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Spencer Strider is the current favorite to win the NL Cy Young. But Blake Snell is making a case for winning the NL Cy Young over Strider and Zac Gallen with his recent stretch of excellent performances.
The NL Cy Young race is heating up, with Strider leading Snell and Gallen, according to the latest fixtures on FanDuel. Now, we get to look at all three and showcase why Snell is the best pick. Snell is thriving and may be better than Strider. Additionally, he likely is better than Gallen. Snell entered Saturday's game with the Los Angeles Dodgers spotting an 8-8 record with a 2.50 ERA. Then, he allowed three earned runs on four hits through five innings and finished with a no-decision.
Snell is 12-3 with a 3.61 ERA. Meanwhile, Gallen is 11-5 with a 3.41 ERA. Gallen will pitch today against the Minnesota Twins. Thus, we will see if he adds to the tally. Snell has emerged as a contender in this race. Unfortunately, he is leading the league in a category that might cost him the award. But Snell has shown resilience. Subsequently, we will outline three reasons why he deserves this award over the other two contenders.
Blake Snell Does Not Get Run Support
Let's look at his game log. First, aside from a shaky first two months, Snell has been lights out. He has had his share of bad luck. Somehow, he lost a May 6 game against the Dodgers despite allowing only two runs. Snell allowed two runs again against the Dodgers in his next start and still could not get a win. Then, he allowed one run to the Washington Nationals on May 25, but the bullpen imploded, blowing the lead.
Snell suffered another no-decision against the Miami Marlins despite not allowing a run. Later, it happened again when the bullpen blew a lead against the Colorado Rockies on June 11. Snell took the loss on June 28 against the Pittsburgh Pirates despite allowing only two earned runs. Moreover, he took another loss against the Toronto Blue Jays on July 20 despite allowing one run. It came a week after tossing shutout baseball against the Philadelphia Phillies and somehow coming away with no decision. Consequently, the Padres have not scored runs for him.
Spencer Strider and Zac Gallen Play on Better Teams
Strider and Gallen both play on better teams. Therefore, it gives them more chances to rack up wins. The Atlanta Braves are the best team in baseball. Also, the Arizona Diamondbacks are in third place in the NL and competing for a wildcard spot.
But the Padres have struggled all season. Sadly, they cannot get any luck building a winning streak. But let's also look at some of the offensive categories. Ultimately, it will shine a brighter light on all this.
The Braves are second in batting average, first in home runs, first in slugging percentage, second in on-base percentage, and second in runs. Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks are second in stolen bases, which has helped position themselves in scoring position. Additionally, they are ninth in slugging percentage, fourth in strikeouts, and sixth in doubles. The Padres have been inconsistent on offense. Yes, they are strong in some categories. But the Padres are also 20th in batting average, 13th in on-base percentage, and 13th in runs. Thus, they have often found themselves not scoring when Snell starts.
Blake Snell Has Been on Fire Recently
When Snell entered the game against the Dodgers on Saturday, he had tossed 14 straight starts of two runs or fewer. Additionally, he had allowed one run or less in 12 of those games. Snell has also allowed two or fewer runs in 16 of 17 starts. Amazingly, even the start against the Dodgers did not ruin his recent streak, as he kept his team in the game. Snell allowed just two earned runs in July and three in June. Meanwhile, Strider allowed 13 earned runs in July, 17 in June, and 1 5 in May. Gallen has allowed 16 earned runs in July, 13 in June, and 13 in May.
Snell has not just dominated bad teams. Rather, he has excelled against good teams. Snell has allowed eight combined runs in three starts against the Dodgers. Additionally, he did well against a good Philadelphia offense. When selecting an NL Cy Young contender, it is important to look at the quality of work and whether the pitcher gives their team the best chance to win. Subsequently, Snell has given the Padres a chance to win for 18 starts in a row. It is tough to argue against a stat like that. Yes, some will argue that he struggled in April and May. But baseball is a long season, and Snell has picked it up over the previous two months. Thus, those reasons alone are why Snell should win the NL Cy Young.
