Pittsburgh Pirates phenom Paul Skenes, long the frontrunner for National League Cy Young, has encountered back-to-back rough outings. This allows a surge from Philadelphia’s duo in veteran Zack Wheeler and breakout lefty Cristopher Sánchez in the race for the presitgious award. Can Skenes recover his secret sauce and stay in the lead for it?
Skenes’ recent missteps narrow lead
Paul Skenes, who had dazzled through 22 starts with a minuscule 1.83 ERA, suffered setbacks by conceding four runs each in outings against the Colorado Rockies and Milwaukee Brewers, pushing his ERA up to a still-impressive but less dominant 2.13.
These hiccups have visually softened the gap between him and the top contenders, especially with the Phillies’ aces gaining ground.
Phillies’ aces make their move
Zack Wheeler still packs a serious punch. The veteran leads the NL in both strikeouts (189) and WHIP (0.926), a testament to his sustained excellence even amid a high-stakes award battle. Meanwhile, Cristopher Sánchez has emerged as a legitimate dark-horse candidate. He currently leads the league in bWAR (6.0) and boasts a 2.36 ERA and 1.07 WHIP, numbers that have elevated his profile significantly.
Recent NL Cy Young polling also reflects a tighter field, Skenes still holds a strong lead, claiming 26 of 32 first-place votes, but both Wheeler and Sánchez are closing in. Betting odds mirror this shift: Skenes’ dominance is lessened as Wheeler climbs into co-favorite teritory, while Sánchez’s odds shorten as well.
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