Where Dodgers' Gavin Stone could finish in the 2024 NL Cy Young race

LA Dodgers fans have dreamed of a starting rotation that will one day consist of Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Walker Buehler and even Dustin May.

Los Angeles' pitching staff, unfortunately, was disastrously hit by the injury bug in 2024, leaving plenty of question marks along the way as to who would be the horse to carry this team to the playoffs.

Well, look no further than 25-year-old Gavin Stone. In his first full MLB season after struggling in a brief 2023 stint, Stone has stepped up and kept the Dodgers afloat on the mound. He leads the club with 24 starts and 135 1/3 innings pitched, and that extra effort has helped save some bullpen stamina.

Stone has undoubtedly been a hero in Hollywood, which needs to lead to some consideration: Where will Gavin Stone finish in the NL Cy Young race?

Just ahead of his 25th start, which is slated for Saturday against Arizona, let's have a look at Stone by the numbers.

Entering August 29, the Central Arkansas product is eighth in the National League in ERA at 3.33. He is also 11-5, and although it shouldn't matter much, some voters still care about wins and losses. His 11 victories are tied for sixth in the NL with five other arms.

Stone also has a complete-game shutout in 2024, which has only happened 11 times in the National League this year. Among those 11 pitchers, only Aaron Nola (3.30) and Logan Webb (3.24) have a better ERA, among qualifiers.

In Stone's last three starts, he's definitely made his case to be among Cy Young contenders. Stone has allowed two combined runs across 19 innings with 23 strikeouts, mowing down the Brewers, Mariners and Rays. Seven of his starts have gone at least seven frames and 12 outings went at least six innings.

One other helpful tidbit is that a Dodger tends to finish somewhere in the Top 10 each season... it just comes with the territory. Over the last 13 seasons, a Dodgers pitcher has received Cy Young votes every year besides 2018 and 2023.

Gavin Stone won't win the Cy Young Award in 2024, but it wouldn't be a surprise if ended up anywhere between the 8-12 range.

There are still about 30 games remaining in the regular season, but here is a Cy Young Award prediction entering the weekend, for good measure:

1. Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves

2. Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia Phillies

3. Shōta Imanaga, Chicago Cubs

4. Hunter Greene, Cincinnati Reds

5. Michael King, San Diego Padres

6. Aaron Nola, Philadelphia Phillies

7. Logan Webb, San Francisco Giants

8. Dylan Cease, San Diego Padres

9. Gavin Stone, Los Angeles Dodgers

10. Tyler Glasnow, Los Angeles Dodgers

Whether he earns more consideration or comes up just short, there's certainly no shame in going from the "projectability" heap to the awards conversation in just one offseason.