Philadelphia Phillies Aces Dominate Latest ESPN Cy Young Predictor

The Philadelphia Phillies are filled with starting pitchers that are having Cy Young-worthy seasons.

May 21, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Ranger Suarez in a game against the Texas Rangers at Citizens Bank Park. / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The season is essentially one-third complete and the Philadelphia Phillies could be considered the best team in baseball, if not the best team in the National League.

Yes, the Phillies are filled with some of the best sluggers in baseball, led by two-time MVP Bryce Harper.

But, starting pitching has had a lot to do with the Philadelphia taking hold of the lead in the NL East and crafting the best record on the senior circuit.

In fact, the starting pitching is so good that three Phillies starters are in the top three in ESPN’s Cy Young predictor entering their next turns in the rotation.

The predictor is based on a formula created by Bill James and Rob Neyer to predict the Cy Young race, with 100 being a perfect score.

Ranger Suárez is close to perfect with 98.7 points. The left-hander is hoping to avoid the injured list after he suffered a contusion on his pitching hand in his last start against the St. Louis Cardinals. He is making good progress and projected to start this weekend in London against the New York Mets.

Suárez, who has never been an All-Star or finished in Cy Young voting, is 9-1 in 12 starts with a 1.70 ERA in 74 innings pitched. He has struck out 79 and given up just 14 earned runs. He is on pace for a career season. In fact, he has never won more than 10 games in a season since his debut in 2018.

Behind him is right-hander Zack Wheeler, who has 80.4 points per the predictor. He was close to winning the Cy Young in 2021, when he finished second in voting after he went 14-10 with a 2.78 ERA in 32 starts for the Phillies. He was also sixth in Cy Young voting last season after he went 13-6 with a 3.61 ERA. He also won a Gold Glove.

Wheeler is 7-3 with a 2.23 ERA in 80.2 innings with 91 strikeouts as he enters his next start, which isn’t set yet.

Third in line is right-hander Aaron Nola, who is set to start on Wednesday. He has 73.9 points per the predictor.

Nola signed a long-term deal with Philadelphia in the offseason and is 7-2 with a 3.03 ERA in 12 starts with 71 strikeouts in 77.1 innings.