Two Dodgers Crack Top 5 in First Cy Young Poll of 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers starters Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto both placed top five in MLB.com’s NL Cy Young poll.
Ohtani is off to a great start to the season and earned five first place votes for third, while Yamamoto placed fifth with two first-place votes. Paul Skenes took an overwhelming majority of the votes with 27, with the other spots in the top five occupied by the New York Mets ’ Nolan McLean and the Atlanta Braves’ Chris Sale .
The other Dodgers who received votes were Tyler Glasnow and Justin Wrobleski .
What Has Shohei Ohtani Done to Warrant His Spot in the Top 5?
Ohtani has been solid for the Dodgers since returning to the mound last season, and took his abilities to a new level this year.
“The one big award Ohtani has yet to capture is the Cy Young, and you would be foolish to ever count him out,” the article reads . “He’s been impressive in each of his five starts on the mound this season, including Tuesday’s against the Marlins. Ohtani has allowed just two earned runs (0.60 ERA) while striking out 34 batters in 30 innings. He’s also held opponents to a .160 average and compiled a 0.87 WHIP.”
After surpassing the qualifying line with his start against the Marlins on Tuesday, Ohtani officially leads all of MLB with his ERA.
What Has Yoshinobu Yamamoto Done to Warrant His Spot in the Top 5?
Yamamoto, fresh off of his electric postseason performance, has remained fairly consistent with his previous seasons, but has still been extremely effective.
“The 2025 World Series MVP remains a force on the mound,” the article reads . “While his strikeouts are down over his first two seasons (7.6 K/9 this year vs. 10.4 in 2024 and ’25), he still presents opponents with a tall challenge. He’s not allowed more than three earned runs in any start this season (2.87 ERA) and his 37 2/3 innings pitched are the second-most in the NL.”
The right hander has shaved his walk rate down 2.5% in 2026, which has largely contributed to his success. Another strong point comes in the form of his slider, which he has used twice as often this season compared to 2025. His whiff rate has on the pitch rose to 41.7%—making it his most effective swing and miss pitch.
Both starters have a real shot at securing the only thing missing from their trophy cabinets this season, and Dodger fans are spoiled with the ability to watch them go to work for the rest of the season as some of the National League’s best.
Of the two, who do you think is more likely to win the Cy Young?
