Jake Arrieta, Chicago Cubs: 19-6, 1.99 ERA
Arrieta may be the only Cy Young candidate to reach 20 wins, which is mind-boggling considering the record highs MLB pitchers are putting up in every category.
Since the All Star break, Arrieta has posted an MLB best 0.93 ERA. He is also the only 2015 Cy Young candidate to throw a no-hitter, which was against the Los Angeles Dodgers, who were no-hit twice in 2015. As stated earlier, there is no concrete formula for picking a Cy Young winner, but one has to argue that throwing a no-no must be factored into the decision.
While Kershaw and Greinke were pre-season favorites to contend for the NL Cy Young award, Arrieta has come on as a dark horse. If any Cubs starting pitcher was to be considered at the start of the season it was the $155 million man, Jon Lester. But with Lester’s lackluster 2015 performance, Arrieta has really stepped up as a true ace and is in serious consideration to be named the NL Cy Young winner.