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MLB Awards: AL and NL MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year rankings after All-Star Game

By Justin Girshon

Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll (7) swings during the eighth inning against the PIrates during a game at Chase Field in Phoenix on July 8, 2023.
Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll (7) swings during the eighth inning against the PIrates during a game at Chase Field in Phoenix on July 8, 2023. /
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Jul 7, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen (23) throws in the second inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 7, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen (23) throws in the second inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports /

NL Cy Young

1. Zac Gallen
2023 stats: 118.1 IP, 3.04 ERA, 3.62 xERA, 2.77 FIP, 3.45 xFIP, 3.53 SIERA, 3.7 fWAR

After being selected as an All-Star for the first time in his career, Zac Gallen was the NL’s starting pitcher and showed the baseball world why he’s the betting favorite to take home the NL Cy Young.

In his breakout 2022 season when he pitched to a 2.54 ERA across 184.0 innings, Gallen accumulated 4.3 fWAR. In 118.1 innings this year, Gallen already has 3.7 fWAR. As Corbin Carroll said when he was interviewed on Tuesday night, the Diamondbacks wouldn’t be where they are with Gallen. With a strong second half, Gallen could lock up his first career Cy Young and get Arizona to the postseason for the first time since 2017.

2. Spencer Strider
2023 stats: 104.2 IP, 3.44 ERA, 3.08 xERA, 2.84 FIP, 2.83 xFIP, 2.67 SIERA, 3.0 fWAR

If not for back-to-back disastrous starts against the Mets and Tigers in June in which he gave up 13 earned runs in eight innings pitched, there’s a strong possibility Strider would be ahead of Gallen in the Cy Young race.

For now, though, Strider’s 3.44 ERA is too high to justify him winning the award, but you could argue he’s been the most talented pitcher in baseball. Leading MLB starters in K% (38.9%), K-BB% (30.9%) and CSW% (34.5%), Strider has been electric this season. If Strider can reduce the number of barrels he gives up and keeps the ball in the ballpark, he’ll put himself in a great position to win his first Cy Young.

3. Logan Webb
2023 stats: 126.0 IP, 3.14 ERA, 3.57 xERA, 3.23 FIP, 2.91 xFIP, 3.12 SIERA, 2.8 fWAR

As he’s shown over the last couple of seasons, Logan Webb is a horse on the mound. Leading MLB with 126.0 IP, Webb has pitched to a superb 3.14 ERA.

Webb’s staple throughout his career has been generating ground balls, which hasn’t slowed down this year, as he leads MLB starters with a 60.3 GB%. Combining his elite ground ball rate with a 95th percentile BB%, it’s virtually impossible for opposing offenses to generate threats against Webb, which helps him cruise deep into games.

Webb is getting a bit unlucky on the home run ball this year, as his HR/9 and HR/FB% are way up from what they were from 2020-2022, but if he can keep the ball out of the outfield seats, Webb should have an even better second half than his already impressive first half.

Honorable mentions: Justin Steele, Clayton Kershaw

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