We asked AI to predict the 2024 NL Cy Young winner (& its pick may turn some heads)
The 2023 season ended with Blake Snell winning the NL Cy Young Award. Snell has now won the award on the American League side and the National League side, which is very impressive.
There could be a shakeup for the award next season with an influx of starting pitchers on the open market, including Snell. We asked AI to predict the NL Cy Young Award winner for the 2024 season, and its answer could turn some heads.
AI believes Spencer Strider has a great shot at winning the 2024 NL Cy Young Award
Spencer Stider is coming off his most dominant season in his three-year career thus far. He started 32 games, compiling a 20-5 record with a 3.86 ERA over the course of 186.2 innings.
Strider led the league in pitcher wins and also led the league in strikeouts with 281. It was a good enough season that he was voted to his first All-Star Game.
AI believes he is on the right track and still developing as a dominant starter. The 25-year-old seems to improve with each passing season, and if he can build upon the 2023 season he had, it would be hard to deny him the NL Cy Young.
However, people have pointed to a concerning stat regarding Strider, which is how he struggles against bad teams. In games against teams with a winning record, he compiled a 2.60 ERA. In games against teams with a losing record, he held a whopping 6.39 ERA. He will have to get a handle on that if he wants to continue to grow.
AI also points to the team that Strider plays on. The Atlanta Braves are a powerhouse and should be a contending team during the 2024 season. However, with the moves the Los Angeles Dodgers have recently made, it could come down to these two squads next season in the NL.
While speaking of the Dodgers, they recently signed Yoshinobu Yamamoto, adding to their juggernaut roster. Many around the league see Yoshinobu as the NL Cy Young, even if he has not thrown a pitch in the big leagues. If he looks as good as everybody believes he is, it would be hard to deny him the award.
The 2024 NL Cy Young race will be interesting to follow. Will it come down to Strider and Yamamoto, or will a dark horse emerge and surprise fans?