensive-minded modern era.
1. Sandy Koufax (1963, 1965, 1966)
Best Year (1965): 26-8, 2.04 ERA, 382 K, 335.2 IP, 160 ERA+
Sandy Koufax stands at No. 1 because his peak is baseball's ultimate standard. In 1963, 1965, and 1966, Koufax won three Cy Young Awards—and all three were unanimous. He won the Triple Crown of pitching in each of those three seasons, leading the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts every time.
In 1965, Koufax struck out 382 batters in 335.2 innings, fired a perfect game, and held opposing hitters to a .179 batting average. His left arm literally carried the Dodgers to pennants and World Series crowns while pitching through excruciating arthritis. Kershaw has the longevity, but Koufax's peak remains untouchable in franchise lore.
All 12 Dodger Cy Young Seasons At a Glance
| Year | Pitcher | Record | ERA | IP | SO | Notable Feat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Don Newcombe | 27-7 | 3.06 | 268.0 | 139 | Inaugural Cy Young & NL MVP |
| 1962 | Don Drysdale | 25-9 | 2.83 | 314.1 | 232 | Led MLB in IP and Strikeouts |
| 1963 | Sandy Koufax | 25-5 | 1.88 | 311.0 | 306 | Triple Crown, Unanimous Cy Young, NL MVP |
| 1965 | Sandy Koufax | 26-8 | 2.04 | 335.2 | 382 | Triple Crown, Modern NL Strikeout Record |
| 1966 | Sandy Koufax | 27-9 | 1.73 | 323.0 | 317 | Triple Crown, Career-high 27 Wins |
| 1974 | Mike Marshall | 15-12 | 2.42 | 208.1 | 143 | First Reliever to win Cy Young (106 G) |
| 1981 | Fernando Valenzuela | 13-7 | 2.48 | 192.1 | 180 | Only Rookie to win Cy Young & ROY |
| 1988 | Orel Hershiser | 23-8 | 2.26 | 267.0 | 178 | 59 Consecutive Scoreless Innings |
| 2003 | Éric Gagné | 2-3 | 1.20 | 82.1 | 137 | 55-for-55 Saves, 15.0 K/9 |
| 2011 | Clayton Kershaw | 21-5 | 2.28 | 233.1 | 248 | NL Pitching Triple Crown |
| 2013 | Clayton Kershaw | 16-9 | 1.83 | 236.0 | 232 | Sub-2.00 ERA season, 0.91 WHIP |
| 2014 | Clayton Kershaw | 21-3 | 1.77 | 198.1 | 239 | NL Cy Young and NL MVP |
Frequently asked questions
Which team has the most Cy Young Award winners in MLB history?
The Los Angeles Dodgers hold the major league record with 12 Cy Young Awards won by eight different pitchers: Don Newcombe, Don Drysdale, Sandy Koufax (3), Mike Marshall, Fernando Valenzuela, Orel Hershiser, Éric Gagné, and Clayton Kershaw (3).
How are the Dodgers Cy Young winners ranked overall in franchise history?
Sandy Koufax and Clayton Kershaw sit comfortably at the top thanks to their multiple awards and Triple Crown campaigns, followed by postseason heroes like Orel Hershiser, Fernando Valenzuela, and Don Drysdale.
Has a Dodger reliever ever won the Cy Young Award?
Yes, two Dodgers relievers have won the award: Mike Marshall in 1974 (pitching an MLB-record 106 games in relief) and Éric Gagné in 2003 (converting all 55 save opportunities).
Where do multi-time Dodgers Cy Young winners ranked together stand?
Only Sandy Koufax and Clayton Kershaw have won multiple Cy Young trophies with the Dodgers, each earning three. Koufax won three unanimous awards in four seasons (1963, 1965, 1966), while Kershaw took home hardware in 2011, 2013, and 2014.