Spanish
PHILADELPHIA. – Dominican Cristopher Sánchez has become one of the main protagonists in the close fight for the Cy Young Award in the National League in the 2026 Major League season, thanks to an impressive streak that places him among the most dominant pitchers in baseball.
The Phillies' lefty has accumulated 44.2 consecutive innings without allowing runs, setting a new Philadelphia franchise record and placing him only 14.1 innings away from the all-time Major League record for a season, established by Orel Hershiser with 59 scoreless innings in 1988.
Sánchez, who finished second in the Cy Young voting in 2025, currently leads the Majors among qualified starters with an ERA of 1.47 and also tops the National League in FIP with 1.81.
During the month of May, the Dominican completed five scoreless starts, recording 39 innings, 45 strikeouts and just three walks, establishing himself as one of the main favorites for the prestigious award.
Ohtani also dominates from the mound
Another of the great candidates is Shohei Ohtani, who has shined both offensively and defensively with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Japanese pitcher comes off six hitless innings against the Rockies and boasts an extraordinary 0.82 ERA in 55 innings pitched this season. In addition, his opponents are only batting .147 against him.
Although he still doesn't have enough innings to contend for the effectiveness title, Ohtani remains firmly in the Cy Young conversation thanks to his dominant impact on the mound.
Misiorowski impresses with speed and strikeouts
Right-handed pitcher Jacob Misiorowski, of the Milwaukee Brewers, has also caught attention for his powerful fastball and strikeout ability.
The flamethrower has already reached 100 strikeouts this season and maintains an effectiveness of 1.83. In addition, it has recorded pitches exceeding 103 miles per hour, establishing itself as one of the most electric pitchers in current baseball.
In May, Misiorowski recorded an effectiveness of just 0.29 and is shaping up as a candidate to surpass the 300-strikeout barrier.
Chris Sale maintains Cy Young level
Veteran left-hander Chris Sale continues to demonstrate his quality with the Atlanta Braves. Sale records an effectiveness of 1.89 with 72 strikeouts in his first 10 starts, numbers even higher than those he had at the beginning of the 2024 campaign, when he won the Cy Young award in the National League.Other names in the contest
The deep competition for the award also includes Kyle Harrison, from Milwaukee, who has an ERA of 1.57; Chase Burns, from Cincinnati, with a 1.96 ERA; and Zack Wheeler, from Philadelphia, who has returned in great form after surgery. Also, San Diego reliever Mason Miller has been dominant as a closer, recording 16 saves and an ERA of 0.76. For his part, the current Cy Young winner, Paul Skenes, from Pittsburgh, has had some recent ups and downs, although he continues to lead Major League Baseball in WHIP with 0.82. The 2026 season is shaping up to be one of the most competitive and in-depth races in recent history for the National League Cy Young Award, with several pitchers signing extraordinary campaigns.
