(Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Philadelphia Phillies have a fairly comfortable 6-game lead in the NL East largely due to its pitching staff which is fourth in the league with a 3.69 team ERA and second with 69 quality starts.
Zack Wheeler has led the charge with a 13-6 record and a career-low 2.63 ERA and recently got honest when asked about his chances of winning the Cy Young award.
When speaking recently with the media about his chances of winning the coveted award, Wheeler said: “It’s just one of those things you come into the season and that’s one of your personal goals is to win that…all I try to do every year is be the best I possibly can and I know that will help the team.”
Zack Wheeler was asked about his 2024 Cy Young chances pic.twitter.com/8KS0tmRDNy
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) September 1, 2024
Wheeler has been one of the best pitchers in baseball since joining the Phillies five years ago but has yet to bring home a Cy Young award, but one final push in the season’s final month could get him there.
Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves is the current favorite with his NL-leading 15 wins and 2.58 ERA, both of which are within striking distance for Wheeler if he can finish strong.
It’s likely a two-horse race at this point between Sale and Wheeler in what is one of the few major award races down the stretch that hasn’t already been decided unlike the AL MVP and Cy Young awards which Aaron Judge and Tarik Skubal have completely run away with.
Wheeler gave up just seven earned runs in six starts in the month of August, and if he can replicate that, he could be taking home some hardware in the offseason.
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