Reds: 5 instances Cincinnati pitchers almost won the NL Cy Young

Will Trevor Bauer breakthrough and finally deliver a Cy Young Award winner to the Reds?

The 64-year drought of Cincinnati Reds pitchers coming up winless in the race for the Cy Young Award may be coming to an end Wednesday night. Right-hander Trevor Bauer is in an excellent position to claim his first Cy Young Award. Bauer, who finished sixth in the American League voting in 2018, put together a sensational 2020 season.

The 29-year old Bauer led the senior circuit in ERA, ERA +, WHIP, and hits allowed per nine innings. Additionally, he finished second in strikeouts and was named the NL Pitcher of the Month for September. Quite simply, Bauer is almost solely responsible for ending the Reds six-year playoff drought.

This may be the best chance Reds Country has had to see one of their fan-favorites take home the award. Since the Cy Young Award was first bestowed upon the best pitcher in the league beginning with the 1956 season, the Reds are one of only three National League teams not to have a Cy Young recipient.

What makes it all the more exasperating is the Cincinnati Reds had a 37-year head start on the two franchises (Miami Marlins and Colorado Rockies) who played their inaugural season beginning with the 1993 campaign.

Even though quality starting pitching and the Reds often appear to be oxymorons, there have been five seasons in which Cincinnati pitchers almost collected the elusive grand prize. As far as the runners up are concerned they almost all have unique stories.

There’s the superstar attempting to add one more prize to his trophy case, a couple of Cincinnati farmhands achieving the heights many had been anxiously awaiting., a solid southpaw putting together a dream season, as well as a fellow left-hander who came from out of nowhere and vanished almost as quickly. Let’s take a look back on the near Cy Young misses for the Reds.