Padres Rumors: Analyst Thinks Blake Snell Has One Main Competitor for NL Cy Young
According to MLB analyst Ryan Dempster, Blake Snell of the San Diego Padres and Justin Steele of the Chicago Cubs are competing for the National League Cy Young Award.
Both have had great seasons. While Steele is on a team fighting for a postseason spot in Chicago, Snell and the Padres and will likely sit at home in October watching the playoffs.
At 30, Snell wants to win his second Cy Young Award. While with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2018, Snell won the American League Cy Young. After the 2020 abbreviated season, the Rays traded Snell to the Padres. He becomes a free agent after this season but has expressed interest in returning to the Padres.
The last player many think to be in the mix is Spencer Strider of the Atlanta Braves.
Strider made his major league debut with the Braves in 2021 and still is learning how to pitch successfully on the major league level. Since he plays on the best team, he has 16 wins and has an opportunity to have 20 before the season ends. His 3.83 ERA is high for an elite starter. He has 250 strikeouts in 162 innings. If the voters want to reward wins and endurance, they will give Strider his first Cy Young Award.
As for Steele, he's having a dominant year, capped off by his best start this week, a dominant eight-inning, 12-strikeout performance to lower his ERA to 2.55 on the season.
After a horrendous April, Snell has been the best starter in the National League. He has 12 wins and 9 losses with 205 strikeouts in 155 innings. Since the Padres struggle offensively, Snell frequently pitches in close games or has a lack of offensive support. He clearly deserves the National League Cy Young Award.
