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MLB Awards Watch: Jordan Zimmermann shines in Detroit

By Brad Rowland

Apr 30, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann (27) pitches to the Minnesota Twins in the third inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 30, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Jordan Zimmermann (27) pitches to the Minnesota Twins in the third inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports /
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May 1, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angels Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) reads signs before throwing in the ninth inning against San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
May 1, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angels Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) reads signs before throwing in the ninth inning against San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

NL Cy Young

  1. Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers – I know that Kershaw isn’t leading the NL in ERA. Trust me, I do. The best pitcher in the world has still been thoroughly dominant, and his peripherals are simply off the charts. Over the course of six starts and a league-leading 46 innings, Kershaw is striking out 10.57 batters per 9 with less than one (!) walk per 9, and that leads to a sparkling 1.83 FIP and 2.08 FIP. Oh, did I mention that Kershaw still has a lights-out 1.96 ERA in the aggregate? Anyway, if all things are equal, I’ll take Kershaw over anybody.
  2. Jake Arrieta, Chicago Cubs – Arrieta would probably be the most popular choice if the voting happened today, and that is backed up by his MLB-leading 1.00 ERA. Obviously, that is quite good, and Arrieta has been positively Kershaw-like over his last 25-to-30 starts. Any question of the right-hander being a one-year wonder has eroded with haste, and this could be a fun battle between two phenomenal pitchers throughout the 2016 MLB campaign.
  3. Noah Syndergaard, New York Mets – Syndergaard’s ERA, now at 2.25, has cooled off since his blistering start and a first-place nod in this space two weeks ago, but his dominance is still real. The young right-hander is striking out 12.25 batters per 9 innings with a better than 7-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and when combined with his raw tools, it is easy to see why everyone is salivating over Syndergaard’s arm.

Next: AL Cy Young

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