Throughout the 2023 MLB season, BetFTW is keeping track of the Cy Young and MVP award leaders in both the American League and National League.
Every two weeks or so, we’re listing our top-five leaders for each award along with stats to support their award cases. We also include each player’s betting odds from DraftKings to win the award, though it’s important to remember odds often attempt to predict who finishes the year at the top based on previous expectations, and they adjust as the seasons goes. We simply tell you which players have been the best.
Here’s this week’s top five.
RELATED:MLB MVP Ladder 2.0
American League Cy Young
Joe Ryan makes his AL Cy Young ladder debut at No. 2. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)
1. Shane McClanahan, Tampa Bay Rays (+350)
8-0 | 1.97 ERA | 75 SO | 2.3 WAR
Last ladder: 1st
With the best record in baseball, McClanahan holds steady in first place, bouncing back from a rough game against the Yankees with lights out starts against the Blue Jays and Brewers.
2. Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins (+1100)
7-1 | 2.21 ERA | 70 SO | 2.5 WAR
Last ladder: NR
Ryan makes a massive leap to No. 2 after going unranked the last ladder thanks to a month where he’s allowed a combined five runs in five starts for a 1.55 ERA.
3. Gerrit Cole, New York Yankees (+350)
5-0 | 2.53 ERA | 70 SO | 2.5 WAR
Last ladder: 2nd
Cole slides a spot after allowing five runs in two of his last four starts, including Tuesday’s game against the Orioles.
4. Sonny Gray, Minnesota Twins (+2000)
4-0 | 1.82 ERA | 66 SO | 2.7 WAR
Last ladder: 3rd
Gray has now allowed multiple runs in three of his last four starts, which is the reason for his drop and why he’s at risk to fall completely off the next ladder. He doesn’t pitch deep enough into games to sustain his low ERA at this rate.
5. Framber Valdez, Houston Astros (+2000)
4-4 | 2.45 ERA | 72 SO | 1.7 WAR
Last ladder: 5th
Valdez holds steady at fifth, eking out Texas’ Nathan Eovaldi thanks to a superior ERA and strikeout rate.
National League Cy Young
Mitch Keller makes his NL Cy Young ladder debut at No. 1. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
1. Mitch Keller, Pittsburgh Pirates (+1200)
5-1 | 2.44 ERA | 77 SO | 1.9 WAR
Last ladder: NR
There are pitchers with better ERAs and pitchers with more strikeouts, but no one is giving you the best of both worlds better than Keller, who has a 1.00 ERA in May. That’s good enough to take the top spot.
2. Justin Steele, Chicago Cubs (+2500)
6-1 | 2.20 ERA | 53 SO | 2.3 WAR
Last ladder: 1st
Steele’s slide comes after a two-game stretch where he allowed eight runs in 12 innings, though he did bounce back Sunday with a six-inning shutout of the Phillies.
3. Bryce Elder, Atlanta Braves (+7500)
3-0 | 2.01 ERA | 51 SO | 2.3 WAR
Last ladder: 5th
Elder continues to impress with his ability to keep runs low while approaching 100 pitches each start.
4. Alex Cobb, San Francisco Giants (+6000)
4-1 | 2.17 ERA | 52 SO | 2.4 WAR
Last ladder: NR
Cobb might’ve debuted even higher if not for the five runs allowed in his last 10 innings pitched, including two homers in Tuesday’s win over the Twins.
5. Zac Gallen, Arizona Diamondbacks (+200)
6-2 | 2.97 ERA | 75 SO | 1.3 WAR
Last ladder: 2nd
Gallen is still the betting favorite but he hasn’t been nearly as sharp in May as he was in April, posting a 4.03 ERA this month.