What happened: Dylan Cease was named a finalist for the 2026 American League Cy Young Award following a dominant campaign. The right-hander doubled his usage of pitches slower than 85 mph, limiting opposing hitters to a .188 batting average over the season.
Why it matters: The pitch-mix adjustment anchored an elite year for Cease, who posted a 2.40 ERA and 239 strikeouts across 169.0 innings. His 33.4% miss rate and .270 slugging percentage allowed both ranked second among all qualified starting pitchers.
By the numbers: 2.40 ERA | 239 K | 169.0 IP | 33.4% miss rate (2nd among qualified SPs) | .270 SLG allowed | 5.6 bWAR in 2026
What to watch: The BBWAA will announce the 2026 Cy Young Award winners tonight during the reveal show at 7 p.m. ET on MLB Network.