An Early Look at the American and National League Cy Young Contenders
As we approach the halfway point of the season, a small number of clear contenders for the CY Young have emerged. In the National League, Paul Skenes has become a dominant star for the Pirates in just his second season. The 23-year-old has an outstanding 2.12 ERA, with opponents batting just 0.177 against him. Tarik Skubal, meanwhile, remains the favorite to earn his second consecutive CY Young in the American League.
National League
Paul Skenes (-200)
Paul Skenes was a highly sought-after prospect in college, when he boasted a 2.18 career ERA, including a 1.69 in his final year at LSU. In 2023, he became the first player ever to win the College World Series, be named most outstanding player, and get drafted first overall in the same year. Now in his second season in the league, he’s been as dominant as he’s been at any level of play, crushing opposing batters with a devastating triple-digit fastball. For the Pirates, however, Skenes’ heroics have simply not been enough. Despite his impressive numbers, he only holds a 4-7 record this season, and a whopping six no-decisions. Skenes should win the National League Cy Young this year, barring a possible but unlikely trade before the July 31st deadline.
Zack Wheeler (+400)
The second favorite to win the National League Cy Young Award is Phillies’ ace Zack Wheeler. The veteran in his 11th season is looking as sharp as he’s ever had, posting a 2.45 ERA and 0.92 WHIP through 99 innings pitched. Notably, Wheeler is striking out batters at a higher rate than at any time in his career, with a K/9 clip of 11.5. It’s a huge reason this Phillies team leads the NL East, and bodes well for things to come. If Skenes wasn’t having the season he has right now, Wheeler would be the clear-cut favorite to win the Cy Young.
Logan Webb (+850)
Logan Webb is one of the most consistent starting pitchers in all of baseball. From 2021 to this year, his ERA year-to-year has remained consistently between 3.5 and 2.5. Webb, as good as any pitcher in the league, excels at forcing weak ground balls from opponents. As a result, he limits the number of home runs allowed. His home runs allowed per nine rate is the fourth lowest in baseball, only behind Jose Soriano, Kris Bubic, and Paul Skenes. I like the direction of this San Francisco Giants team, and Webb has been a big part of it. If he keeps things up, he’ll have a chance at chasing down Skenes.
American League
Tarik Skubal (-130)
Tarik Skubal has been one of the most exciting pitchers to watch in the last two seasons. He was a player who mostly flew under the radar his first several years in the league, despite playing consistently as a starter for the Tigers. Now, he’s widely regarded as one of the premier pitchers in the game. Only Skenes has a better ERA between the last three seasons than Skubal’s 2.45. The southpaw throws fastballs up to 103 miles per hour, before slowing things down with a changeup that just keeps batters guessing. The American League Cy Young favorite pitches tonight against the Twins in front of a home crowd for this week’s production of Sunday Night Baseball.
Garret Crochet (+350)
For a team that has seemed to have lost its identity in the last five to ten years, Garret Crochet has emerged as one of the legitimate stars of the Red Sox. After spending his first five years with the White Sox, Crochet has found a home where he can thrive in Boston. His 2.06 ERA is not only a career best for him, but also the third-lowest in all of baseball. A lot can be said about Crochet’s strikeout rate. No one in baseball has struck out more batters than Crochet’s 135 so far this season. If the Red Sox look to rebuild with an all-new young roster, Crochet is a good place to start.
Hunter Brown (+480)
Does any team in baseball develop pitchers better than Houston? Probably not. Hunter Brown has been with the Astros for his entire career, and every year he’s simply gotten better. This year is no exception; the 26-year-old now sits with an astonishing 1.76 ERA, which leads all of baseball by a somewhat significant margin. He isn’t allowing many walks, he isn’t allowing almost any home runs, he’s barely even allowing hits. In fact, his WHIP rate is the fourth lowest in baseball at 0.89. As just the third favorite to win the American League Cy Young, oddsmakers don’t see his incredible run remaining at this level. His next start is set for this Wednesday in Colorado. It’s fair to say the Rockies have struggled this year, but runs come easily in Colorado, so it will certainly be a test for Brown to keep his ERA this low.
