Jacob Misiorowski is still sitting on top of the National League Cy Young race, but the cushion has shrunk fast.
Two weeks after the All-Star Break, Misiorowski remains the favorite at -300, an implied probability of 75%. That’s a drop from the -450 price he carried at the break, even after he punched out 12 Rockies in 5.0 innings in his latest outing.
The biggest mover behind him has been Zack Wheeler. The Phillies ace was all the way out at +2200 two weeks ago, but he has surged to +750 after a strong post-break run that includes 19 strikeouts and only two earned runs allowed across 13 innings.
Cristopher Sanchez was right there in the mix as the No. 2 option at +550, but his number has slipped to +850 after a rougher stretch. In his most recent start against the New York Yankees, he gave up six hits and three earned runs.
Chris Sale has also forced his way into the conversation. He opened the second half with seven scoreless innings against the Texas Rangers, then followed that up with 11 strikeouts against the San Diego Padres.
Misiorowski still has the inside track, so Brewers fans don’t need to hit the panic button yet. But if he cools off down the stretch, there are several pitchers lining up to make this a real race.
Misiorowski, Sanchez and Wheeler are all chasing their first Cy Young award. Sale is after his second after winning the award in 2024.
In Other News...
Bryce Harper Just Sparked A Phillies Deadline Twist Nobody Saw Coming
Bryce Harper added a little extra intrigue to the Phillies deadline chatter by showing up on the road trip with his outfield glove, a small detail that says plenty about how he is thinking about the roster. Harper has not played the outfield since 2022, when an elbow injury pushed him off the grass and into a more permanent first-base role, but he floated the idea that Philadelphia could look to add a first baseman and force some moving parts elsewhere.
The twist is that Harper said he has not discussed any of that with the front office, so this is more his read on the market than a sign of an actual plan. And the market itself may be part of the problem, with the available first-base options not exactly overflowing, even as Harper also noted the Phillies could use another starting pitcher, which only adds to the sense that the deadline may require some creative problem-solving. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies Finally Made An August Catching Decision Fans Needed To See
Garrett Stubbs is back on the active roster after a stint on the injured list with left wrist inflammation, giving the Phillies a familiar option behind the plate as they move deeper into August. The club made room by sending Payton Henry back to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, and the move restores the catching depth chart to the shape the team has leaned on for most of the season.
Stubbs has spent much of the year in a limited role, but the Phillies clearly wanted him available again as the backup to J.T. Realmuto for the stretch run. For a team trying to keep its catching situation stable, that kind of straightforward roster decision matters, even if it does not answer every question about how much offense Stubbs can provide when he gets his chances. [Read more 🡒]
Phillies May Be Eyeing Another Rotation Gamble Fans Already Dread
The Phillies already made one hard rotation decision when they released Taijuan Walker, and the search for innings has not gotten any easier since. Now another familiar name has popped onto the market in Jameson Taillon, who was designated for assignment by the Cubs after a rough season and is suddenly available for any club willing to take a low-cost look.
For Philadelphia, the appeal is obvious even if the comfort level is not. Taillon has been hit hard this year, carrying a 5.92 ERA in 15 starts while giving up a troubling amount of damage in the air, but the Phillies are also staring at a rotation hole they still need to cover. The question is whether they want to take another gamble on a starter whose recent track record looks a lot like the problem they just tried to move past. [Read more 🡒]