Yankees Ace Snubbed in Latest Cy Young Rankings

The New York Yankees have not one, but two, American League Cy Young Award candidates this season. But both Max Fried and Carlos Rodon could be out of luck when all the votes are counted.

In his midseason awards preview, the New York Post's Joel Sherman listed Houston Astros ace Hunter Brown as the leading candidate for the AL Cy Young Award.

"Brown led not just the AL but the majors in ERA, batting average against and strikeout percentage," Sherman wrote.

However, it's interesting to note that Sherman also called the Detroit Tigers' Tarik Skubal, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, the best pitcher in the league. Sherman also gave a shoutout to Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet, who leads the majors with 135 strikeouts.

But wait, what about the Yankees, you ask? Rodon is 9-5 with a 2.92 ERA and Fried leads the majors with 10 wins.

"Fried was 8-1 with a 0.93 ERA and the Yankees 9-1 in his 10 starts after a Yankees loss," Sherman wrote. "I think it is still Brown. But it is very close."

So Sherman's top five AL Cy Young contenders are Brown, Fried, Crochet, Skubal and Texas Rangers' Jacob deGrom.

But worry not, Yankees fans. Sherman still has right fielder Aaron Judge as his leading candidate for American League MVP. Sherman listed slugging Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh second, even though he leads the majors with 32 home runs entering Sunday.

"I am going with Judge because he spent most of this half dancing with stats that were Ruthian — and beyond," Sherman wrote. "He was still leading the majors in runs, hits, batting average, on-base percentage and slugging even with a bit of a June swoon — a swoon that again exemplified how much single-handedly he carries a Yankees offense that looks sub-standard without his genius."

Judge is on pace to set career highs in batting average (.354), slugging percentage (.705) and OPS (1.161), putting a third MVP Award in four seasons within reach.

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