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Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

MLB best bets: Cy Young Award sleeper picks for AL and NL

By Jared Shlensky | Last updated 4/10/23

We're only 10 games into the MLB season and we're already talking player awards. Yeah, we know it's super early, but is it truly ever too early to talk about the Cy Young Award? We didn't think so. But instead of focusing on the favorites, let's focus on a sleeper pick from each league. And by sleepers, we mean anyone who's odds are 10/1 or better.

American League

Let's start with the American League. The first name that comes to mind is Shohei Ohtani but is Ohtani really a sleeper? Technically, Ohtani (+1000) does meet the criteria, but with Jacob deGrom (+800), Dylan Cease (+700) and Gerrit Cole (+600) the only ones favored ahead of him, we're going to avoid Ohtani. Don't get us wrong, Ohtani is a great pick, especially with how well he's pitched to start the season, but we feel like picking Ohtani under these circumstances would be a little unfair.

So, let's go further down the list ... which leads us to Jeffrey Springs of the Tampa Bay Rays. And what is there not to like about Springs or the Rays? In fact, they're both perfect — literally, perfect. The Rays are now 10-0 after shutting out Boston, 1-0, on Monday, and Springs is 2-0 in two starts and has yet to allow a run. Crazy thing about Springs is he isn't even considered the Rays' best starter, or maybe even second best. Shane McClanahan is considered the team's ace, and when Tyler Glasnow returns from injury, he's arguably the team's No. 2 starter. Both Glasnow and McClanahan are worth keeping an eye on moving forward, but Springs is the guy that has our undivided attention ... at least for now.

Springs has been nearly unhittable in his first two starts — 13 IP, 3 H, 4 BB, 19 K. This is not a fluke. Springs was outstanding for the Rays last year in his first real shot at the big-league level as a starter — 9-5, 2.46 ERA in 25 starts — and sometimes it takes guys a couple of years to find themselves. Take Jake Arrietta, for example. Arrietta struggled mightily in his first 3.5 seasons in the big leagues with Baltimore, but once he got traded to Chicago ... poof, he turned it around. And not only did Arrietta win a World Series with the Cubs back in 2016, he also won a Cy Young with Chicago.

There's no reason Springs can't do the same. The southpaw clearly has good enough "stuff," because if he didn't, teams like Texas and Boston, both for whom he played before breaking out with the Rays last year, would never have given him a shot. And we're well aware both of his starts were against crummy teams — Detroit and Oakland — but don't forget about how dominant Springs was in September last season. In case you forgot, here are his numbers: 3-0 with a 1.44 ERA in six starts, 31.1 IP, 5 ER, 23 H, 7 BB, 31 K. This hot start is not a fluke, and you should put at least some money on Springs to win the AL Cy Young before his 25/1 line drops.

AL Cy Young Sleeper: Jeffrey Springs, Tampa Bay Rays (+25000)

National League

As for the National League, we've got one guy in mind. And to be honest, we've had our eye on this certain individual the start of the season. That guy we're referring to is Dustin May of the Los Angeles Dodgers. May might not be as popular as some of the other Dodgers starters like Clayton Kershaw, Julio Urias, Walker Buehler or Tony Gonsolin, but make no mistake about it, he's just as good as them. Not only is May a flamethrower, but his secondary pitches look better than ever in 2023.

Two things have really hurt May in the past — injuries and a crowded Dodgers rotation. But even when Buehler and Gonsolin return from the injured list, manager Dave Roberts has no choice but to keep May in the rotation. Sorry, Noah Syndergaard and Michael Grove, but unless the Dodgers intend on going to a six-man rotation, looks like both will be moved to the bullpen.

Walks have hurt May in the past, but that seems to be behind him, at least for now. In 13 innings this year, the right-hander has walked just three batters, and more impressive, he's allowed just one run on five hits. Only nine strikeouts might concern you a little, but we're not concerned. May looks like he's finally stopped trying to blow fastballs past everyone who gets in the box and is now willing to pitch to contact. And why shouldn't he? Of the five hits he's allowed, only two have been for extra bases (both doubles).

Best part about May — outside of his 40/1 line of course — is that he's going deep into games but has yet to throw more than 84 pitches in either of his first two starts. That number should slowly go up as he gets more and more stretched out. Tony Gonsolin came out of nowhere last year for the Dodgers, and this year it looks like the Dodgers have found gold — no pun intended — with May, aka, "Gingergaard."

AL Cy Young Sleeper: Dustin May, Los Angeles Dodgers (+40000)

All odds via Caesars Sportsbook

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