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Astros SP Justin Verlander wins 2022 AL Cy Young Award

After not pitching for almost two full years, Verlander returned at age 39 and was the AL’s best starter.

By Brian Murphy_UCF
World Series - Philadelphia Phillies v Houston Astros - Game One
Justin Verlander #35 of the Houston Astros pitches in the fourth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game One of the 2022 World Series at Minute Maid Park on October 28, 2022 in Houston, Texas.
Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

Houston Astros SP Justin Verlander won the AL Cy Young Award for the 2022 MLB season on Wednesday. He received XX of a possible 30 first-place votes. [insert other finalists]

AL Cy Young Award winner

Verlander’s 2022 season was nothing short of amazing. He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2020 after making only one start that year, missed the entire 2021 season, came back in ‘22 and was ... better than ever? You could make that argument. He posted a career-low and MLB-best 1.75 ERA. He also led all of baseball in WHIP (0.83) and allowed the fewest hits per nine innings in the American League (6.0). His .222 opponents’ weighted on-base average (wOBA) was tops among all starting pitchers. Verlander’s fastball averaged 95.0 mph, which was faster than his heater velocity in 2019, his previous full season (94.6 mph). The future Hall of Famer is now the 11th pitcher in MLB history to win at least three Cy Young Awards.

AL Cy Young Award odds

Verlander had this honor basically locked up by the time we got to September. He closed as the clear favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook (-20000). It’s understandable that he wasn’t seen as a big Cy Young candidate on Opening Day. Verlander had +1600 odds to win the AL Cy Young at that point, tied with Chris Sale. Eight other pitchers had shorter Cy Young odds, led by Yankees starter Gerrit Cole (+425).

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