Dodgers Pitcher in the Mix for ‘Wide Open’ NL Cy Young Race

After the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Opening Day implosion, Los Angeles Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto has a shot at his first Cy Young award.

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Pirates starter Paul Skenes had the best odds to win the NL Cy Young for the second season in a row heading into the season, but a rough outing for the 23-year-old drastically lowered his odds. Admittedly the fault isn’t entirely his, as a pair of defensive miscues from center fielder Oneil Cruz caused a few of the runs, but Skenes still left the game with five earned runs and less than an inning pitched.

On the other hand, Yamamoto had a great Opening Day start, allowing just two runs through six innings in a win against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

According to ESPN’s David Schoenfield, the race for the NL Cy Young is “wide open,” with Philadelphia Phillies starter Cristopher Sanchez and Yamamoto clawing their way closer to Skenes with their strong performances.

It’s not just those two who have more of a shot, though, as talks of a first Cy Young award for Shohei Ohtani have also arisen as he heads into his first full season as a starter since 2022.

Several Dodgers have backed Ohtani as a player who has the capability to win the prestigious award, and he may never have a better shot than now.

“There’s no ceiling with him,” Dodgers catcher Will Smith told ESPN. “He can go out there and win a Cy Young this year. I have no doubt about that.”

Nov 3, 2025; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) and pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) during the World Series championship parade and celebration. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Who is Projected to win the Cy Young Award After the First Series of the Season?

Currently, FanGraphs’ Cy Young Award Projections has Cristopher Sanchez leading the pack for the 2026 NL Cy Young, but things can change quickly—especially so early in the season.

Their projections only list players who have pitched this season—meaning Ohtani isn’t listed yet—and Yamamoto is currently fifth on the list.

Ohtani will start his first game of the season against the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday, and will look to put himself in the same conversation as his Dodgers and Team Japan teammate.

Do you think Shohei Ohtani or Yoshinobu Yamamoto can contend for the Cy Young after Paul Skenes’ troublesome opening start?

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