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MLB awards watch: AL Cy Young race

By William Schneiderhan

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 10: Starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow #20 of the Tampa Bay Rays delivers the ball against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on April 10, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 10: Starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow #20 of the Tampa Bay Rays delivers the ball against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on April 10, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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ST. PETERSBURG, FL – APRIL 21: Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow (20) delivers a pitch during the MLB game between the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays on April 21, 2019 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ST. PETERSBURG, FL – APRIL 21: Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow (20) delivers a pitch during the MLB game between the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays on April 21, 2019 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL. (Photo by Mark LoMoglio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

1. Tyler Glasnow, RHP Tampa Bay Rays

4-0, 29 strikeouts (T-12th), 0.92 WHIP (5th), 1.1 WAR (3rd) and 1.53 ERA (1st).

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Tampa Bay Rays linked up for a trade-deadline trade last season. Pittsburgh wanted Tampa Bay starter Chris Archer, so they decided to send two prospects back. Those two prospects? Austin Meadows and Tyler Glasnow.

Meadows has been a huge part of the Tampa Bay lineup, and Glasnow has pitched up to Cy Young standards so far in 2019. He and teammate Blake Snell have formed a dominant one-two punch atop the Rays’ rotation.

When it comes to changing approach and style of pitching, Glasnow falls into that category of pitcher. He still predominately throws his fastball, but he has used his curveball more, and slider far less, than he did last year.

So far, Glasnow is throwing his curve 31.7 percent of the time, up from 16.4 last year, and his slider usage has dropped all the way down to almost non-existent, at .7 percent this year. He threw that pitch 11.4 percent of the time in 2018.

Pirates reliever Nick Burdi suffers apparent injury. dark. Next

Glasnow is still only 25 years old, so an adjustment like this could result in some long-term success. Yes, unlike Snell, he will probably tail off and hit a rough patch at some point this season. However, like Snell, this may become the breakout year that jumpstarts his career.

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