Weaver improved to 19-4 with a 2.74 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP
Gio Gonzalez won his 20th game of the season earlier this week for the Washington Nationals. Who will be the first to 20 in the American League?
Los Angeles Angels’ right-hander Jered Weaver earned his 19th win of the year on Sunday, allowing one run and five hits with four strikeouts and one walk in his team’s 4-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox.
With nine games to go, the Angels are 2.5 games behind Oakland for the second wild card spot in the American League. Since the Angels have an off day on Monday, Weaver could get two more starts.
Weaver’s primary competition for the American League Cy Young Award also has a chance to reach 20 wins. Tampa Bay’s David Price is slated to start on Tuesday against the Red Sox at Fenway Park. He would then be scheduled to pitch against the White Sox on Sunday.
Price, who was the AL Cy Young Award runner-up behind Seattle’s Felix Hernandez in 2010, is 18-5 with a 2.58 ERA, a 1.12 WHIP and a .226 batting average against. Over 29 starts and 195 innings, the 27-year-old left-hander has allowed 161 hits and has recorded 188 strikeouts.
AL Cy Young Award voters could be swayed towards Price since he has won 18 games on a team that offers little offense.
Price’s teammate, closer Fernando Rodney, will also likely get AL Cy Young consideration. On Sunday, he logged his 44th save in 46 opportunities and has a 0.64 ERA, a 0.77 WHIP and a .177 batting average against in 71 games and 70.1 innings.
