Breaking Down The 2021 AL Cy Young Race

• Gerrit Cole has overcome several setbacks this season with stellar stats and is the favorite to win his first Cy Young award, but he's no lock.

• Blue Jays ace Robbie Ray's odds to win the award have shortened considerably and he offers sneaky value at +200 on FanDuel.

• The White Sox feature three candidates with outside shots, but they may be rested once Chicago locks up the AL Central.

AL Cy Young Favorite 

Yankees ace Gerrit Cole has overcome several setbacks this season from early-season struggles possibly related to MLB’s crackdown on foreign substances, to separate stints on the shelf with COVID and a hamstring strain. Maybe those challenges should make his typically phenomenal stats even more impressive -- and his case for the AL Cy Young award even stronger. 

Cole is the favorite to win the AL Cy Young, which would be his first, with consensus odds at -132 on BetQL’s MLB Future Odds page, which compares each candidate’s odds to win across several of the top sportsbooks. Cole actually looks like a great value at BetMGM, where he has +105 odds to win the AL Cy Young. 

This is a great time to mention that if you sign up for a new account at BetMGM, deposit $10 and bet $10, you'll receive a free year of BetQL within 24 hours of your wager settling.

AL Cy Young Value Pick

But what if Cole struggles in his return Tuesday from that hamstring injury or is limited in any way down the stretch? Bettors might want to look at Blue Jays lefthander Robbie Ray, whose odds to win the AL Cy Young have shrunk considerably as he continues mowing down the competition. 

The best odds you can get on Ray to win as of Tuesday are +200 at FanDuel; his odds have shortened all the way to +135 at BetMGM, which helps explain Cole’s favorable price at that sportsbook as well. If Cole falters, this may be your last chance to get on the Ray train at great odds. By the way, if you sign up for a new account at FanDuel, your first bet up to $1,000 is risk-free.

Best Odds To Win 2021 AL Cy Young

Here’s a look at the best odds to win what should be a tight 2021 AL Cy Young race for each of the top candidates (odds as of Tuesday, Sept. 14). 

Gerrit Cole, Yankees: +105 at BetMGM

Robbie Ray, Blue Jays: +200 at FanDuel

Lance Lynn, White Sox: +350 at FanDuel, DraftKings

Carlos Rodon, White Sox: +1400 at Caesars, PointsBet

Liam Hendriks, White Sox: +10000 at DraftKings