MLB

Verlander and Alcantara make Cy Young Award history as unanimous winners

By Sports Desk November 16, 2022

Justin Verlander joined an exclusive club after being crowned the AL Cy Young Award winner for the third time, while Sandy Alcantara was voted NL winner unanimously as well.

The 39-year-old, who became a two-time World Series champion last month with the Houston Astros, received a unanimous vote after posting an MLB-best 1.75 ERA and striking out 185 batters in 175 innings over 28 starts in the 2022 regular season.

Verlander (2010) beat out Dylan Cease (97) of the Chicago White Sox and Alek Manoah (87) of the Toronto Blue Jays for the award, having also been crowned in 2011 and 2019.

The award comes after Verlander spent most of the past two seasons recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Verlander became the fourth-oldest Cy Young winner and is the 11th player to win the award three or more times.

The unanimous vote for both Verlander and Miami Marlins right-hander Alcantara marks the second time that has occurred in the same year, previously only in 1968 for Bob Gibson and Denny McLain.

Alcantara had the majors-best 228-and-two-third innings pitched, throwing six complete games, with a regular-season 2.28 ERA, with 207 strikeouts.

The 27-year-old was the first NL unanimous vote winner since Clayton Kershaw in 2014. Alcantara (210) beat Max Fried (72) of the Atlanta Braves and Julio Urias (66) of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the award.

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    City sit a point clear of Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table after their narrow 1-0 win over Southampton, while Bournemouth are 11th after their last-gasp leveller for a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa.

    Cherries head coach Andoni Iraola will be expecting a tough test at the Vitality Stadium, though suggested no one can match Villa's left-hand side – not even City.

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    The Bournemouth midfielder also has three goals and an assist to his name this season in the competition, a tally he will hope to add to on Saturday.

    Manchester City – Phil Foden

    Talisman Erling Haaland only has one goal in four league matches against Bournemouth, so Phil Foden may be expected to step up here.

    Foden has scored in each of his last five appearances against Bournemouth in all competitions (five goals), also providing three assists in these games.

    MATCH PREDICTION – MANCHESTER CITY WIN

    Guardiola's side are the heavy favourites for this clash, considering they have won all 14 of their Premier League games against Bournemouth.

    City have outscored the Cherries 45-7 across their winning run, which is the best 100% record any team has against another in English top-flight history.

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    Given City are unbeaten in 28 Premier League games in 2024 as well, a feat bettered by only two sides in England's top-flight history, it is hard to imagine anything other than an away win here.

    OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

    Bournemouth win – 19.8%
    Draw – 22.2%
    Manchester City win – 57.9%

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    Hosts Newcastle are winless in five league outings, slipping down to 12th in the table, and boss Eddie Howe warned no player is guaranteed selection before Wednesday's 2-0 against Chelsea in the same cup competition.

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    Newcastle United – Alexander Isak

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    Arsenal – Bukayo Saka

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    MATCH PREDICTION – ARSENAL WIN

    Arsenal may be winless in their last two league games but they will be the favourites against Howe's struggling side.

    Newcastle have not tasted victory in their last five league outings, their longest winless streak since a six-match run across August and September 2022.

    Arsenal may have been beaten in their last trip to Bournemouth, too, but they have not suffered back-to-back away defeats in the league since May 2022.

    The second of those defeats did come at Newcastle, however, where the Magpies have won two of their last three home Premier League games against Arsenal.

    That is as many wins as Newcastle managed across 19 previous home league fixtures with Arsenal, who lost this exact fixture 1-0 last season thanks to Anthony Gordon's controversial winner.

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    OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

    Newcastle United win – 27.1%
    Draw – 25.1%
    Arsenal win – 47.8%

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