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MLB Awards Watch: Rolling with Mike Trout

By Brad Rowland

Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) runs after hitting a single in the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout (27) runs after hitting a single in the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium of Anaheim. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Washington Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

NL Cy Young

  1. Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals – Another week and another first-place ranking for Scherzer. While the right-hander doesn’t actually lead the NL in ERA, Scherzer has clearly been the best pitcher in the NL and, frankly, all of MLB this season. In 15 starts, he has chewed through more than 110 innings with a 1.79 ERA, and beyond that, his strikeout-to-walk ratio is a comical 9.3-to-1 in nearly half of a season. His transition to the National League has been better than advertised, and Scherzer has a legitimate claim on MVP consideration if he can continue this pace through the full slate.
  2. Zack Greinke, Los Angeles Dodgers – For the long haul, Greinke probably isn’t the best pitcher on his team own team, but to this point in the season, he has been lights-out. Greinke leads the NL (ahead of Scherzer!) in ERA with a 1.58 clip, and through 16 starts, he has earned 2.6 fWAR. The peripherals indicate that this particular level of dominance isn’t quite sustainable (2.84 FIP, 3.26 xFIP), but Greinke is an established “ace” and has reminded the general public of his vast ceiling.
  3. Jacob deGrom, New York Mets – I continue to be fascinated with deGrom. The 27-year-old lurks in the shadow of Matt Harvey and even the likes of Steven Matz and Noah Syndergaard in New York, but deGrom has been the best pitcher on the Mets staff for more than a year. He currently ranks third in the NL in fWAR (2.8) and fifth in ERA (2.15), and with a bump to nearly a strikeout per inning, his pedigree continues to rise.

Next: AL Cy Young

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