MILWAUKEE, WI – MAY 18: Corbin Burnes #39 of the Milwaukee Brewers throws a pitch during a game against the Atlanta Braves at American Family Field on May 18, 2022 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Brewers defeated the Braves 7-6 in eleven innings. Stacy Revere/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Stacy Revere/GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Getty Images via AFP)
The race for the National League Cy Young Award is heating up as the MLB season wraps up in June. While starting pitcher Corbin Burnes of the Milwaukee Brewers is the consensus favorite to win the NL Cy Young for a second straight season, starting player Carlos Rodon of the San Francisco Giants is a close second, receiving the honor in his first season in the NL.
With New York Mets hurlers Jacob deGrom (shoulder) and Max Scherzer (bent) long-term absent through injury, the betting market for the award has been thrown into disarray and a number of unproven weapons have come up for discussion.
Here are the current odds at BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook.
Check out the latest comprehensive and most trusted sports betting reviews from SBR here.
National League Cy Young Power Rankings
Corbin Burnes, Milwaukee Brewers (+350 at Caesars and FanDuel)
While potential Burnes supporters would like to see more than two wins at this point in the season, the 27-year-old right-hander actually has a better ERA and WHIP this season than last. The NL headquarters also offer three floormats that Burnes can use to match his stats, so the meager odds could be justified in this case.
Key Stats: The strikeout artist leads the NL in punchouts with 67.
Question mark: Winning back-to-back Cy Young Awards has been commonplace in the NL for the past decade, but can Burnes rack up enough wins to secure the votes?
Carlos Rodon, San Francisco Giants (+750 at FanDuel)
Take away a dud on May 15 against the St. Louis Cardinals, and Rodon was the top pitcher in the National League. Switching leagues and pitching home games at pitcher-friendly Oracle Park should be a boon for the left-hander, but landing at the heart of the NL Cy Young discussion probably wasn’t.
Key Stats: The left-hander ranks third in the majors for both strikeout percentage (34.1%) and FIP (2.14).
Question mark: With a career-high 165 innings in 2016, does Rodon have the stamina to shine all season?
Joe Musgrove, San Diego Padres (+1200 at BetMGM)
Considering Musgrove never received a vote from Cy Young and has faded the stretch during the 2021 campaign with a 4.02 ERA and 4.22 FIP in his last 17 games, it’s surprising to see that Bookmaker buy its excellent start this year. Even if a statistical correction is emerging, he has excellent odds at 5:0.
Key Stats: The sophomore has eight quality starts in eight trips to the bump.
Question mark: Musgrove’s lack of flashy numbers makes him too boring to win the Cy Young, right?
Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia Phillies (+2000 at BetMGM)
Shoulder pain delayed Wheeler’s start this year and also partly explains his disappointing first three starts with three losses and an 8.53 ERA.
Since then, however, it has been free of play. The 31-year-old right-hander had a season-high 10 strikeouts in his last start against the Atlanta Braves on May 23. He dropped his ERA and WHIP to 3.38 and 1.15, respectively.
Key Stats: Wheeler posted a dominant 40-6 K:BB with a 3-0 record in his last five starts.
Question mark: If you’re thinking Wheeler just got going, how good does that +2000 look at BetMGM?
Pablo Lopez, Miami Marlins (+1100 at BetMGM, Caesars and FanDuel)
With seven earned runs allowed over 10 innings in his last two appearances, the unsustainability of Lopez’s start to the campaign is beginning to pay off. Additionally, Lopez has peaked in 111.1 innings in the 2019 campaign, and shoulder narrowing limited the 26-year-old right-hander to just 102.2 innings last year.
Key Stats: Lopez ranks third in the majors in WAR for pitchers.
Question mark: How Fast Can You Cash Out Your Lopez To Win The NL Cy Young Award Ticket?
Keep an eye on our live odds page throughout the week for the best possible paylines and connect with others in the SBR community on our popular sportsbook forum.
Neil Parker
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A lifelong supporter of the Cowboys, Cubs, Maple Leafs and Gators, Neil has covered sports in print and online since 2011. His past positions include USA TODAY, theScore, DraftKings Playbook and RotoWire. He is a graduate of St. Thomas University and Acadia University and spends a lot of time at the KenWo Golf Club.