Chicago White Sox: Lynn or Rodon could win the AL Cy Young Award

The last time a Chicago White Sox pitcher took home the American League Cy Young Award was in 1993 when Jack McDowell earned the honor. That could change this year as a couple of southside hurlers have placed themselves in excellent position to take home the award.

Lance Lynn and Carlos Rodon have been outstanding on a staff that has been one of the best in baseball. They are the main reason why the White Sox are atop the AL Central with eyes focused on winning a World Series.

Both have risen to the occasion. Any fears that Lynn’s age (turned 34 in May) or Rodon’s past shoulder problems (he is currently on the 10 day IL with shoulder fatigue but will be back for the Toronto series) have proven to be virtually non-existent.

Lynn currently leads the American League with a 2.26 ERA and is tied for fifth in wins with 10.  He leads the league in hits per 9 innings pitched (6.695), eighth in WAR (4.5) and is fifth in strikeouts per 9 IP (10.262). What might be his biggest asset has been the leadership and edge he brings each night to the mound. He has gutted out a number of starts this year and the ballclub has fed off of that.

The Chicago White Sox has a really great pitching staff going for them right now.

Rodon’s decision to resign with the White Sox after being non-tendered back in December has paid huge dividends. He is fifth in strikeouts, has a 2.38 ERA, a WAR of 3.8, and owns a no-hitter tossed back in April against Cleveland. His ability to rear back and have a velocity on his fastball exceed 97 MPH late into games has been astounding.

The one negative each pitcher shares is the number of innings pitched compared to others in the running.  Lynn is 22nd in the AL in innings and Rodon’s 109 innings is in a holding pattern due to his time on the IL.

While Lynn and Rodon have gotten a lot of press for their accomplishments, Cease and Giolitio have moved up into the category of names to keep an eye on. Cease is third in the AL in strikeouts (170) with Giolito sitting at number four (169). Both are tied for the league lead in starts at 25 and each is in the top four in strikeouts per nine innings with Cease second at 11.709 and Giolito fourth at 10.277

The competition from outside the White Sox locker room comes from the likes of the New York Yankee Gerrit Cole and Toronto Blue Jay Robbie Ray. Cole is second in the league in wins at 11 behind Oakland A’s Chris Bassitt but leads the AL in strikeouts, complete games (2), strikeouts per 9 IP, and walks and hits per inning pitched. Ray is first in WAR for pitchers, second in ERA, and third in both strikeouts and hits per nine innings.

As for Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani, he is the frontrunner for AL Most Valuable Player, though some think he should be in the conversation for Cy Young as well. His 8-1 record is nice but he’s well behind other starters in innings pitched which is something that will work against him.

Should one of the White Sox pitchers take home the Cy Young they would be in very exclusive company. In addition to McDowell in ’93, the only other White Sox pitchers to win the award were Lamar Hoyt in 1983 and Early Winn in 1959.