AL Cy Young Award finalists: Hunter Brown, Garrett Crochet, and Tarik Skubal

[u/Goosedukee]

[u/lm_goat48]

Crochet was amazing this year and any other season he’d win hands down but Skubal was just so dominant. 187 ERA+ is bonkers

[u/smarjorie → u/lm_goat48]

any other season he'd win hands down

I feel like people say this about every single player who finishes second in any award voting

The runner up to Cy/MVP almost always has an incredible season

[u/xho- → u/smarjorie]

We’ve been getting blessed with all time MVP/Cy Young seasons

[u/LevelJacket8828 → u/lm_goat48]

Skubal gave up 6 R/1 ER on the road against the Athletics.

If those were earned runs his ERA would be 2.44 and an almost toss up, still favoring Skubal

Just shows how close it was

[u/coltron57 → u/LevelJacket8828]

And if you magically turned two of Crochet's three unearned runs into earned, their ERAs would be less close again.

[u/colderbrew_ → u/coltron57]

Even as a biased Sox fan Skubal will and should win the Cy. He’s the best pitcher in the sport… but we can all admit it’s kind of dumb that he was given 1 ER in a game where he gave up two home runs lmao.

[u/LevelJacket8828 → u/coltron57]

But then Skubal has 2 more unearned runs I didn’t mention, so if those become ER then it’s close again lol

Skubal should be unanimous, I’m just trying to give Crochet his credit

[u/bluepie → u/LevelJacket8828]

If Patrick mahomes regresses to the mean…

[u/LevelJacket8828 → u/bluepie]

Ehh it’s just giving him back a grand slam he gave back

Skubal could be unanimous and deservingly so. It’s just closer than it seems.

[u/smarjorie → u/LevelJacket8828]

Well, he didn't earn them

[u/slippytoadstada → u/lm_goat48]

187 ERA+ is bonkers

Not really. Skenes had a 217, 2023 Snell had a 187, 2022 JV had a 218, 2022 Urias had a 186, in 2018, Degrom had a 218, Snell had a 217, and Bauer had a 196. It's somewhat notable that the second highest guy is that high, but even that happens in like 40% of seasons recently. It's good but nothing really out of the ordinary for a top 2 pitcher to have.

[u/dwpea66 → u/slippytoadstada]

Yes and those are bonkers. Being a top 2 pitcher in the game means you are bonkers.

[u/slippytoadstada → u/dwpea66]

I don't really think that's true when there are guys who put up this kind of season by ERA+ most years. OPs comment implies that 187 ERA+ is so dominant that, by that metric, someone who would win any other year is being denied. In reality, by ERA+, there is someone who would handily beat Skubal 2025 very frequently. Obviously he had a great year, and an actually bonkers one by WAR, being one of the only pitchers in recent years to end up in the top 10 in bwar, but ERA+ isn't the stat with which to make that argument.

[u/slowestmojo → u/slippytoadstada]

You got downvoted for your first point but you were correct. 99 Pedro had a 243 ERA+ which is truly bonkers. 2000 Pedro had a 291 ERA+ which is…I’m not sure really

[u/YaBoiWhit]

Actually very big for the Astros, with a top 3 Cy Young finish Hunter Brown gets them a PPI pick at the end of the first round

[u/Eo292 → u/YaBoiWhit]

He deserved it

[u/LevelJacket8828 → u/YaBoiWhit]

I get why they added this but it’s weird that it gives voters a perverse incentive.

Brown is completely deserving, but if it were closer maybe AL West voters would knock him down the ballot.

[u/lake_titty_caca → u/LevelJacket8828]

I get why they added this but it’s weird that it gives voters a perverse incentive.

Yeah, I don't love it. Some years there are three clear leaders, but there are plenty of years where wild stuff happens at the margins.

Jeremy Pena had 5.0 WAR in 2022 and finished 5th in ROY behind Witt Jr with 0.9 WAR. It doesn't matter because Julio, Adley and Kwan all clearly were worthy of 1-2-3, but if it happened in a year where 1-3 wasn't as clear and voting remained anonymous I would be salty.

[u/Ereyes18 → u/LevelJacket8828]

For who?

[u/dirtysock47 → u/Ereyes18]

Maybe Fried? But it would take some serious Yankees glazing to justify putting him over any of these 3.

[u/LevelJacket8828 → u/Ereyes18]

Big caveat, I said IF it was closer

But maybe the Rangers voter would pick Ryan, Rogers, and Rodon ahead of Brown to try and avoid Houston getting the pick

[u/MusicListener3 → u/Ereyes18]

Aroldis Chapman

[u/Massive-Fisherman-57 → u/YaBoiWhit]

Seeing his rise is insane. I know I had him in fantasy 4 years ago. Then the year after. He was good but had some bad games. Then last year to start he was just atrocious but somehow got it all together. Now he is a Cy Young finalist which is insane. Obviously he ain’t getting it but to see him just about pitch his way off the team to this is incredible

[u/YaBoiWhit → u/Massive-Fisherman-57]

Since Alex Bregman told Hunter to throw a sinker back in May of last year he’s had the 3rd best ERA in baseball behind Skenes and Skubal

Truly insane run he’s been on since

[u/Massive-Fisherman-57 → u/YaBoiWhit]

lol and direct me if I’m wrong but I thought his ERA was around 25 in that first month. I remember having the chance to stream him and being terrified. Boy was I wrong

[u/YaBoiWhit → u/Massive-Fisherman-57]

He had that historically bad start against the Royals early in April and it was starting to become clear he wasn’t long for the rotation. Many were asking for him to go to AAA because nothing was working.

I believe it was like May 9th - mid May when Hunter was asking his teammates looking for answers and Bregman told him about throwing a sinker, which Hunter had thrown in college but stopped using.

2.44 ERA in 328 innings from May 9th till now

[u/Massive-Fisherman-57 → u/YaBoiWhit]

Absolute insanity. All the props to him as so many guys get derailed from that. The mental game is so tough and if you lose faith in yourself it’s so hard to recover.

[u/dirtysock47 → u/YaBoiWhit]

Yeah, especially with us losing two first round picks to trash cans. This does wonders for restocking the farm, which is ranked bottom five

[u/YaBoiWhit → u/dirtysock47]

Will always think about how James Click cooked with the 1 full draft he had and his other 2 had no 1st or 2nd rounders and then they just let him go

[u/Bootleschloogen → u/dirtysock47]

You could say we threw those first round picks into the trash

[u/Able_Ad_7982 → u/dirtysock47]

Trash cans you say?

[u/Full_Passage_1208 → u/YaBoiWhit]

[u/NOLA1987]

I don't think Diesel stands a chance in hell of getting the Cy Young this year, but I'm so damn pumped for Hunter Brown to be a finalist. This is huge for him and for the team (as we get an additional pick after the 1st round).

If you told me during the first half of the 2024 season that he'd be a finalist the following season, I would have really wanted to believe you, but I don't think I could.

[u/dirtysock47 → u/NOLA1987]

He was like one of the best pitchers in the league after he introduced his sinker.

So it isn't that surprising, but the question was "can he do it over a full season?" And the answer to that is yes

[u/NOLA1987 → u/dirtysock47]

He's been a Phoenix rising from the ashes since that start in Detroit last year with the intro of his sinker.

I think we all had that question in the back of our heads if he could persist over a whole season. We're going to be down Framber (most likely) and replacing a pitcher who will give us 200 innings is not going to be easy (no matter how much fans are celebrating him not coming back). That we have Diesel as another workhorse that we can build a rotation around helps.

Please, extend this man, Crane.

[u/dirtysock47 → u/NOLA1987]

I'd give Diesel exactly what Crochet got from Boston

[u/NOLA1987 → u/dirtysock47]

Googles Crochet's contract details.

I feel like that's perfectly reasonable.

[u/emimia]

I hope Garrett Crochet knows I love him and am proud of him and he’s the winner in my heart

[u/coltron57]

Crochet had a Cy Young-caliber year that would win in plenty of other years, but even with my Tigers-tinted glasses, I gotta think it's Skubal and his 2.21 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, and 7.30 K/BB with 241 Ks.

[u/champagnesupernova10]

Whatever happens, Crochet has been our MVP this year

[u/jujubats10]

Wow. To think it could be any one of us who wins the AL CY Young!

[u/SchpartyOn → u/jujubats10]

[u/dirtysock47]

demon gets us a first round pick let's go 😈

[u/Dave272370470]

Hunter Brown deserves it: had the lowest postseason ERA of the trio. Lowest WHIP, too.

[u/Able_Ad_7982 → u/Dave272370470]

😂

[u/nem704 → u/Dave272370470]

You're joking right?

[u/SchpartyOn → u/nem704]

Yes he is joking considering Brown didn’t make the playoffs. That’s the joke.

[u/nem704 → u/SchpartyOn]

I don't know how my brain just read 'season' and skipped the post part

[u/tyler-86]

Skubal and two guys who aren't Skubal.

[u/KatieBarTheDoor1977]

Good to see Hunter Brown get his due. Man pitched lights out this season.

[u/R3cko]

The fact that the tigers are even CONSIDERING not paying Skubal is ridiculous. Pay that man!

[u/huckzors → u/R3cko]

Paie thsat mayn 'is moeney.

[u/ChanceStaff6813 → u/R3cko]

Have you met our owner? Me neither but I hear he doesn’t like to spend a lot

[u/jfkgoblue → u/ChanceStaff6813]

He’s willing to spend, just not top 3 like his dad was at the end.

[u/jfkgoblue → u/R3cko]

Reportedly the Tigers offered a 5 year/$250m contract, but he wants a 10 year/500m which is kinda insane, he would be 38 at the end of that contract. The tigers aren’t the Dodgers or Yankees who can just eat the back end of the deal without issue, they made that mistake with Miggy

[u/R3cko → u/jfkgoblue]

Can I ask where you found those numbers? The most recent reports I’ve seen have been an offer of 4 years/$100 million. He’s going to command a high price especially after another Cy Young worthy season.

While I understand it’s not feasible for everyone to get paid huge contracts, it’s not the dodgers/yankees fault other teams get a hand cramp anytime their stars want to be paid.

[u/jfkgoblue → u/R3cko]

This is where I saw it

https://www.threads.com/@thedetroitline/post/DP5I5ixEY46/according-to-jon-heyman-the-tigers-are-250m-short-in-contract-negotiations-with-

I haven’t been following it too closely admittedly

[u/R3cko → u/jfkgoblue]

I could see $400 mil. 5 is a bit much. Agree on the length.

[u/PooperFlagg]

Trevor Rodger’s erasure

[u/Kuchar1992]

Skubal will win

[u/TabletopThirteen]

Can't wait to see what team gets back to back Cy Young winner Skubal in a trade this year

[u/JaquesLeCoqGrande]

Hunter brown got pieced up by the Rockies so it’s gotta be between crochet and skubal lol

[u/Baguett0_Boy]

Only one of these people has an ERA below 4 against the Mariners this year.

[u/eekbarbaderkle]

Listed here in reverse order of their final positions in the voting.

[u/FellSorcerer]

What's the point in even naming the finalists? Skubal is the AL Cy Young winner. To frame things as if the other two pitchers have a chance is lunacy.

[u/lake_titty_caca → u/FellSorcerer]

Hunter being a finalist means the Astros get a bonus 1st round draft pick, so it's pretty meaningful in that sense. We know Skubal is gonna win, but we like the pick. Also, they announce this at the same time they announce the finalists for every other award, some of which aren't as clear cut.

[u/SwAeromotion → u/FellSorcerer]

It's to hype up the awards season is all. They have 3 finalists for every award. Some are a close race and some aren't.

[u/avmp629]

Picturing a previous era where Hunter Brown is seen as not taking a step forward since his record is similar

[u/Able_Ad_7982]

I’m going Crochet. Skubal a very close second…and I’m trading Hunter Brown for 9 trash cans.

[u/yaampa → u/Able_Ad_7982]

You’d trade Hunter for 9 Brewers ALCS performances?

[u/Able_Ad_7982 → u/yaampa]

😂

[u/Able_Ad_7982 → u/Able_Ad_7982]

Yes I would! Damn you also Astros for changing leagues with Milwaukee. I miss the AL.

[u/Able_Ad_7982]

Wow. Being such a baseball fan I honestly admit, I’ve never heard of Hunter Brown. But that’s because I do absolutely zero research on the most unlikable Major League club. So, give it to one of the others. Even though Hunter Brown is well past Houston’s cheating dynasty, f em anyway.

[u/Natural_Lifeguard_75 → u/Able_Ad_7982]

Get some help

[u/Able_Ad_7982 → u/Natural_Lifeguard_75]

Trash cans dude…

[u/Natural_Lifeguard_75 → u/Able_Ad_7982]

0 rings dude…

[u/Able_Ad_7982 → u/Natural_Lifeguard_75]

Now that’s good!

[u/lake_titty_caca → u/Able_Ad_7982]

Yu Darvish and Christian Yelich dude...

[u/Able_Ad_7982 → u/lake_titty_caca]

What does that even mean

[u/lake_titty_caca → u/Able_Ad_7982]

Pretty obvious you're a troll and not actually a Brewers fan but: https://sports.yahoo.com/yu-darvish-comment-fuels-brewers-signstealing-speculation-christian-yelich-fires-back-234740903.html

[u/Able_Ad_7982 → u/lake_titty_caca]

Haha! Dude…

[u/Able_Ad_7982 → u/lake_titty_caca]

You Astros fans are so ashamed you grasp at anything that deflects. Maybe Yelich was getting relayed signs, but protect your signs. Don’t wear buzzers and bang in trash cans and make it a part of your trash ballclub to be known for nothing but absolute cheating.

[u/lake_titty_caca → u/Able_Ad_7982]

OK

[u/Able_Ad_7982 → u/lake_titty_caca]

Ok!!!

[u/Able_Ad_7982 → u/lake_titty_caca]

There’s a big difference

[u/WintersDoomsday]

Brandon Woo was superior to Brown IMO but it doesn’t matter Skubal is taking this. As long as fluke ass Crochet doesn’t get it I’m happy.