Over the past few years, many fans and managers alike have learned that your offense can only take your team so far without pitching. Each year, the Cy Young award is given out to the very best pitcher in their particular league, and oftentimes their team’s success is a direct result of their performance. In the AL in 2020, Shane Bieber won the award after being arguably the best pitcher in baseball after posting a 1.63 ERA over 12 games. The easy choice for next year would be a potential repeat by Bieber or a name like Gerrit Cole, but let’s look at three guys who I think are flying under the radar.
1. Brad Keller
Brad Keller has very quietly been one of the more solid pitchers in the game in his short three-year career. In his first year in the big leagues, Keller recorded a 3.08 ERA in 20 games, striking out 96 batters and finishing with a 9-6 record. After a bit of a down year in 2019, Keller had the best year of his short career in 2020, where he finished with a 2.47 ERA and a WHIP just over 1. Seemingly wanting to compete, the 2021 Kansas City Royals can benefit from a solid season from the likes of Keller, hopefully continuing on his performance from 2020.
2. Tyler Glasnow
Since his days with the Pittsburgh Pirates, it is obvious that Tyler Glasnow has electric stuff on the mound, but it was not until the past two years that he really found his groove. In his first full season with the Rays in 2019, Glasnow finished 6-1 with a 1.78 ERA and a WHIP at 0.890. In 2020, Glasnow struggled a bit in the ERA category but still was able to finish with a WHIP around 1.1. Glasnow has one of the stronger arms among starters, with an average pitch velocity of about 97 MPH in 2020, to go along with his nasty curveball. Without a doubt, Tyler Glasnow is a name to watch this season because it seems like he is bound for a breakout year.
3. Marco Gonzales
In a pretty disappointing 2020 season for the Seattle Mariners, Marco Gonzales was one of the few bright spots on the roster. He finished with a 7-2 record with a 3.10 ERA and a WHIP under 1 through 11 starts. In past years before 2020, Gonzales has struggled a bit with an ERA around 4 for two straight seasons, but 2020 showed signs of what could be to come. Unlike Glasnow, Gonzales does not have a power fastball that he can rely on to just blow by guys and instead needs to paint the corners with his fastball, cutter, and changeup to get outs. In a Mariners team that is not expected to compete in 2021, Gonzales is certainly a Cy Young candidate that will be heavily overlooked.
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