With nine walks in his first 10 innings with the Blue Jays in 2021, Robbie Rays season didnt start off like that of a Cy Young candidate.After a six-walk slog of an outing in Kansas City in mid-April just his second start of the season a switch flipped. Ray didnt walk a single batter in his next start, and it would be a while before an opposing hitter would reach base on a free pa s again. From April 24 to June 8, the 30-year-old threw 54.1 innings, recorded Buffalo Bills Jackets 76 strikeouts, and walked just batters a truly outrageous turnaround from a guy who led all of baseball in walks the year prior. As he built up his arm and worked deep into games, Ray, with his now pristine command, emerged as Rodger Saffold Jersey one of the ALs most dominant pitchers. He's been outstanding, man, Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said after Ray threw seven innings of one-run ball on May 22. It's funny, he's that guy that gets stronger the more pitches he throws.That version of Ray the hard-throwing lefty, who grew stronger with each blazing fastball or diving slider is the pitcher Blue Jays fans gradually grew to adore and the one who was honored on Wednesday as the 2021 AL Cy Young Award-winner, as voted by the Baseball Writers A sociation of America (BBWAA).I expect a lot of myself and expect to be in this position, Ray said on MLB Network Wednesday night. Going into this season it was expectation of mine to be a great pitcher, to be an elite pitcher.Scroll to Continue Ray received 29 of 30 first-place votes, beating out the Yankees' Gerrit Cole and Lance Lynn of the White Sox, who finished second and third, respectively.As the season went on, it wasnt only the fans, the other teams hitters or the BBWAA that took note of Rays excellence. With Ray now a free agent after rejecting the Jays qualifying offer, opposing general managers find themselves salivating at the idea of adding Rays power arm to their 2022 staff. Rays talent is obvious, but MLB talent evaluators will have to decide if they think Devin Singletary Jersey he can replicate his succe s year after year. Yes, Ray led qualified AL pitchers in ERA (2.84), innings pitched (193.1), strikeouts (248) and WHIP (1.04), but his 2021 numbers are eerily similar to his 2017 season with the Diamondbacks.Ray to sed 162 innings with Arizona in 2017; he also struck out 12.1 batters per nine innings and finished seventh in NL Cy Young voting. Then, the wheels came off and he posted a 4.86 ERA with a 5.1 Ryan Bates Jersey BB/9 over the next two seasons. Multiple teams are rumored to be interested in Ray the and Blue Jays, among them but theyll have to gamble that Rays newfound command is here to stay.The Angels inked flame-throwing right-hander Noah Syndergaard to a one-year, $21-million deal on Tuesday the same day Toronto locked up workhorse righty Jos Berros to a seven-year, $131-million extension. Both clubs appear poised to continue their spending Tim Harris Jersey the Blue Jays especially, as they have rotations spots to fill behind Berros, Alek Manoah, and Hyun Jin Ryu. Now a Cy Young Award-winner in an off-season where free agent starting pitchers are signing quickly, Ray is set to cash in on the best season of his career with a multi-year deal likely upwards of $100-million. that happens exactly is still unknown.While some teams snatched up pitchers early, other free agents may look to wait until after the MLBPA and the league's owners re-negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement once the current one expires on December 1.