The AL Cy Young Award race is wide open after Michael Skubal's injury, with several pitchers in the mix. The race is now a scramble, with the top contenders including Schlittler, Soriano, Cease, Fried, and deGrom. Schlittler, who led the AL in ERA and FIP, is on pace for nearly 220 innings, which could shatter his career high. Soriano, the AL's Pitcher of the Month for March/April, has dominated with his splitter and knuckle curve, but his ERA is already showing signs of regression. Cease, who has shown elite stuff, is still issuing a lot of free passes, which has contributed to his inconsistency in the past. Fried, who doesn't miss a ton of bats, is perhaps baseball's most consistent starting pitcher, recording the best ERA+ of anyone to make at least 100 starts since the beginning of 2020. deGrom, who has already won two Cy Youngs, is looking like his vintage self this season, but his lack of volume due to injuries gives him a borderline Hall of Fame case. Other names to watch include Gavin Williams, who has a lower ERA than Skubal and Cristopher Sánchez, and Paul Skenes, who has a 2.01 ERA. The race is now a wide-open scramble, with several pitchers in the mix, and the outcome will depend on the health and consistency of the top contenders.
