On November 15, 1989, Bret Saberhagen was named the American League Cy Young Award winner for the second time (also, 1985), becoming the first and only two-time Cy Young Award winner in Royals history.
Saberhagen went 23–6 with a 2.16 ERA (63 ER in 262.1 IP) in 36 outings (35 starts) for the 92-win Royals in 1989 and led the AL in wins, winning percentage (.793), ERA, innings, WHIP (0.96), strikeout-to-walk ratio (4.49) and complete games (12). In 27 seasons since, no Royals pitcher has thrown at least eight complete games in a season.
The Royals are the only Major League team to have three of their own drafted players (since 1965) win a Cy Young Award with their original team.