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NY Mets ace Jacob deGrom’s Cy Young competitors for 2021

By Mason Smoller

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 26: Jacob deGrom #48 of the New York Mets pitches against the Washington Nationals during game 1 of a double header at Nationals Park on September 26, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 26: Jacob deGrom #48 of the New York Mets pitches against the Washington Nationals during game 1 of a double header at Nationals Park on September 26, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /
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ARLINGTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 27: Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates with the Commissioners Trophy after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 in Game Six to win the 2020 MLB World Series at Globe Life Field on October 27, 2020 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 27: Clayton Kershaw #22 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates with the Commissioners Trophy after defeating the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 in Game Six to win the 2020 MLB World Series at Globe Life Field on October 27, 2020 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

SP Clayton Kershaw – Los Angeles Dodgers

Seriously? Clayton Kershaw is still a contender for the Cy Young?

Absolutely! How could he not be? It is easy to understand why he may be counted out, given his lengthy injury history in recent years.

However, this is still Clayton Kershaw. The Los Angeles Dodgers star and future Hall of Fame pitcher that has made eight All-Star games, won the ERA title five times, and also happens to have won the National League Cy Young Award five times.

Not to mention, he finally has that World Series ring to add to his already impressive resume.

In the 60-game, pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Kershaw started ten games, posting a 2.16ERA with a 0.840 WHIP. To put that into perspective, both are lower marks than deGrom had this past season and Kershaw’s lowest since 2016.

As long as Clayton Kershaw is on that mound, he is going to be a threat to take home the National League Cy Young award. That has simply been the expectation since he arrived in the majors.

Kershaw will be 33-years-old in 2021, which may be the same age as deGrom, but the Dodger has been around six years longer. He also does not strikeout batters at the same rate he once did.

At the end of the day, Kershaw’s chances of winning the award come down to two factors – his health and efficiency. And given his 2.43 career ERA and 2020 mark of 6.3 hits per nine innings, Kershaw is not slowing down anytime soon.