CY YOUNG CANDIDATES

Baseball’s Cy Young Award winners was expected to be revealed Wednesday by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. USA TODAY Sports’ Jorge L. Ortiz looks at the finalists, in expected order of finish:

AMERICAN LEAGUE Max Scherzer, Detroit Tigers

Those who insist wins and losses are irrelevant when gauging a starting pitcher’s worth likely will be disappointed when the AL results are announced. Certainly, Scherzer has other gaudy statistics beyond his 21- 3 record; his 0.97 walks plus hits per inning ( WHIP) led the AL, and he finished second in strikeouts ( 240) and fifth in ERA. His 21 wins, however, are the differentiator.

Yu Darvish, Texas Rangers

If Scherzer has a foil, it would be Darvish, who trumps him in strikeouts ( 277) and ERA ( 2.83). While wins have diminished as they relate to winning this award, Darvish’s 13- 9 record might cost him this year.

Hisashi Iwakuma, Seattle Mariners

Iwakuma is a control freak in the finest sense of the term, walking 42 batters in 2192⁄ innings and

3 finishing second to Scherzer in WHIP ( 1.01).

NATIONAL LEAGUE Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers

This award might be the biggest slam dunk: Kershaw led the league in ERA ( 1.83, his third such title in a row), strikeouts ( 232) and WHIP ( 0.915) while ranking second with 236 innings pitched.

Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals

He won 19 games and pitched an NL- best 2412⁄ innings. His 219

3 strikeouts to 35 walks gave him the league’s second- best ratio.

Jose Fernandez, Miami Marlins

He will have to settle for rookie of the year, at least for this season.

KIM KLEMENT, USA TODAY SPORTS Max Scherzer led the American League in wins and WHIP.

JAYNE KAMIN- ONCEA, USA TODAY SPORTS Clayton Kershaw won a third consecutive National League ERA title.