AL CY Young Odds Tracker: Cole Sails into 2020
Taking the mound to open the season against the world champs, Gerrit Cole made a single mistake in the first inning of a one-hit, five-inning, rain-shortened outing. The home run by Adam Eaton was the only flaw in an otherwise outstanding opening day performance, a 4-1 victory over the Nats. Cole stepped on the rubber in Baltimore to open the second turn of the rotation, and again earned victory for the Bombers.
Cole again gave up a first inning run on a walk and a double, pitching brilliantly through the sixth. Unfortunately, he ran out of gas in the seventh. Getting the first two batters on popups took 12 pitches, bringing him to 99 for the afternoon. On the hundredth pitch, Renato Nunez doubled. On the following pitch, Jose Iglesias homered. On Cole’s final offering, Pedro Severino doubled, but the righty still took home the W in a 9-3 win.
On the young season, he is 2-0 over 11.2 innings with 12 Ks and a 3.09 ERA. The 324-million-dollar man has won his last 18 decisions and has not lost in his last 24 starts. The betting odds on a Gerrit Cole 2020 AL Cy Young award are +280.
An Indians’ Ace and Surprisingly Good AL Cy Young Odds: Bieber! Not That One
Cleveland Indian ace Shane Bieber must have had the Royals’ hitters seeing ghosts as he fanned an Opening Day franchise-record 14 batters on route to a 2-0 shutout victory. Bieber plunked the leadoff hitter and gave up four hits and one walk for the outing. Bieber’s Cy Young odds are +700.
Fellow frontline starter Mike Clevinger came home with a no decision in an eventual 3-2 loss to the Royals. He pitched seven innings of four-hit ball, but two of those hits left the park. Clevinger’s odds for the Cy are +900. The starter at the other end of the Cleveland rotation fared surprisingly well in his sophomore season debut.
Zach Plesac, nephew of three-time All-Star pitcher Dan Plesac, sent 11 White Sox back to the dugout with Ks en route to an eight-inning, three-hit effort for his first win of the year. Plesac is not yet on most boards and might be worth a flier based on his initial offering.
Lance Lynn is the only AL pitcher with two starts and no runs scored. Lynn is 1-0 over 12 innings with three hits, six bases-on-balls, and 17 strikeouts. The 33-year old Texas Ranger has odds of +3000 for the Cy Young. Rotation-mate Kyle Gibson is 0-1 surrendering only three unearned runs over five innings against the Diamondbacks.
Gibson has +7000 odds for the Cy Young award. Minnesota’s Rich Hill is the only other starter with a 0.00 ERA on the young season. The veteran, throwing for his ninth-career franchise, tossed a two-hit, one-walk, five-inning shutout of the Cardinals. Owner of an ERA just over 3.00 for the second part of his starting career, Hill is also not on most Cy Young betting boards.
Rays starters looking to get on track
The Tampa Bay Rays have an early share of first place in the AL East, but it has been in spite of their trio of top-of-the-line starters. Former Cy Young winner Blake Snell lasted only two innings in his season debut, throwing 46 pitches getting out of jams in both innings.
Tyler Glasnow struck out nine Braves and surrendered only an early solo shot, but, still building up his strength following his bout with Covid-19, could not make it out for the fifth to earn the victory. He left tied 1-1 before his teammates exploded for eight in the bottom of the fourth.
Charlie Morton was given the opening day start and now after two outings is 0-1 with an 8.00 ERA. Snell’s Cy Young odds are +1000, Glasnow’s +1200, and Morton’s +1500.
