The pitching ace who helped keep the Philadelphia Phillies' playoff hopes alive into the 2021 season's final week has been named a finalist for the ultimate prize at his position in the National League.
Major League Baseball announced that Zack Wheeler is one of three finalists for the NL Cy Young Award, along with the Los Angeles Dodgers' Max Scherzer, who has won three Cy Young Awards already in his career, and the Milwaukee Brewers' Corbin Burnes.
Wheeler went 14-10 with a 2.78 ERA (5th in MLB) with 247 strikeouts in 213.1 innings during 32 games started.
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Wheeler led all MLB pitchers in WAR (wins above replacement) with 7.6, ahead of Scherzer (6.0, fourth) and Burnes (5.6, ninth). He tied for the MLB lead in complete games (three) and shutouts (two). He also threw more innings than any pitcher, with Burnes and Scherzer not even in the top 10.
Burnes, who went 11-5 in 28 starts, led MLB in ERA with 2.43, and Scherzer was right behind in second with a 2.46 ERA. The Milwaukee starter also led MLB in strikeouts per nine innings (12.6), the ratio of strikeouts per walk (6.9), and the fewest home runs allowed per nine innings (0.4).
Scherzer, who pitched with the Washington Nationals before being traded to the Dodgers in July, gave up the fewest walks and hits per inning (0.86) and fewest hits per nine innings (6.0). He ended up 15-4 for the year.
