NL Cy Young Candidates: Mets' Duo Scherzer, Verlander Poised to Make Noise

The National League is stacked with elite pitchers in 2023, and many candidates warrant consideration to win the Cy Young going into the season.

Below, we’ll look into the top five candidates using odds from FanDuel Sportsbook.

The reigning NL Cy Young winner, Sandy Alcantara, is on the rise as an elite starter. Looking to defend his crown, Alcantara has the top odds in the NL to repeat at +500. The dominant right-hander for the Miami Marlins is coming off a 2022 campaign where he owned a 14-9 record, along with a 2.28 ERA and 207 strikeouts. Since entering the league in 2017, Alcantara had continued to improve each season and is now one of the most feared starters in baseball. With the consistency he’s shown over the past five seasons, there’s no reason he can’t go back-to-back. 

Corbin Burnes already took home an NL Cy Young with the Milwaukee Brewers in 2021 and finished in the top seven in 2022. He has electric stuff at the top of the Brew Crews rotation and is one of the top starters in baseball today. Burnes tallied a 12-8 record, paired with a 2.94 ERA and 243 strikeouts in 2022, which led the league. He’s been an All-Star for two straight seasons and has a great shot to be firmly in the mix for the award in 2023. Burnes has the second-shortest odds to capture the second NL Cy Young of his career at +600. 

It wasn’t enough for Justin Verlander to win a World Series and AL Cy Young; now, he’s moved on to the National League and will be looking to capture his first NL Cy with the New York Mets. Verlander was absolutely dominant in 2022 with the Houston Astros, which saw him post a 5.9 WAR, an 18-4 record, and a sparkling 1.75 ERA. It will be interesting to track how the former Tiger adjusts to pitching in the National League, and the oddsmakers suggest it won’t take long for him to get comfortable. The 40-year-old starter is listed at +700 to win the NL Cy Young, which has him with the third-shortest odds. 

He might be a longtime veteran, but Max Scherzer still has the stuff to compete for a Cy Young award. The right-hander made just 23 starts for the Mets in 2022 but posted a strong 11-5 record, paired with a 2.29 ERA and 173 punchouts. The 38-year-old will be tasked with staying healthy in 2023, and if he can do that, there’s no reason he shouldn’t be right in the mix at +800. Scherzer has already captured three Cy Young trophies and has been a top-five finisher in eight seasons. 

Entering the 2022 campaign, Spencer Strider certainly wasn’t a household name for the Atlanta Braves. That’s now changed, and one of the top strikeout throwers in baseball is now featured as a legitimate contender to bring home the hardware. The Braves’ second-year starter is coming off an 11-5 rookie campaign, where he finished second in Rookie of the Year voting and compiled a 2.67 ERA, along with 202 strikeouts. Strider has swing-and-miss stuff, which helps make him a top contender for the coveted award. 

Top 5 NL Cy Young Candidates Odds on FanDuel Sportsbook.