{"id":106455,"date":"2025-08-29T22:57:06","date_gmt":"2025-08-29T22:57:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/106455\/"},"modified":"2025-08-29T22:57:06","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T22:57:06","slug":"poll-al-cy-young-race-check-in","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/106455\/","title":{"rendered":"Poll: AL Cy Young Race Check-In"},"content":{"rendered":"

While a few of this season\u2019s awards don\u2019t appear to be terribly competitive headed into the final month of the season, one race that still appears to be wide open is that for the AL Cy Young award. MLBTR last checked in<\/a> on the race back in June, at which point Tigers ace Tarik Skubal<\/a> was viewed as the heavy favorite to capture his second consecutive Cy Young, with nearly 46% of the vote and nearly double second place finisher\u2019s total.<\/p>\n

Skubal is still a strong contender for the award, of course, and perhaps even the favorite. Through 26 starts this year, the southpaw has logged 166 innings of 2.28 ERA ball. He\u2019s struck out 33.5% of his opponents with a phenomenal 3.9% walk rate, giving him the best K-BB% in baseball this year. That mix of strikeout stuff and pinpoint command is Skubal\u2019s bread and butter, as his other metrics this year have been closer to average than exceptional. His ground ball rate is a cromulent 40.7% this year, and his 8.7% barrel rate ranks 15th among 30 qualified AL hurlers. Skubal\u2019s last start was an unusual one, as he surrendered six runs in 6 2\/3 innings of work but only one of those six runs was considered earned. Even with those five runs not countered against his ledger, he\u2019s posted a 3.05 ERA and 3.55 FIP in the month of August. That performance is strong but not quite on the level of some other contenders.<\/p>\n

While Skubal\u2019s numbers haven\u2019t changed too drastically since June, he\u2019s found a rival for his position as the AL\u2019s best lefty strikeout artist in the form of Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet<\/a>. The 26-year-old has more or less matched Skubal in virtually every stat. He had 166 1\/3 innings of work to Skubal\u2019s aforementioned 166 through 26 starts, though Crochet\u2019s six-innings of two-run ball against the Orioles yesterday pushed his total up to 172 1\/3. His 2.40 ERA is within spitting distance of Skubal\u2019s own figure, and his 31.1% strikeout rate is just a couple of points behind. Where he falls more significantly behind Skubal is his walk rate, as he\u2019s allowed free passes at a 6.1% clip.<\/p>\n

He makes up for the gap in K-BB% somewhat with stronger batted ball numbers, however. He\u2019s generating grounders at a 48.5% clip, and his 7.2% barrel rate is the sixth-best figure in the AL. For those inclined towards more traditional metrics, Crochet also sports an AL-best 14 wins on his record. Crochet\u2019s 3.19 ERA in August didn\u2019t separate him from Skubal significantly, but his peripherals (including a 2.96 FIP) are significantly better over that span. If he can turn those peripherals into production in September, perhaps that will be enough to separate himself from Skubal.<\/p>\n

Of course, Crochet and Skubal aren\u2019t the only two options to consider. Astros right-hander Hunter Brown<\/a> is in the midst of a breakout season that deserves serious consideration. Through 26 starts, Brown\u2019s 155 2\/3 innings of work lag behind the totals of the two lefties, but his numbers are undeniably impressive. He\u2019s posted a 2.37 ERA with a 46.0% ground ball rate and a 29.1% strikeout rate. Brown\u2019s 6.1% barrel rate is the second-best figure in the AL this year, though he\u2019s held back somewhat by his 7.6% walk rate.<\/p>\n

When looking at Brown\u2019s recent work, it\u2019s something of a mixed bag. His 1.71 ERA in August is obviously fantastic, but it comes with an asterisk after he allowed four unearned runs in his most recent start. His 22.2% strikeout rate is also far below his typical norms, but his 2.71 FIP is nothing short of excellent. Brown seems to be a step behind both Skubal and Crochet at this point, but it\u2019s easy to imagine him pushing himself more firmly into the conversation with a strong September.<\/p>\n

Brown, Skubal, and Crochet seem like the top three players in the race at this point, but there are some other arms who deserve acknowledgment as well. Nathan Eovaldi<\/a> has a sensational 1.73 ERA in 22 starts this year, but with just 130 innings of work and a rotator cuff strain that\u2019s likely season-ending<\/a>, it would be a shock if he got more than down-ballot consideration for the award. Jacob deGrom<\/a>\u2019s first healthy season in half a decade has been extremely impressive with a 2.79 ERA, but the 37-year-old\u2019s peripherals pale in comparison to the other top starters in the league. Max Fried<\/a>\u2019s season with the Yankees started out incredibly impressive, but his 5.33 ERA since the start of July has likely pushed him out of the conversation for the most part.<\/p>\n

With just a month left to go in the season, who do you think will come out on top in the AL Cy Young race? Have your say in the poll below:<\/p>\n

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