Fantasy Baseball Bold Predictions for the MLB Top 5 NL Cy Young Candidates

The NL Cy Young race may be contentious behind Paul Skenes, but he can be caught, as these players have great fantasy baseball value.

Feb 25, 2026; North Port, Florida, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Atlanta Braves during spring training at CoolToday Park. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

The NL Cy Young race is going to be much like the AL Cy Young Race. Paul Skenes leads the way as the undisputed favorite. Other pitchers will then try to chase him down. As for which ones have the best chance to pull it off? Leave that to us to analyze and project. This is where your top-5 NL Cy Young candidates project to perform, and whether or not they are fantasy baseball values at a cost.

Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates

It is hard to find any pitcher with Skenes' arsenal. He works in seven total pitches, five of which are 10% of higher in usage. This features a 98 MPH 38% four-seam fastball, followed by a sweeper, a 94 MPH splitter, an 89 MPH changeup, and then a slider. Skenes was in the 86th percentile in most Statcast key metrics. The young phenom will be going nowhere as long as he remains healthy. You must draft the Cy Young favorite in the first round of fantasy baseball drafts.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers

At times, Yamamoto has been hittable. However, his statistical output proves him elite, despite any slip-ups. Yamamoto has an xERA of 2.74 and xBA of .199 in 2025. He is subpar in walk rate and hard-hit rate, but that is it. The Japanese star leads with a 95 MPH four-seam fastball, followed by an elite 91 MPH splitter, and a well-off-speed 77 MPH surveball. His ability to control you at the plate is ultra-impressive. Yamamoto is another player well worth the 2nd round draft pick. If Skenes got hurt, Yamamoto is surely a Cy Young contender.

Christopher Sanchez, Philadelphia Phillies

The Phillies have a new ace not named Zach Wheeler. Per Statcast, Sanchez is in the 100th percentile of Offspeed Run Value, 99th percentile of Pitching Run Value, and 96th percentile of Fastball Run Value. Sanchez is a groundball pitcher who also fools batters with his brutal three-pitch arsenal. This includes a 46% 95 MPH sinker, a 37% 86 MPH changeup, and an 86 MPH slider on the lower end.

Sanchez is much of an out-pitcher with side movement. He has a movement very hard to telegraph. So long as Sanchez is accurate, he is very good. He may lack true Cy Young upside with his limited arsenal, but Sanchez is definitely worth his 2nd-3rd round fantasy baseball ADP.

Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves

When Sale has been healthy across his 11-year MLB career, he has been elite. His last two seasons show zero drop-off in his ability. The 36-year-old still has the gas to deliver Cy Young upside as the Braves aim to be back to their World Series-contending status in 2026.

Sale leads with his 79 MPH slider with elite drop. Once Sale gets you, he commands his four-seam fastball with among the most right-to-left movement you will find across the MLB. This is Sale's one-two punch that has dominated for a decade. There is little reason to doubt it will slide if it reappears in 2026, barring injury. Sale is a safe fantasy baseball selection with Cy Young potential if Skenes slides.

Logan Webb, San Francisco Giants

After those top four pitchers, there is a fall-off. Webb is currently fifth in betting odds to win the NL Cy Young. He may lack the ability to pull it off. Webb is rumored to have newly elevated fastball velocity. However, Webb is not a fastball pitcher. His four-seam fastball and cutter combine for 12% usage. If Webb desires to up its usage, great, but that is a risky move.

Webb had an elite Offspeed Run Value of the 98th percentile in 2025. Beyond that, his Pitching Run Value is 84th, while he has a subpar Breaking Run Value of the 32nd percentile. Webb seems to pitch as well as he possibly can as a breaking ball pitcher. We may be hard-pressed to see him rise even further. Webb is a player to fade in fantasy baseball, favoring higher-upside options.