With the 2025 MLB All-Star break now in the rearview mirror, the races for the MLB Cy Young awards are officially on. We have been blessed with some epic pitching performances through the first half of the MLB season, but now the competition truly begins to heat up.

Some huge names lead the AL and NL Cy Young Award races, respectively, and it’s arguable no major surprises are headed our way at this point. However, of the top AL and NL Cy Young contenders, who is about to put the finishing touches on an award-winning campaign?

The latest Cy Young odds are up at your favorite sports betting sites, so let’s inspect the latest pricing and see which aces are the best bets to claim the hardware in 2025.

What Is the Cy Young Award?

Named after Hall of Famer Denton “Cy” Young, the award has been given annually since 1956 to the top pitchers in each league.

Young holds the MLB record for career wins with 511, and his dominance on the mound set the standard for pitching excellence. This is arguably the most unbreakable individual record in all of American sports.

The Cy Young Award is voted on by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) and has long been a benchmark of elite performance on the mound. While there have been a few exceptions, the Cy Young Award is almost always given to starting pitchers rather than relievers or closers.

Who Has the Most Cy Young Awards?

In MLB history, the following pitchers have won the most Cy Young Awards:

American League: Roger Clemens (7), Randy Johnson (5), Jim Palmer (3), Pedro Martinez (2), Justin Verlander (2), Corey Kluber (2), Johan Santana (2)

National League: Roger Clemens (7), Randy Johnson (5), Steve Carlton (4), Greg Maddux (4), Clayton Kershaw (3), Max Scherzer (3), Tom Seaver (3)

2025 AL Cy Young Odds

Check out the latest AL Cy Young odds:

Is the 2025 AL Cy Young race already settled?

You could assume as much judging by the latest AL Cy Young odds, as Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal leads the way with strong -200 odds.

Skubal is not a shocker up top, and neither is his price. However, despite a strong profile and favorable price, this simply isn’t a lock for bettors just yet.

Garrett Crochet comes in as a stellar challenger, while guys like deGrom and Brown also could factor into things, depending on how these guys perform down the stretch. They all have at least mild cases, while AL Cy Young sleeper picks like Valdez and Bubic aren’t exactly a waste of time for those willing to take on a little risk.

So, who is most likely to win the AL Cy Young Award? Let’s go over the top contenders and my preferred value bet before coming to a prediction. For more expert analysis on a multitude of MLB bets, check out what the best handicappers are predicting over the second half of the season.

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American League Cy Young Award Predictions

Check out our predictions for the 2025 American League Cy Young Award:

Tarik Skubal (-200)

The Detroit Tigers have a powerful offense, but they’re undeniably a 2025 World Series contender because they have arguably the most dominant ace in all of baseball.

That alone puts Tarik Skubal in the conversation to win the AL Cy Young, but you can honestly even make a case for him to win the MLB MVP, too. The odds don’t demand you go quite that far, but his -200 price tag for this betting market is backed up by some pretty impressive stats.

Going into the MLB All-Star break, Skubal was sitting on a career-best 2.23 ERA, and he’s already at 10 wins. He could challenge his insane 18-win season of a year ago, and he’s also racked up 153 strikeouts with a blistering 11.4 K/9 average.

Skubal has had some flat out gems littered across this campaign, too, as he’s held teams scoreless in seven outings and has notched 10+ strikeouts six different times.

When you factor in his sustained success, improvement off of a ridiculously good 2024 season, and his team’s standing, Skubal is the easy pick to win this award.

Garrett Crochet (+250)

As good as Skubal looks, he isn’t quite out of the woods just yet, as Boston Red Sox southpaw Garrett Crochet is right behind him.

Crochet’s team hasn’t been quite as good, but his lights out play has led to a similar 10-4 record and Boston is in contention for first place in the AL East because of it. Crochet is carrying Boston’s pitching staff on his shoulders this year, as he’s neck and neck with Skubal with a scorching 2.23 ERA and actually has even more strikeouts (160).

The individual game by game dominance hasn’t been quite on par with Skubal, while Crochet has served up some long balls (10) in 2025. That does have a lot to do with operating in a much tougher division, though, while pitching in the dangerous Fenway Park also has its downside.

Skubal also has the benefit of having voter’s trust. He already pushed out a similar showing last year and wasn’t awarded for his efforts, so it’s arguable that he’s “due” for once again producing another gaudy stat line. If the two are comparable, it’d be easy to see why Skubal would get the nod.

That said, we still have quite a few games to play. If Skubal regresses even a little and Crochet stays the course, he could look like an elite betting value at his +250 price.

Jacob deGrom (+800)

If you want to roll the dice on someone with better odds and a mild case to shock the world, you could go after Texas Rangers hurler Jacob deGrom.

This is a guy who is without a doubt more of a known commodity, and the fact that he still looks this good at age 37 makes his 2025 run a bit more impressive. It hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows for deGrom, of course, as he’s worked his way back from injury (missed nearly all of 2024) and endured his lumps to start the year.

It’s the comeback at his advanced age that has him in the running, though, as deGrom has pieced together a similar campaign (9-2 with a 2.32 ERA) with admittedly less to work with. The strikeouts and K/9 numbers don’t really support a firm backing, of course.

That said, how deGrom fares against his competition down the stretch will decide the AL Cy Young race. He’s only been getting better over the last two months, so if he continues to round into elite form and Skubal and/or Crochet have some missteps, there could be a narrow opening for an upset.

2025 AL Cy Young Longshot

In terms of realistic Cy Young longshot bets in the American League, I would probably stop at Hunter Brown. His +1200 price is pretty alluring considering the season he’s enjoyed, and if the second half of the 2025 MLB season breaks just right, I think he’s a serious contender to steal the thunder of favorites like Skubal and Crochet.

The Houston Astros struggled early this year, but Brown’s dominance has played a vital role in the team turning things around and taking back first place in the AL West. If that continues and Brown can maintain his current statistical output, he’d shape up as an incredible value bet.

To this point, Brown has been almost as good as the top Cy Young contenders, riding into the All-Star break with a 9-4 record, a 2.43 ERA, and 137 strikeouts to his name. That’s with fatigue clearly settling in during two subpar performances before he finally got some rest, too.

Assuming Brown can bounce back and return to his elite form straight out of the gates, his +1200 price may be too good to bypass entirely.

While Brown is the only value bet I’d throw a lot of money at, one more longshot that does stand out is his teammate. That’s none other than Framber Valdez, who has impressed with a dazzling 2.75 ERA and 125 strikeouts.

Valdez is enjoying a career year and given Brown’s recent dip in production, it isn’t that crazy to think a second half surge could vault him into the conversation. It’s still unlikely – hence his gaudy +5500 AL Cy Young odds – but the pitching profile and production is Cy Young-worthy.

Who Will Win AL Cy Young in 2025?

I will always turn over every (realistic) stone in the name of uncovering elite betting value, but sometimes the best value is in the form of minus money. Profitable bettors will agree when I say that the best option is all too often the right option, too.

You’re not getting the best possible return on your investment with someone like Tarik Skubal, but he’s definitely been the top pitcher in the American League so far – if not in all of baseball.

Blindly betting on favorites isn’t suggested, but Skubal’s price is a value by itself. The guy has been a one-man wrecking crew for his Detroit Tigers, and he’s been so dominant that he’s a huge reason that team has legit World Series aspirations.

Skubal still needs to finish the season strong and hold off some admittedly quality competition, but the AL Cy Young Award is undeniably his to lose.

Bet: Tarik Skubal (-200)

2025 NL Cy Young Odds

Check out the latest NL Cy Young odds:

We’re in a similar spot when trying to predict who will win the NL Cy Young Award, in that more likely or not this comes down to just two pitchers.

Zack Wheeler leads the way for sure at -135, and this is an appropriate price tag. Much like Skubal, you could argue you’re getting a deal for the likely Cy Young winner in the National League, but he’s still not exactly a lock.

That’s because Paul Skenes is having a magical year of his own. He is as polished as they come despite this being just his second season in the majors, and his +100 odds tell you just how “in it” he truly is.

I don’t think anyone else stands much of a chance to overtake these guys, but if someone does, you are getting saliva-inducing value. Sanchez and Webb are the next guys up, and both come in at +2000 or higher.

Is that the best value we can get to, and are Wheeler/Skenes your best bets? Let’s explore all of it as I break down the top NL Cy Young contenders and predict who will win it this year.

National League Cy Young Award Predictions

Check out our predictions for the 2025 National League Cy Young Award:

Zack Wheeler (-135)

Tarik Skubal is the top dog in the AL, but there is a case to be made that Wheeler is his clone in the National League, if not actually a bit better. Wheeler has been sensational for the Philadelphia Phillies, who have parlayed his career-best season into a tie for first place atop the NL West division.

Even if that standing doesn’t hold, Wheeler has thus far done all he could to keep the Phillies among the best teams in baseball, and he’ll be a big reason why some will bet on them to win it all.

Wheeler has had some strong seasons before, but the 35-year old has saved his best ever campaign for 2025, where he has a stout 9-3 record, a .236 ERA, and 154 strikeouts. His Ks and K/9 rate are on par with both Skubal and Crochet, and he’s in position to put up the best numbers we’ve seen out of him across the board.

Philly’s success plays a big role in how we view Wheeler’s chances of winning the Cy Young award at this stage of his career, but his dominance is undeniable.

Paul Skenes (+100)

It’s wild to think how close Paul Skenes is to winning a Cy Young in just his second year on the job. It’s even crazier when you look at his production despite playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who happen to be one of the worst teams in baseball.

Pittsburgh isn’t bad because of Skenes, though. He’s done all he could to keep their defense tight and remain competitive, but they’re looking like they’re destined for the bottom of the NL Central if things don’t turn around in a hurry.

Naturally, if Skenes can’t breeze past the competition, it could be difficult to form a bullet proof case for him to win over similar pitchers on superior clubs. That said, Skenes has looked the part of a Cy Young candidate, as he owns a league-best 2.01 ERA with a solid 131 strikeouts.

In terms of pure run prevention, literally nobody has been better than Skenes. It’s also worth arguing that he can’t really do much to stop his team from being bad, whether he’s on the rubber or not. The strikeouts don’t compare to the other competition, though, and as trivial as they are, wins seem to matter to a certain degree in Cy Young races.

Skenes has been insanely good. But his Cy Young profile isn’t well-rounded enough to fend off Wheeler (or anyone else) as things presently stand.

Logan Webb (+2800)

Want to take a stab at some more value, but don’t want to target a pitcher who doesn’t stand a chance? San Francisco Giants ace Logan Webb might be the perfect mixed bag, as he brings a solid 2.94 ERA to the table, along with 139 strikeouts.

Webb has enjoyed solid team success to go along with his strong pitching numbers, with the Giants right behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the competitive NL west division.

This is more of a price play than a case for Webb being super deserving, of course. The ERA is strong and the Ks are there, but he’d still need a big spike in his second half production, as well as the guys in front of him to take at least a mild step back.

San Francisco making a serious push for first place ahead of the loaded Dodgers would also be a nice feather in his cap.

2025 NL Cy Young Longshot

Considering the NL Cy Young race is undoubtedly coming down to the top two contenders, you’re getting some serious bang for your buck no matter who else you bet on.

That means you can keep going down the line and finding elite betting value, although you could lump these guys together in one big “good, but not good enough” pile and call it a day.

However, if you want a fun narrative to root for down the stretch this year, consider throwing a few shekels at San Francisco Giants ace Robbie Ray. He is an especially compelling NL Cy Young candidate if you’re already flirting with the idea of backing someone like teammate Logan Webb.

Most bettors are waiting for the other shoe to fall when it comes to Ray, but the 33-year old southpaw keeps cruising to one of his best seasons in years. Ray’s 2.65 ERA is actually better than Webb’s, while he has a record (9-3) on par with the top favorites, and he also has 128 strikeouts to his name.

The big question, as many have asked repeatedly, is if Ray can find a way to keep this up. He needs to do more than that, though, as he needs a spike in Ks and something else to give voters a reason to shy away from Wheeler or Skenes.

As is the case with Webb, a big push by the Giants or an increase in strikeouts could give him a boost and make him a viable bet nobody really thinks has a chance at the moment. Between the two, Ray > Webb in terms of value and upside when looking at Cy Young sleeper picks.

Who Will Win the NL Cy Young Award?

Much like the case will probably be in the American League with Skubal, I can’t really envision anyone unseating Wheeler up top in the NL. Wheeler has been insanely dominant, his Phillies are as good as anyone, and he’s enjoying the best season of his career despite being 35 years old.

By the way, he’s been this good operating out of a dangerous hitter’s park for a good chunk of his starts, too. Assuming the wheels don’t randomly fall off, Wheeler should be able to keep up his current production, and we’ll ultimately look back and kick ourselves for not pouncing on him at these discounted -135 odds.

Bet: Zack Wheeler (-135)

Recent Cy Young Award Winners

The following is a list of the most recent Cy Young Award winners: