As the 2024 MLB season nears its conclusion, the Cy Young races appear to be wrapped up.
Tarik Skubal and Chris Sale lead the MLB odds to win the AL and NL Cy Young Awards, respectively. Skubal has the AL side all but wrapped up and while Zack Wheeler has pushed Sale at times, the southpaw holds the edge with only a couple of days left on the calendar.
Let's look at the latest MLB Cy Young odds.
Odds to win AL Cy Young award 2024
Player | |||
---|---|---|---|
Tarik Skubal | -5,000 | -5,000 | -5,000 |
Emmanuel Clase | +2,500 | +1,800 | +2,500 |
Seth Lugo | +4,000 | +4,000 | +4,000 |
Cole Ragans | +5,000 | +4,500 | +8,000 |
Corbin Burnes | +6,000 | +5,500 | +5,500 |
Odds OTB as of 9-25.
AL Cy Young odds analysis
10/1/2024: Detroit Tigers lefty Tarik Skubal wrapped up the pitching Triple Crown by leading the AL in wins (18), strikeouts (228), and ERA (2.39).
Tarik Skubal has won the American League Pitching Triple Crown!
— MLB (@MLB) September 29, 2024
Skubal is the third @Tigers pitcher to ever accomplish the feat (Justin Verlander in 2011, Hal Newhouser in 1945). pic.twitter.com/pIeIcAg9mY
He helped lead the Tigers back to the postseason for the first time since 2014. He is a sure thing to win the AL Cy Young, making him the first Tigers pitcher to earn the honor since Max Scherzer in 2013.
Previous AL Cy Young action
9/25/2024: Detroit Tigers lefty Tarik Skubal is now 18-4 with a 2.39 ERA and 0.92 WHIP with 228 strikeouts over 192 innings. He allowed one run over his last two starts (12 innings) to completely seal the AL Cy Young deal. The odds are officially off the board. And while Skubal is technically lined up to start the season finale on Sunday, that game will be against the White Sox, whom he will send packing into oblivion. Though, if the Tigers have clinched a playoff spot, I wouldn't be surprised if they hold him back to start their first postseason game. Either way! No one else is winning. Bettors have followed along with the lefty, too, as BetMGM reports that 21/7% of handle and 14.6% of total tickets are on Skubal.
9/17/2024: At 16-4 with a 2.50 ERA, Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal has the AL Cy Young award locked up. Books have him at -5,000 to win, and it's at least somewhat surprising that it's still an available market. With two weeks left in the season, the gap is too wide even if Skubal slips on a banana peel and implodes in his final start.
9/10/2024: Unsurprisingly, Detroit Tigers lefty Tarik Skubal has been the hottest ticket in this market for the season. BetMGM reports that his betting handle of 21.8% and ticket percentage of 14.8% lead all AL hurlers vying for Cy Young. This also makes him the biggest sportsbook liability, and he's almost assuredly winning. Yes, he's coming off a middling start against the Oakland A's where he allowed two runs on nine hits in 5 2/3 innings, but he still struck out seven and didn't issue a single free pass for a third straight outing.
9/3/2024: Put a fork in this race, it belongs to Tarik Skubal. The Detroit Tigers lefty is coming off a dominant outing against the Boston Red Sox where he allowed one run on four hits with eight strikeouts and no walks over eight innings of work. It was his longest outing of the season and he did it on an efficient 98 pitches (72 were strikes). Corbin Burnes, his closest rival for much of the season, has struggled of late, failing to complete six innings in any of his last four starts. Skubal should prevail, even if there remains a bit of a groundswell for Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase. Skubal does everything to impress both old-school baseball fans (16-4, 2.51 ERA) while also being utterly dominant in the eyes of the analytics crowd. In other words, he passes the eye test and holds up under more rigorous scrutiny.
8/27/2024: While Tarik Skubal maintains a healthy lead on the odds board, another candidate has quietly made a case for himself. Cleveland Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase is putting together one of the most effective reliever campaigns in recent memory. The right-hander's 0.60 ERA leads all qualified relievers, and his 0.67 WHIP would be the best of his career. He's allowed one home run in 61 1/3 innings and leads the AL with 38 saves. However, relievers have rarely been considered for this honor, especially in recent years. It's been more than 20 years since a closer won a Cy Young, coming when Eric Gagne saved 55 games with a 1.20 ERA for the 2003 Los Angeles Dodgers. The last AL reliever to do it was Dennis Eckersley in 1992 (51 saves, 1.91 ERA). Now, you could argue that Clase's ERA puts him in that conversation, but my brain immediately takes me back to 2016 Zack Britton. The Baltimore Orioles lefty finished that season with 47 saves, a 0.54 ERA, and 0.84 WHIP while striking out 74 in 67 innings. It was arguably the best closer season since Gagne and Britton finished fourth in Cy Young voting. That was the year when Rick Porcello inexplicably won. Clase also doesn't strike batters out, boasting a pedestrian 23.7% K rate. Now, he pitches in a way that doesn't require punchouts with one of the highest ground-ball rates in baseball, but he's also not a prototypical dominant closer in that arena. I'm not saying that should or does disqualify him, but it might be a deciding factor if a voter is picking between him and Skubal.
8/19/2024: Tarik Skubal (-1,100) is starting to put the AL Cy Young race to bed. His last three starts have seen him give up just four runs and nine hits over 22 innings and his ERA is back under 2.50 after drifting up at the start of August. Corbin Burnes remains the second choice (+800) but he just gave up eight runs on 10 hits to the Red Sox in a start that saw him last just four innings.
8/13/2024: Tarik Skubal had a rough outing against the Royals to kick off August but followed that up by allowing two runs on three hits in seven innings while striking out nine against the Mariners. Pitcher wins aren't valued as highly as they once were, for good reason, but he's 13-4 with a 2.57 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 2.68 FIP, and 171 strikeouts in 143 1/3 innings. All those marks other than WHIP lead the AL.
7/31/2024: The Detroit Tigers did not trade Tarik Skubal at the trade deadline, which helps cement his present status as the AL front-runner to win Cy Young. Erstwhile teammate Jack Flaherty, however, is now on the Los Angeles Dodgers and will not be taking home the hardware after splitting his season between the two leagues. Still, Skubal is not running away with it. Baltimore Orioles righty Corbin Burnes is fresh off an outing against the Blue Jays where he allowed two runs on four hits while striking out seven in 6 2/3 innings, dropping his ERA to 2.47. Still, Skubal outpaces Burnes in most metrics and it will require at least some regression from the lefty for Burnes to actually pull ahead. Meanwhile, though it is probably too little too late, Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Taj Bradley could be an ace in the making. After allowing nine earned runs on nine hits (four homers) and three walks in 3 1/3 innings against Baltimore on June 1, ballooning his ERA to 5.81, Bradley has gone 5-1 while allowing just five earned runs over his ensuing 55 innings (nine starts). That 0.82 ERA in that span has dropped his overall number to 2.43. He remains a long shot, but you won't find 60/1 if he keeps this streak alive much longer.
7/23/2024: Of all the candidates, Seth Lugo's ability to sustain his production is likely the most surprising. Before the San Diego Padres deployed him exclusively as a starter in 2023, the New York Mets used him predominantly as a reliever after bouncing him between the rotation and bullpen since he debuted in 2016. Now, the 34-year-old is a first-time All-Star coming off his first career complete game and leads the majors in innings pitched with 136. He is 12-4 and sports a 2.38 ERA and 1.04 WHIP. Yes, Tarik Skubal is the front-runner and will most likely win if he's not traded, but Lugo should be garnering more attention at this point.
7/16/2024: The most interesting wrinkle in Tarik Skubal's pursuit of the AL Cy Young is the growing interest other teams have in acquiring the Detroit Tigers lefty. The Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers are both apparently ready to empty the prospect cupboard to make a play at Skubal before the July 30 trade deadline. Only one pitcher — Rick Sutcliffe in 1984 — has ever won a Cy Young and been traded in the same season. Sutcliffe was traded within the same league, so if Skubal goes to Baltimore, there's less risk involved than if he gets dealt to the Dodgers. With one award still given for each league, he would only have half a season of numbers available to be counted against full campaigns from Chris Sale and Zack Wheeler. But again, no pitcher other than Sutcliffe has ever been traded and then won the Cy Young in the same season. There's still the chance that the Tigers don't trade him as he's under team control through the 2026 season, which would also help his chances at winning, at least from a historical perspective. If Corbin Burnes is the next best option, you'll have to be proactive, though that is also a risky proposition if Skubal ultimately stays put.
7/9/2024: Detroit Tigers lefty Tarik Skubal has put a couple of shaky starts in his rearview mirror, allowing four earned runs over 20 innings across his last three outings. This includes his most recent appearance where he struck out a career-high 13 over seven innings of one-run ball vs. the Cincinnati Reds. Skubal is 10-3 with a 2.37 ERA and has been flat-out dominant at times. The odds board is pretty on point, and Corbin Burnes is likely the next man up if Skubal gets injured or hits the skids. However, Seth Lugo has quietly put together a campaign worthy of consideration. The Kansas City Royals righty is 11-3 with an MLB-leading 2.21 ERA and 122 innings pitched. He doesn't generate whiffs at the same frequency as Skubal but he's got an effective gameplan. People, and books, have likely slept on him because he's a 34-year-old veteran who has bounced between the rotation and bullpen for most of his career. Skubal's got a more dazzling approach — and would win if the season ended today — but Lugo's done yeoman's work for the Royals.
7/1/2024: The biggest drop this week is courtesy of Boston Red Sox righty Tanner Houck, who allowed eight runs (seven earned) on nine hits in 4 1/3 innings against the San Diego Padres in his last start. He allowed three home runs in the outing after allowing just two over his first 16 starts on the season. If you believe this was just a blip and he'll recover (it was only the second time all season that he's allowed four-plus runs in a start) then 17/1 isn't bad, especially since he was as short as 15/2 a week ago.
6/25/2024: Tarik Skubal is human! The Detroit Tigers lefty allowed four or more earned runs in two of his first 13 starts on the season before doing so in back-to-back starts vs. Houston and Atlanta, raising his ERA from 1.92 to 2.50. He allowed three home runs in those two recent outings after surrendering three total over his previous 11. However, Corbin Burnes is coming off one of his shakiest outings — also against the Astros, who suddenly look dangerous — so the top of the odds board hasn't tightened all that much. Still, he went seven innings despite allowing four runs. The AL race is very up in the air as a result. Boston Red Sox righty Tanner Houck is the ERA leader at 2.18 and has done a remarkable job of keeping the ball in the ballpark, allowing just two home runs in 103 1/3 innings. I wouldn't invest in Garrett Crochet at his current number for a couple of reasons. One, he's a trade candidate because the Chicago White Sox are so awful that they might have to trade a young arm like him because they need to retool for the distant future. Two, while his peripherals have been remarkable, the 3.05 ERA might not get the job done with voters. The last time a pitcher won Cy Young with an ERA north of 3.00 was Rick Porcello in 2016 and that a) shouldn't have happened and b) was because he won 22 games. Crochet could be deserving by the end of the season, but with his odds hovering just under 10/1, I want a better number considering the risk.
6/12/2024: The status quo remains as Tarik Skubal continues his pursuit of winning his first Cy Young. After allowing four runs over five innings on May 22, Skubal has bounced back by allowing just two total earned runs across 19 2/3 innings while striking out 24 over his last three starts. However, his 1.92 doesn't lead the AL. Boston Red Sox right-hander Tanner Houck narrowly edges him with a 1.91 ERA and boasts the best HR/9 in the Junior Circuit at 0.21.
6/4/2024: Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal has separated himself from the pack enough to be reasonably considered a legitimate front-runner. He has allowed two or fewer earned runs in 10 of his 12 starts, with five being the scoreless variety. He's also hit 91+ pitches in six of his last seven games so he can pitch effectively deep into games. He hasn't been chased before completing at least five innings at any point this season, owning a 1.97 ERA and 0.88 WHIP in 73 innings.
5/28/2024: A week ago, Minnesota Twins right-hander Pablo Lopez was trading as short as 10/1 to win AL Cy Young and he's since cratered at most books, available as long as 60/1 today. Part of this is catching up, and part of it is things have gotten worse. Lopez has allowed 13 earned runs over his last two starts (9 2/3 innings) while allowing four home runs. His ERA has jumped from 3.93 to 5.25. Now, he had his share of blow-ups even before these two catastrophically bad outings, but he's also posted four starts with one run allowed. He's the definition of boom or bust. It's funny, his 27.7% strikeout rate isn't all that far behind last season's 29.2% mark, which seemed like an outlier anyway as a career-high, and his 4% walk rate is the best he's ever posted. However, he's allowing home runs at the most frequent rate of his career and he's getting leveled by hard contact. He may have dug himself into too deep a hole, especially with how well Tarik Skubal and Corbin Burnes continue to pitch, but if he can do a better job of keeping the ball in the park and reduce the amount of hard contact, he can fix a broken season.
5/21/2024: There's very little to note on the AL Cy Young side this week. Tarik Skubal continues to cruise and Corbin Burnes is coming off one of his most dominant outings as a member of the Baltimore Orioles.
5/14/2024: When Tarik Skubal debuted in 2020, he walked north of three batters per nine innings and 8.2% of everyone he faced. Both numbers have dropped every season and his walk rate rests at a career-best 4.2% through eight starts. While that is a relatively small sample, Skubal's trend of getting sharper has been several years in the making and his 2.02 ERA doesn't look like a fluke. Corbin Burnes, his most obvious rival in the AL Cy Young race, is pitching very well (2.68 ERA, 1.01 WHIP) but he's been trending in a different direction. While his walks are down from a year ago, he hasn't reclaimed that dominant form from 2021 when he posted a 5.2% walk rate (worse than Skubal's this year) while allowing just seven home runs in 167 innings. To put that into context, he's already surrendered six homers in 53 2/3 this season. Additionally, his strikeout rate has dipped every season since a career-high 36.7% in 2020 to 23.3% in 2024. None of this is to say Burnes isn't and won't continue to be a very good pitcher, he's second on the odds board for a reason, but it seems unlikely that he'll suddenly find that overpowering form. And if he's pitching more to contact, that is simply more difficult to maintain a base level of success without the occasional blowup (look at Logan Webb's last few starts). If Burnes was available around 10/1, I'd be more inclined to take a flier on him.
5/6/2024: Just as he looked like he might be staking his claim as one of the upper-echelon hurlers in the American League, Baltimore Orioles right-hander Grayson Rodriguez landed on the injured list with a shoulder injury. Not great. It will ultimately depend on the severity of the injury, but Rodriguez's chances at winning AL Cy Young are greatly diminished as a result. For now, only FanDuel truly reflects this by moving his odds to +8,000 from just +2,000 a week ago. His Orioles teammate Corbin Burnes is left to do battle with Detroit Tigers lefty Tarik Skubal until someone else joins the fray on the back of a couple of consecutive sparkling outings.
4/30/2024: We haven't spent enough time on Detroit Tigers lefty Tarik Skubal in this space. The fact is Skubal has been one of baseball's best pitchers since returning from injury last summer. Through six starts this season, Skubal is 4-0 with a 1.72 ERA and 0.74 WHIP with 41 strikeouts in 36 2/3 innings. He's allowed more than two earned runs in just one outing (against the Oakland Athletics of all teams) and has been generally dominant. He was second on the odds board until this week, leaping Baltimore Orioles ace Corbin Burnes. The Seattle Mariners have four starters listed in the Top 15, but it's Bryce Miller who has looked the most impressive early and he's drawing the longest odds to win the Cy Young at 35/1. His BABIP is very low and his FIP screams regression but if you watched his most recent start, he's clearly got something working. He was perfect through five innings against the Atlanta Braves, had a no-hitter through six, and only surrendered the lead because Ronald Acuna Jr. stole two bases after reaching on a bloop hit. Miller struck out a season-high 10 batters and walked only one.
4/22/2024: Reid Detmers was trading as high as 40/1 at our last update. Those lines are long gone, and he's shorter than 20/1 at some books. He owns a 1.19 ERA through 22 2/3 innings across four starts. The lefty still isn't the most efficient, requiring 90 pitches to get through 5 1/3 against the Rays in his last outing, but he's done a wonderful job of preventing runs. He allowed seven hits in that Tampa start but only two runs plated and only one was earned.
4/15/2024: Another terrible outing has Kevin Gausman reeling. The normally dependable Toronto Blue Jays right-hander has allowed 12 earned runs in 9 1/3 innings, surrendering three homers in the process. It's a deep hole to dig out of and his odds haven't dipped enough to take a flier on him rebounding. Minnesota Twins right-hander Joe Ryan has joined the fray near the top of the board, though Caesars still offers 22/1 compared to 15/1 or shorter elsewhere. Ryan is coming off a fantastic outing where he struck out 12 Detroit Tigers over six innings while allowing only one earned run. Reid Detmers is another intriguing name on the board who had been absent until this update. A former top prospect, the Los Angeles Angels lefty is 3-0 with a 1.04 ERA and 26 strikeouts over 17 1/3 innings in two starts against the Red Sox and one against the Orioles. He's lined up to face the Rays next, and another sparkling effort will find his odds shortened even more.
4/9/2024: Shane Bieber's season is over. Nick Pivetta is on the IL with an elbow injury and might not pitch for a while. Framber Valdez is dealing with a sore elbow. Understandably, Bieber has disappeared from books (hopefully, you didn't jump on him after he recorded back-to-back scoreless outings before the Tommy John announcement). FanDuel seems to react more in the extreme to negative news and performance. Valdez is still listed in its odds but at 35/1 compared to 10/1 at DraftKings. Similarly, George Kirby's rough second start has seen him crater relative to the other sportsbooks. Hunter Brown has looked dreadful and the disparity in the odds is notable between +3,300 and +12,000 (!). Gerrit Cole isn't even listed at FanDuel. And while the Yankees ace is about to start throwing, he doesn't have a concrete return date, making his 11/1 odds at Caesars ludicrous. Meanwhile, Kevin Gausman is active but his velocity is down. He's not worried but books have moved him from a Top-3 favorite to further down the list.
4/4/2024: After a week of play, we are still awaiting more robust data outside of small sample sizes. Of the perceived contenders listed above, many only have two starts under their belts while others have one. Most of the time, a bad start won't be enough to upend your odds, especially early on, but FanDuel has potentially over-adjusted the line on Seattle Mariners right-hander George Kirby. The 26-year-old was thoroughly pummelled by the Cleveland Guardians in his second start, allowing eight runs on 12 hits in just 3 2/3 innings. That's an awful outing, but he also held the Boston Red Sox scoreless over 6 2/3 in his first game. Cleveland isn't a prolific offense, and Kirby kept the ball in the park while not issuing a walk. For now, this can be chalked up as an anomaly. If you're still bullish on Kirby, +2,500 is excellent value, especially after he opened the season at +1,400 or shorter. As far as snap reactions go, it looks like the time to jump on Guardians ace Shane Bieber was before the season. After an injury-shortened 2023, Bieber entered the season at around 30/1 in AL Cy Young odds. He's now +1,100 at best because he's yet to allow a run through 12 innings across two starts. He's racked up 20 strikeouts to only one walk. The caveat here is that one of his opponents was Oakland, who is easily the worst team in the AL.
3/27/2024: Three names immediately jump off the page this week, and it's mostly due to their line movement at DraftKings compared to other sportsbooks: Kansas City Royals lefty Cole Ragans, Cleveland Guardians righty Tanner Bibee, and Houston Astros sophomore Hunter Brown. Ragans has been a mainstay near the top of the board but below the heaviest favorites all offseason. Now, he's at +900 at DK and around 14/1 everywhere else. Pitcher wins have largely been eschewed as a measuring stick for success, and recent Cy Young winners have generally played on winning teams. In the last 10 seasons, only two winners have played on teams with losing records and neither was in the AL: 2022 Sandy Alcantara and 2018 Jacob deGrom. The Royals are projected to win 76 games, per FanGraphs, so while it is possible, Ragan might have a tough road ahead of him unless he pitches like 2010 Felix Hernandez or 2009 Zack Greinke, and is undeniable. Bibee and Brown are a bit different. The Guardians are probably a .500 team, but the pitching factory they've run for ages continues churning out solid arms. Bibee shined in his rookie campaign and makes up for his relative lack of strikeouts with excellent command while keeping the ball in the park. Brown petered off down the stretch last year but plays for one of the best teams in baseball and should have plenty of run support. If his stamina takes a step forward, he could conceivably be Houston's ace by season's end. Both Bibee and Brown are available at 100/1 or longer at some books.
3/14/2024: Uh oh. New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole will miss 1-2 months with an elbow injury and met with Tommy John specialist Dr. Neal ElAttrache. While a season-ending surgery hasn't been announced, and the Yankees are outwardly optimistic about his chances of returning this year, Cole's odds are understandably taking a nose dive. Elbow injuries are no joke and even if he does pitch this year, he'll be behind the 8-ball. Now, this could open up some opportunity from a betting perspective if the odds get long enough, but they're not there just yet. I'd want to see him at +5,000 or better to place a speculative wager on him but the longest we're seeing is +2,200. That juice is not worth the squeeze. It's crazy how quickly things can change. The Toronto Blue Jays may shift their rotation around to allow ace Kevin Gausman a little more time to ramp up following his recent shoulder fatigue but, for now, anyway, the right-hander isn't expected to be on the shelf to open the season. He's also now the betting favorite at some books to win AL Cy Young with Cole sidelined. Still, if that shoulder barks, these numbers could change quickly.
3/5/2024: The Toronto Blue Jays were the luckiest team in baseball when it came to pitcher health in 2023, with four hurlers tallying 30+ starts apiece, something no other team in the majors accomplished. Well, ace Kevin Gausman is dealing with shoulder fatigue and his status is suddenly up in the air for the rest of spring training and Opening Day. Now, it could be something he overcomes quickly and doesn't miss much — if any — time during the regular season. But, anytime the word "shoulder" pops up in terms of a pitcher injury, it's worth some concern. For now, betting odds haven't shifted, but it'd be wise to hold off on placing any wagers on Gausman until his situation clears because you're not getting a good price for the risk. Speaking of risk, New York Yankees left-hander Carlos Rodon is now on our odds list. Most importantly, he seems healthy. He's also working on adding a cutter to his arsenal, which could help against right-handed hitters. Barring an injury setback, these odds probably won't get longer, so if you're looking to take a flier on the big southpaw, now's the time. Remember, between 2021 and 2022 — both All-Star seasons — Rodon went 27-13 with a 2.67 ERA in 310 2/3 innings across 55 starts between the White Sox and Giants. He also struck out 422 batters for a 12.2 K/9. He's got the stuff, he just has to stay healthy.
2/29/2024: Since our last update, there's been some interesting movement. For one, Minnesota Twins ace Pablo Lopez is trading as long as +1,600 (DraftKings) after being between 10/1 and 12/1 just 10 days ago. Meanwhile, sophomore Baltimore Orioles right-hander Grayson Rodriguez is as short as +1,600 (Caesars) after the consensus had him no shorter than +2,500. Lopez got knocked around in his spring training debut, but we can't put too much stock in preseason results. With Kyle Bradish and John Means in limbo to start the year, Rodriguez will be under the spotlight in Baltimore. He's added a two-seamer to his pitch repertoire, which could be a huge step forward as he looks to live up to his top-prospect shine.
2/19/2024: And now the injury news starts trickling out. Baltimore Orioles right-hander Kyle Bradish is dealing with a sprained UCL, which could cost him a large chunk of the season or more. That diagnosis is often, though not always, a precursor to Tommy John surgery. Not all books have reacted to this news, however, as DraftKings and bet365 are still trading him between +3,000 and +3,300. FanDuel has bumped his odds a bit more to +7,000, but with his season hanging in the balance, that's a lot of risk to take on before a single pitch has been thrown. Bradish's teammate John Means is dealing with a setback to his throwing elbow. Means logged 23 2/3 innings last September as he returned from Tommy John and it looks like he'll open the season on the injured list. Manager Brandon Hyde said the tentative plan is for Means to make his season debut at some point in April. Similarly, Houston Astros veteran Justin Verlander said he's a couple of weeks behind schedule due to a shoulder issue. At 40, the three-time Cy Young winner is understandably winding his career down despite being able to compete at a high level when healthy. It will depend on exactly how much time he misses or if he's able to ramp up throughout spring to be ready for Opening Day.
2/12/2024: Other than some slight adjustments to Corbin Burnes' odds at bet365 and Grayson Rodriguez seeing his number shorten to +2,500 at bet365 and Caesars, AL Cy Young odds have been mostly in a holding pattern as we await more moves.
2/4/2024: All right, now we're cookin'. The Baltimore Orioles landed a massive fish in acquiring Corbin Burnes for Joey Ortiz and DL Hall. Ortiz is a talented infielder who might be all glove and no bat while Hall has long been touted as a rotation piece but control issues have limited him to the bullpen. Even if the Orioles don't extend Burnes, he is a top-of-the-rotation arm they've sorely needed as the young core has emerged. They dealt from a position of strength and depth and nabbed a 29-year-old righty who owns a 3.26 ERA over 709 1/3 career innings since debuting in 2018. Now, his ERA has trended up and his strikeout rates have trended down since winning the NL Cy Young in 2021. It remains to be seen if this will continue or if a change of venue brings him back to his most dominant self. For now, he's either fourth or fifth on the odds board a few weeks before pitchers and catchers report. If Burnes were able to pull it off with Baltimore, he would become the eighth pitcher to win a Cy Young in both the American League and National League, joining (in chronological order) Gaylord Perry, Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, Roy Halladay, Max Scherzer, and Blake Snell — who accomplished the feat just last year as a member of the San Diego Padres.
1/15/2024: Marcus Stroman signed a multi-year pact with the New York Yankees, but is either not on the board at all yet or is distantly outside the favorites (+8,000 at Caesars). There isn't a ton of variance from book to book, and Gerrit Cole is fairly firmly entrenched as the top option with Kevin Gausman right behind him.
1/2/2024: Not much has changed here since the last update. Gerrit Cole has seen his odds shorten at FanDuel while other books have started to open their markets. With Yoshinobu Yamamoto signing in the National League, there's at least a little less competition for the New York Yankees ace to worry about in his attempt to win consecutive trophies.
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Odds to win NL Cy Young award 2024
Player | |||
---|---|---|---|
Chris Sale | OTB | OTB | -2,500 |
Zack Wheeler | OTB | OTB | +1,200 |
Paul Skenes | OTB | OTB | +4,000 |
Logan Webb | OTB | OTB | +20,000 |
Dylan Cease | OTB | OTB | +20,000 |
Odds as of 9-25.
NL Cy Young analysis
10/1/24: You can make an argument in favor of Zack Wheeler over Chris Sale, but it's almost entirely based on innings. Wheeler paced the Atlanta Braves lefty by completing exactly 200 innings compared to 177 2/3 for Sale. But Sale, like Skubal in the AL, captured the pitching Triple Crown by leading the Senior Circuit in wins (18), strikeouts (225), and ERA (2.38).
It will be a total shame if Sale is forced to miss the postseason due to back spasms, but he should finally hoist a Cy Young award. Assuming this holds true, he will be the first Atlanta pitcher to win since Tom Glavine back in 1998.
Previous NL Cy Young action
9/25/24: Chris Sale will make his final start of the regular season tonight, and will be looking to add to his 18-3 record, 2.38 ERA, and 1.01 WHIP. His 225 strikeouts lead the Senior Circuit and will be making his 30th start for just the first time since 2017. It is still somewhat surprising that this market is mostly unavailable or that Zack Wheeler isn't being given much love. Yes, Sale is rightfully the frontrunner, but Wheeler has made more starts and has the better WHIP (0.96). He should get one more outing unless the Phillies sit him for October. But that's mostly moot as even with two very impressive seasons, one person will have to prevail and it's going to be Sale.
9/17/24: This race is closer than the AL one in that it's still somewhat undecided. It definitely favors Chris Sale, who is 17-3 with a 2.35 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 219 strikeouts in 172 2/3 innings. And after allowing one run on five hits in six innings vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers in his most recent outing, he's now gone 17 consecutive starts allowing two runs or fewer. But Zack Wheeler deserves his flowers, too. He's 15-6 with a 2.60 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 199 strikeouts in 179 2/3 innings. He's allowed two runs or fewer in eight straight and 22 of his last 25. Paul Skenes, who still has the highest ticket handle per BetMGM, isn't winning this year no matter how impressive he's been. It does look like he's got at least one in the future, though.
9/10/24: Another dynamite outing from Chris Sale — two hits, zero runs, seven strikeouts over six innings vs. Toronto — likely seals the deal on the Senior Circuit. He's 16-3 with a 2.38 ERA and an MLB-leading 213 strikeouts in 166 2/3 innings. If he finally wins his first Cy Young — assuming Zack Wheeler doesn't make a late surge — I think it might be fair to consider that he's a lock for the Hall of Fame. Yes, injuries derailed him from 2019-2023, but it's easy to forget how dominant he was from 2012-2018 when he made seven straight All-Star appearances, finished no worse than sixth in Cy Young voting, and boasted a 2.91 ERA with 1,678 strikeouts over 1,388 innings. While Sale has the highest handle, per BetMGM, at 22.9%, Paul Skenes has the highest ticket percentage (16.4%) and is the biggest liability.
9/3/24: The NL race is less set in stone. However, I feel it will require a couple of poor outings from Chris Sale to open things up for Zack Wheeler. Sale has now conceded two or fewer earned runs in 14 consecutive starts, dropping his season ERA to an NL-leading 2.58. Wheeler isn't far behind, however, with a 2.63 ERA and NL-leading 0.98 WHIP. Wheeler has been bombed out more recently, surrendering seven earned runs (three homers) in five innings against the Yankees on July 29. However, in six August starts, Wheeler went at least six innings and allowed no more than two runs in any outing. For the month, he went 4-2 with a 1.62 ERA and 44 strikeouts over 39 innings. So while Sale is in the driver's seat, Wheeler's recent run has kept him within striking distance.
8/27/24: Since allowing eight earned runs to the A's in early June, Chris Sale hasn't surrendered more than two earned runs in any of his most recent 13 starts. The lefty is 6-2 with a 2.25 ERA in that span with 109 strikeouts across 80 innings. He's been a model of consistency and has been just a touch more dominant than Zack Wheeler, who has been prone to blowing up more frequently.
8/19/24: While Skubal is pulling away in the AL, Chris Sale is at least starting to do the same in the NL. His odds sat in the -150 range a week but are not as short as -400 to start the week. His last start saw him strike out 10 while surrendering two runs in six innings of work against the Angels. It's far from a finished race, though. Zack Wheeler (+250 to +300) continues to be solid considering he has a 1.35 ERA in 20 August innings.
8/13/24: Chris Sale keeps silencing his doubters. The oft-injured veteran has avoided any major blow-ups and put an emphatic stamp on his resurrection in his last outing by blanking the San Francisco Giants over seven innings, allowing just three hits while striking out 12 and walking none. He is 13-3 with a 2.61 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 2.12 FIP with 177 strikeouts in 134 2/3 innings.
8/7/24: Hunter Greene probably doesn't win the NL Cy Young this year, but there could be one in his future. The former top prospect is having a breakout season and while he doesn't rank first in any one major category among NL pitchers, he's consistently near the top of the list with his only real blemish being his 9.4% walk rate (highest among qualified hurlers in the Senior Circuit). But he ranks sixth in K-rate, third in ERA, fifth in WHIP (despite the walks), sixth in swinging strike rate, eighth in innings pitched, and fifth in home runs allowed. No qualified NL pitcher has allowed fewer base hits than his 83. There's a lot to like, but it still seems like Chris Sale will be too hard to catch. I still prefer Zack Wheeler to Paul Skenes as an alternative because I expect the Pirates to taper their wunderkind off, but neither is at a price I like at the moment. If Greene was closer to Kirby's number of 27/1, I'd be inclined to take a flier on him. As it stands, I'm leaving well enough alone. As much as I'd love to take a chance on Glasnow at 70/1, I simply don't think he'll be able to play catchup.
7/31/24: Can Paul Skenes catch Chris Sale? Will the Pittsburgh Pirates give him enough run? For Skenes to even be in the conversation is a coup in its own right. But +180 isn't enough value. At 55-52, the Pirates are in the thick of the NL wild-card race and they were buyers at the trade deadline, adding Bryan De La Cruz, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Nick Yorke. However, they'll need to turn on the jets and overcome a ton of competition in the race. And if they start to dwindle, I can't imagine them continuing to trot Skenes out every fifth day with nothing to play for. It will be enough for him to win NL Rookie of the Year, but not Cy Young.
7/23/24: I'm dubious about Chris Sale. He's no doubt been excellent and seeing him win a Cy Young wouldn't be a shock to the system or anything, but 110 innings is already the most he's thrown in a season since 2019. He habitually threw 200+ innings from 2013 through 2017, so there is a lot of mileage on the arm and he's got a lengthy injury history that limited him to just 48 1/3 innings from 2020 to 2022. At any rate, there's very little value in placing a wager on the veteran lefty right now. I keep going back to Tyler Glasnow at 28/1. The right-hander was given a bit of a breather on the IL before the All-Star break after allowing 10 earned runs in nine innings across two starts. But he is poised to rejoin the Los Angeles Dodgers rotation this week to start against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday. If that start goes well, +2,800 will very quickly evaporate. Remember, despite missing time on the IL, Glasnow is fifth in MLB with 143 strikeouts. The 3.47 ERA is a bit inflated, and that will have to come down if he's going to win this, but he's been about as effective as expected upon his arrival in Hollywood.
7/16/24: So, almost immediately after proclaiming Tyler Glasnow the best value on the board at 16/1, the Los Angeles Dodgers placed him on the injured list with lower back tightness. As a result, he's now available at 28/1. Yes, the injury might be worrisome, but this might have also been a way to give the ace right-hander a slightly extended break through All-Star week. If that is the case, he could start for the Dodgers as soon as Sunday, July 21. For now, however, veteran Atlanta Braves left-hander Chris Sale has taken over the top spot on the odds board. Sale has allowed more than two earned runs in just once in 14 starts since April 26. The left-hander has already thrown 110 innings, which is his highest total since 2019. Sale has never won a Cy Young despite finishing Top 6 in voting every year from 2012 to 2018. It's still a tight race as no one has really run away with it, which has also opened the door for Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Paul Skenes. Skenes was +5,000 just a week ago. Since then, he was named the NL starter for the All-Star Game and is seemingly running away with the Rookie of the Year. If Skenes is successful in taking both, he would be just the second pitcher in history to win ROY and Cy Young in the same season. Fernando Valenzuela took home both honors after the 1981 season.
7/9/24: After a logjam led the NL Cy Young race a week ago, only three pitchers are listed at 10/1 or shorter across the board. This is Zack Wheeler's award to lose as his numbers are actually inflated by two bad starts. Despite allowing six runs on four innings to the Marlins in May and eight runs in 4 1/3 innings to the Orioles in June, Wheeler has been sturdy and owns a 2.74 ERA and 0.99 WHIP across 111 2/3 innings. I don't love +180, so I'll probably sit this one out because I also don't think anyone else offers enough value to go against him, either. The most tempting number is Tyler Glasnow at 16/1. This is inflated because he's allowed five-plus runs in three of his last five starts, raising his season ERA from 2.93 to 3.47. Still, he has 143 strikeouts in 109 innings and pitches for the Dodgers. That is probably the best number you'll get on him the rest of the way, so if you like a Glasnow surge, now's the time.
7/1/24: Five pitchers have odds shorter than 10/1 to win NL Cy Young and they represent three teams, all of whom would be in the playoffs if the season ended today. This parity makes it difficult to navigate the odds, and there's still a chance someone further down goes on a big run in July and August to jump up in the race. Cristopher Sanchez might be in the process of doing just that after allowing zero earned runs over his last two starts, which included a complete-game shutout of the Miami Marlins. That brought his ERA down to 2.41.
6/25/24: Zack Wheeler was obliterated by the Baltimore Orioles for eight runs on four hits, including four home runs, two starts ago. It was the first multi-homer game Wheeler's allowed all year and it nuked his numbers in the process. Still, he rebounded by firing seven solid innings of one-run ball against the D-Backs, striking out eight, walking none, and allowing just two hits. It seems like we've all been waiting for the bubble to burst around his Philadelphia Phillies teammate Ranger Suarez and it just hasn't happened. The lefty allowed four runs in his last start in May — his only loss to date — and has followed that up by allowing just four earned runs over his ensuing 20 1/3 innings. He owns a 1.75 ERA on the season. Still, like the AL race, this is wide open. Tyler Glasnow is healthy and firing on all cylinders. He's already thrown 100 innings, meaning he could eclipse his career high of 120 (set last year) before the All-Star break or shortly thereafter. I like the added value on Wheeler after his little bump in the road, but this can still go in several directions.
6/12/24: Zack Wheeler is 4-0 with a 1.57 ERA over his last five starts. He's pitched seven or more innings in four of those and hasn't surrendered more than two runs in any of those outings. The strikeouts are down a bit but the results remain sparkling, and he'll maintain his favorite status until he shows cracks in the armor.
6/4/24: Like Skubal, Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler has established himself as the clear man to beat in the Senior Circuit two months into the campaign. He's 7-3 with a 2.23 ERA and has surrendered two runs or fewer in each of his last four starts. With Shota Imanaga and Chris Sale stumbling in recent starts, Wheeler has only strengthened his grip atop the odds board.
5/28/24: San Diego Padres right-hander Yu Darvish has seen his odds shorten at DraftKings and FanDuel, stay the same at Caesars, and explode to +65,000 at bet365 in the last week. That is not a typo, at least not on my end. It should theoretically move because that's far too much of an overcorrection after one atrocious start. He allowed seven runs on nine hits (four home runs) in 5 2/3 innings against the Yankees. Before that, he had not allowed a run in four consecutive starts, a span of 24 innings. Even after the implosion, his ERA sits at 3.04. Injury risk is always in play with Darvish, and he's already missed time this season, but that's an absurd odds disparity that I can't imagine will stick around, especially if he handles the Miami Marlins in his next start like most pitchers have this season. It's a long shot, but that gap is something worth exploiting while it exists. And poof, like that, it's gone. Minutes after hitting publish on this piece, the line had moved back to +6,500. It was a beautiful and fleeting time.
5/21/24: A couple of veteran hurlers finding new life of late are the most intriguing names this week. Atlanta Braves lefty Chris Sale is 7-1 with a 2.22 ERA and 0.86 WHIP, and his 3.6% walk rate would be the best mark in his entire career. Sale hasn't allowed a run in his last three starts (20 innings) and has surrendered just two earned runs over his last five (0.56 ERA) starts. Believe it or not, Sale has never won a Cy Young despite finishing in the Top 6 in voting for seven consecutive seasons from 2012 to 2018. Injuries derailed the last few seasons in Boston, but he looks healthy and is averaging 94.5 mph on his fastball (around what he was hitting during his heyday). Books were slow to adjust as his lengthy injury history likely maintained a healthy level of doubt and uncertainty, but he's now gone from a high of 37/1 a week ago to 12/1 today. San Diego Padres righty Yu Darvish is in similarly excellent form and has seen his odds get slashed in half from 100/1 to 50/1 in the same period as Sale. Darvish missed some time on the IL but has gone 4-1 with a 2.08 ERA and 0.90 WHIP over nine starts. In fact, Darvish hasn't allowed an earned run since being activated from the IL on April 30, going 4-0 with 24 strikeouts and just 10 hits allowed over his last 24 innings. Full-season durability will be a question for both pitchers, but they are adding extra intrigue into the Cy Young odds race just before June.
5/14/24: Like in the American League, the very top of the NL board is pretty familiar from week to week. However, one name is popping out above the others right now: Ranger Suarez. The Philadelphia Phillies left-hander has been sharp all season and I think most people have simply been waiting for the bubble to burst. Over the past two seasons, Suarez posted a 3.88 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and 248 strikeouts over 280 1/3 innings. That's not bad, but it's not dominant like the 7-1 record with a 1.50 ERA and MLB-leading 0.72 WHIP through eight starts in 2024. Suarez hasn't changed much about his arsenal except he's almost completely removed the slider from the equation. His fastball velocity is even down a couple of ticks, averaging 91.5 mph. But he's not walking anyone and he's keeping the ball in the park. I'm skeptical about his chances at keeping it up but he's been a good story for the Phillies.
5/6/24: We've got a similar situation on the Senior Circuit with two pitchers — Zack Wheeler and Tyler Glasnow — elevating themselves above the rest of the competition. But there is a logjam of arms fetching odds between 10/1 and 20/1 with variance between books. Of those names, Sonny Gray is a pitcher to watch. The St. Louis Cardinals ace was delayed to start the season but has wasted no time rounding into form. Through five starts, he's 4-1 on a struggling Cardinals team and has posted a 0.89 ERA with a 0.86 WHIP and 38 strikeouts in 30 1/3 innings (11.27 K/9). He was widely available at 16/1 a week ago and books are starting to adjust.
4/30/24: The top of the board has seen minimal movement apart from Freddy Peralta dropping down a couple of notches after getting shelled for the first time this season, allowing five runs on five hits and a whopping five walks to the Pirates. Zack Wheeler continues to be a model of consistency while Tyler Glasnow looks like he might have more longevity than ever before (though it might be too early to make that call). In the AL section, I looked at Bryce Miller's outstanding performance against the Atlanta Braves. Well, he was never in line to win that game because Max Fried nearly matched him pitch for pitch. Fried issued a pair of walks over six scoreless innings while not allowing a single hit. That marks two consecutive scoreless outings for the southpaw as he has seemingly righted the ship after a disastrous start to the season. Some books have already shortened his odds but others haven't been as quick to react with 50/1 still available.
4/22/24: Zack Wheeler, and Freddy Peralta are listed in the top two spots at all books with some variance regarding who's the ultimate favorite. Wheeler is in the more favorable position, pitching for the team with better World Series odds, but Peralta has made the most of his opportunities as the Milwaukee Brewers ace in the wake of the Corbin Burnes trade and injury to Brandon Woodruff. Fastball Freddy is 2-0 with a 1.90 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, and 33 strikeouts over 23 2/3 innings to open the season. Zac Gallen was the biggest mover on the week but in the wrong direction. He allowed five runs on nine hits against the San Francisco Giants in his last start, surrendering his first two long balls of the season in the process. With how tight these odds are, one bad start can derail a pitcher's progress. Oh, and remember how Tyler Glasnow was in a position to make a huge jump with a looming start against the Nationals? Well, Washington tagged him for six runs on eight hits (two homers) over five rocky innings. He made up for that, however, by blanking the Mets over eight innings in his most recent outing, striking out 10, and more or less balancing his odds in the process.
4/15/24: Spencer Strider is officially done until 2025 after undergoing internal brace elbow surgery. We're left with a clogged top of the board where Zac Gallen, Zack Wheeler, and Freddy Peralta can each be found sporting the shortest odds at various sportsbooks. If Tyler Glasnow shuts down the Washington Nationals like he did the Minnesota Twins, he should leapfrog them all. The wildest disparity belongs to San Francisco Giants righty Jordan Hicks, who is as short as +3,000 and as long as 100/1 at Caesars. The converted reliever is a long shot, but he's completed at least six innings in each of his last two outings and owns a 1.00 ERA over three starts. It could be a case of pitching in the right situation, as the sinkerballer will feel right at home at spacious Oracle Park all season. Finally, books might not be reacting fast enough to Shota Imanaga. The lefty has yet to allow an earned run in 15 1/3 innings across three starts, and that innings count could be higher were it not for his second game being cut short due to a lengthy rain delay. A favorable matchup against the punchless Marlins awaits, which could strengthen his case even further.
4/9/24: Spencer Strider has a torn UCL and while he hasn't undergone Tommy John surgery yet, he is facing a lengthy absence whether he gets the procedure or not. For those who believe he'll miraculously bounce back after a minimum stay on the IL, you can still bet on him to win at Caesars at +4,000, though I'd advise against that. Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler jumps to the top of the odds board as a result. And while Wheeler dealt with myriad injuries early in his career, he's been a model of health and consistency of late. If he can dominate the Cardinals on Tuesday, his odds will shorten more.
4/4/24: Spencer Strider hasn't fallen from his top spot since he's only made one start. He was slated to take on the White Sox but that game was rained out. A date with the Arizona Diamondbacks will help tell the tale as his first outing was a textbook Strider game. He struck out eight while allowing two runs on three hits (one home run) in five innings of work. The workload should only increase as the season marches on, and if he can keep the homers under control, he could be a wire-to-wire winner. Standing in his way, Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler has been phenomenal to open the year. Wheeler has allowed one earned run in 12 innings across two starts. He's struck out 15 and walked one. Somehow, he's 0-1. The Chicago Cubs lost Justin Steele to a hamstring strain but saw outstanding results from Shota Imanaga in his first start. The Japanese lefty didn't allow a hit until the sixth inning and fanned nine Colorado Rockies in his MLB debut. Now, it was the Rockies, so take it with a grain of salt. Still, he was available at +15,000 just before Opening Day. Another fine start and his odds will shorten even more.
3/27/24: How much will Yoshinobu Yamamoto's awful first start with the Los Angeles Dodgers affect his season? This seems like an absurd question. He had one bad start, something that befalls almost every hurler at least a couple of times a season. It was his first with a new team in a new league and it was played in South Korea. While books haven't adjusted much, FanDuel did move his line from +1,400 to +1,700 since the outing against the Padres in Seoul. If Yamamoto has a knockout performance in his next start — which will come at Dodger Stadium vs. either the Cardinals or Giants — then those odds are going to shorten.
3/19/24: Less than a week after the San Diego Padres found his replacement, reigning NL Cy Young winner Blake Snell latched on with the San Francisco Giants on a two-year deal. He finally gives the Giants a big-ticket free agent while also helping round out the rotation. It gives San Francisco two entirely different looks atop the pitching staff between Snell and incumbent ace Logan Webb. It also takes the pressure off rookie Kyle Harrison, who was projected to open the season as the No. 2 starter before Snell's arrival. Snell is immediately among the betting favorites, and pitching half his games in pitcher-friendly Oracle will help. The Miami Marlins got some bad news as Eury Perez is dealing with right elbow soreness. Whether or not this means Tommy John is in his future, the Marlins will play it safe with their budding ace. Like with Gerrit Cole, books haven't adjusted the price enough to reflect the injury, especially since his absence could be months instead of weeks. With Sandy Alcantara already out for the year, Miami will test its depth beyond Jesus Luzardo, which likely means ample innings for Max Meyer and A.J. Puk.
3/14/24: The San Diego Padres made a massive splash by trading for right-hander Dylan Cease this week. Cease's odds to win Cy Young aren't available at all books just yet, but he's looking like he'll be just outside the favorites to open the season. The 28-year-old is coming off a disappointing 2023 but he finished second in AL Cy Young voting in 2022 when he went 14-8 with a 2.20 ERA and 1.11 WHIP over 184 innings. He has excelled strikeout upside but also some dodgy command.
3/5/24: St. Louis Cardinals prized acquisition Sonny Gray left his most recent spring training start with hamstring tightness. Losing Gray for any time would be borderline catastrophic for that rotation as he's the clear ace. From a betting perspective, it's hard to trust him at his current number because of the uncertainty. The Philadelphia Phillies locked up Zack Wheeler on a three-year, $126-million extension. This is significant because it could indicate that the club is confident that past injuries won't suddenly flare up again. Somehow, Wheeler still wears the "injury-prone" label despite barely missing time since 2018.
2/29/24: We got our first glimpse of Yoshinobu Yamamoto as he made his spring training debut by making short work of the Texas Rangers this week. The Los Angeles Dodgers righty struck out three batters over two scoreless innings. He allowed one hit to Evan Carter but was otherwise spotless. We can't place too much stock into spring results, but it's encouraging to see early success even in such a relaxed environment as the Cactus League. In injury news, DraftKings is slow to update New York Mets right-hander Kodai Senga odds after he was shut down for three weeks due to a shoulder strain. DK is still trading him at +1,500 to win NL Cy Young while FanDuel has adjusted him to +5,000. Even then, this injury might keep him out for a long stretch of the season, which would nullify his chances.
2/19/24: There haven't been any high-profile injuries or signings in the Senior Circuit in the last couple of weeks and we haven't seen much movement. Keep an eye on workouts, though, as we'll get a clearer picture of where pitchers stand as the season approaches. One thing that finally happened is Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto is now listed at bet365. However, that also happens to be where he's drawing the shortest odds at the moment.
2/12/24: Lines haven't seen any movement since Corbin Burnes was traded to the Baltimore Orioles. Now we wait and see if Blake Snell stays in the NL or if Jordan Montgomery returns.
2/4/24: Corbin Burnes went from fourth on the NL board to fourth in the AL. Atlanta Braves right-hander Spencer Strider looks like he'll enter the regular season with the shortest odds to claim his first Cy Young with Philadelphia Phillies righty Zack Wheeler and San Francisco Giants ace Logan Webb rounding out the Top 3.
1/15/24: Caesars has updated its ranks to include Aaron Nola, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Sonny Gray. And if you're shopping for value, it's offering the best odds for several competitors. Yoshinobu Yamamoto remains OTB at bet365 and is between +1,200 and +1,600 at the other books.
1/2/24: The Los Angeles Dodgers went shopping and landed Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the most coveted free agent on the pitching market this offseason. Yes, even moreso than reigning NL Cy Young winner Blake Snell, who remains without a team for 2024 at the moment. Books have been careful with his odds (bet365 doesn't have him listed yet) as the transition from Japan to MLB isn't always smooth right off the bat. Still, 16/1 might be the best we see, especially if he starts strong. He also doesn't have the chronic injury risk associated with him that fellow new Dodger Tyler Glasnow does. As a result, while the right-hander's stuff is clearly elite, he's drawing longer odds in his move to the NL. Weirdly, Caesars doesn't have Aaron Nola, Eduardo Rodriguez, or Sonny Gray listed. They were each free agents earlier in the offseason but their deals were inked a while ago and that FA status didn't stop them from listing Yamamoto.
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Previous Cy Young Award winners
Here are the last 10 winners of the AL and NL Cy Young Award, with Cleveland and the New York Mets each leading the way with three. Overall, the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers have the most Cy Youngs all time (12), followed by the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, and Mets with seven.
Previous AL Cy Young winners
Year | American League Winner |
---|---|
2023 | Gerrit Cole |
2022 | Justin Verlander |
2021 | Robbie Ray |
2020 | Shane Bieber |
2019 | Justin Verlander |
2018 | Blake Snell |
2017 | Corey Kluber |
2016 | Rick Porcello |
2015 | Dallas Keuchel |
2014 | Corey Kluber |
2013 | Max Scherzer |
Previous NL Cy Young winners
Year | National League Winner |
---|---|
2023 | Blake Snell |
2022 | Sandy Alcantara |
2021 | Corbin Burnes |
2020 | Trevor Bauer |
2019 | Jacob deGrom |
2018 | Jacob deGrom |
2017 | Max Scherzer |
2016 | Max Scherzer |
2015 | Jake Arrieta |
2014 | Clayton Kershaw |
2013 | Clayton Kershaw |
Pitchers with multiple Cy Young awards
There are 22 pitchers who have won multiple Cy Young Awards, led by Roger Clemens' seven trophies. Of those 22 winners, six are still currently active in the Majors.
Pitcher | Number of Cy Young Awards (Years) |
---|---|
Roger Clemens | 7 (1986, 1987, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2004) |
Randy Johnson | 5 (1995, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002) |
Steve Carlton | 4 (1972, 1977, 1980, 1982 |
Greg Maddux | 4 (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995) |
Seven different pitchers | 3 |
11 different pitchers | 2 |
Popular MLB futures markets
MLB Cy Young odds explained
Most sportsbooks will display odds in the American format as listed above. When Shane Bieber looked to have the AL Cy Young locked up in 2020, his odds had a minus (-) sign ahead of the number.
- Shane Bieber -300
That means that a bettor in September had to wager $300 to win $100 by betting on Bieber. Before this year's race even began, every candidate had a (+) sign in front of their number.
- Jacob deGrom +550
With deGrom's preseason odds, a bettor stands to profit $550 for every $100 wagered on him.
If American odds aren't your thing, simply use a tool like our odds converter to switch the odds to decimal or fractional format. Most online sportsbooks also give you the option to change the odds format that you see.
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MLB Cy Young Odds
Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is fetching the shortest odds across the board.
Atlanta Braves left-hander Chris Sale is fetching the shortest odds to win NL Cy Young.
New York Yankees right-hander Gerrit Cole won the AL Cy Young while free-agent left-hander Blake Snell won in the NL as a member of the San Diego Padres.
Roger Clemens won seven Cy Young awards throughout his career. Only one other pitcher, Randy Johnson, has even won five.
Jacob deGrom won both the 2018 and 2019 NL Cy Young awards. Immediately before him, Max Scherzer won in back-to-back seasons in 2016-17.