Gerrit Cole not only pitcher to face woes a year after winning Cy Young

Gerrit Cole, who will miss at least the first one or two months of the season with an elbow injury, is just the latest reigning American League Cy Young award-winner to run into trouble the following year.

Here’s a look at some other recent winners that have struggled with health or performance the next season:

2022: Justin Verlander

After another standout season with the Astros in ’22, Justin Verlander signed a two-year, $86.7 million contract with the Mets and then missed the first part of the season with a low-grade teres major strain.

He ended up pitching fairly well in Queens before a midseason trade to Houston, but he didn’t come close to the dominance of a year prior.

Justin Verlander AP

Explore More

2021: Robbie Ray

After the best season of his career with the Blue Jays in 2021, Ray went to Seattle on a five-year, $115 million deal and saw his ERA go up nearly a full point, from 2.84 to 3.71 in ’22.

2020: Shane Bieber

Bieber followed up his Cy Young by testing positive for COVID and then ended up on the IL with a subscapularis strain that cost him more than three months for Cleveland in 2021.

2019: Justin Verlander

The right-hander’s 2020 season started with a groin injury that required surgery and it got worse from there.

After just one start, Verlander was shut down with a strained forearm and needed Tommy John surgery.

2018: Blake Snell

Blake Snell Getty Images

Snell turned his Cy Young into a five-year, $50 million deal with the Rays.

He then broke a toe on his right foot while moving furniture in April and underwent arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow.

His ERA jumped from 1.89 to 4.29.

2017: Corey Kluber

The exception to the rule, at least lately, Kluber followed up his superb Cy Young campaign by being nearly as good in 2018 with Cleveland, finishing third in the voting.