After taking a look at the four names to watch for the 2024 NL MVP last week, we look at pitchers that could be in the discussion for the NL Cy Young. Ranked from favorite to longshot, we look at four names that could win the award.
4 Names to Watch for the NL Cy Young
Spencer Strider
Any logical baseball fan will agree that Spencer Strider is the favorite to win the NL CY Young this upcoming year. The Atlanta Braves ace looks to build off a dominant 2023 year which saw him lead the league in wins (20) and strikeouts (281). The 25-year-old is diced up pro hitters all year long and all signs point to another dominant campaign as he has 22 Ks through 14 innings of work so far throughout spring training.
On a stacked Atlanta Braves team, it feels like the Cy Young is his to lose. Not much more needs to be said for young Strider.
Tyler Glasnow
The former Tampa Bay Ray heads to the NL for the 9th season in the league. The newly acquired Dodger was given a five-year, $136.5 million contract and will serve as the Opening Day starter for his new team. Glasnow has 167 strikeouts in 120 innings of work, along with 3.53 ERA. The question of Glasnow has never been if he was good enough to be a top pitcher. The one thing that has held back Glasnow is his lack of ability to stay on the field. Last season’s 120 innings was a career high which causes some doubt on whether he can stay healthy enough for a full season.
Although the 30-year-old’s health is a concern, the Dodger’s belief in him being able to stay healthy by giving him a huge contract should make us feel a little better about him. Hopes are high for Glasnow as, hopefully, the change in scenery will be good luck for him.
Joe Musgrove
The Padres rotation will be looking very different this season compared to the last, but Joe Musgrove will still be a mainstay in the rotation. The Padres will look to Musgrove to help try and fill the hole that 2023 Cy Young winner Blake Snell had left as he looks elsewhere. Musgrove’s career direction had been on the upward path each year as his stats got better and better. 2022 saw him elected to his first All-Star game as he compiled a 2.93 ERA, 181 innings, and 184 strikeouts.
Expectations for Musgrove were high going into 2023 but an injury-plagued season saw him pitch only 97 innings where he had a 3.05 ERA, 97 K’s, and a WHIP of 1.140. Going into a healthy 2024 season, the sky is the limit for the 31-year-old.
Eury Pérez*
The Miami Marlins have been one of the top teams in baseball when it comes to developing young pitchers, and they may have done it again. The soon-to-be 21-year Eury Pérez had an incredible rookie season posting a 3.15 ERA and 108 K’s in 91 innings of work. For only being 20 years old, Pérez dominating this early in his career makes him all that more dangerous as he gains experience in the pros. Nowadays, teams are limiting young pitchers to fewer innings pitched to try and preserve their healthy so Pérez possibly being limited could hinder his chance at the award.
It feels more likely that the Marlins will unleash the chain on his innings if he’s a candidate for the Cy Young and they compete for the playoffs. The Marlins will arguably have one of the best rotations in baseball once healthy as Eury Pérez, Sandy Alcántara, Braxton Garrett, Jesús luzardo, and Edward Cabrera make for a strong five. After finishing this writing, Pérez’s elbow is being evaluated after his latest spring training start. There hasn’t been an update yet so his odds at the Cy Young could be altered.
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