MLB Cy Young Odds: Gallen, McClanahan Current Favorites

Starting pitchers are the linchpin of any successful MLB team. Many pitchers take the ball every five days, but only a few regularly dominate. In the 2023 MLB Cy Young odds, the top hurlers stand out.

Let’s look at each MLB league and determine some betting value for the Cy Young awards this season:

Who Is Favored In MLB American League Cy Young Odds?

Odds as of June 9th

With Jacob deGrom hurt, the door has opened up for Rays ace Shane McClanahan to take the 2023 AL Cy Young. His +350 odds imply a 22.22% chance he wins the award this year.

Is This Finally Gerrit Cole's Year?

Cole's finished top-10 in AL Cy Young voting every season for the past five years. He's offered up almost boring eliteness, consistently hovering around a 3.0 ERA and 250+ strikeouts. But, every year, there is at least one AL pitcher better than Cole. Maybe not in 2023?

With deGrom hurt and McClahanan and Ohtani having durability concerns of their own, this could be the year Cole finally finishes on top. He's posting the same strong stats and high strikeout totals as always, and he's been essentially the only consistent member of the Yankees' rotation. If Cole can stay healthy and keep that ERA under 3.0, he'll finally win his coveted Cy Young honor.

AL Cy Young Odds Value Pick: Sonny Gray (+2000)

I'm a little confused about why Sonny Gray is so low on these AL Cy odds right now. Sure, he doesn't have the pedigree of a clear Cy favorite, but he's been the AL's best pitcher so far this season. The Twins' righty has a 2.15 ERA in his first 12 starts, allowing just one homer on the season in 67 innings pitched.

It's not like this strong start came out of nowhere, either. Gray rocked a 3.08 ERA last year and has received Cy Young votes twice before. If the 33-year-old somehow keeps this up for 20 more starts, Gray will win the AL Cy.

Some new faces join https://t.co/Z3s2EphcSH’s latest Cy Young rankings!

Who is making your list? pic.twitter.com/cy7q6VEVIs

— MLB (@MLB) June 6, 2023

Who Is Favored In MLB National League Cy Young Odds?

Odds as of June 9th

Zac Gallen has quietly transformed into a monster out in the desert. If you didn't notice his 2.54 ERA and league-best WHIP last year, you better be paying attention in 2023. He's helping the DBacks take control of a crowded NL West Division, and Gallen currently sits as the clear favorite in NL Cy odds.

Strider Best Bet For NL Cy

Spencer Strider is the closest thing we've got to Randy Johnson or Roger Clemons in 2023. The 24-year-old Braves ace has quickly emerged as baseball's best strikeout artist, leading the league in Ks and K/9 so far this year. Sure, he's had a few blow-up starts, but Strider still rocks a 2.97 ERA in his first 12 outings and is on pace to break 300 strikeouts in a season. If Strider stays healthy and keeps the ERA down, I don't see how he doesn't win the NL Cy.

Spencer Strider, Dirty 85mph Slider. 😨 pic.twitter.com/WcLwq2W3ph

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 8, 2023

Cubs' Stroman Making Long-shot Case

Marcus Stroman's been in the Cy Young conversation before, receiving votes way back in 2017. But in 2023, he's seemed to find a new ceiling. The Cubs righty leads all NL pitchers in WHIP right now (1.000), earning a 2.39 ERA in his first 13 starts. The 32-year-old should have the ERA, workload, and swagger to win the Cy Young this year, but he could be held back by the lack of strikeouts. Stroman's an old-school contact pitcher, but his 7.7 K/9 will hurt him in the peripheral and expected stats (like FIP and K/9) that many modern Cy voters care about.

Making A Cy Young Futures Bet

Betting on an MLB Cy Young Award is a form of futures betting because you are making a pick based on an outcome determined at the end of the MLB regular season. The trophy is usually given out in mid-December and if you want to get a bigger payout, it’s best to lock in your bets sooner rather than later so you can take advantage of better odds. The closer it gets to the end of the season, the more the odds will change.

For an X’s and O’s read on how America’s pastime works, check out our How to Bet on Baseball guide. Unlike the Mets every year, it won’t let you down. 

How To Read MLB Cy Young Odds

The above charts feature the odds for each top pitcher in the American League and National League. At your sportsbook of choice, the betting lines for the National League could look something like this:

Zack Wheeler +150

Corbin Burnes +160

Max Scherzer +190

This means that Wheeler is the favorite since he has the lowest odds and the highest chance of winning the prop, according to oddsmakers. If you were to bet $100 on Wheeler and he won, you would get a payout of $250 – your original $100 is returned along with your winnings of $150.

On the other hand, if you strongly believe that Corbin Burnes is going to shine in Milwaukee, a winning $100 bet on him would yield $260 – your $100 comes back along with your prize of $160.

Our odds calculator will show you how much you’d win based on the odds and amount bet.