2022 MLB National League Cy Young Odds: Corbin Burns, Max Scherzer, Max Fried, and More
The National League has only had fifteen different Cy Young Award Winners since 1999. So the question stands, does Corbin Burnes repeat, or do we see a fresh face?
We are ten games deep into the 2022 season, and now that bettors have been given a sneak preview of how players are performing this year, more educated bets can be made on futures.
Former Cy Young winner Jake Peavy pitched in the Savannah Bananas game last night wearing his actual Gold Glove
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Cy Young Favorites
Max Scherzer, Corbin Burns, and Walker Buehler opened the season—and still are—the favorites to win the NL Cy Young award. Unfortunately, all three are off to mediocre starts, but lucky for them, they should get 30 more.
The shortened Spring Training will be the scapegoat for any player off to a poor start, but this isn't 1950. These professional athletes train all off-season, and guys like Clayton Kershaw have started the season with no problems.
Max Scherezer (+700)
Max Scherzer is a pitcher that can never be overlooked. Since winning his first Cy Young in 2013 for the Detriot Tigers, Scherzer has received votes every year since. He has been one of the most dominant pitchers in the game.
After leaving the NL East mid-season last year when delt to the Los Angeles Dodgers, he returned this offseason with the New York Mets. This Mets pitching rotation appears to be an absolute juggernaut. Ten games into the season, and Mets Starting pitchers have given up just six runs. Scherzer has given up four of those six.
The NL Cy Young winner will come from the Mets, but it might not be Max Scherzer.
Corbin Burnes (+750)
Of the three frontrunners, Corbin Burnes is the best bet.
From a historical standpoint, betting on the previous year's Cy Young in the NL is a great move. Dating back to 1993, if you bet on the last year's winner to win the following year, you would have come on top 10 times—those are tremendous results.
Corbin Burnes is a tremendous pitcher, pitching in one of the weakest divisions in baseball. The lineups he has to face are borderline minor league. This isn't to take anything away from Burnes, as he would do well in any division, but it gives him a leg up that bettors should take advantage of.
Walker Buehler (+900)
Walker Buehler is a great pitcher, but it isn't a good bet at the (+900) price tag. He had a great rookie year in 2018, and he was in All-Star in 2019 and 2021. Buehler has gotten better each year, and while a Cy Young is likely in his future, it's not going to happen this year.
Most bet-on players by ticket count:
AL MVP
Luis Robert (19.6% of tickets)
AL Cy Young
Shohei Ohtani (11.2%)
AL Rookie of the Year
Spencer Torkelson (20.8%)
NL MVP
Bryce Harper (21.3%)
NL Cy Young
Walker Buehler (13.9%)
NL Rookie of the Year
Seiya Suzuki (34.0%)
Dark Horses
Clayton Kershaw
Bettors who want more value in their futures should look at three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw (+1800). This pick is not coming simply due to his performance against the Twins. Kershaw is one of the best pitchers of all time, and he will always be a contender for pitcher of the year as long as he can pick up a baseball. His partial perfect game echoed that.
Max Fried
Bettors should also check out the stable in Atlanta for another dark horse. Max Fried (+3000) has been improving year over year. This stud also got off to a rough start, but there is no reason to think he won't turn things around. Fried is an excellent pick for the value.
At this point in the season, Corbin Burnes, Clayton Kershaw, or a Mets starter are the best bets for pitcher of the year. Sportskeeda will keep you up to date on the best odds and predictions as the season progresses.