AL Cy Young Odds Rankings: Valdez Leads, Gausman Bet Down

The American League is littered with great pitchers, with some new faces joining as potential candidates to win the MLB’s AL Cy Young.

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1. Framber Valdez +200 (Last week: +270)

The Houston Astros left-hander has become a prominent figure in the American League Cy Young picture over the last few years. Framber Valdez headlines the Astros rotation and has the stuff to be considered one of the league’s top starters. Not only has his record proved that over the years, but his pitch mix is high-end.

Valdez had a start skipped because of an ankle injury, but he’s expected to make his start against the Seattle Mariners on July 7. The lefty has posted a 7-6 record through 16 starts with a 2.49 ERA and 110 strikeouts. Even though his last start saw him struggle, Valdez has still seen his odds to win the AL Cy Young rise from +270 to +200.

Last Start: June 27 @ St. Louis Cardinals (6IP, 8H, 4ER, 6SO)

Next Start: July 7 vs. Seattle Mariners

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2. Kevin Gausman +350 (Last week: +480)

The Toronto Blue Jays entered the regular season with a strong rotation, and a significant reason for that is the consistency of Kevin Gausman. He’s been solid for over three months, doing an excellent job of holding the Blue Jays rotation together. Every time he takes the hill, Gausman gives the club a chance to win. Gausman has tallied a 7-4 record with a 3.04 ERA and 146 strikeouts. The strikeout totals are elite, leading him to be bet down from +480 to +350 over the last week.

Last Start: July 2 vs. Boston Red Sox (5IP, 5H, 2ER, 7SO)

Next Start: July 7 @ Detroit Tigers

3. Gerrit Cole +450 (Last week: +500)

Do not forget about veteran Gerrit Cole when considering the American League Cy Young race. Cole has continued to be a top-of-the-rotation arm, and his elite tendencies are prevalent whenever he takes the bump.

Cole worked out of trouble in his last start, still pitching six innings. Cole has an 8-2 record over 18 starts, combined with a 2.79 ERA and 118 punchouts. With another quality start in the books, Cole saw his AL Cy Young odds rise from +500 to +450.

Last Start: July 1 @ St. Louis Cardinals (6IP, 6H, 2ER, 5SO)

Next Start: July 8 vs. Chicago Cubs

4. Shohei Ohtani +700 (Last week: Unranked in Top Five)

It’s not just at the plate that Shohei Ohtani brings his elite presence, but also on the bump. Ohtani is one of the most electric starters in the game and has continued to pitch like a Cy Young capable arm in 2023.

The two-way phenom has quietly crept back into the AL Cy Young conversation, owing a 7-3 record over 16 starts, with a 3.02 ERA and 127 punchouts. Ohtani is coming off a ten-strikeout performance against the Chicago White Sox, giving him the fourth-shortest odds at +700.

Last Start: June 27 vs. Chicago White Sox (6 1/3IP, 4H, 1ER, 10SO)

Next Start: July 4 @ San Diego Padres

5. Nathan Eovaldi +850 (Last week: Unranked in Top Five)

If you’re looking for a veteran starter that’s brought a ton of consistency to the Texas Rangers rotation, Nathan Eovaldi is your guy. The right-hander has found success throughout his MLB career and is in the AL Cy Young conversation as a 33-year-old.

Eovaldi has posted a 10-3 record with a 2.64 ERA and 106 strikeouts. The Rangers were expecting to get an innings eater out of Eovaldi, and it’s safe to say they weren’t expecting this level of production. Eovaldi has snuck into the AL Cy Young discussion, boasting +850 odds.

Last Start: July 1 vs. Houston Astros (7IP, 2H, 0ER, 5SO)

Next Start: July 6 @ Boston Red Sox

Top 5 AL Cy Young Odds on FanDuel Sportsbook.

Player	Team	Odds
Framber Valdez	Houston Astros	200
Kevin Gausman	Toronto Blue Jays	350
Gerrit Cole	New York Yankees	450
Shohei Ohtani	Los Angeles Angels	700
Nathan Eovaldi	Texas Rangers	850