The 2024 Major League Baseball season is winding down. The Philadelphia Phillies have 11 games left in the regular season, and one of their players is in a tight race for the National League Cy Young Award.
The face of the Phillies is superstar first baseman Bryce Harper. There could be an argument made for the second most important player on the Phillies. There’s no debate that Zack Wheeler is the best pitcher and most important pitcher on the team.
Wheeler is having what could be the best season of his 10-year career. The right-hander is 16-6 with a 2.56 ERA and 0.95 WHIP. Batters are hitting just .191 against him. Those numbers are all career bests for the Phillies’ ace.
Bryce Harper goes to bat for Zack Wheeler’s Cy Young case
There aren’t many better players to endorse a player for an award than two-time MVP and generational talent Harper. The Phillies beat the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field 5-1 Tuesday night. Wheeler pitched seven innings and only allowed four hits and one run. Harper hit a two-run home run to break a 1-1 tie and give the Phillies a 3-1 lead in the sixth inning.
Harper wasn’t shy to share his thoughts on who should be crowned the 2024 NL Cy Young after Tuesday night’s victory.
"He's CY Young. I mean it's not even a question now."
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) September 18, 2024
Bryce Harper makes it known who is deserving of this year's NL CY Young Award. 😤 pic.twitter.com/ii7eDqXNe3
"I don't think anybody in baseball is better than him at this point,” Harper said about Wheeler, per NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Corey Seidman. “People down in Atlanta probably think the same thing about the guy throwing down there. I think he got robbed of it three years ago and I believe he earned it this year."
Zack Wheeler has found himself in a tight race for the Cy Young before
Wheeler came in second place in the 2021 NL Cy Young voting behind Corbin Burnes who was with the Brewers at the time. He finished just 10 points behind Burnes for the award. Wheeler is having arguably a better season this year than he did in 2021, or at the very least his numbers are similar.
Wheeler’s top competition for the Cy Young this year is Atlanta Braves left-hander Chris Sale. Sale is 17-3 with a 2.35 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. Batters are hitting .215 against him. Both Wheeler and Sale were named to the All-Star team this year. With the regular season quickly coming to an end, Sale is the betting favorite to win the NL Cy Young over Wheeler.
It’s all going to come down to the voters. Wheeler will likely have two more starts before the postseason begins, so all the 34-year-old can do is focus on himself in his final opportunities.