In Houston, Hunter Brown’s performance drastically changed the outlook of his standing in the AL Cy Young Race, the American League’s top pitching honor. The experts’ panel of the MLB Tonight Show has expressed their confidence in Brown and the star pitcher, who has a very strong chance of bagging the honors.
Experts Are Highly Optimistic About Hunter Brown’s Cy Young Award Standings
The Houston Astros’ 26-year-old right-hander Hunter Brown’s latest performance against the Philadelphia Phillies, where his pitching resulted in a scoreless seven-inning gem, capped a remarkable three-game sweep at Daikin Park. Brown struck out nine, issued no walks, and allowed just three singles, lowering his MLB-leading ERA to 1.74.
Brown’s ERA currently leads all qualified starters, and his strikeout rate, paired with an impressive walk rate and ground-ball rate, makes his case very promising. MLB Tonight experts raved about him, saying he has the “best pure arsenal of pitches in the game,” pointing to his four-seam fastball, slider, and sinker.
The AL Cy Young Award is no longer a one-horse race 👀#MLBTonight breaks down the top candidates after Hunter Brown shut down the Phillies this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/ZqErdc3Uiw
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) June 26, 2025
Phillies shortstop Trea Turner compared Brown’s delivery to Paul Skenes, noting his “funky angle” and “four or five really good pitches.” However, some doubters point towards his .242 BABIP and suggest some room for improvement. Nevertheless, his 2.68 FIP shows a lot of promise.
Brown’s performance has helped Houston find their footing again. The Astros, now 48-33 and 15 games over .500, have won 12 of their last 15 games, including a 17-6 June record. Their sweep of the Phillies showed off their pitching depth. “This team is going to fight you for 27 outs,” said manager Joe Espada.
Rookie Cam Smith’s clutch RBI single in the eighth sealed Thursday’s 2-1 victory, but Brown’s performance set the tone. “To hold a lineup like that to one run over three games is awesome,” Brown said.
Meanwhile, another contender for the Cy Young is Jacob deGrom. MLB Tonight experts see deGrom as a strong challenger, pointing to his veteran experience and proven track record. His ability to dominate without relying on overpowering velocity makes him a unique threat in this race. Analyst Al Leiter on MLB Tonight had put a lot of faith in his future.
The 37-year-old, two-time Cy Young winner has defied time and injury, posting a 2.08 ERA and 3.02 FIP over 95 1/3 innings. His strikeout rate and walk rate are very impressive, and since April 18, he’s averaged nearly 6 1/3 innings per start. This is deGrom’s healthiest season since 2019, though his 95 1/3 innings already approach his combined total from 2022-24 (128 2/3 innings).
While both of the pitchers have a real chance to win the title, Brown’s recent excellence has given him the upper hand in the race. However, nothing can be said for sure at this point in the race.