Padres Rumors: MLB Insider Predicts Blake Snell Takes Home Tight NL Cy Young Race

A fitting end to a dominant year.

With just a few starts remaining in what's been a spectacular year on the mound, Blake Snell has all but wrapped up one of the most prestigious awards in the sport after being one of the best pitchers in baseball. 

Though he still has a few games left to pitch, the Padres lefty has been one of the best in MLB this year and could seal his second Cy Young Award at season's end after winning his first in 2018. 

1. Blake Snell, LHP, Padres (5.4 WAR)

2. Justin Steele, LHP, Cubs (4.1 WAR)

3. Zac Gallen, RHP, Diamondbacks (3.9 WAR)

via Jim Bowden, The Athletic

After a terrible start against the Diamondbacks as the presumptive favorite for the award, Steele crumbled to give up six runs across six innings in a game the Cubs could not afford to lose in both the Wild Card race and for his own pursuits of the award. 

Snell countered in his most recent start against the division rival Dodgers by blanking one of baseball's best lineups on the road with six shutout innings and eight strikeouts. 

Though Gallen has been good in his own right, his most recent starts have also fallen short of Cy Young expectations levied onto him to begin the season. 

Taking advantage of the situation has been the Padres ace, who's carried the staff after many of his teammates in the rotation including Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove were deemed unable to finish the season due to their injuries. 

Coming at the perfect time, Snell's set to hit free agency in the winter after a dominant contract year that could spell much more money for his next deal for whoever decides to sign him. 

The clear cut favorite with just weeks remaining, the Seattle native has the chance to become one of very few in MLB history to win the Cy Young in both leagues for his work in 2023.