This week we’ve returned to the Cy Young race. For last week’s MVP review, click here. For the most recent Rookie of the Year rankings, click here. Look for those rankings to be updated in next week’s installment. All stats are as of May 30. The number in brackets represents the player’s ranking during the last review.
The American League race has been shaken up. Last round’s leader Max Scherzer has fallen off the list entirely, with three newcomers climbing their way up.
The National League race, however, features just one new pitcher, with the top two remaining the same.
AL- Tanaka leads the way
1. (3.) Masahiro Tanaka, NYY: 7-1, 2.29 ERA, 79 K, 70.2 IP, 0.98 WHIP
Masahiro Tanaka has yet to have a bad start in his major league career. Not once has he pitched fewer than six innings, allowed more than three runs or walked anywhere near more batters than he’s struck out. He has a 10.1 K/9 ratio and is striking out more than seven batters for every walk. I noted three weeks ago that he has been giving up too many home runs, but that too has diminished as he has not allowed a single one in his four starts since. He’s been the most consistently dominant starter in the American League and is looking to become to first rookie to win the Cy Young award since Fernando Valenzuela in 1981.
2. (-) Felix Hernandez, SEA: 7-1, 2.57 ERA, 83 K, 84 IP, 1.02 WHIP
King Felix won this award in 2010 and has two other top five finishes. Aside from Mark Buehrle, who finished fifth back in 2005, Hernandez is the only player on this list who has even come close to the award. He leads the league in innings pitched and sits one strikeout behind David Price for the lead in that as well. He has given up just three home runs all year, and none in his last seven starts. His candidacy for this award is certainly no surprise, and he should remind in contention all season longer.
3. (-) Mark Buehrle, TOR: 9-1, 2.33 ERA, 43 K, 73.1 IP, 1.23 WHIP
At 35 year old, Mark Buehrle’s 15th major league season has so far been his best. He still isn’t striking out many batters, his 5.3 K/9 is barely over half of Tanaka’s clip, but he has also given up just two home runs and he has only allowed more than two earned runs twice this season. His career numbers scream regression, but we’re now a third of the way through the season and the Blue Jays lefty has shown no signs of letting up.
4. (-) Dallas Keuchel, HOU: 6-2, 2.55 ERA, 61K, 70.2 IP, 0.98 WHIP
Coming into the year, Dallas Keuchel was a 26-year-old non-prospect, meant to eat up innings until the rebuilding Astros could find someone better. Instead Keuchel has been fantastic, giving up just 7.3 H/9, striking out five batters for every walk and tossing two complete games. Like Buehrle, his career numbers would suggest serious regression, but he’s a young pitcher who has upped his strikeouts, trimmed his walks and has kept the ball in the park. Winning the Cy Young might be a stretch, but I see little reason why he couldn’t remain a fine pitcher for the Astros.
5. (2.) Sonny Gray, OAK: 5-1, 2.31 ERA, 60K, 74 IP, 1.12 WHIP
Gray’s number through two months of the season have been eerily similar to the two months he pitched last year. His 7.2 H/9 and 0.6 HR/9 have been identical and he has a 2.9 BB/9 this season after a 2.8 ratio in 2013. Gray has been the best of the A’s staff of patchwork aces, pitching consistently well in every start he’s made, including a two-hit shutout against Texas on April 28th. The 24-year-old righty looks poised to contend for this award for years to come.
Off the List:
(1.) Max Scherzer
(4.) Jon Lester
(5.) Yordano Ventura
NL- Wainwright jumps to top spot
1. (2.) Adam Wainwright, STL: 8-2, 1.67 ERA, 77 K, 81 IP, 0.85 WHIP
Choosing between Wainwright and Cueto is essentially a coin flip. Both have been unhittable aside from one start and they are tied for the league lead with two shutouts each. Still, Wainwright has been a tiny bit better and has momentum on his side coming off back-to-back scoreless outings, the first of which was a one-hit, 9 K shutout against the Diamondbacks. Six of Wainwright’s eleven starts have been scoreless. He has finished second in Cy Young voting twice, losing to Roy Halladay in 2010 and Clayton Kershaw last season, so perhaps this is his year to shine.
2. (1.) Johnny Cueto, CIN: 4-4, 1.83 ERA, 85 K, 83.2 IP, 0.75
I was tempted to give Cueto the the number one spot once again, as he is leading Wainwright in Ks, innings, WHIP and complete games, to go along with a ridiculous 4.6 H/9. However, in his last two starts Cueto has given up 12 runs, 7 earned, seeing his ERA rise half a run. He is still comfortably in second and barring injury should remain steadily in contention, but so far he has slipped just behind Wainwright.
3. (4.) Julio Teheran, ATL: 4-3, 1.77 ERA, 61 K, 76.1 IP, 0.94 WHIP
Following a stellar rookie campaign, Teheran has looked even better so far this season. Like Wainwright, he hasn’t allowed a run in his last two starts, including an eight-K shutout against the Brewers. There were major concerns about his strikeout rate in the early season, but that was clearly a fluke as he has 48 Ks in 48.1 innings in his last seven starts. As dominant as Wainwright and Cueto have been, the Braves’ sophomore isn’t too far behind.
4. (-) Zack Greinke, LAD: 8-1, 2.18 ERA, 76 K, 66 IP, 1.12 WHIP
Prior to giving up three runs (and striking out out 11) in his last outing, Zack Greinke had gone 22 consecutive starts without allowing more than two earned runs, dating back to July 25th, 2013. That extreme consistency, combined with his 10.4 K/9, have helped him return to his 2009 form when he won this award. If he keeps on pitching deep into games and striking out more than a batter per inning, he could win his second.
5. (5.) Tim Hudson, SF: 5-2, 1.92 ERA, 44 K, 70.1 IP, 0.88 WHIP
Tim Hudson has allowed just five unintentional walks all season. He has been stellar in every start he’s thrown, aside from a 3-inning, raining-shortened outing on May 22nd. Like Buehrle, Hudson seems at first glance to be playing over his head, but his 7.2 H/9, while the best mark of his career, isn’t that far off the 7.9 mark he’s put up over the last four seasons. Combine that with his exceptionally low home run and walk rates, and there seems to be no reason he couldn’t continue his career year.
Off the list:
(3.) Jose Fernandez
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