Skubal and Skenes Early Favorites in 2026 Cy Young Poll

MLB.com just dropped its first Cy Young poll of the 2026 season, with input from 39 experts. Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes have grabbed the early spotlight in the American and National Leagues.

This poll doesn’t just tally stats—it catches those storylines that start swirling around the Cy Young chase. There’s already some buzz building, and yeah, everyone wants a piece of that top individual honor.

Let’s dig into the results, check out who’s hot, and maybe peek at how deep each league looks as things get rolling.

American League contenders: Skubal and Soriano pace the early Cy Young chatter

Over in the AL, Tarik Skubal keeps trending upward after his breakout last year. José Soriano’s been on fire too, kicking off 2026 with a ridiculous run.

The poll also nods to a handful of other arms making noise early. The AL’s pitching picture looks crowded—maybe even chaotic, honestly.

Skubal, Soriano and the AL’s top arm pool

Tarik Skubal has gone 3-2 with a 2.72 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings through six starts. That’s pretty much what he did out of the gate last season, so maybe it’s not a fluke.

José Soriano is somehow 5-0 with an MLB-best 0.24 ERA over six starts. He’s right there with Skubal, maybe even pushing ahead for now.

Cam Schlittler has popped up as a legit second ace for the Yankees, posting a 1.51 ERA and racking up 49 strikeouts. Max Fried is steady as ever, holding a 4-1 record and a 2.09 ERA over 47 1/3 innings for New York.

Dylan Cease is showing why Toronto paid big in free agency—he’s got a 2.87 ERA and an MLB-best 14.07 K/9, with 49 strikeouts already.

• Tarik Skubal — 3-2, 2.72 ERA, 38 K in 36 1/3 IP
• José Soriano — 5-0, 0.24 ERA in six starts
• Cam Schlittler — 1.51 ERA, 49 K
• Max Fried — 4-1, 2.09 ERA
• Dylan Cease — 2.87 ERA, 49 K through early season

Other AL pitchers who got votes: Garrett Crochet, Jacob deGrom, Kevin Gausman, Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, plus a bunch more. The league’s got depth, and honestly, anyone could get hot and crash the race.

National League contenders: Skenes’ front-runner status and a crowded field

On the NL side, Paul Skenes leads the pack with a 4-1 record, a 2.48 ERA, and 30 strikeouts in 29 innings. He’s holding hitters to a .141 average and has a 0.72 WHIP—those numbers would be second-best in the league if he had a few more innings. Pretty wild, right?

Mets rookie McLean is making noise with a 2.55 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts. Shohei Ohtani (0.60 ERA, 34 K in 30 IP) keeps doing his thing, and veteran Chris Sale (5-1, 2.31 ERA) is hanging right there with the leaders.

NL voters point to a deep, versatile group

Other NL vote-getters include Bryce Elder, Tyler Glasnow, Shota Imanaga, and Mason Miller. Several more pitchers landed on the list, which really shows just how many quality arms are scattered across the league.

In total, voters picked 36 pitchers in the poll. That’s a wild amount of competition shaping the National League’s Cy Young conversation this season.

The Cy Young race will depend on who stays consistent and healthy. Pitchers who avoid the dreaded big inning usually stick around in the running.

This early poll only gives us a glimpse of the current favorites. Still, you get the sense that a handful of true aces could push their teams way further than anyone expects—maybe even all the way to October’s spotlight.

 
Here is the source article for this story: 1st Cy Young poll of ’26 shows two clear, familiar favorites