5 National League Pitchers Who Can Steal the Cy Young Away From Jacob deGrom

While the New York Mets haven't been a dominant team over the past two seasons, they've housed the most outstanding pitcher in the sport during that span. Jacob deGrom is the owner of the last two NL Cy Young Awards, and the Mets ace is seeking the three-peat in 2020. He's poised for another sensational season, but he'll have to fend off some tough competition from both emerging and experienced NL aces. Here are five pitchers who can dethrone deGrom and take home the hardware this year.

5. Luis Castillo

Luis Castillo may not get as much recognition as the other players on this list, but don't be fooled, he's equally as nasty. Castillo racked up 226 strikeouts across 190.2 innings last year, maintaining a 3.40 ERA through 32 starts. After showing promise in his first two years, he finally broke out in 2019, and now he's looking to build off the success he saw last year. He's a dark horse for the award, but he has the talent to walk away with the hardware.

4. Stephen Strasburg

The reigning World Series MVP will be looking to collect some more hardware in 2020. Coming off his best (and healthiest) season in recent memory, Strasburg appears to be at the top of his game entering 2020, and he'll look to compete with deGrom in both the division and the Cy Young race. If he can stay off the IL once again in 2020, he'll be among the contenders for the award.

3. Walker Buehler

Walker Buehler's first full big-league season was just as impressive as his rookie year in 2018. Buehler maintained a 3.26 ERA over 30 starts and fanned 215 batters across 182.1 innings. Expect the 25-year-old to shine in 2020 and finally break the 200-inning threshold as the Dodgers look to record triple-digit wins once again. With Clayton Kershaw beginning to exit his prime, the Dodgers are in safe hands with Buehler emerging as a superstar. deGrom's lock on the Cy Young, however, is less secure.

2. Max Scherzer

Mad Max remains one of the game's most dominant pitchers. He's coming off his fifth-straight season with a sub-3.00 ERA and will be looking to help the Nationals repeat as World Series champs. At his best, there's no pitcher more feared in the sport, and while his NL East rival has gotten the better of him in the Cy Young race the past two years, Scherz has been hot on his heels, finishing second in 2018 and third in 2019. This year could be his chance to claim the honors for the fourth time in his illustrious career.

1. Jack Flaherty

If the 2019 season were judged upon its second half alone, Jack Flaherty would have won the NL Cy Young. For as solid as deGrom was in the second half, there was no more reliable pitcher in baseball than Flaherty after the All-Star break. Flaherty recorded a 0.91 ERA and struck out 124 batters across 99.1 innings, helping lead the Cardinals to an NL Central title. The 24-year-old is looking to turn in a full season of stardom in 2020, and he'll certainly give deGrom a run for his money.