Top 5 National League Cy Young Award Candidates

Zack Greinke

The third pitcher in this slideshow is a much more mainstream pick, but someone who is legitimately deserving of consideration -- and if the chips fall for him, he has a shot at winning the award. And that is former Cy Young winner Zack Greinke.

Greinke bounced back from a disappointing first season in the desert with a solid 2017 campaign. He has a 13-4 record, and 3.10 ERA in 22 starts with the Arizona Diamondbacks. That ERA is fourth among qualified starters, (which highlights how incredibly high offense has been this year). His 3.24 FIP is fourth among the National League starters, as is his 3.6 fWAR (just 0.1 behind Nelson).

His 28.5% strikeout rate is fourth, and his great walk rate (4.8%) gives him the third best K-BB% at 23.2%. His SIERA is 3.26, trailing only Scherzer and Kershaw.

He likely has the best chance out of the non-Kershaw or Scherzer pitchers to win the award. He has the pedigree, win total, and ERA, all of which are important for the more traditional voters, and his peripheral numbers are excellent for non-traditional voters.

Greinke is the ace of a surprising Diamondbacks team that has a real shot at the playoffs. If Kershaw and Scherzer (which is a rather big if) miss extended time, the 33-year-old has a legitimate shot at taking home his second Cy Young Award (and his first in the NL).