Chicago Cubs: Comparing every Cubs Cy Young season

Chicago Cubs: The first of many Cy Youngs in the career of Greg Maddux came in 1992 as a Cub

After making his first of eight All-Star games in 1988, Greg Maddux won his first of four Cy Young Awards in 1992. This was his only Cy Young as a Cub, with the other three being earned while with the Atlanta Braves.

In 1992 Maddux pitched to a 2.18 ERA, 2.58 FIP, 1.01 WHIP, 20 wins and 7.0 fWAR in 35 starts. He pitched the most innings in all of baseball (268) and had the lowest FIP and ERA+ in the National League. His control was good (2.4 BB/9) but not quite as good as it would be with the Braves. Oh, and shockingly he won a Gold Glove that year as well.

Two other guys had a lower ERA among qualifiers, the lowest being Bill Swift on the Giants, but looking at the FIP and ERA+ numbers, it makes perfect sense to give the award to Maddux. Swift pitched in 30 games and only 22 of them were starts. Also worth noting that the only other pitcher in the NL to win 20 games was Maddux’s future teammate and fellow Cooperstown member Tom Glavine.

Maddux would go to Atlanta right after winning this award and establish himself as a Hall of Famer before returning to the Cubs in 2004.