Last season’s NL Cy Young race was one of the closest in recent memory. This year should be no different, with several hurlers capable of etching their name into baseball immortality.
Let’s look at the current NL Cy Young futures courtesy of the BetMGM Sportsbook.
Sandy Alcantara – Marlins (+185)
Last Week: Sandy Alcantara (8-3) solidified his position atop the NL Cy Young Futures market following his June 29 complete-game victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch stadium. The Miami Marlins right-hander was facing his fourth loss of the season until right fielder Avisail Garcia launched a two-out, two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning off Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley to give the Marlins the lead. Alcantara came out for the bottom half and finished the job, capping a 117-pitch effort with his second complete game of the season. The Marlins workhorse yielded just two earned runs while scattering seven hits and striking out three. He walked two.
This Week: Alcantara currently holds down 13.2% of all tickets and a whopping 21.4% of the handle as the futures market is starting to place some significant distance between the Marlins ace and the competition in the battle for the NL’s coveted pitching prize. He leads the league in innings pitched (115.1 ), is second in ERA (1.95), and third in opposition batting average (.196).
Alcantara takes the hill on Tuesday as the Marlins host the Los Angeles Angels in the opener of a mini two-game series.
Corbin Burnes – Brewers (+500)
Last week: Corbin Burnes (7-4) won his fourth consecutive start, giving up just one earned run on one hit over six innings as the Brewers embarrassed the Pittsburgh Pirates 19-2 at PNC Park Friday night. The right-hander struck out five and walked four in the 100-pitch outing.
This Week: After suffering back-to-back losses at home in early June, Burnes has bounced back with impressive wins over the New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals, and Toronto Blue Jays. With his most recent victory over the struggling Bucs, the reigning Cy Young winner now attracts 5.1% of all tickets representing 3.5% of the handle. He sits second in the NL in WHIP (0.92) and fourth in ERA (2.36) among qualified pitchers.
Burnes’s next start is slated for July 6 at home against the Chicago Cubs, the finale of a three-game series.
Joe Musgrove – Padres (+500)
Last Week: Joe Musgrove (8-2) suffered his second consecutive loss, dropping a tough 3-1 decision to the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 30 at Dodger Stadium. The 29-year-old had little trouble with the Dodgers lineup, except for third baseman Justin Turner, who accounted for all three LA runs with two home runs – a two-run blast in the second inning and a solo shot in the seventh. Musgrove gave up just five hits (Turner had three of them) over seven innings and struck out a season-high ten.
Despite the loss, it was a particularly encouraging outing for Musgrove, who struggled in his previous start against the Philadelphia Phillies, his first since coming off the COVID-19 injury list.
This Week: Musgrove will look to get back on the winning track in his next start, tentatively scheduled for July 7, at home against the San Francisco Giants in the opener of a four-game series. The former Pirate remains in the Cy Young hunt, sitting third in ERA (2.25) and tied for third in WHIP (0.95). The league is hitting a feeble .202 against him, good for third league-wide. The futures market has Musgrove owning a healthy 5.1% of tickets, representing 3.4% of the handle.
Last Week: After two tough no-decisions, Max Fried (8-2) earned the win in his July 1 start, holding the lowly Cincinnati Reds to one run on five hits over seven innings in the Braves’ 9-1 win at Great American Ball Park. The lefthander has not lost since posting back-to-back defeats at home to the Reds and Washington Nationals to start the season.
This Week: Fried is scheduled to toe the rubber on Wednesday as the Braves host the St. Louis Cardinals in a four-game set. The 28-year-old sits third in the NL in innings pitched, with a 2.66 ERA. He currently holds down 2.6% of all tickets and 2.2% of the NL Cy Young handle.
Tony Gonsolin – Dodgers (+1100)
Last Week: From starting the season off the board, the Dodgers’ Tony Gonsolin (10-0) has shot into Cy Young contention. Gonsolin remains unbeaten, becoming the first NL pitcher to win ten games with a dominant, one-run, four-hit performance as the Dodgers downed the Padres 5-1 Friday night at Dodger Stadium. The 28-year-old struck out a season-high eight and did not walk a batter over 7.2 innings.
Gonsolin has yet to yield more than two earned runs or five hits across 15 starts this season. With ace Walker Buehler sidelined until late August/early September, Gonsolin has stepped in to fill the void.
This Week: Gonsolin will take his league-leading 1.54 ERA to his next start, scheduled for July 6 at home against the Colorado Rockies. Though not overpowering, the league is hitting a microscopic .155 against him, and he owns a 0.82 WHIP – both tops in the NL. The futures market has noticed, with 6.5% of tickets and 6.8% of the handle directed his way.
