CARLSBAD, Calif. – Robbie Ray’s dominant season for the Toronto Blue Jays placed him among the finalists for the American League Cy Young Award, while Charlie Montoyo finished out of the top three in manager of the year balloting.
We spy a Cy @RobbieRay is an AL Cy Young Finalist! pic.twitter.com/ciAWiBTL2W
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) November 9, 2021
The Blue Jays free agent is up for the award against Gerrit Cole of the New York Yankees and Lance Lynn of the Chicago White Sox after posting a 2.84 ERA and 1.045 WHIP with 248 strikeouts in 193.1 innings across 32 starts.
Ray led the league in ERA, starts, innings, WHIP and strikeouts, holding a slight edge over Cole in several pitching categories.
Montoyo was a finalist last year but not this one, as close friend Kevin Cash of the Tampa Bay Rays has a chance to win the honour for a second straight year. He’s up against Dusty Baker of the Houston Astros and Scott Servais of the Seattle Mariners.
While all had strong seasons, Baker while again dealing with the fallout from the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal, Montoyo led the Blue Jays to 91 wins amid moves from Dunedin to Buffalo to Toronto.
That’s prompted Cash to say in a September interview that, “Charlie should be manager of the year.”
“I mean, what he has gone through over a two-year period, it's pretty remarkable,” Cash continued. “It's a special group over there but he has helped keep that group together and unified it with all the B.S. that has taken place because of the travel and inconsistencies.
“Look at the uncertainty that all those players, certainly Charlie and the staff, but ultimately all the players faced. You've got three home ballparks, you're getting booed half the time because when we played them in Dunedin, we've got fans there, in Buffalo, you've got New York Yankees fans there – that's not how you draw it up. And the way that team has shown over the last two years the ability to just wipe that off and be very, very good is a testament to the players, but also Charlie.”
