With pitchers and catchers reporting for spring training, it's time to look at the favorites to win the 2025 Cy Young Award. From veterans aiming for a fresh start to rising stars hoping to make a big statement, let’s dive into the odds for both the AL and NL, courtesy of BetOnline.
National League Cy Young 2025
- Paul Skenes: +300
- Zack Wheeler: +750
- Chris Sale: +800
- Blake Snell: +1000
- Corbin Burnes: +1200
- Dylan Cease: +1600
- Tyler Glasnow: +1700
Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes made a huge splash in 2024, nearly winning the NL Cy Young in his rookie season. He finished third behind Chris Sale (2024 winner). Skenes posted a 1.96 ERA, better than Sale’s 2.38, but his 133 innings pitched weren’t enough to qualify in that category. Despite this, the second-year phenom is highly favored, having finished with 170 strikeouts in his first season.
Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler offers decent value, having pitched 200 innings with 224 strikeouts. He finished second to Sale in voting, and a repeat performance could put him in the mix again.
Darkhorse: Justin Steele, Cubs
After a breakout in 2022, Justin Steele finished fifth in NL Cy Young voting in 2023. Injuries affected his season last year, but he still managed 24 starts and 135 strikeouts. If he stays healthy, Steele could get back into the Cy Young conversation, and at his current odds, he's a strong darkhorse.
American League Cy Young 2025
- Tarik Skubal: +400
- Garrett Crochet: +600
- Cole Ragans: +900
- Jacob deGrom: +1100
- Gerrit Cole: +1600
- Logan Gilbert: +1600
- Framber Valdez: +1700
We haven’t seen a back-to-back winner since Pedro Martinez in 1999 and 2000, but Tarik Skubal will aim to break that streak in 2025 after winning the pitching triple crown in 2024. Skubal finished the season with 18 wins, 228 strikeouts, and a 2.39 ERA. It will be challenging to replicate that season, especially since his best prior season was just 8 wins.
Garrett Crochet, last year’s AL Comeback Player of the Year, finished with a career-high 209 strikeouts while playing with the White Sox. After joining the Red Sox, Crochet could be primed for a big season, two years removed from Tommy John surgery.
Darkhorse: Cole Ragans, Royals (+900)
Cole Ragans made an immediate impact after being traded to Kansas City from Texas midway through the 2023 season. Transitioning from reliever to starter, Ragans posted a solid 3.14 ERA over 186 1/3 innings with a 29.3% strikeout rate. He finished fourth in Cy Young voting in 2024, and 2025 could be the year he takes his game to the next level.