Editor’s note: This is part of a series of MLB prediction articles from the hosts of the Pinwheels And Ivy Podcast. Our National League Rookie of the Year predictions are here and American League Rookie of the Year predictions are here. Our picks for home run leaders and strikeout leaders are here. American League Cy Young predictions are here. Subscribe to the Pinwheels And Ivy Podcast on YouTube and on your preferred podcast platform for more Cubs and White Sox talk. YouTube. Apple Podcasts. Spotify. Twitter. Facebook.
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I so badly wanted to somehow work Hayden Wesneski into this, but I just can’t. He’s my NL Rookie of the Year pick (spoiler) and I think he’s going to be incredible, but it’s nearly impossible for a rookie to come in and get into the Cy Young discussion let alone win the award.
But as I was thinking about Wesneski and the Cubs starting rotation, I was once again reminded that although the majority of Cubs fans, myself included, believe this group will be better than what’s on paper, we can’t really argue that the star power is missing. Of course, things can change, and who knows, maybe heading into 2024 Wesneski or Justin Steele have established themselves as legit top-of-the rotation arms, but they’re not there yet.
Looking at the NL Cy Young odds, Marcus Stroman is the first Cubs pitcher you see appear on the list and he’s all the way at +15000, while Steele and Jameson Taillon are both at +20000 on FanDuel. So yeah, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that no Cubs pitchers were close to getting picked for Cy Young this year in our predictions.
2023 NL Cy Young Predictions
Last year’s winner – Sandy Alcántara – Miami Marlins
Aldo: Max Scherzer – New York Mets
Zo: Corbin Burnes – Milwaukee Brewers
KFidds: Sandy Alcántara – Miami Marlins
Mitch: Max Fried – Atlanta Braves
NL Cy Young Odds
Sandy Alcántara
FanDuel: +500
DraftKings: +450
Caesars: +550
Corbin Burnes
FanDuel: +600
DraftKings: +550
Caesars: +500
Max Scherzer
FanDuel: +800
DraftKings: +800
Caesars: +700
Max Fried
FanDuel: +1200
DraftKings: +1000
Caesars: +1500
A couple observations. I’m a little surprised that no one picked Justin Verlander, who won the AL Cy Young in 2022 and just keeps on being a stud even at 40-years-old. But he’s with the New York Mets now, so actually I completely get why no one predicted him to win. Some weird shit is bound to come up for Verlander. That’s just the Mets way. However, I am shocked at Max Fried’s odds. He was the runner-up to Sandy Alcántara last year, but he’s not in the top five in odds for 2023. Good value if you choose to bet on Atlanta’s lefty.
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