Trent Reinsmith
As the 2022 Major League Baseball Season winds down, the race for the individual player awards for the 2022 MLB campaign is beginning to heat up. With that, it’s time to take a fresh look at the pitchers who are currently in the running for the 2022 American 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. Ray signed a five-year deal with the Seattle Mariners in December. That contract is worth $115 million. Ray, still pitching in the AL, is not currently in the mix for the 2022 AL Cy Young.
Before we look at the players in the mix and our pick on who will claim the 2022 American League Cy, Young, check out our 2022 MLB Betting Guide as well as tips and advice on betting on the 2022 World Series.
2022 AL Cy Young Award picks
| To Win 2022 AL Cy Young Award |  |  |  |
| Justin Verlander | -400 | -400 | -151 |
| Dylan Cease | +500 | +450 | +300 |
| Shane McClanahan | +750 | +900 | +600 |
| Shohei Ohtani | +4000 | +2800 | +2200 |
Justin Verlander
Justin Verlander is looking for his third Cy Young award. The 39-year-old won his first Cy Young in 2011 as a member of the Detroit Tigers. Verlander claimed his second Cy Young in 2019 while throwing for the Houston Astros.
A groin injury and then Tommy John surgery limited Verlander to one game pitched in 2020 and he missed all of 2021.
Verlander returned to the Houston Astros lineup for 2022.
Verlander has dominated the majors this year. He is tied for the league lead in wins with 16, has – by far- the best ERA in the majors at 1.84, and has a respectable 154 strikeouts, which ranks him seventh in the American League.
Verlander’s overall record is 16-3 on 24 starts, and he has pitched 152 innings.
Dylan Cease
Dylan Cease has been in the running for the AL Cy Young since the early days of the 2022 MLB season. In 2021, Cease of the Chicago White Sox joined a select group of pitchers at the end of the 2021 MLB season. With 226 strikeouts in 165 2/3 innings over 32 starts, Cease became one of four major league pitchers to average at least 12.3 strikeouts per nine innings while making 30 starts in a season. The other three players to accomplish that feat? Randy Johnson, Chris Sale, and Gerrit Cole.
Cease has not seen much of a drop-off in 2022.
He has 12 wins on 26 starts (12-6) and is third in the AL in ERA at 2.27. He has 190 strikeouts on the year, which puts his strikeouts this season at 11.6 per nine innings, which is second highest in the American League.
Cease is 26 years old.
Shane McClanahan
Shane McClanahan made a big leap up the AL Cy Young rankings between May and June. The Tampa Bay Rays pitcher was +1200 in the odds in May but climbed to the favorite spot in June, where he was in the +300 range. As the season enters September, the 25-year-old has dropped back to +750 to win the AL Cy Young.
McClanahan has a 2.20 ERA, which is second in the AL, and he is third in strikeouts at 182. McClanahan’s record on the season is 10-6 on 25 starts.
While he might not win the Cy Young in 2022, the young pitcher is showing his rookie season was not a fluke. He started 25 games last year and finished the season with a 3.43 ERA to go with a record of 10-6. In 123.1 innings pitched, McClanahan had 141 strikeouts.
Our pick
It’s hard to pick against Justin Verlander, considering how strong he has pitched in a comeback season.
Pick: Justin Verlander to win the 2022 American League Cy Young Award.
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