AL Cy Young Odds Rankings: Cole Separates From Castillo

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. Gerrit Cole -250 (Last week: -210)

Gerrit Cole has re-established himself as a favorite to bring home his first career Cy Young Award. The Yankees ace 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 for the Yankees and is coming off another strong start against the Detroit Tigers. Cole has registered a 12-4 record over 28 starts, with a 2.95 ERA and 188 strikeouts. With another strong week in the books, Cole has seen his AL Cy Young odds bet down as the favorite from -210 to -250. 

Last Start: August 30 @ Detroit Tigers (6IP, 4H, 2ER, 7SO) 

Next Start: September 5 vs. Detroit Tigers 

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 remarkably valuable again in 2023. 

Castillo struggled his last time out against the New York Mets and allowed five earned runs over five innings. This did his AL Cy Young odds no favors, and he’s now seen the gap widen between himself and Cole at the top. Castillo has tallied an 11-7 record, paired with a 3.19 ERA and 183 strikeouts. Castillo’s AL Cy Young odds took a dive from +300 to +410 over the last week.

Last Start: September 2 @ New York Mets (5IP, 8H, 5ER, 2SO)

Next Start: September 7 @ Tampa Bay Rays 

3. (Tie) Sonny Gray +1200 (Last week: +Unranked in Top Five)

Even though he hasn’t been talked about a ton in the American League Cy Young race, Sonny Gray of the Minnesota Twins has been one of the game’s top pitchers this year. 

Gray has been dominant for the Twins over his last two starts, combining to tally 14 innings, nine hits, one earned run, and nine strikeouts. With those outings, Gray is now 7-6 with a 2.92 ERA over 27 starts. The Twinkies ace has risen into the top five odds and sits at +1200. 

Last Start: August 30 vs. Cleveland Guardians (7IP, 3H, 0ER, 5SO)

Next Start: September 5 @ Cleveland Guardians

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 staff together. 

Gausman has been superb since signing with Toronto last year. One might even argue he’s been a bargain. The righty has posted a 10-8 record over 27 starts, along with a 3.39 ERA and 207 punchouts. Gausman has struggled to find his elite stuff of late, which has played a role in his AL Cy Young odds continuing to drop from +700 to +1200. 

Last Start: September 3 @ Colorado Rockies (4IP, 6H, 3ER, 5SO)

Next Start: September 9 vs. Kansas City Royals

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5. Framber Valdez +4000 (Last week: +3000)

The Houston Astros left-hander has become a prominent figure in the American League Cy Young picture over the past 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 has had some solid stretches for the Houston Astros, but there have been some inconsistencies too, which have made him a longshot. The Dominican has posted a 10-9 record, paired with a 3.38 ERA and 164 punchouts. With Valdez doing nothing to separate himself from the pack, he’s seen his odds continue to drop from +3000 to +4000. 

Last Start: August 30 @ Boston Red Sox (6IP, 5H, 2ER, 5SO)

Next Start: September 5 @ Texas Rangers 

Top 5 AL Cy Young Odds on FanDuel Sportsbook. 

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