It is the MLB Awards portion of the offseason. And since the top awards will be announced next week. It is time for the Laracuente Ledger to announce it’s vote for each award. So without further ado here are our picks for Cy Youngs. Also be sure to take a look back at our preseason MLB Awards Predictions to see if we made the right calls.
Now just to set some ground rule for the selections. We will be using the same three finalists as have been announced by MLB. So while JD Martinez deserved real consideration as the AL MVP, he was not one of the final three. And I will also reveal who I believe the BBWAA will actually choose as the winner.
Laracuente Ledger’s Pick for National League Cy Young: Jacob deGrom
The New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom had an unbelievable year. And even though his team would not contend this season it was not for lack of effort on deGrom’s part. Jacob would finish with a record of 10-9 (team reflection) but with an MLB best ERA of only 1.70 with 269 strikeouts in 217 innings pitch. deGrom would without question represent the best the National League had to offer this season as he would hold hitters to a Batting Average Against of a lowly .196. Jacob deGrom is the clear favorite for NL Cy Young.
Estimated Actual NL Cy Young Winner: Jacob deGrom
Laracuente Ledger’s Pick for American League Cy Young: Blake Snell
Much like our pick for AL Manager of the Year and NL Cy Young, Blake Snell had an incredible season in obscurity. The Tampa Bay Rays were not a team anyone expected much from. And likewise, Blake Snell’s Cy Young caliber season may have gone unnoticed. But Snell would finish with a record of 21-5 with an ERA of merely 1.89. Combine that with 221 strikeouts in just 180.2 innings pitched and you can see exactly what Snell was so impressive. Now Snell does have some serious names in competition with him in the form of Justin Verlander and Corey Kluber. But the 2018 Cy Young is Blake Snell
