3 Dark Horses To Win AL Cy Young (Two Astros in the Running)
We love baseball when home runs are flying out the yard and players are stealing bases, but there is something different about a great pitching performance. When a pitcher gets in the zone, it's truly something special to watch. These pitchers are in the zone all year long and have a chance to sneak into the Cy Young conversation.
Let's look at some AL Cy Young dark horses.
All odds listed are via WynnBET.
Dark Horses to Win AL Cy Young Award
- Lance Lynn: +2000
- Framber Valdez: +3000
- Lance McCullers Jr.: +5000
Lance Lynn: +2000
Lynn finished third in the voting last season and still has good value considering he’s right outside the top five in the odds standings. For Lynn to truly make a case, he’ll have to start going longer in his starts.
Last season, he was fourth in the top five finishers in innings pitched. Lynn has been in the top six each of the last three years. This could be the year he takes the top spot.
Framber Valdez: +3000
Framber Valdez had a good 2020 season, finishing 11th in the Cy Young race. He wasn’t as good last year, but the Astros are putting him in a good position to get to the top. Valdez doesn’t give up a lot of home runs, which is good for his total ERA.
The key for Valdez is strikeouts. His 125 strikeouts last year wouldn’t have cracked the top 10. If he can do that, expect to see a better Valdez.
Lance McCullers Jr.: +5000
Clearly I think highly of the Astros’ pitching staff. McCullers has longer odds than Valdez, but he actually finished in the top seven of CY Young voting last season.
McCullers will have to cut down on the walks this season in order to truly have a chance. He led the majors in that category, which hurt his stats. McCullers has to be disciplined this year. If he does, he may beat out his teammate for the award.
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