Henry Roldán
The Major League Baseball season is closer than ever and at JefeBet we’re not wasting any time analyzing the favorites to win the top awards of the tournament, including the MLB Cy Young in 2023, both in the American and National Leagues.
Both leagues have top-notch pitchers, and there’s no doubt that the competition will be fierce. Want to know who the contenders are? Well, we’ve got an analysis of each one of them, as well as who could surprise us by the end of the regular season.
All odds are courtesy of DraftKings
Predictions, Betting Preview, and Favorites to Win the Cy Young Away in the MLB During the 2023 Season
American League
Favorites
Jacob de Grom (+450) | Texas Rangers
The two-time National League award-winning pitcher has signed with the Rangers for the next five seasons. If he stays healthy, he could become the sixth pitcher to win the award in both leagues.
Thanks to his unhittable arsenal, led by a fastball that touches 100 miles per hour, DeGrom has recorded 1,607 strikeouts in 1,326.0 innings pitched. He’s also been recognized for having the best earned run average and has led the league in strikeouts twice while wearing the Mets uniform.
Gerrit Cole (+650) | New York Yankees
Twice already (in 2019 and 2021), the Yankees’ right-handed pitcher has finished in second place in the voting, but at 32 years old, he’ll have another great opportunity to win the prestigious award.
Throughout his career, Cole has earned a top spot in effectiveness with the Astros in 2019, and if we don’t count the 2020 season, he’s strung together four consecutive seasons with at least 240 strikeouts, including the most in all of Major League Baseball in 2019 and 2022.
Alek Manoah (+850) | Toronto Blue Jays
Ever since his debut with the Blue Jays in 2021, this right-handed pitcher has been a true sensation, even becoming a key player in the team’s rotation.
Last season, with an impressive 2.24 ERA and a 3.35 FIP, this 24-year-old rising star finished third in American League voting. With another year of experience under his belt, Manoah is poised to snag the most coveted award for a pitcher in the Major Leagues.
Sleeper Picks
Dylan Cease (+900) | Chicago White Sox
The White Sox starting pitcher is coming off his best season yet in the MLB, finishing second in the American League Cy Young Award voting.
Cease tallied over 220 strikeouts for the second consecutive year and, despite issuing 78 walks, his talent led him to a 2.20 ERA. If he can improve his control, there’s no doubt he’ll be a strong contender for the award.
Shane Bieber (+950) | Cleveland Guardians
The ace of the Guardians is one of the top baseball pitchers out there, and he’s already got a Cy Young award under his belt after taking home the accolade during the shortened 2020 season.
Back then, he boasted a 1.63 ERA with 122 strikeouts in just 77.1 innings pitched, while last year he placed seventh in the voting by leaving a 2.88 ERA and 1.040 WHIP in 200 innings.
Dark Horse
Shane McClanahan (+1200) | Tampa Bay Rays
If it weren’t for a couple of pesky injuries that kept him out of action for a while, the Rays’ ace would have most likely placed higher than seventh in last year’s Cy Young voting.
This lefty was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball, with an ERA of 2.54, FIP of 3.00, and a WHIP of 0.926, racking up an impressive 194 strikeouts in just 166.1 innings pitched. These stats speak to his talent and why he should be considered a serious contender for the award.
JefeBet Prediction
There’s no doubt that if Jacob deGrom can stay healthy, he’ll be one of the top contenders for the Cy Young award. Although he had some physical discomfort during spring training, he’s expected to start the season in the Rangers’ rotation, so we can project that the right-hander will start performing from day one of the regular season. Cole will be a tough competitor, but deGrom is one step ahead of him in terms of dominating opponents and will be pitching in a less friendly stadium for opposing offenses.
Prediction: Jacob deGrom.
National League
Favorites
Sandy Alcántara (+450) | Miami Marlins
After five seasons of high expectations, the Dominican player finally reached his peak last year by winning the National League Cy Young award with an impressive 2.28 ERA, six complete games, and leading the league in innings pitched with 228.2.
However, this season he’ll not only have to prove that he can maintain his consistent numbers, but also that he can compete with the great pitchers in the league. It’s time to show the world what he’s made of!
Corbin Burnes (+550) | Milwaukee Brewers
The winner of the 2021 Cy Young award came in seventh place in last season’s voting, but there’s no reason to believe that he’ll perform any worse on the mound this year.
This right-hander from the Brewers led the National League in strikeouts with 243, making it two seasons in a row with at least 230 strikeouts. He also kept his ERA below 3.00 for the third year in a row and finished with a WHIP below 1,000 for the second consecutive season.
Justin Verlander (+600) | New York Mets
Verlander is not only going to have his first experience in the National League after 17 seasons in the young circuit, but last year’s American League Cy Young winner could become the sixth pitcher to win the award in both leagues, and the first to do so in consecutive years.
The Mets’ right-hander is a frequent contender for the award, having won it three times and finished second three times. At 39 years old, he still throws with great velocity and is coming off a season where he led the MLB in ERA (1.75), ERA+ (220), and WHIP (0.829).
Sleeper Picks
Max Scherzer (+800) | New York Mets
Verlander’s teammate on the Mets is one of those pitchers who have won the Cy Young in both leagues. He earned his first recognition with the Tigers, and the other two, in consecutive seasons, with the Nationals organization.
Although some injuries affected Scherzer’s performance last season, in the 145.1 innings he pitched, he left an excellent 2.29 ERA with 173 strikeouts and a 0.908 WHIP.
Spencer Strider (+950) | Atlanta Braves
The young Braves’ starter has earned himself a spot among the favorites to win the National League Cy Young award after finishing second in the 2022 Rookie of the Year voting.
Strider pitched 131.2 innings, striking out an incredible 202 batters while allowing only seven home runs, resulting in a FIP of 1.83 and an ERA of 2.67. This kid is definitely a major talent to watch out for!
Dark Horse
Julio Urías (+2000) | Los Angeles Dodgers
In Las Vegas, they don’t seem to have much faith in the Mexican starter. However, after his last two seasons with the Dodgers, he has undoubtedly earned the opportunity to be considered a threat to the top Cy Young candidates.
The lefty led all of MLB in 2021 with 20 wins, while last season he topped the National League in both ERA (2.16) and ERA+ (194) to finish third in the award voting within the senior circuit.
JefeBet Prediction
While Alcántara has youth on his side and hasn’t pitched in a market as big as the Mets, Verlander proved last season that his arm is fully recovered from his 2021 Tommy John surgery.
New York’s new starter will be pitching in the National League for the first time and will need to adapt to many things, but opposing lineups will also have to face one of the best pitchers of the last decade in the Major Leagues.
In addition, Verlander will have the support of a great team that is built to do big things this year. He knows that winning another Cy Young award will only add to his legacy on the path to the Hall of Fame once he retires. So, it’s time to get ready for some exciting games ahead!
Prediction: Justin Verlander.
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