Major League Baseball is more than a month into the 2022 season. With that, MLB pitchers have started to get the feel of regular season baseball. Pitchers have largely shaken off any rust that might have accumulated since the conclusion of the 2021 MLB season and teams have cycled through their starting rotations a few times. It’s now time to look at the early favorites and picks for the 2022 National League Cy Young Award.
The Cy Young Award is given annually to the best pitcher in MLB. The American League and National League both award the honor. Last year, Robbie Ray of the Toronto Blue Jays claimed the AL Cy Young. Corbin Burnes of the Milwaukee Brewers took home the 2021 NL Cy Young.
Before we look at the players in the mix and our pick on who will claim the 2022 National League Cy Young, check out our 2022 MLB Betting Guide as well as tips and advice on betting on the 2022 World Series.
2022 NL Cy Young Award picks
Max Scherzer
Three-time Cy Young winner Max Scherzer (2013, 2016 and 2017), is in the hunt for his fourth Cy Young award in 2022. The 37-year-old Scherzer signed a three-year deal worth $130 million with the New York Mets after splitting the 2021 season with the Washington Nationals and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He finished last year with a 15-4 record and a career low 2.46 ERA.
The signing has paid off for both Scherzer and the Mets. Scherzer has started seven games for New York this season and he has a 4-1 record. As of this writing, he is third in the National League in strikeouts with 55. He has thrown 44 innings and has an ERA of 2.66.
Corbin Burnes
Corbin Burnes entered his fifth major league season with high expectations. That should have been expected considering the 27-year-old won the 2021 NL Cy Young while playing for the Milwaukee Brewers. Burnes finished the season with the best ERA in MLB at 2.42. He was also fifth in the league in strikeouts with 234. His record for the year was 11-5 on 28 starts.
Burnes is back on the mound in Milwaukee in 2022. He is third in the NL with a 1.77 ERA and leads the NL with 57 strikeouts.
Pablo Lopez
Pablo Lopez is in his fifth year in the majors. He has spent his entire career with the Miami Marlins. Last year, Lopez had a career low 3.07 ERA on 102.2 innings pitched. He also had a career best year in strikeouts with 115.
The 26-year-old has started 2022 red hot. He has started seven games and thrown 43 innings. During that time he has put together an 1.05 ERA and racked up 46 strikeouts. If Lopez can keep up his pace, he will end 2022 with the best numbers of his career. When it comes to Lopez, that’s a big if. He has only thrown over 100 innings twice in his career and his high came in 2019 when he pitched 111.1 innings. As a comparison, Scherzer threw 178.1 innings last season.
Our Pick
Max Scherzer has a lot on his plate this season. He signed a monster deal with a team who has not made the postseason since 2016 and only made the playoffs twice since 2007. Scherzer is expected to reverse the fortunes of a franchise that has not been taken particularly seriously for years. The incredibly competitive Scherzer looks like he can accomplish what team ownership is tasking him with.
Pick: Max Scherzer to win the 2022 National League Cy Young.
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