MLB Awards Watch: Cy Young races

3. James Paxton, Seattle Mariners

Like Santana in Minnesota, Mariners starter James Paxton will likely need the help of his teammates to earn enough votes for the Cy Young. The Mariners entered Wednesday 8-13 overall, already 6.5 games back in the AL West. However, Paxton was completely dominant through his first three starts this season. And, despite a rough performance April 20, his overall numbers are worthy of a spot on our early list.

Paxton ranks second in the American League and third in the big leagues with a 1.3 WAR so far this season. In four starts to date, the 28-year-old lefty is 2-0 with a 1.78 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 25.1 innings. He did not allow a run through his first 23 innings this year. Paxton has struck out 30.6 percent of the hitters he’s faced — easily a career best at the major league level so far, which ranks ninth in the major leagues among qualified starters. He has surrendered just five runs on 17 hits and five walks, giving him an outstanding 0.868 WHIP as well.

As Fangraphs writer and Paxton cheerleader Jeff Sullivan noted in a post titled James Paxton, the Everything-Doer earlier this month, Paxton has a wide range of skills he uses to get hitters out. He has swing-and-miss secondary stuff, as well as great fastball velocity (aided by a recent change to his arm slot). Though he can be wild at times (he leads the majors with five wild pitches to date), Paxton often pitches with solid command.

Simply put, he’s got all the tools, and the results are showing.