Predicting the 2017 Cy Young nominees
From the typical dominance of Max Scherzer, to the unexpected rises of Kyle Hendricks and Rick Porcello, 2016 proved once again how valuable starting pitching is.
And while the Cy Young Awards were handed out to Scherzer and Porcello on Wednesday, it's never too early to look ahead and predict which starters have the best chance at claiming the honors in 2017.
American League
Aaron Sanchez - Blue Jays
A 24-year-old starter coming off a 15-2 season with the AL's best ERA makes Aaron Sanchez a candidate to leap forward in 2017. After earning a spot in the rotation as the fifth starter out of spring training, Sanchez never looked back, quickly becoming the Blue Jays' most dominant and reliable pitcher.
Much was made of his innings restriction - Sanchez still threw a career-high 211 innings, including the postseason - but that won't be a problem next year, with the young starter poised to become a true ace.
Masahiro Tanaka - Yankees
Entering his fourth season as a big-league starter, Masahiro Tanaka has flown surprisingly under the radar in New York.
Tanaka has gone 39-16 with a 3.11 ERA since coming over from Japan - strong numbers despite missing some time with injury. In the past two calendar years, his 3.26 ERA and 305 hits allowed rank in the top 10 of the AL ahead of starters Corey Kluber, Chris Archer, Chris Sale, and Dallas Keuchel - all of whom have been in Cy Young contention.
Coming off a career high in games started (31) and innings pitched (192), Tanaka is primed for a big 2017.
Carlos Carrasco - Indians
Another starter who's performed very well the past few seasons - without much recognition - is Carlos Carrasco. The 29-year-old has been the victim of some bad luck, getting struck in the head by a comebacker in 2015 before fracturing his finger in 2016 and missing out on the Indians' World Series run.
When healthy, Carrasco's been dominant, posting the AL's third-best K/9 rate since 2014 (9.98) and its fourth-best FIP (3.23), behind only David Price, Sale, and Kluber. If he can stay healthy and pitch anywhere from 200-215 innings, Carrasco should contend for the Cy Young next season.
2017 AL winner: Sanchez
National League
Clayton Kershaw - Dodgers
No surprise here. After his season was cut short due to a lingering back injury, Clayton Kershaw didn't have enough time to make a case for the 2016 award.
That'll change in 2017 (as long as he stays healthy). The three-time Cy Young winner has posted a ridiculous 46.7 WAR since 2010, winning 21 games twice during that span. It's not unreasonable to predict something similar in 2017, which means he'll be in the Cy Young - and potentially MVP - conversation.
Noah Syndergaard - Mets
The NL is jam-packed with elite pitchers, but at only 24 years old, Noah Syndergaard is quickly emerging as a force to be reckoned with. Some, including Syndergaard himself, feel that he was snubbed this year; it wouldn't be surprising to see him come out next season with a chip on his shoulder.
His 2.30 FIP led the league this season, and the average velocities of his fastball (97.9) and slider (90.8) were highest among all qualified starters. With electric stuff, Syndergaard will take a Cy Young-worthy leap.
Madison Bumgarner - Giants
Madison Bumgarner is already regarded as one of the best postseason starters ever, if not the best, after helping the Giants win three championships and taking home World Series MVP in 2014. One thing missing is a Cy Young Award.
Since 2013, Bumgarner has posted a fantastic 2.86 ERA along with a 64-37 record. That consistency has earned him Cy Young votes in each of the past three seasons, to no avail. He was an early favorite this season, going 10-4 in the first half of 2016 before falling to a 5-5 record after the All-Star break.
If he puts it together for all of 2017, Bumgarner could add to his impressive resume.