It’s not even mid-May yet, and there’s already a huge favorite for the National League Cy Young Award.
Phillies ace Zack Wheeler has circled the field after a dominant first month-plus of the 2024 season, putting him in prime position to win his first Cy Young Award.
Wheeler is the +190 winner at FanDuel Sportsbook, well ahead of second-place favorite Tyler Glasnow at +500.
The pair are the only pitchers with odds better than 12/1, indicating oddsmakers see this race as a two-horse race.
Wheeler posted a seven-inning, 11-strikeout win against the San Francisco Giants on Monday, adding to his already award-worthy numbers.
The 33-year-old right-hander lowered his ERA to a National League-leading 1.64 with the performance, his most dominant start to a young season.
Heading into Tuesday’s game, Wheeler leads FanGraphs among all pitchers in WAR (1.8), FIP (2.29), K/9 (11.49), batting average (.171), and K/BB percentage (25.5 percent) over. is ranked in the top 10. 49 1/3 innings, second only to Glasnow.
Wheeler has been one of the best pitchers on the senior circuit for the past five years, winning the Cy Young Award in three different seasons and finishing as high as No. 2 in the 2021 season.
Wheeler wasn’t the favorite heading into the season, but he had been seen as the favorite to win the award since spring training.
Wheeler was trailing only Braves flamethrower Spencer Strider on Bet365’s odds board in early March.
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Strider suffered an elbow injury in April that ruled him out of the running for the award, pushing Wheeler to favorite status.
The Phillies, who have the best record in MLB at 25-11 heading into Tuesday’s series opener against the Blue Jays, have two more pitchers with a shot at the National League Cy Young.
In the midst of a breakout season, Ranger Suarez was awarded the award at +2,000, while Wheeler’s co-ace Aaron Nola is at +3,500.
