Three leading Cy Young candidates in each league at All-Star break

2. Corbin Burnes | Baltimore Orioles 

Burnes is every bit of the ace the AL East-leading Orioles hoped he'd be when they traded a hefty package that included infielder Joey Ortiz for him in February. In 19 starts, Burnes has a 2.43 ERA, the third lowest in MLB, while ranking 16th in strikeouts (110), which helped him earn his fourth career All-Star nod. 

Burnes is clearly the biggest threat to Skubal's Cy Young candidacy, and if he manages to win the award, he'll become just the eighth player in MLB history to earn the honor in both leagues. 

3. Seth Lugo | Kansas City Royals 

The AL Cy Young front-runner from our last awards check-in, Lugo, has struggled with consistency since June began. The 34-year-old has posted a 3.70 ERA over his past eight outings, including three appearances where he allowed at least four earned runs. 

Even so, due to his stellar start to 2024, Lugo still remains firmly in the mix to be a Cy Young finalist. After all, he ranks fourth in the majors in ERA (2.48) and first in the AL in wins (11).

National League

1. Chris Sale | Atlanta Braves 

After posting a 4.30 ERA during another injury-plagued season in 2023, the Boston Red Sox paid the Atlanta Braves $17M to take Sale off their hands this past offseason. Based on how the 35-year-old has fared to start the season, Boston surely has regrets about its decision, as Sale has revitalized his career with Atlanta. 

Not only does the eight-time All-Star lead the majors in wins (13), but he also ranks seventh in ERA (2.70) and fifth in strikeouts (140).

2. Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates 

Although he's only made 11 career starts, Skenes is quickly establishing himself as one of the best pitchers in MLB. Since debuting May 11, no pitcher in the majors has been better than Skenes, who boasts a 6-0 record, 1.90 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 89 strikeouts in 66.1 innings. 

The All-Star right-hander has made plenty of history in a short time, including joining Nolan Ryan as the only players to post two starts with at least 11 strikeouts over six or more no-hit innings in the same season.

3. Zack Wheeler | Philadelphia Phillies 

Wheeler has been dealing with back tightness in recent weeks, which forced him to miss his last start and likely explains why he has a 4.34 ERA over his past five starts. Nonetheless, the two-time All-Star's current MLB ranks attest to how dominant he was performing before the injury. 

Among all qualified pitchers, Wheeler is ninth in strikeouts (126), seventh in ERA (2.70), fifth in wins (11) and fourth in quality starts (14).