AL Cy Young race: How MLB season so far has impacted odds

We’re about a month and a half into the MLB season, and the American League’s pitchers haven’t disappointed, as three aces currently boast +500 odds or better to win the AL Cy Young Award. That said, the pool of candidates is still incredibly deep, and boasts some big names who could make a run toward the top as the summer goes along. Here’s a look at the updated odds for the race as of 5/15, courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

Updated AL Cy Young odds as of May 15

Gerrit Cole +350 Shohei Ohtani +400 Shane McClanahan +500
Luis Castillo +1000 Kevin Gausman +1400 Sonny Gray +2000
Joe Ryan +2000 Framber Valdez +2000 George Kirby +2200
Eduardo Rodriguez +2500 Shane Bieber +4000 Nathan Eovaldi +4500

AL Cy Young race: Takeaways and best bets

Best bet 1

Shane McClanahan, Tampa Bay Rays, +500

McClanahan’s odds have stayed steady around +500, and for good reason, as the Tampa Bay ace is 7-0 with a 2.34 ERA though 50 innings so far this season. While McClanahan has yet to go more than six innings, he’s been remarkably consistent, as he’s allowed two runs or less in eight of his nine starts. That consistency could end up helping McClanahan in the long run, especially if Cole or Ohtani run into a prolonged rough patch during the summer.

Best bet 2

Sonny Gray, Minnesota Twins, +2000

Gray has looked like a different pitcher so far this season, as evidenced by his MLB-leading 1.39 ERA. Like McClanahan, Gray hasn’t been going super deep into ballgames (he’s gone seven innings in two starts but has gone less than six innings five times) but has been able to limit runs. The biggest question for him going forward will be if he’ll be able to sustain his hot start for the rest of the season. He received Cy Young votes in two different seasons, with his highest finish coming in 2015 when he finished in third.