Updated August 19, 2026
Player | Current Odds | Last Week's Odds | BetMGM Ticket % | BetMGM Handle % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Jacob Misiorowski | -800 | -525 | 8.5% | 17.6% |
Chris Sale | +700 | +700 | 3.5% | 5.2% |
Cristopher Sanchez | +1100 | +1100 | 7.9% | 8.5% |
Zack Wheeler | +4000 | +1800 | 8.3% | 10.3% |
Chase Burns | +5000 | +4000 | 3.8% | 2.7% |
Yoshinobu Yamamoto | +5000 | +4000 | 5.1% | 3.6% |
Jesus Luzardo | +6600 | +10000 | 1.8% | 0.5% |
Betting odds via BetMGM Sportsbook on August 18, 2026 and are subject to change.
Looking at this year's NL Cy Young odds, it is clear that this award is Jacob Misiorowski's to lose in 2026. The Brewers ace leads the entire league in ERA, WHIP, and strikeouts, not just the National League. He has also been the most fun pitcher to watch in baseball by a longshot this year, thanks to his incredible velocity.
At this stage of the season, it might take an injury for Misiorowski to fall short of winning the NL Cy Young. Even if he was to get hurt and miss some of the final six weeks of the regular season, I think he'd still have a genuine chance to win the award based on how dominant he has been when he has pitched. But for now, that's all a hypothetical, as Misiorowski seems poised to cruise to this individual honor.
A huge reason for Misiorowski's nearly untouchable status as the 2026 NL Cy Young favorite is the fact that Paul Skenes has not lived up to his usual standards for the Pittsburgh Pirates. According to BetMGM, Skenes was a +300 favorite to win this award going into 2026. But Skenes is 9-11 this season, without the same dominant numbers we saw from him early in his career as he looked to overcome the shortcomings of the Pirates.
While Misiorowski's fastball has gained velocity somehow, Skenes has lost velocity from his. Questions about his fitness have not helped his cause, as fans have started to ask whether he is taking things as seriously as he should. While I think most of those concerns are unfounded, Skenes will need to find some velocity to contend for this award again in future seasons.
In Skenes' place, some other strong seasons deserve recognition, even if they are going to fall short in this race against Misiorowski. Chase Burns of the Cincinnati Reds has been spectacular to help Cincinnati be as competitive as possible, while Chris Sale and Cristopher Sanchez would likely be strong picks to win this award in most other seasons.
Unless Misiorowski gets hurt down the stretch this season, there is very little chance that anyone besides him wins the NL Cy Young. The question will be whether Misiorowski's velocity and pitch location will translate to success in the playoffs, where the Brewers will look to take down elite teams like the Atlanta Braves and LA Dodgers.
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