The 2020 MLB season was one for the history books, with a shortened schedule, expanded playoff field and coronavirus-delayed games throwing a wrench in how teams navigated the campaign.
Throughout all the unpredictability, a number of starting pitchers were able to overcome the adversity and post remarkable seasons. Six of those starters have been rewarded as finalists for the Cy Young Award.
In the American League, Shane Bieber built upon his breakout 2019 with a superstar turn, while former Dodgers Kenta Maeda and Hyun-Jin Ryu thrived in their first seasons with their new clubs. Jacob deGrom looks to three-peat in the National League but will have to hold off Yu Darvish and Trevor Bauer in what could be a tight race.
Here’s a look at the three candidates in each league, including a prediction for who will take home the hardware on Nov. 11.
AL Cy Young candidates
Hyun-Jin Ryu — Toronto Blue Jays
12 GS | 67 IP | 2.69 ERA | 72 K | 1.15 WHIP | 3.0 WAR
Ryu’s first season north of the border ended in disappointment when he was pounded for seven runs in the Blue Jays’ series-clinching loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. Luckily for the big left-hander, playoff performance doesn’t factor into the Cy Young decision.
Over 12 regular-season starts, Ryu was just what the doctor ordered for the young Blue Jays. He was paid to be the ace of the staff and lived up to those lofty expectations, stabilizing a rotation that struggled to pitch deep into games. This is his second consecutive year as a Cy Young finalist but he figures to come up short once again because of who he’s up against.
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Shane Bieber — Cleveland Indians
12 GS | 77.1 IP | 1.63 ERA | 122 K | 0.87 WHIP | 3.3 WAR
The biggest lock of all the awards races is Bieber winning the American League Cy Young. His season was as dominant as you’ll ever see, winning the Triple Crown for most wins, strikeouts and lowest ERA.
Bieber was untouchable all season, striking out 14.2 batters per nine innings. The 25-year-old never surrendered more than three runs in an outing and held opponents off the board completely in six of his 12 starts. Like Ryu, his year ended on a sour note as the New York Yankees teed off for seven runs in Game 1 of the wild-card series.
Kenta Maeda — Minnesota Twins
11 GS | 66.2 IP | 2.70 ERA | 80 K | 0.75 WHIP | 1.6 WAR
After years of yo-yoing between starting and relieving with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Maeda took off as a full-time starter with the Twins. His 0.75 WHIP led the majors and his 8.00 K/BB ratio was easily the best of his career. The highlight of his season came on Aug. 18, when he carried a 12-strikeout no-hit bid into the ninth inning before eventually losing it.
AL Cy Young prediction: Bieber
It would be a crime for him not to win.
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NL Cy Young candidates
Trevor Bauer — Cincinnati Reds
11 GS | 73 IP | 1.73 ERA | 100 K | 0.79 WHIP | 2.7 WAR
Bauer put together the best season of his career in 2020, which coincides perfectly with his free agency. While the league is shifting away from typical workhorse starters as relievers take on greater roles, Bauer logged two complete game shutouts in 2020, although both were of the seven-inning variety during doubleheaders. The polarizing right-hander helped lead the Reds to the playoffs with his clutch performance down the stretch.
Yu Darvish — Chicago Cubs
12 GS | 76 IP | 2.01 ERA | 93 K | 0.96 WHIP | 2.7 WAR
Just when you thought Darvish’s best days were behind him, he goes out and puts up a career season at age 34. His 2.23 FIP led the National League and his success can largely be attributed to cutting down on home runs. Darvish only allowed 0.6 homers per nine innings, which was down significantly from his 1.7 mark from 2019 and 1.1 career clip. He’s come close but has never won the Cy Young over his decorated MLB career. He has a strong case to change that this year.
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Jacob deGrom — New York Mets
12 GS | 68 IP | 2.38 ERA | 104 K | 0.96 WHIP | 2.6 WAR
The Mets ace has won NL Cy Young honours in back-to-back seasons but his quest for a three-peat could be a difficult one. That’s more of a testament to Bauer and Darvish rather than a knock on deGrom. The Florida native put together another exceptional campaign that was in many ways better than his 2019 showing. His 13.8 K/9 rate was easily the highest of his illustrious career.
NL Cy Young prediction: Bauer
Bauer made one less start than Darvish, but his ERA and WHIP were lower and strikeouts were higher.
All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference
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