AL Cy Young — Lance McCullers
Again I eschew the popular choice. Despite Dallas Keuchel claiming the award in 2015, I’m putting McCullers here because his upside is so great. Still just 23, McCullers owns a 3.22 ERA across his first 36 starts while striking out more than 10 batters per nine innings.
The biggest impediment to this coming true is, of course, McCullers’ health. He’s yet to pitch a full season in the majors, so we don’t yet know how his body will fare down the stretch. If he makes 30-plus starts, however, he could put together a monster season.