5 pitchers who are the biggest threats to Astros' Hunter Brown winning AL Cy Young

Houston Astros ace Hunter Brown's ascension to prominence began last year. In 2025, that ascension has continued as he's claimed his place among the most dominant starting pitchers in the game.

The 26-year-old flame thrower's performance to date, a 1.82 ERA that's the result of a 31.1% strikeout rate that ranks third in the American League as of June 9's action to go along with a minuscule 0.68 HR/9 and a healthy 46.1% ground ball rate, has him firmly entrenched as one of the AL's top Cy Young candidates.

When it comes to races like these, stats matter, but so do narratives. All else being equal, a guy who has come away with the trophy before might have a leg up over a newcomer to the scene like Brown. So, too, do things like playing in a big market where name recognition can serve as a tiebreaker. These are hurdles to Brown's candidacy especially with a tough field of pitchers this year.

Five pitchers who could foil Houston Astros ace Hunter Brown's chances at the AL Cy Young Award

Tarik Skubal - Detroit Tigers

Perhaps the biggest challenger Brown must contend with is last year's AL Cy Young Winner, Tarik Skubal. The star southpaw isn't only the reigning Cy Young winner, but he won the award after also winning the pitching Triple Crown and being a unanimous selection.

To that end, Skubal checks off a few boxes that will help him in the event of a "tie-breaker" scenario. As the incumbent, he has the leg up in terms of name recognition. As of June 9, Skubal's Tigers own the best record in the majors, making them look poised for a deep October run that can also stick out in the minds of voters.

Above all else, however, is his dominance on the mound. Brown edges him in ERA at 1.82 versus 2.16, but Skubal has some unbelievable numbers in his own right. The 28-year-old leads the AL in K% at an eye-popping 33.4%. Somehow, he also leads the AL in BB% at a microscopic 2.2%, a rarity for a pitcher who gobbles up strikeouts at a superhuman clip. Together, Skubal has put together a K/BB ratio of 15.00, which would absolutely shatter the single-season record of 11.625 by Phil Hughes back in 2014. Make no mistake, Skubal is no joke.

Max Fried - New York Yankees

When Max Fried joined the Yankees on a free-agent mega-deal this offseason, it was to co-headline New York's rotation with former Astros ace Gerrit Cole. Instead, Cole wound up having Tommy John surgery in spring training, going on the shelf for the year while rotation mates such as Clarke Schmidt and 2024 AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil also succumbed to the injury bug.

Fried has responded by being one of the best pitchers in the league after being the jewel of the Yankees offseason, with a 1.78 ERA that ranks third in the AL, one spot ahead of Brown.

What will count against him is a lack of style points. While Brown and the aforementioned Skubal make a living dominating hitters in the box and racking up K's, Fried has a much more pedestrian 8.56 K/9, instead relying on keeping the ball on the ground (51.8% groundball rate) and generating soft contact. That lack of flash might come back to bite him against the more dominant competition.

Garrett Crochet - Boston Red Sox

Garrett Crochet entered the 2025 season as one of the odds-on favorites to take home the award, following an offseason trade that sent him from Chicago to Boston, changing his socks from white to red in the process.

With a lavish extension now finalized, Crochet has done nothing but prove the Red Sox were right to pay him, matching Brown K-for-K with a 31.3% strikeout rate on the season. The big southpaw is more than just a strikeout artist, though, as he is elite at limiting hard contact and good at keeping the ball on the ground.

Crochet will benefit from the Boston spotlight; however, as his Red Sox flounder on the verge of letting a disappointing 2025 season spiral out of control, Crochet might find himself sitting out the October playoff dance. Assuming that voters hold that against him, that could hurt his chances to bring home the Cy Young trophy this year.

Jacob DeGrom - Texas Rangers

Houston's Lone Star State rivals, the Rangers, have a trio of starters who could find themselves in this conversation. Nathan Eovaldi is second in the AL in ERA with a sparkling 1.56 mark. Tyler Mahle isn't far behind, ranking just one spot behind Hunter Brown with a 2.02 mark, making a living by generating soft contact.

But it's the trailer in the ERA race, Jacob DeGrom, who stands as the stiffest competition from the Rangers for the Cy Young throne. The soon-to-be 37-year-old can still put some mustard on the ball with an average fastball velocity of 97.3 miles per hour. More important than raw velocity, DeGrom can still pitch with a 2.12 ERA on the season.

In recent years, health has been a major hurdle for DeGrom, who has barely pitched since the COVID-shortened 2020 season. So far in 2025, he seems to have put those struggles behind him, making 13 starts and logging 76 innings. Should that continue, his comeback story and past track record will play up with the voters.

Kris Bubic - Kansas City Royals

Perhaps the best way to win the Cy Young is the lead the league in ERA, which is exactly what Kansas City Royals starter Kris Bubic is doing as of this writing, with an AL-best 1.43 ERA. Should he hang on and take home the ERA crown, there's a good chance he could bring the Cy Young award along with it.

Playing in a small market like Kansas City doesn't give Bubic the notoriety his performance deserves, but so far in 2025, he's been just as good as the other aces on this list. In the midst of a breakout campaign, Bubic has done a little bit of everything, posting 9.63 K/9, to go along with a solid 44.0% groundball rate, and a minuscule 0.36 HR/9.

Almost as important as his performance is his story. Bubic went from top prospect to struggling youngster, seemingly derailed by Tommy John surgery, resulting in a bumpy recovery that almost upended his career.

He returned to the mound in the back half of 2024, working as a reliever instead of a starter as he looked to regain his strength. As a reliever, he impressed with 11.57 K/9 and a shiny 2.67 ERA, but he had his eyes on a return to the rotation.

Now in 2025, he's back starting games, and to this point, has exceeded even his pre-injury expectations, emerging as a true ace. Should Bubic keep this up, his redemption arc will make for a heart-warming story that is sure to play up in the voters' minds.