By: Tobey Schulman
Sleeper 2024 Cy Young Candidates
With the 2024 MLB season coming to a start this week, let’s look at a few pitchers from both the American and National League that are sleeper candidates for the Cy Young award. Included will be the consensus betting odds as they stand before the season begins.
American League
George Kirby – Seattle Mariners +1200
George Kirby ended the 2023 season finishing eighth in the Cy Young voting. Kirby’s been able to lower his ERA in both seasons in the Majors, recording a 3.49 ERA last season. Kirby did this while recording 60.2 more innings pitched than in 2022. Kirby’s kicker is he doesn’t walk many batters. Kirby’s strikeout to walk ratio in his career so far has been an absurd 305/41, and 172/19 in 2023. Kirby puts together the starts and pitches the innings to put him in contention for the Cy Young this season, and at +1200, there’s great value to take him as your AL Cy Young winner.
Tarik Skubal – Detroit Tigers +1000
The one thing that makes it difficult for Skubal to be a front runner for this award is his health. While he’s battled injuries in his career, he’s looked impressive when healthy. Skubal returned from injury last year and recorded a 2.80 ERA, with 102 strikeouts and 14 walks. If the Tigers end up winning the AL Central this year, the odds of it being led by a Cy Young caliber campaign from Skubal is very high. At +1000 odds, there’s great value here as well.
Pablo Lopez – Minnesota Twins +1100
The Minnesota Twins enter a different season for them in 2024. They departed from former ace Sonny Gray, and now require more of Pablo Lopez to defend their division title. Lopez finished 7th in the Cy Young voting last season, and looks to improve upon that this season. Lopez in 14 more innings of work in 2023 recorded 60 more strikeouts than he did in 2022, with 234 compared to 174. With the division becoming more competitive this season, Lopez’s role will be bigger this year and if the Twins want to win the division, they’ll need a Cy Young caliber campaign from Lopez.
National League
Blake Snell – San Francisco Giants +1800
The reigning NL Cy Young in 2023, Blake Snell is looking to repeat his success in the same division with a new team in San Francisco. Snell is coming off of a year where he pitched the most amount of innings he pitched since his 2018 Cy Young campaign in Tampa Bay. Snell recorded a 2.25 ERA and if he can pitch around 180 innings again there’s no reason to believe he can’t contend for his third Cy Young. At +1800 odds, this is incredible value for a pitcher coming off of winning the award.
Zac Gallen – Arizona Diamondbacks +1400
Zac Gallen headlines a blooming rotation in Arizona. Gallen has finished top five in Cy Young voting the last two seasons, with a third place finish in 2023. Gallen tossed a 3.47 ERA in 2023, and a 2.54 ERA in 2022 and looks to build off those numbers. Gallen recorded the most strikeouts and innings pitched in a single season so far for him last year, and if he does the same this year, expect him to be back in the running for NL Cy Young as the Diamondbacks look to make a push back to the World Series.
Walker Buehler – Los Angeles Dodgers +7500
Maybe the biggest sleeper on this list, Walker Buehler comes into 2023 with a huge chip on his shoulder. Buehler was once arguably the most feared arm in this Dodger rotation. After battling injuries, Buehler finds himself in a contract year and will need to play his way into a big time deal. Buehler has all the tools to be a Cy Young caliber pitcher. He’s already finished top 10 in voting in two previous seasons, and if fully healthy should be one of a few Dodgers pitchers in the running for the award. At +7500 odds, a big payday can be in store for people willing to take a chance on Buehler this season.