The depth of high-end starting pitching in the National League sets the stage for a Cy Young race that could go right down to the last outings of the season. 2024 breakout star Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates is the preseason favorite to claim his first Cy Young entering his second season in the big leagues.
The former LSU star exceeded the lofty expectations set out for him, dominating opposing hitters over 23 starts and becoming just the fifth rookie to start the All-Star Game on the mound. Skenes was among the best in the game over his final 20 starts, posting a microscopic 1.92 ERA to lead the league while striking out 149 hitters, which trailed only Chris Sale over that stretch.
Current NL Cy Young Betting Odds
Latest Odds from FanDuel SportsBook
| Player |
Odds |
| Paul Skenes |
+200 |
| Zack Wheeler |
+600 |
| Blake Snell |
+1000 |
| Corbin Burnes |
+1500 |
| Chris Sale |
+1700 |
| Yoshinobu Yamamoto |
+2000 |
| Sandy Alcantara |
+2000 |
| Dylan Cease |
+2100 |
| Michael King |
+2100 |
| Tyler Glasnow |
+2500 |
| Cristopher Sanchez |
+2500 |
| Spencer Schwellenbach |
+2500 |
| Logan Webb |
+3000 |
| Hunter Greene |
+3000 |
| Zac Gallen |
+3000 |
Can Sale go Back to Back?
In his first season as an Atlanta Brave, Sale cast aside all injury doubts and put together one of the best seasons in his decorated career to capture his first Cy Young award. The veteran southpaw finished best among all pitchers in wins, ERA, FIP, and K/9 while also besting all NL arms in strikeouts en route to a 94% vote share.
Sale will need to repeat those numbers to compete against the likes of Zack Wheeler, Corbin Burnes, Blake Snell, and Dylan Cease, among others. Wheeler was at his best for most of 2024. The Phillies’ ace allowed the fewest H/9 and led the NL in WHIP with a career-best 0.955 mark.
Don't Count Out Wheeler and Burnes
Wheeler became the first pitcher since 2019 to put together a comprehensive stat line of 200+ innings, 220+ strikeouts, an ERA below 2.60, and a sub-1.000 WHIP. His runner-up finish to Sale in 2024 was his second over the last four seasons.
Burnes, the 2021 NL Cy Young winner, finds himself back among familiar company in the National League after a cup of coffee in Baltimore. The formidable, durable righty is one of four starters to pitch 750+ innings since 2021, along with Wheeler, Aaron Nola, and Logan Webb, and he’s best in that group in ERA, K/9, and H/9.
As Usual, the Dodgers are Loaded
Blake Snell could use some of that durability to lend some predictability to his game, but his peaks have been undeniably good. The two-time Cy Young winner misses bats as well as any pitcher, currently boasting the highest K/9 rate in MLB history (11.2) among starting pitchers entering 2025.
The Dodgers’ loaded rotation, which also features fellow Cy Young contenders Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, could reduce the number of starts for each pitcher if Dave Roberts goes to a six-man rotation, but the potential among this group is easily the highest in the sport.
Cease, along with fellow San Diego Padre Michael King, is lurking. No one has more strikeouts since 2021 than Cease, who finished second in AL Cy Young voting in 2022 and fourth in the NL a season ago. King emerged as an elite starter for the Padres after being traded from the Yankees in the offseason, placing inside the top five in the National League in ERA, strikeouts, and K/9 to finish seventh in voting.
Best Bets
Zack Wheeler +750 (DraftKings)
Chris Sale +1700 (FanDuel)
Wheeler has settled into a highly productive stretch in his career after injuries hindered him in his early days as a New York Met. The Phillies are primed for another playoff run, and if Wheeler can add another 6.0-WAR season to his resume, it would be hard to deny him the award.
Sale’s odds vary wildly depending on your sportsbook of choice, and the value of his odds at FanDuel is too great to pass up. The defending winner could be the first since Jacob deGrom in 2018-19 to repeat as the NL Cy Young if he puts together another strong season.
