MLB futures: 3 players to bet for NL Cy Young

Just like the American League Cy Young, the National League Cy Young is totally up for grabs. Granted, it's not even July yet, but three candidates are worth putting money on. And coincidentally, all three play in the same division — the NL West. 

1) Joe Musgrove (+380)

Let's not sugarcoat it, Joe Musgrove has been the one of the best pitchers in baseball. And maybe, the biggest surprise in baseball. For a guy who has never been named to the Midsummer Classic, Musgrove is on a level we've never seen before.  

Prior to Thursday, Musgrove had yet to allow a run in June and was 7-0 with an ERA under two. Even better news for those have money on Musgrove for the Cy Young, the Padres are 11-2 in his starts and he's been a workhorse. The right-hander is second in baseball in innings pitched (91), has a quality start in 12 of his 13 starts and is in position to win 20+ games. 

Now Musgrove might not have the same "stuff" as other pitchers in the NL, but he does do a lot well. He doesn't walk many (1.91 BB/9), goes deep into games — 6+ innings pitched in all of his starts — and if San Diego continues to play like they have, he's got a chance to rack up a lot more wins.

Wait to see if the line improves on Musgrove, but putting money on him for the Cy Young is a good play. And don't let Thursday's rough outing vs. Philadelphia — a season-high six runs allowed — deter you from betting on Musgrove.

2) Carlos Rodon (+1500)

This might be the least risky bet among all candidates in the NL Cy Young race. Rodon signed a two-year, $44 million contract with San Francisco in the offseason, and boy, are the Giants glad they did. Rodon has been great this season, and nothing short of spectacular in June. The southpaw is 6-4 with a 2.70 ERA in 14 starts, and 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA in June.

For a pitcher who has relied on swing-and-misses throughout his career, Rodon has continued to live up to his M.O. this season. Rodon is second in the NL in SO/9 (11.36) and has finished with at least eight strikeouts in eight starts this season. 

That's good news for those who have money on Rodon for the Cy Young. He's missing bats as much as any starter in baseball, and he's keeping teams inside the ballpark too. Rodon has allowed just four home runs over 80 innings pitched, including none in June. Rodon is going to be in position to lead MLB in strikeouts, win 12-18 games and finish with a sub-3.00 ERA — all prerequisites for a Cy Young. As long as San Francisco stays in the playoff race and Rodon remains healthy, the reward significantly outweighs the risk.

3) Tony Gonsolin (+2000)

On a team full of stars — Clayton Kershaw, Mookie Bets, Trea Turner, Freddie Freeman, etc. — Tony Gonsolin has been the best of them all so far. When the season started most knew the Dodgers would have numerous guys in the hunt for the most prestigious awards — MVP, Manager of the Year, Cy Young, etc. — however, not too many probably had Gonsolin at the top of the Cy Young list.

He's 9-0 with a league-best 1.58 ERA and 0.82 WHIP in 13 starts, and has been pitching his best ball as of late. The right-hander is 5-0 with an ERA just north of 1.00 in his last five starts, and has yet to allow more than two earned runs in any game this season.

Now Gonsolin is probably not going to finish the season with the best ERA or WHIP, but as long as he keeps getting the ball every fourth day, Gonsolin has a chance to lead the league in wins. Not so much because of how he's pitched, but because the Dodgers are simply stacked. This is the best "bang for your buck" bet considering the line, so the sooner you put money on Gonsolin, the better.