Is Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman still in the running for the AL Cy Young award?

The Verdict

The current struggles of Gausman since mid-July have been quite evident, as he doesn’t appear to be his usual dominant self that everyone has witnessed throughout his tenure with the Blue Jays. At this rate, he is currently on pace to put himself out of the conversation for the AL Cy Young award by the end of the year. Perhaps the injury he sustained around the All-Star break when he had left side discomfort has lingered for him into the following months, thus reducing his effectiveness as a result. If that is indeed the case, giving him the appropriate rest between starts down the stretch may be beneficial both for him and the Jays as they conclude the stretch run.

As of now, it appears as though Yankees’ ace Gerrit Cole is the frontrunner for the AL Cy Young award, as in addition to being currently ranked in the top four in each of the major pitching categories, he has provided quality starts in seven of his last nine outings. Cole is definitely trending upwards as the season winds down in a few weeks. Despite the Yankees being in an unfamiliar position of potentially missing the playoffs this season, Cole has been at his absolute best for the ballclub, as he looks to capture his first ever Cy Young title after finishing second in voting in two previous instances.

Finally, for Gausman to still have a chance at winning the honours, he will need to be at his absolute best in his final few starts of the season. In addition, if he ends up playing a key role in helping the Jays reach the postseason during this final stretch, it could potentially net him a few more Cy Young votes in the end due to the immense value he would provide to the team. His quest for redemption will now begin with his next start against the lowly Kansas City Royals, which should be a welcome stepping stone for him as he makes his final push to help the Jays get into the playoffs.