No.1 Ohtani is not NO.1…Harder to conquer than MVP? 433.5 billion won ace presence
Shohei Ohtani (LA Angels) Isn’t No. 1: Is there anything harder than an MVP?
It’s true. Ohtani is the favorite 안전놀이터 to win the American League MVP for the second time this year. But even though he’s a lock for the second MVP of his career, there’s something else that’s harder to conquer. The Cy Young Award. In 22 games this season, Ohtani is 10-5 with a 3.17 ERA.
In 130.2 innings pitched, he has a .185 batting average, a 1.06 WHIP, and 165 strikeouts. He ranks 11th in the American League in ERA, 33rd in innings pitched, tied for seventh in strikeouts, and eighth in WHIP. Only his strikeout rate leads the American League. Overall, he’s far from dominating the American League.
He’s had some trouble pitching this season with nail and finger cramps. There were even reports that he was going to skip one of his recent starts. His monthly results are surprisingly uneven. In May, he went 1-1 with a 4.06 ERA in five games, and in July, he went 2-2 with a 4.97 ERA in four games.
Of course, he threw a complete game shutout against the Detroit Tigers on July 28 with nine innings of one-hit ball, eight strikeouts and three walks, and he was dominant in his two August starts. He went 10 innings, allowing six runs on nine hits, striking out four and walking none. However, it’s unlikely he’ll be able to upend the competition anytime soon.
MLB.com released the results of its mock Cy Young Award voting on Friday, ranking Ohtani third in the American League. He received just two first-place votes. “Ohtani, the Angels’ No. 1 starter, pitched like an ace. The news that he will miss Wednesday’s start due to arm fatigue is concerning, but his complete game shutout of Detroit was a reminder of what he can do on the mound.”
Ohtani bounces back. He’s been dominant as of late/Getty Images
Gerrit Cole (New York Yankees), who signed a nine-year, $324 million contract, is the American League Cy Young Award winner according to MLB.com’s mock poll. In 25 games this season, Cole is 10-3 with a 2.76 ERA, 166 strikeouts in 156.1 innings pitched, a 1.05 WHIP, and a .214 batting average.
He’s seventh in the American League in wins, but second in ERA, first in innings pitched, third in strikeouts, fifth in WHIP, and fourth in BABIP. Except for wins, he’s in the top five in most categories. MLB.com experts gave Cole a whopping 38 first-place votes. That’s overwhelming.
Cole’s strikeout rate has dipped a bit, but overall he’s been the most dominant pitcher in the American League this season/Getty Images
“Cole has his lowest strikeout rate since 2017, but he’s been strong overall. He’s finished in the top five five times, but has never won the Cy Young. If he keeps up his current pace, that will change,” MLB.com said.
Kevin Gausman (Toronto Blue Jays) is second in the American League Cy Young voting. He received six first-place votes. Nation Iovaldi (Texas Rangers) was fourth and Frazier Valdez (Houston Astros) was fifth. Zack Greinke (Arizona Diamondbacks) is the top vote-getter for the National League Cy Young Award. He received 14 first-place votes.