Braves feature several Cy Young candidates, including one surprise

While Braves fans get impatient with Alex Anthopoulos, the reality is the team, as currently constructed, is still among the best in baseball, featuring elite talent in each facet.

Of course, the outfield needs some attention, along with the rotation and bullpen, but lets not pretend the latter two are in dire need of an addition.

In fact, the starting rotation is considered among the best in baseball by ESPN .

Even more, it already features three Cy Young candidates, with one surprise.

Reigning Cy Young winner Chris Sale has the third-best odds (+800) to win the 2025 award, behind Paul Skenes and Zack Wheeler.

Spencer Strider, who is expected to potentially miss a couple of months, still has a respectable chance at +2200, tied with Hunter Greene.

The surprise isnt Reynaldo Lopez, though, even if he posted a sub-2.00 ERA in his first season with the Braves.

The surprise is Spencer Schwellenbach, who is 35-1 on FanDuel.

2025 NL Cy Young Odds.

Who ya got? [via @FDSportsbook ] pic.twitter.com/HYgwyannBJ Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) January 2, 2025 Sale earned the first Cy Young of his career after he recorded a 2.38 ERA with 225 strikeouts to go along with an 18-3 record.

He became the first National League pitcher to win the triple crown since Clayton Kershaw did more than a decade ago, leading to a seventh-place finish in the MVP voting.

While its safe to assume Sale and Strider have a much better chance than Schwellenbach, its just astonishing to see how much respect Vegas has for the youngster.

The rookie emerged as a star, finishing the 2024 campaign with a 3.35 ERA, 3.29 FIP, 5.52 SO/W, and 1.043 WHIP across 21 starts and 123.2 innings in Atlanta.

Whats most impressive is how he ended his first major league season.

In his final 12 starts, he posted a 2.47 ERA, including a 7.0 inning, one-run gem against the Mets in his final appearance.

Even more exciting for Braves fans? This is a pitcher who has virtually no experience and is pitching at an elite level.

He did not pitch in Atlantas system the first year and only threw 65 innings in 2023.

Spencer Schwellenbach then only threw 45 innings in the minors this season before his promotion to the big leagues.

Its a long shot, but just seeing Spencer Schwellenbachs name up there with the best starters in the game should make Braves fans salivate at the possibilities.

This article first appeared on SportsTalkATL and was syndicated with permission..

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