Mason Miller's 2026 stats:

11.1 IP
27 Ks
0.00 ERA
8 saves

Nine relief pitchers have won the Cy Young Award. They are:

1. Mike Marshall — 1974 (NL)
2. Sparky Lyle — 1977 (AL)
3. Bruce Sutter — 1979 (NL)
4. Rollie Fingers — 1981 (AL)
5. Willie Hernández — 1984 (AL)
6. Mark Davis — 1989 (NL)
7. Steve Bedrosian — 1987 (NL)
8. Dennis Eckersley — 1992 (AL)
9. Éric Gagné — 2003 (NL)

AI case

Miller’s case to become the 10th reliever to win the Cy YoungMiller’s case to become the 10th reliever to win the Cy Young

• Dominant early numbers: Miller entered the 2026 season allowing 0 runs in 11.1 IP with 27 K and a 0.35 WHIP — elite rate stats that already put him in rare company for relievers this early in a season. <citation src="5,3"></citation>
• Extreme strikeout profile: He’s striking out batters at an eye-popping rate (over 70% of batters faced in the small sample), which gives voters a clear, eye-catching metric to weigh against starters. <citation src="4,2"></citation>
• Market recognition: Sportsbooks and outlets have already given Miller top-five NL Cy Young odds, showing the narrative and valuation are shifting toward him as a legitimate contender. <citation src="4"></citation>
• What he must do: Sustain dominance while increasing workload — voters historically reward rate stats only when paired with meaningful innings (think 60–80 IP, an MLB-leading save total, sub-0.80 WHIP and elite K/BB). If Miller posts something like 70 IP, 0.60 ERA, ~0.70 WHIP and 45–55 saves, he becomes the clearest modern candidate to overcome starter bias. <citation src="4,5"></citation>
• Historical context: Relievers have won before but not since 2003; recent voting trends favor starters because of innings and WAR accumulation. Miller’s path requires both historic rate dominance and enough counting stats to close the gap. <citation src="4"></citation>

Bottom line: if Miller keeps up historic rate dominance and pushes his innings and save totals into the 60–80 IP / 40–50 save range, he has a realistic shot to be the 10th reliever to win the Cy Young.