NL Cy Young Power Rankings: Dodgers' Kershaw remains clear-cut favorite
Every week until season's end, we'll take a look at the top Cy Young candidates in the National League.
| RANK | PLAYER | TEAM | PREV. RANK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clayton Kershaw | Los Angeles Dodgers | 1 |
Kershaw did nothing this week to change anyone's mind that he'll take home the National League Cy Young award. In his Sept. 14 start against the San Francisco Giants, the left-hander tossed eight innings, allowing two hits, two earned runs and one walk, while striking out nine to improve to 19-3 on the season.
Kershaw still leads the league in almost every notable category, including fWAR (6.7), K/9 (10.63), ERA (1.70) and FIP (1.86).
| RANK | PLAYER | TEAM | PREV. RANK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Johnny Cueto | Cincinnati Reds | 2 |
Despite coming off his worst outing of the year, Cueto retains the second position in the rankings. Against the lowly Chicago Cubs, Cueto was rocked for six earned runs in 5 2/3 innings, recording a season-high five walks.
He sits second in the NL in strikeouts behind the Nationals' Stephen Strasburg with 228 in 227 2/3 innings - tops in the senior circuit.
| RANK | PLAYER | TEAM | PREV. RANK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Adam Wainwright | St. Louis Cardinals | 3 |
Wainwright must've been happy when Yadier Molina returned in late-August.
Waino with and without Yadi. #STLCards #WhipAround pic.twitter.com/UyhxUl0Xxg
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) September 18, 2014
The right-hander is 4-0 in September, allowing just six earned runs in 32 innings with 21 strikeouts.
His latest outing against the reeling Brewers was a masterpiece, a complete-game shutout, with seven hits allowed, two walks and seven strikeouts for his 19th victory, tying him with Kershaw for most wins in the majors.
| RANK | PLAYER | TEAM | PREV. RANK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | Madison Bumgarner | San Francisco Giants | 5 |
The Giants left-hander continued his hot September this week, holding the Diamondbacks to two runs over six innings. Over his last 13 starts, Bumgarner is 9-2 and a key reason why the Giants are likely heading to the playoffs as a wild-card team.
On the season, he is 18-9, with a 2.91 ERA and a career-high 208 strikeouts. Bumgarner has made at least 31 starts over the last four seasons, crossing the 200-innings mark in each.
| RANK | PLAYER | TEAM | PREV. RANK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Cole Hamels | Philadelphia Phillies | - |
Hamels has put together a pretty decent campaign despite making his first start of the season on April 23.
He's only 9-7, but sports a 2.47 ERA, good for fourth in the league behind only Kershaw, Cueto and Wainwright - a few of the most elite pitchers in the game.
In his latest outing, the lefty held the Padres to one run and seven hits over seven innings to improve to 5-1 at Petco Park.