Cy Young is perhaps one of the most famous names in the sport of baseball. He was a legendary figure within the game, with the pitcher one of the best to have ever played. As a result, he had an award made in his memory and as a posthumous tribute to him.
The award was introduced to honor the Hall of Fame in 1956 following his death a year prior and has since become an annual celebration.
What is the Cy Young Award and when is it awarded?
There are two awards to be handed out regarding the Cy Young accolade, with the National League and the American League both having winners.
For many professional pitchers, the award is one of the proudest achievements that they can earn, as it recognizes their personal contribution to the game for the season and highlights them as the best pitcher in the league. Many of the game’s biggest stars have been able to win the accolade throughout history, with Sandy Alcántara (NL) and Justin Verlander (AL) having been the most recent recipements.
With the MLB season fast approaching its conclusion as the postseason begins in October, everyone knows that award season is also getting extremely close.
Who are the favorites to win the 2023 Cy Young Awards?
With award season on the horizon, there will be many that will be looking it as a potential sports betting opportunity. Baseball has always been a popular sport to wager on because of the varied markets and odds that can be found, which has helped to enhance the overall experience that so many already enjoy.
As a result, bookmakers like 32red Sports are already offering odds on the potential winner of the award. According to the latest prices offered, the following are the favorites to win their respective Cy Young award.
American League
- Gerrit Cole @ -2,500
- Luis Castillo @ +1,100
- Kevin Gausman @ +6,000
- Sonny Gray @ +6,000
National League
- Blake Snell @ -225
- Justin Steele @ +180
- Zac Gallen @ +550
- Spencer Strider @ +3,500
As can be inferred from the available odds, there would appear to be a clear favorite in both races, although it could be argued that the race for the National League award is closer.
Gerrit Cole has been superb for the New York Yankees this season, and following the UCL injury sustained by Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani who was the standalone favorite, Cole now appears to be in prime position to close the season out as the American League winner.
In the National League conference, the competition is a lot closer and recent weeks have seen the betting get even hotter with the emergence of Justin Steele. While San Diego Padres’ pitcher Blake Snell remains the favorite, the Chicago Cubs pitcher has been putting together an impressive run of form that could see him pip his rival.
At the time of writing, Steele is tied first in the league across wins (16) and in ERA (2.49), while he and the Cubs are also 8=1 in his last nine starts for the MLB franchise. As a result, his odds have dropped from +1,500 and are now at +180.
Important to keep an eye on what happens
As with all forms of sports betting and making predictions about who could potentially be a winner of an outright market, bettors would certainly be best advised to make sure they are abreast of all developments that pertain to the race for the Cy Young award.
With the MLB regular season fast approaching its conclusion and then the race for the World Series set to take center stage, a lot can happen as teams look to push themselves into a new gear and build momentum ahead of the championship bracket process. Those that are on the edge of qualifying for the playoffs may also see an improvement in the performances of their pitchers, which could potentially enhance their chances of receiving the prestigious baseball accolade.
Whether you are placing a wager on the outcome of this event, or simply enjoying watching the rest of the 2023 MLB season, there is no doubt that there is plenty to come and some rather exciting baseball to be had!
