A sore calf will keep Zack Greinke out of the rotation in Arizona Wednesday night. It’ll also prevent him from winning the NL Cy Young at season’s end.

The presumed front-runner for the award has a 1.65 ERA with 185 strikeouts in 207 ⅔ innings this season. His ERA would be the fifth-lowest since 1920, per CBS Sports. Skipping Wednesday’s start, however, will potentially prevent him from broaching the 20-win threshold.

Something Jake Arrieta’s already done.

Equally impressive with the Cubs this season, Arrieta has a 1.88 ERA with 220 strikeouts. His value can be measured by the team’s 10-3 record when he’s on the mound after a loss and a historically low post-All-Star break ERA.

Greinke can’t even begin to compare, posting a 2.45 ERA in August and a 1.91 ERA in September, per Chi City Sports.

Not to mention, it was Arrieta who no-hit Greinke’s Dodgers in his last start of August.

Admittedly, any argument against either candidate is splitting hairs, but the NL Cy Young must be awarded at season’s end. It might as well rest on Arrieta’s mantle.

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