MLB Awards Watch: Top 5 NL Cy Young Candidates Through June
By Ron Juckett
JULIO TEHERAN, ATLANTA BRAVES
3-7 W-L, 2.72 ERA, 0.932 WHIP, 3.4 WAR
The Atlanta Braves are a lousy team. If they scored a few runs for Julio Teheran, his won-loss record would look reasonable. In his seven no-decisions this year, Teheran has an ERA of 2.20. When he wins that number drops to 0.73. His WHIP is second in the NL and his 3.4 WAR (4th) eclipses his win total.
No wonder why Atlanta fields calls on his trade availability daily.
In June—while going 2-2—he scattered 17 hits in 37.2 innings for an opponent’s batting average of .133. Toss in his four walks with 37 strikeouts and the OBP jumps to .165. Those are Cy Young numbers. How can anyone keep runners off base 83.5 percent of the time and lose twice?
With the pressure of seeing your name and traded either in the paper or online every day, Teheran has to be unsettled to a degree. His lone July start saw him take a no decision after allowing 11 hits and five earned runs over 6.2 innings at home to Miami on the first.
The Braves steadfastly deny he is going anywhere. Until the deadline passes, you never know. What is certain in his sixth season is Teheran will draw another All-Star nod and serious consideration for the Cy. As the rest of the contenders worry about if and when they will pitch in the postseason, he worries if he will need a mover.
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