Here are the Top 5 favorites, according to DraftKings Sportsbook:
- Spencer Strider (Atlanta Braves) +190
- Zac Gallen (Arizona Diamondbacks) +220
- Clayton Kershaw (Los Angeles Dodgers): +1100
- Mitch Keller (Pittsburgh Pirates): +1200
- Logan Webb (San Francisco Giants): +1800
Each of the pitchers listed above is having tremendous seasons. However, Stroman has pitched very well for the Cubbies and has jumped from +20000 to the 5th favorite at +1800.
Stroman leads the National League with 11 Quality Starts and boasts a second-best 2.39 ERA and 1.00 WHIP in 13 starts. He also struck out 68 batters in 79 innings. Stroman is a two-time All-Star with a career ERA of 3.37.
Stroman is a ground ball pitcher who induces a lot of weak contacts. He also has a good fastball and slider combination. Stroman is a good bet to improve on his solid numbers from 2022, and he could separate himself from the rest and win the National League Cy Young Award for himself.
Stroman’s Strengths
Stroman has several strengths that could help him win the MLB Cy Young Award in 2023. Here are a few of his strengths:
- Ground ball pitcher: Stroman is a ground ball pitcher who induces a lot of weak contact. This is a valuable skill for a pitcher, as it can lead to more outs and fewer runs.
- Fastball and slider combination: Stroman has a good fastball and slider combination. His fastball is in the mid-90s, and his slider is a devastating off-speed pitch. Stroman has thrown more sliders this season than over his nine-year career. These two pitches, along with completely abandoning the curve ball, give him a lot of different looks that he can use to keep hitters off balance.
- Experience: Stroman is a veteran pitcher who has been in the league for several years. He has a lot of experience pitching in big games and knows how to handle the pressure.
Overall Outlook
Marcus Stroman has a legitimate chance to win this year’s award. He’s second among National League starters in ERA, and teams are batting a paltry .186 with a .227 BABIP, both career lows. Stroman is issuing the most walks but the least home runs per nine frames pitched over his career, but his xFIP of 3.60 means Stroman could see some regression.
Strider and Gallen have gotten all of the attention thus far, but Stroman has pitched just as well as the two frontrunners. The Cubs only stake Stroman an average of 3.38 runs per start, and if not for that, Stroman would likely be 8-2 instead of his 6-4 record thus far.
Finally, Stroman may not win, but +1800 is a terrific price for how Stroman has pitched thus far. The Cubs righty has the highest Wins Above Replacement (WAR) in the National League, and his ERA and WHIP are better than everyone else on the board. The real question is can he keep this up? His sabermetric numbers say that he can, and Stroman at +1800 is a good bet.
