Finding Betting Value in the Odds for the 2018 National League Cy Young Award

Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

Odds: 40/1

Just a week ago, Clayton Kershaw had the 3rd-highest odds in the field. Now, not so much.

The Los Angeles Dodgers recently put him on the disabled list for the second time this season, with just one start in between those stints.

When he's been healthy, his fastball velocity has been down nearly 2 full miles per hour since last year, sitting at 90.9. He's relying on his breaking stuff even more, throwing his four-seamer just 42.8% of the time, a career-low clip. His 2.76 ERA and 3.48 FIP are still pretty good, but his strikeout rate has fallen from 29.8% last year to 26.5% this season, and his walk rate is up from 4.4% to 5.5%.

Obviously, those numbers are still outstanding, but he hasn't been the otherworldly ace we've been accustomed to. And now, he's going to miss time with a back that has been giving him trouble for years. Even if he comes back and pitches great, he's very unlikely to win the Cy Young in 2018.