Although the 2022 Cy Young Race seems more top-heavy in both the National & American Leagues, there were premier pitching performances that should all be acknowledged in their own right.
However, in AL, Justin Verlander had the best regular season of his career in his age 39 season after missing two years following Tommy John surgery and is set to become a free agent. Right-hander Alex Manoah of the Toronto Blue Jays and Dylan Cease of the Chicago White Sox are two young arms that are fireballers coming into their own and are both unafraid to pound the strike zone, much of which earned them a spot as finalists.
In the NL, Sandy Alcantara anchored the Miami Marlins rotation and threw more complete games than anyone across Major League Baseball. A pair of lefties, Max Fried of the Atlanta Braves and Julio Urías of the Los Angeles Dodgers dominated for the entirety of the regular season, putting them among the game’s best.
2022 Cy Young Award winners will be announced on Nov. 16, following the announcements of the Jackie Robinson Rookies of the Year on Nov. 14, and the Manager of the Year on Nov. 15, all aired live on MLB Network beginning at 6 p.m. ET.
American League finalists with betting odds
Justin Verlander(-10000): The veteran right-hander posted a career-best 1.75 ERA in 175 innings pitched, en route to a World Series title for the Houston Astros. In 28 starts, Verlander punched out 185 batters, carrying a record of 18-4.
Dylan Cease(+6600): The 26-year-old followed up a terrific 2021 season with a repeat showing this past year. His 2.20 ERA was second to Verlander, but his 227 strikeouts were good for second in the AL.
Alek Manoah(+50000): Manoah is the dark horse of this list, mainly because in just his second year in MLB, he posted a 2.24 ERA and a 16-7 record with 180 strikeouts in 196.2 innings pitched. Down the stretch run that pushed the Blue Jays to a playoff berth, the righty posted a 0.88 ERA in September.
National League finalists with betting odds
Sandy Alcantara(-10000): Likely considered to be the favorite for the award, mostly due to his longevity over the course of the season and most complete games by a starter since the 2016 season, the Marlins were fortunate to have a workhorse to carry their young staff. In 228.2 innings, he posted a 2.28 ERA, while notching 207 strikeouts.
Julio Urías(+10000): The Dodgers relied on the 26-year-old for most of the season, needing him to become their ‘ace’ after losing both Walker Buehler for the rest of 2022 and Clayton Kershaw for a smaller portion. But with the NL ERA title in hand with a 2.16 ERA, he followed up his 20-win showing from last season with another step in his already solid career, going 17-7 in 31 starts.
Max Fried(+50000): Fried is flat-out disgusting. But unfortunately, his peak comes at a time when pitching is so deep around MLB, that his numbers might go unnoticed. His 2.48 ERA and 170 strikeouts slotted him named among the finalists, and his first career All-Star bid led the Braves to a comeback NL East title.
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