Breaking Down MLB’s Cy Young Races With a Month to Go

The race to be named the NL’s best pitcher is close to being decided, while the AL has two main contenders and a formidable dark horse.

Phillies starting pitcher Cristopher Sánchez is leading the majors in bWAR (7.5) and wins (16). | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The final month of the MLB season is here, and the two Cy Young races couldn’t look much different.

In the National League, Brewers star Jacob Misiorowski has opened a huge lead over the field with a brilliant campaign. He’s the heavy favorite to take home the hardware in just his second big league season. Things remain wide open in the American League, where Yankees breakout star Cam Schlittler and Blue Jays ace Dylan Cease are in a tight battle heading into September. But someone else could certainly emerged from a crowded second tier of contenders.

Time is running out for the top contenders to prove themselves. Here’s where both Cy Young races stand entering September.

National League Cy Young

Frontrunner: Jacob Misiorowski, Brewers

Like Pete Crow-Armstrong’s MVP candidacy in the National League, Jacob Misiorowski has grabbed hold of this race in recent months. The Brewers ace has been remarkably dominant, leading MLB starters in a ton of key categories while showing little sign of slowing down. His 2.32 ERA in August was his second-highest in a month this season (3.58 in April).

Through 25 starts, Misiorowski is 14–5, has thrown 151 innings and leads qualified MLB starters in ERA (1.73), WHIP (0.75), FIP (2.14), strikeouts (222), strikeout rate (38.9%), strikeouts per nine (13.23), average fastball velocity (100.5 mph) and fWAR (5.7). He’s also doing that for the team with the best record in the majors.

The 6'7" righty is having a historic campaign and, barring an incredible collapse, has a commanding grip on the award.

Contenders: Cristopher Sanchez, Phillies; Chris Sale, Braves

Despite Misiorowski’s dominance, there are still other contenders in the race for the NL Cy Young. Yes, they may be far back in the rearview mirror, but they’re still there.

Cristopher Sanchez was an early favorite for the award after he tossed 50 2/3 scoreless innings for the Phillies from late April through early June. He has fallen a bit from that perch but is still having an excellent season. The 29-year-old lefty leads MLB in wins at 16–4 and boasts a 2.52 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 202 strikeouts in 175 1/3 innings. He’s tied with Misiorowski with 5.7 fWAR and leads all MLB pitchers in bWAR (7.5). You could say Sanchez is having a career year at the wrong time given Misiorowski’s dominant campaign ... but he also led the majors in bWAR last year with 8.1 and finished as Cy Young runner-up. The same fate may await him this year.

After a rib injury cost him two months in 2025, Chris Sale has bounced back with an excellent ’26 campaign. The ’24 NL Cy Young winner has come on strong this summer to become a real contender for the award. He’s 13–9 and ranks second in the NL in ERA (2.06), FIP (2.18) and strikeout rate (30.7%), is third in WHIP (1.00) and fWAR (5.3), and has 177 strikeouts in just 144 innings. It has been an excellent year for the 37-year-old lefty.

Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto finished third in NL Cy Young voting last year. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Dark Horse: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers

Yamamoto has the stuff to win a Cy Young, and it feels like it’s only a matter of time until he does. This season, he has been the constant in the Dodgers’ rotation. Through 24 starts, the 28-year-old is 12–8 with a 2.56 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 153 strikeouts against 36 walks in 158 innings. Those numbers would put him squarely in contention in plenty of seasons, but given the competition ahead of him, this just isn’t his year.

The pick: Jacob Misiorowski

American League Cy Young

Frontrunner: Cam Schlittler, Yankees

Cam Schlittler has come out of nowhere in 2026 to become the ace of the Yankees staff. The 25-year-old righty has been dominant all season and is currently out front in the race for the AL Cy Young.

Through his first 28 starts, Schlittler is 12–6 and leads AL starters in ERA (2.09), average fastball velocity (98.0), fWAR (5.1) and bWAR (5.9), is second in WHIP (0.97) and FIP (2.62), and third in strikeouts (201) and strikeout rate (30.9%). He has been remarkably consistent throughout the campaign as well. His monthly ERA has only topped 2.33 once (3.38 in June).

Schlittler has competition and will need to finish strong to become just the second Yankee to win the award in the last 25 years. Teammate Gerrit Cole took it home in 2023. Before that, Roger Clemens was the most recent in 2001.

Cam Schlittler leads the AL with 5.9 bWAR. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Contender: Dylan Cease, Blue Jays

Dylan Cease landed the biggest contract for a pitcher this offseason, as the Blue Jays handed him a seven-year, $210 million deal in December. Unlike most of his teammates in Toronto, Cease has delivered in 2026.

In 25 starts, Cease is 9–5 and leads the American League in strikeouts (217), strikeout rate (36.1%), homers allowed per nine (0.60) and FIP (2.42), is tied for first in fWAR (5.1), and ranks second in ERA (2.33) and bWAR (5.7). The 30-year-old’s WHIP of 1.05 is a career low through 150 1/3 innings.

Cease has been good all season, but an incredible July put him in this race. He made five starts and went 4–1 with a 1.00 ERA and 46 strikeouts in 36 innings. One of those wins was a one-hit shutout against the Red Sox, where he fanned 12, and in another, he tossed eight shutout innings against the Giants, allowing one hit and striking out 11.

If Cease can keep his walks in check, he has a real chance to overtake Schlittler with a big final month.

Dark Horses: Drew Rasmussen, Rays

Drew Rasmussen is the ace of the American League’s best team and is closing hard thanks to a fantastic stretch of pitching since the All-Star break. The 31-year-old righty warrants serious consideration.

On the season, Rasmussen has made 26 starts and is 14–5. He leads qualified AL starters in WHIP (0.93), ranks third in FIP (2.90) and fifth in ERA (2.95). He has 149 strikeouts against 27 walks in 146 1/3 innings. But since the All-Star break, Rasmussen is 7–0 with a 2.30 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 51 strikeouts against 10 walks in 47 innings. He leads AL pitchers in fWAR (1.9) since the break and had wins in seven consecutive starts from July 21 through this weekend.

If Rasmussen keeps pitching this way, he’ll make himself a factor in this race.

The pick: Dylan Cease

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