The American League is littered with great pitchers, with some new faces joining as potential candidates to win the MLB’s AL Cy Young.
Stay ahead of the game and elevate your sports betting experience with SportsGrid and our daily MLB picks.
1. Gerrit Cole +100 (Last week: +160)
Gerrit Cole has re-established himself as a favorite to bring home his first career Cy Young Award. Cole has continued to be a top-of-the-rotation arm, and his elite tendencies are prevalent whenever he takes the bump.
Cole has been consistently impressive and tallied a 9-2 record, in addition to a 2.64 ERA and 149 strikeouts. Cole hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in a start since May 28 and now has gone through a stretch of dominant starts over the last two months. Cole has seen his odds of winning the AL Cy Young rise again over the last week from +160 to +100.
Last Start: July 29 @ Baltimore Orioles (7IP, 3H, 0ER, 5SO)
Next Start: August 2 vs. Tampa Bay Rays
2. Kevin Gausman +400 (Last week: +650)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 doing an excellent job of holding the Blue Jays rotation together.
Gausman has been superb since signing with the Blue Jays last year. One might even argue he’s been a bargain. The righty has posted an 8-5 record, paired with a 3.10 ERA and 171 strikeouts. Gausman sits second in all baseball with 171 strikeouts, which has played a big role in him getting bet down for the second consecutive week from +650 to +400.
Last Start: July 28 vs. Los Angeles Angels (6IP, 5H, 1ER, 9SO)
Next Start: August 3 vs. Baltimore Orioles
3. Shane McClanahan +600 (Last week: +500)One of baseball’s most dominant left-handed starters is Shane McClanahan of the Tampa Bay Rays. Every time he takes the hill, he gives Tampa a chance to win and continues to look elite after each passing start.
Injuries have played a role in why McClanahan has seen his odds fluctuate over the last few months. Still, Tampa’s ace is back on the hill and taking a regular turn in the Rays rotation. The dominant lefty has tallied an 11-1 record over 20 starts, along with a 3.00 ERA and 118 punchouts. McClanahan’s AL Cy Young odds have taken a slight dip over the last week from +500 to +600.
Last Start: July 28 @ Houston Astros (5IP, 8H, 3ER, 6SO)
Next Start: August 2 @ New York Yankees
SportsGrid’s Best Daily MLB Prop Picks
4. Luis Castillo +800 (Last week: Unranked in Top Five)Ever since the Seattle Mariners acquired right-hander Luis Castillo from the Cincinnati Reds at the 2022 MLB trade deadline, he’s delivered as a legitimate ace for the club. Castillo gives the Mariners a headliner in a rotation that was looking for one and proved insanely valuable again in 2023.
Castillo has crept back into the AL Cy Young race and done so in dominating fashion. He’s tallied a 7-7 record, paired with a 2.88 ERA and 149 strikeouts. The former Red has allowed three earned runs or less in each of his last five starts, causing him to hop back into the top five odds at +800.
Last Start: July 30 @ Arizona Diamondbacks (6IP, 2H, 0ER, 7SO)
Next Start: August 4 @ Los Angeles Angels
5. Nathan Eovaldi +1200 (Last week: +600)Nathan Eovaldi is your guy if you’re looking for a veteran starter that’s brought a ton of consistency to the Texas Rangers rotation. 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 an 11-3 record, paired with a 2.69 ERA and 111 strikeouts. The righty has seen his odds to win the AL Cy Young double rising from +600 to +1200. The Rangers placed Eovaldi on the IL with a forearm strain, and it’s unknown when he’ll make his next start, which caused his odds to jump greatly.
Last Start: July 18 vs. Tampa Bay Rays (6IP, 2H, 0ER, 2SO)
Next Start: TBD
Top 5 AL Cy Young Odds on FanDuel Sportsbook.
| Player | Team | Odds |
| Gerrit Cole | New York Yankees | 160 |
| Kevin Gausman | Toronto Blue Jays | 400 |
| Shane McClanahan | Tampa Bay Rays | 600 |
| Luis Castillo | Seattle Mariners | 800 |
| Nathan Eovaldi | Texas Rangers | 1200 |
