With the all-star break here, it’s a good time to take a close look at the 2024 NL Cy Young race. Naturally, most of the top Cy Young candidates in the National League were selected for the All-Star Team. However, there is an entire second half of the season left in the Cy Young race this year.
Ranking the Top 5 NL Cy Young Candidates
Since baseball is always unpredictable, not all of the best starting pitchers currently were pitchers we thought would be among the best at the start of the season. Those surprise names figure to make the Cy Young race more compelling, as they seemingly have more to prove than some of the more established stars. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the five leading NL Cy Young candidates at the all-star break.
Zack Wheeler
Some may argue whether Zack Wheeler has even been the best pitcher on his own team. Yet, name recognition and a strong first half have made him the betting favorite at the all-star break. Wheeler currently ranks in the top 10 among MLB pitchers in wins, ERA, strikeouts, and WHIP. That type of excellence in all areas is also helping to drive his Cy Young candidacy. Dating back to mid-April, Wheeler has allowed two runs or less in 13 of his last 15 starts, consistently dominating outside of two shockingly poor outings. It’s not a done deal yet, but Wheeler has himself well-positioned to win the Cy Young.
Chris Sale
When Chris Sale made just 11 total starts in 2021 and 2022, who would have thought that he’d get over his injury woes enough to win a Cy Young? It seemed crazy at the time, but Sale is a legitimate contender for the Cy Young this year. His 13 wins at the all-star break lead baseball. He also has a WHIP under 1.00 and is tied for fifth in strikeouts. Sale was an all-star this year for the first time since 2018, showing just how far he’s come. Winning the Cy Young this year would be an amazing comeback story and perhaps something he needs to ensure himself a place in the Hall of Fame.
Ranger Suarez
When we mentioned Wheeler not being the best pitcher on his team, we were referring to Ranger Suarez. Unfortunately, his last three starts before the all-star break didn’t go well, knocking him down a few pegs. Prior to those three starts, Suarez had a 1.83 ERA thanks largely to a dominant April and May. The question is whether Suarez can regain that form during the second half of the season. His strikeout total is also lacking compared to some of the other candidates, which is something he’ll have to overcome to stay in the Cy Young race.
Tyler Glasnow
After becoming an all-star for the first time this year, Tyler Glasnow also has a chance to win a Cy Young. Despite playing for the Dodgers, his 8-5 record is a little underwhelming, as is his 3.47 ERA. However, at the break, Glasnow ranks third in the majors in both strikeouts and WHIP. Also, keep in mind that his ERA was 2.88 before back-to-back starts in which he wasn’t at his best. But if Glasnow can rebound from that and come back strong in the second half, he’ll be in the Cy Young discussion.
Paul Skenes
It’d be a mistake to leave the National League all-star starter out of the Cy Young discussion. The caveat is that Skenes has only pitched 66.1 innings at the midway point of the season, so he doesn’t have the innings to qualify for the ERA title despite a 1.90 ERA. Obviously, he’ll have to pitch a lot more innings during the second half of the season despite the possibility of the Pirates shutting him down. But if that happens, Skenes has a chance because he’s been sensational. In his 66.1 innings, Skenes has tallied 89 strikeouts. He’s also 6-0 for a .500 team and finished the first half with seven hitless innings and 11 strikeouts against the Brewers. Let’s just say Cy Young voters will be watching him closely moving forward.
