McClanahan Continues Leading AL Cy Young Race

The American League is loaded with talented pitchers, and there’s no shortage at the top of the current AL Cy Young odds on the BetMGM Sportsbook. Veteran arms like Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole are in the race again, while new faces like Kevin Gausman and Nestor Cortes have inserted their names into the conversation.

Here are the leaders in 2022 AL Cy Young odds (as of June 29):

Last week: It’s challenging to find a lot of flaws in Shane McClanahan’s game right now. Another product of the Tampa Bay Rays pitching factory. The left-hander added another solid start to his Cy Young resume, going seven innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday while allowing just one earned run and striking out ten. 

This week: The talented lefty is expected to make a start this weekend when the Rays visit the Toronto Blue Jays for a five-game series. This contest will be a big appearance for McClanahan and Tampa Bay, who are in a tight race for wild card seeding with Toronto in the American League. 

Last week: After a difficult result opposing the Chicago White Sox, Justin Verlander bounced back against the New York Yankees, pitching seven innings against the Bronx Bombers while allowing just one earned run and striking out three. Even with a quality start against the best team in baseball, Verlander still saw his odds fall from +375 to +400. 

This week: Verlander and the Houston Astros will conclude the team’s two-game series with the New York Mets later this afternoon. The Mets have been the class of the NL East and will serve as a big test for the veteran starter on the road. 

Last week: There was always an expectation that Alek Manoah would be a high-quality starter in the big leagues, but what he’s already accomplished is on another level. Manoah pitched six and 2/3 innings on Friday night against the Milwaukee Brewers, allowing just two earned runs en route to picking up his ninth victory of the season. 

This week: Manoah and the Blue Jays will finish off their three-game series with the Boston Red Sox tonight with the right-hander on the bump. The Red Sox are another team causing havoc on the wild card race in the AL, which should add intrigue to this start for the big righty. 

Last week: Gerrit Cole and the New York Yankees faced a tough test in the Houston Astros on June 25, which saw the right-hander pick up a loss despite pitching seven innings while allowing just one earned run and striking out eight. 

This week: Cole is expected to get the ball on Friday night when the Yankees visit the Cleveland Guardians to kick off a three-game weekend series. The runner-up for the Cy Young last season boasts a 6-2 record with a 2.99 ERA and 111 strikeouts on the campaign. 

Dylan Cease – White Sox (+1200)

Last week: Dylan Cease re-entered the AL Cy Young race mix after allowing just one earned run over his past three starters. The Chicago White Sox starter last pitched on Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles, where he threw seven innings and allowed just one run while striking out 13. 

This week: The Chicago White Sox are scheduled to head to the West Coast for a three-game weekend series with the San Francisco Giants. Cease is expected to make a start in that series, where he’ll enter with a 2.56 ERA in 15 starts this year. 

Looking at where the public money is going, Alek Manoah currently owns the highest ticket percentage in the AL Cy Young race with 13.2% of tickets, while Justin Verlander has seen the most money go his way, holding 16.4% of the handle. Manoah of the Blue Jays is currently the book’s most significant liability. 

And here are the Top Ten 2022 AL Cy Young odds: