2021 NL Cy Young preview: DeGrom leads crowded field
If you thought the NL MVP race was teeming with high-end talent, the Cy Young field might be even deeper.
The 2021 list features stars aplenty, including three familiar faces atop the oddsboard. Having covered the AL earlier this week, let's now dig into the NL.
Player | Odds |
---|---|
Jacob deGrom (NYM) | +500 |
Trevor Bauer (LAD) | +700 |
Max Scherzer (WSH) | +850 |
Walker Buehler (LAD) | +1000 |
Yu Darvish (SD) | +1000 |
Aaron Nola (PHI) | +1200 |
Blake Snell (SD) | +1200 |
Jack Flaherty (STL) | +1300 |
Luis Castillo (CIN) | +1500 |
Max Fried (ATL) | +1700 |
Clayton Kershaw (LAD) | +2000 |
Stephen Strasburg (WSH) | +2000 |
Charlie Morton (ATL) | +2200 |
Brandon Woodruff (MIL) | +2200 |
Patrick Corbin (WSH) | +2800 |
German Marquez (COL) | +3000 |
Mike Soroka (ATL) | +3000 |
Sonny Gray (CIN) | +3300 |
Sixto Sanchez (MIA) | +3300 |
Zack Wheeler (PHI) | +3300 |
Corbin Burnes (MIL) | +4000 |
Carlos Carrasco (NYM) | +4000 |
Zac Gallen (ARI) | +5000 |
Kevin Gausman (SF) | +5000 |
Josh Hader (MIL) | +5000 |
Pablo Lopez (MIA) | +5000 |
Joe Musgrove (SD) | +5000 |
Marcus Stroman (NYM) | +5000 |
Noah Syndergaard (NYM) | +5000 |
Jon Gray (COL) | +6000 |
Chris Paddack (SD) | +6000 |
Jake Arrieta (CHC) | +6000 |
Kyle Hendricks (CHC) | +6600 |
David Price (LAD) | +6600 |
DeGrom edges Bauer, Scherzer
Each of the last five awards have gone to either deGrom, Bauer, or Scherzer. It's the Mets right-hander - who won in both 2018 and '19 - leading the pack this cycle.
The 32-year-old finished ninth in Cy Young voting after last year's shortened season but combined for a mind-bending 17.5 WAR over his two first-place bids. He leads one of the deepest supporting casts in baseball, as the Mets' four candidates on the list match the Dodgers and Padres for most in the NL.
Hader makes the cut
Hader is the lone reliever to make the cut after morphing into one of the game's most dominant arms. He logged a gaudy 14.9 K/9 and led the league in saves (13) last season. Hader wasn't the best reliever on his team in 2020; that was Rookie of the Year Devin Williams, who quietly finished seventh in Cy Young voting thanks to a 0.33 ERA and 17.9 K/9 across 22 appearances.
FanGraphs' Steamer projections tab Hader for a 1.2 WAR and 25 saves in 2021.
Darvish, Wheeler trending up
Darvish looked like his old self last season with the Cubs, posting an 8-3 record alongside a 2.01 ERA, 0.961 WHIP, and 2.7 WAR over 12 starts. He's skyrocketed up the oddsboard after being listed at roughly 40-1 entering 2020.
Wheeler is also gaining traction as he gears up for his second campaign with the Phillies. He led the NL in HR/9 and posted a personal-best 2.92 ERA en route to a 12th-place finish in Cy Young voting last summer - not too shabby for a 50-1 long shot.
Alex Kolodziej is a betting writer for theScore. He's a graduate of Eastern Illinois who has been involved in the sports betting industry for 12 years. He can quote every line from "Rounders" and appreciates franchises that regularly wear alternate jerseys. Find him on Twitter @AJKolodziej.