The finalists have been announced for the 2020 Cy Young Awards. These are given to the best pitcher in each league. In the American League, Shane Bieber, Kenta Maeda, and Hyun Jin Ryu are up for the award. For the National League, Trevor Bauer, Yu Darvish, and Jacob deGrom are in the running. Five out of the six pitchers played for postseason teams. deGrom was the only one who did not.
2020 Cy Young Award Nominees
American League
The American League boasts three impressive candidates. Cleveland Indians right-handed pitcher Bieber led the Majors in wins (8), ERA (1.63), strikeouts (122), and strikeouts per nine innings (14.2). To top it off, he posted a monumental 281 ERA+ and a 2.07 FIP. Meanwhile, Minnesota Twins righty Maeda posted a 6-1 record, a 2.70 ERA, and 80 strikeouts in 66.2 innings. He led the league in WHIP (0.750) and put up a 161 ERA+. Finally, Toronto Blue Jays southpaw Ryu is in the running a year after finishing second in the National League. He recorded a 5-2 mark, a 2.69 ERA, and 72 strikeouts in 67 innings. He only walked 17 batters in that frame, and held a 164 ERA+.
National League
The National League’s candidates are just as qualified. Cincinnati Reds right-handed pitcher Bauer posted a 5-4 record. He led the league in ERA (1.73), WHIP (0.795), and ERA+ (276). He struck out 100 batters in 73 innings while matching Ryu’s walk total. The second candidate is Chicago Cubs righty Darvish. After an underwhelming first two seasons with the team, he came to life. He led the league in wins (8) with a 2.01 ERA, pitching to a 0.961 WHIP. His strikeout totals were down, though he did manage to average 11 per nine innings. He also walked a miniscule 14 batters in 76 innings of work. Finally, New York Mets right-handed pitcher deGrom is the back-to-back defending Cy Young champion. This year, he posted a 4-2 record, a 2.38 ERA, and a 178 ERA+. He led the league with 104 strikeouts in 68 innings, averaging 13.8 per nine.
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