With the 2025 MLB season heading into its final month, the Cy Young Award races in both leagues appear nearly settled. While several pitchers have built strong cases, the latest MLB com pollhighlights two clear front-runners.
In the National League, Phillies ace Zack Wheeler’s season-ending injury has largely ended the suspense. The door is now wide open for one dominant arm to take the award by a wide margin. In the American League, the numbers suggest a closer contest, but voting trends show one pitcher pulling away decisively.
The poll, which included ballots from 35 MLBco experts, asked voters to rank their top five choices in each league. Points were distributed on a 5-4-3-2-1 scale, with five points awarded for a first-place vote. Selections were based not just on season performance so far but also on projections for the final stretch.
American League:
• Tarik Skubal (Tigers) is the overwhelming favorite, earning 33 of 35 first-place votes. He leads the AL with a 2.18 ERA, an MLB-best 216 strikeouts, and a league-high 6.2 bWAR. His 0.87 WHIP is also the best in baseball, putting him in position for a second straight Cy Young and possibly back-to-back pitching Triple Crowns.
• Garrett Crochet (Red Sox) remains the closest challenger with two first-place votes. He is 14-5 with 218 strikeouts, but his ERA recently rose to 2.67, narrowing his Triple Crown hopes and leaving little margin for error.
• Hunter Brown (Astros) sits third with a 2.34 ERA and 182 strikeouts, ranking near the top in several categories.
• Bryan Woo (Mariners) has been consistent, going 12-7 with a 2.95 ERA and a strong 0.95 WHIP while averaging over six innings per start.
• Jacob deGrom (Rangers) has enjoyed a throwback season, boasting a 0.92 WHIP, .194 opponents’ average, and a 2.69 ERA, showing flashes of his prime.
Others receiving votes include Framber Valdez, Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Aroldis Chapman, Joe Ryan, Nathan Eovaldi, and Trevor Rogers.
Zack Wheeler
National League:
• Paul Skenes (Pirates) has surged ahead, collecting 34 of 35 first-place votes. His 2.05 ERA is the lowest in the NL, and his 0.95 WHIP ranks second, solidifying his dominance after Wheeler’s injury.
• Cristopher Sánchez (Phillies) has been equally steady, ranking fourth in ERA (2.66) and sixth in strikeouts (181), while logging the second-most innings in the league.
• Freddy Peralta (Brewers) has powered Milwaukee’s division lead, going 16-4 with a 2.58 ERA and holding hitters to a .192 average.
• Logan Webb (Giants) continues to be a workhorse, leading the NL in innings pitched (172 2/3) while posting 187 strikeouts and a 3.16 ERA.
• Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Dodgers) rounds out the top five, sitting inside the league’s top 10 in ERA (2.82), WHIP (1.05), and strikeouts (167).
With Skubal and Skenes commanding such overwhelming support, the 2025 Cy Young Award chase looks less like a race and more like a coronation in both leagues.
