The first two months of the MLB regular season have been filled with great pitching performances. As starting rotations continue to take shape, here’s how they stack up from 1-30 heading into June.
1 of 301. Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
Bill Streicher / USA Today Sports Images
The baseball world knew about co-aces Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola entering the year, but it’s the rest of the rotation that has made Philadelphia’s starting five the best in baseball early this season. Ranger Suarez is a clear Cy Young candidate with a 1.75 ERA through 11 starts, adding more strikeouts to his strong groundball rate. Cristopher Sanchez has similar upside, showing last season wasn’t a fluke. Spencer Turnbull turned a corner to start the year, and will likely to get more chances if Taijuan Walker continues to show inconsistency.
2 of 302. Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
Matt Krohn / USA Today Sports Images
Seattle probably doesn’t have a Cy Young candidate through the first trimester of the season, but 29 other teams would be happy with their selection of starters. Logan Gilbert has been the most effective with a 3.06 ERA through 11 starts, though Luis Castillo and Bryce Miller have also pitched like near-aces. George Kirby’s inability to keep the ball in the park has inflated his ERA above 4.00, even as he’s shown nearly perfect control. Bryan Woo has struggled with arm issues but is back healthy.
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All 30 MLB starting rotations, ranked
Posted 1 minute ago | By Seth Trachtman
The first two months of the MLB regular season have been filled with great pitching performances. As starting rotations continue to take shape, here’s how they stack up from 1-30 heading into June.
1 of 301. Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
Bill Streicher / USA Today Sports Images
The baseball world knew about co-aces Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola entering the year, but it’s the rest of the rotation that has made Philadelphia’s starting five the best in baseball early this season. Ranger Suarez is a clear Cy Young candidate with a 1.75 ERA through 11 starts, adding more strikeouts to his strong groundball rate. Cristopher Sanchez has similar upside, showing last season wasn’t a fluke. Spencer Turnbull turned a corner to start the year, and will likely to get more chances if Taijuan Walker continues to show inconsistency.
2 of 302. Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
Matt Krohn / USA Today Sports Images
Seattle probably doesn’t have a Cy Young candidate through the first trimester of the season, but 29 other teams would be happy with their selection of starters. Logan Gilbert has been the most effective with a 3.06 ERA through 11 starts, though Luis Castillo and Bryce Miller have also pitched like near-aces. George Kirby’s inability to keep the ball in the park has inflated his ERA above 4.00, even as he’s shown nearly perfect control. Bryan Woo has struggled with arm issues but is back healthy.
3 of 303. Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
Dale Zanine / USA Today Sports Images
Atlanta lost ace Spencer Strider for the year after only two starts, but offseason acquisition Chris Sale has more than filled the void. The lefty looks like his old form, with a 2.12 ERA through 10 starts and a K/BB ratio near 9.00. Max Fried has gotten on track behind him, with a 3.38 ERA in 10 starts, and veterans Reynaldo Lopez and Charlie Morton have been similarly effective. The fifth starter job has been the only sore spot, as the team has played musical chairs with Bryce Elder, Darius Vines, and others.
4 of 304. Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
Reggie Hilliard / USA Today Sports Images
Baltimore had their fair share of depth entering the year, and they’ve needed every bit of it. Corbin Burnes has been an ace, as advertised, but behind him Grayson Rodriguez, Kyle Bradish, John Means, and Dean Kremer have missed time. Rodriguez and Bradish are back pitching like aces, and the backend has been surprisingly effective with Cole Irvin and swingman Albert Suarez. The O’s also have top prospect Cade Povich waiting at Triple-A.
5 of 305. Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
Rick Scuteri / USA Today Sports Images
Detroit’s rotation has been truly elite between the development of their young pitchers and Jack Flaherty’s rebound. Flaherty’s 12.00 K/BB is among the best in baseball, while Tarik Skubal and Reese Olson have been aces, with ERAs hovering around 2.00. The team would like to see more from former top prospects Casey Mize and Matt Manning, and Kenta Maeda has also struggled to keep the ball in the park.
6 of 306. Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
Kirby Lee / USA Today Sports Images
The Dodgers had arguably the most pitching depth in baseball entering the year and have needed it with arm injuries to young right-handers Bobby Miller and Emmet Sheehan. Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto have been the top-of-the-rotation pitchers many hoped for, while Gavin Stone and James Paxton have also posted sub-4.00 ERAs in spite of their struggles to miss bats. Walker Buehler has come along slowly but surely from elbow surgery to get off to a solid start, and the team is hopeful Clayton Kershaw can return from shoulder surgery later in the year.
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All 30 MLB starting rotations, ranked
Posted 1 minute ago | By Seth Trachtman
The first two months of the MLB regular season have been filled with great pitching performances. As starting rotations continue to take shape, here’s how they stack up from 1-30 heading into June.
1 of 301. Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
Bill Streicher / USA Today Sports Images
The baseball world knew about co-aces Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola entering the year, but it’s the rest of the rotation that has made Philadelphia’s starting five the best in baseball early this season. Ranger Suarez is a clear Cy Young candidate with a 1.75 ERA through 11 starts, adding more strikeouts to his strong groundball rate. Cristopher Sanchez has similar upside, showing last season wasn’t a fluke. Spencer Turnbull turned a corner to start the year, and will likely to get more chances if Taijuan Walker continues to show inconsistency.
2 of 302. Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
Matt Krohn / USA Today Sports Images
Seattle probably doesn’t have a Cy Young candidate through the first trimester of the season, but 29 other teams would be happy with their selection of starters. Logan Gilbert has been the most effective with a 3.06 ERA through 11 starts, though Luis Castillo and Bryce Miller have also pitched like near-aces. George Kirby’s inability to keep the ball in the park has inflated his ERA above 4.00, even as he’s shown nearly perfect control. Bryan Woo has struggled with arm issues but is back healthy.
3 of 303. Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
Dale Zanine / USA Today Sports Images
Atlanta lost ace Spencer Strider for the year after only two starts, but offseason acquisition Chris Sale has more than filled the void. The lefty looks like his old form, with a 2.12 ERA through 10 starts and a K/BB ratio near 9.00. Max Fried has gotten on track behind him, with a 3.38 ERA in 10 starts, and veterans Reynaldo Lopez and Charlie Morton have been similarly effective. The fifth starter job has been the only sore spot, as the team has played musical chairs with Bryce Elder, Darius Vines, and others.
4 of 304. Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
Reggie Hilliard / USA Today Sports Images
Baltimore had their fair share of depth entering the year, and they’ve needed every bit of it. Corbin Burnes has been an ace, as advertised, but behind him Grayson Rodriguez, Kyle Bradish, John Means, and Dean Kremer have missed time. Rodriguez and Bradish are back pitching like aces, and the backend has been surprisingly effective with Cole Irvin and swingman Albert Suarez. The O’s also have top prospect Cade Povich waiting at Triple-A.
5 of 305. Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
Rick Scuteri / USA Today Sports Images
Detroit’s rotation has been truly elite between the development of their young pitchers and Jack Flaherty’s rebound. Flaherty’s 12.00 K/BB is among the best in baseball, while Tarik Skubal and Reese Olson have been aces, with ERAs hovering around 2.00. The team would like to see more from former top prospects Casey Mize and Matt Manning, and Kenta Maeda has also struggled to keep the ball in the park.
6 of 306. Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
Kirby Lee / USA Today Sports Images
The Dodgers had arguably the most pitching depth in baseball entering the year and have needed it with arm injuries to young right-handers Bobby Miller and Emmet Sheehan. Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto have been the top-of-the-rotation pitchers many hoped for, while Gavin Stone and James Paxton have also posted sub-4.00 ERAs in spite of their struggles to miss bats. Walker Buehler has come along slowly but surely from elbow surgery to get off to a solid start, and the team is hopeful Clayton Kershaw can return from shoulder surgery later in the year.
7 of 307. New York Yankees
New York Yankees
David Frerker / USA Today Sports Images
No Gerrit Cole, no problem for the Yankees early this season as the rest of the rotation has stayed healthy and prospered. Lefties Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortes have put injury-plagued 2023 seasons behind them, both posting ERAs near 3.00 with nearly one strikeout per inning. Clarke Schmidt has also taken a step forward with a 2.52 ERA through 11 starts, and Marcus Stroman has been as advertised with a sub-3.00 ERA and consistent grounders. The big surprise has been Luis Gil, back from Tommy John surgery to post a dominant 2.11 ERA and 11.4 K/9 through 10 starts. Assuming Cole returns healthy around the All-Star break, the Yankees will be in great shape.
8 of 308. Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
Nick Turchiaro / USA Today Sports Images
The Royals revamped their starting rotation in free agency, but couldn’t have expected these results. Seth Lugo is a Cy Young candidate with a 1.74 ERA through 11 starts, while Michael Wacha has also been strong. Cole Ragans has been the high-powered ace many foresaw with a 3.34 ERA in 11 starts and 11.0 K/9, and Brady Singer has rebounded to post a 2.63 ERA in 11 starts. The biggest surprise has been Alec Marsh, who has corrected his control issues to post a 2.72 ERA in his first eight starts. Many of the team’s pitchers are likely to regress, but this appears to be a playoff rotation.
9 of 309. Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
Nick Wosika / USA Today Sports Images
Sonny Gray and Kenta Maeda weren’t small losses, yet Minnesota has continued to sport a strong rotation in 2024. Joe Ryan has ascended as the ace (3.15 ERA through 10 starts) while Pablo Lopez has struggled to keep the ball in the park. Bailey Ober and Chris Paddack have seen similar struggles but have also flashed brilliance at times. Former top prospect Simeon Woods Richardson could be the rotation savior after seeing an uptick in velocity, posting a 2.57 ERA through seven outings.
10 of 3010. Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
Eric Canha / USA Today Sports Images
New pitching coach Andrew Bailey’s impact has been clear, with a rotation that dominated in April and has continued to hold serve in May. Tanner Houch has been the ace Boston hoped when they drafted him with a 1.90 ERA through 11 starts, while Kutter Crawford has also exceeded expectations. Brayan Bello and Nick Pivetta have been uneven as they’ve returned from injury, but continue to show great potential. Cooper Criswell has been a great find, with a sub-3.00 ERA before Memorial Day. The unfortunate loss of Garrett Whitlock to a season-ending injury has cut into the team’s depth.
11 of 3011. Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
John David Mercer / USA Today Sports Images
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Cubs have one of the best starting rotations in baseball, but the way they’ve done it is unexpected. Ace Justin Steele has struggled since returning from a leg injury, but the trio of Shota Imanaga, Javier Assad, and Jameson Taillon has been spectacular with elite ERAs. The team will get young Jordan Wicks back from injury soon, while young Ben Brown and Cade Horton provide high upside depth for the stretch run.
12 of 3012. San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
Chadd Cady / USA Today Sports Images
San Diego lost Cy Young winner Blake Snell in the offseason, but got a significant boost just before Opening Day when they acquired Dylan Cease. He’s been a viable replacement at the front of the rotation, with Yu Darvish also getting back on track after a sub-par 2023 season. Michael King and Joe Musgrove have started to come along after slow starts, making for an excellent front four. The fifth spot has been inconsistent with knuckleballer Matt Waldron, and the team has some intriguing arms on the farm should he continue to struggle.
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All 30 MLB starting rotations, ranked
Steph Chambers/Getty Images
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All 30 MLB starting rotations, ranked
Posted 1 minute ago | By Seth Trachtman
The first two months of the MLB regular season have been filled with great pitching performances. As starting rotations continue to take shape, here’s how they stack up from 1-30 heading into June.
1 of 301. Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
Bill Streicher / USA Today Sports Images
The baseball world knew about co-aces Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola entering the year, but it’s the rest of the rotation that has made Philadelphia’s starting five the best in baseball early this season. Ranger Suarez is a clear Cy Young candidate with a 1.75 ERA through 11 starts, adding more strikeouts to his strong groundball rate. Cristopher Sanchez has similar upside, showing last season wasn’t a fluke. Spencer Turnbull turned a corner to start the year, and will likely to get more chances if Taijuan Walker continues to show inconsistency.
2 of 302. Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
Matt Krohn / USA Today Sports Images
Seattle probably doesn’t have a Cy Young candidate through the first trimester of the season, but 29 other teams would be happy with their selection of starters. Logan Gilbert has been the most effective with a 3.06 ERA through 11 starts, though Luis Castillo and Bryce Miller have also pitched like near-aces. George Kirby’s inability to keep the ball in the park has inflated his ERA above 4.00, even as he’s shown nearly perfect control. Bryan Woo has struggled with arm issues but is back healthy.
3 of 303. Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
Dale Zanine / USA Today Sports Images
Atlanta lost ace Spencer Strider for the year after only two starts, but offseason acquisition Chris Sale has more than filled the void. The lefty looks like his old form, with a 2.12 ERA through 10 starts and a K/BB ratio near 9.00. Max Fried has gotten on track behind him, with a 3.38 ERA in 10 starts, and veterans Reynaldo Lopez and Charlie Morton have been similarly effective. The fifth starter job has been the only sore spot, as the team has played musical chairs with Bryce Elder, Darius Vines, and others.
4 of 304. Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
Reggie Hilliard / USA Today Sports Images
Baltimore had their fair share of depth entering the year, and they’ve needed every bit of it. Corbin Burnes has been an ace, as advertised, but behind him Grayson Rodriguez, Kyle Bradish, John Means, and Dean Kremer have missed time. Rodriguez and Bradish are back pitching like aces, and the backend has been surprisingly effective with Cole Irvin and swingman Albert Suarez. The O’s also have top prospect Cade Povich waiting at Triple-A.
5 of 305. Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
Rick Scuteri / USA Today Sports Images
Detroit’s rotation has been truly elite between the development of their young pitchers and Jack Flaherty’s rebound. Flaherty’s 12.00 K/BB is among the best in baseball, while Tarik Skubal and Reese Olson have been aces, with ERAs hovering around 2.00. The team would like to see more from former top prospects Casey Mize and Matt Manning, and Kenta Maeda has also struggled to keep the ball in the park.
6 of 306. Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
Kirby Lee / USA Today Sports Images
The Dodgers had arguably the most pitching depth in baseball entering the year and have needed it with arm injuries to young right-handers Bobby Miller and Emmet Sheehan. Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto have been the top-of-the-rotation pitchers many hoped for, while Gavin Stone and James Paxton have also posted sub-4.00 ERAs in spite of their struggles to miss bats. Walker Buehler has come along slowly but surely from elbow surgery to get off to a solid start, and the team is hopeful Clayton Kershaw can return from shoulder surgery later in the year.
7 of 307. New York Yankees
New York Yankees
David Frerker / USA Today Sports Images
No Gerrit Cole, no problem for the Yankees early this season as the rest of the rotation has stayed healthy and prospered. Lefties Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortes have put injury-plagued 2023 seasons behind them, both posting ERAs near 3.00 with nearly one strikeout per inning. Clarke Schmidt has also taken a step forward with a 2.52 ERA through 11 starts, and Marcus Stroman has been as advertised with a sub-3.00 ERA and consistent grounders. The big surprise has been Luis Gil, back from Tommy John surgery to post a dominant 2.11 ERA and 11.4 K/9 through 10 starts. Assuming Cole returns healthy around the All-Star break, the Yankees will be in great shape.
8 of 308. Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
Nick Turchiaro / USA Today Sports Images
The Royals revamped their starting rotation in free agency, but couldn’t have expected these results. Seth Lugo is a Cy Young candidate with a 1.74 ERA through 11 starts, while Michael Wacha has also been strong. Cole Ragans has been the high-powered ace many foresaw with a 3.34 ERA in 11 starts and 11.0 K/9, and Brady Singer has rebounded to post a 2.63 ERA in 11 starts. The biggest surprise has been Alec Marsh, who has corrected his control issues to post a 2.72 ERA in his first eight starts. Many of the team’s pitchers are likely to regress, but this appears to be a playoff rotation.
9 of 309. Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
Nick Wosika / USA Today Sports Images
Sonny Gray and Kenta Maeda weren’t small losses, yet Minnesota has continued to sport a strong rotation in 2024. Joe Ryan has ascended as the ace (3.15 ERA through 10 starts) while Pablo Lopez has struggled to keep the ball in the park. Bailey Ober and Chris Paddack have seen similar struggles but have also flashed brilliance at times. Former top prospect Simeon Woods Richardson could be the rotation savior after seeing an uptick in velocity, posting a 2.57 ERA through seven outings.
10 of 3010. Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
Eric Canha / USA Today Sports Images
New pitching coach Andrew Bailey’s impact has been clear, with a rotation that dominated in April and has continued to hold serve in May. Tanner Houch has been the ace Boston hoped when they drafted him with a 1.90 ERA through 11 starts, while Kutter Crawford has also exceeded expectations. Brayan Bello and Nick Pivetta have been uneven as they’ve returned from injury, but continue to show great potential. Cooper Criswell has been a great find, with a sub-3.00 ERA before Memorial Day. The unfortunate loss of Garrett Whitlock to a season-ending injury has cut into the team’s depth.
11 of 3011. Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
John David Mercer / USA Today Sports Images
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Cubs have one of the best starting rotations in baseball, but the way they’ve done it is unexpected. Ace Justin Steele has struggled since returning from a leg injury, but the trio of Shota Imanaga, Javier Assad, and Jameson Taillon has been spectacular with elite ERAs. The team will get young Jordan Wicks back from injury soon, while young Ben Brown and Cade Horton provide high upside depth for the stretch run.
12 of 3012. San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
Chadd Cady / USA Today Sports Images
San Diego lost Cy Young winner Blake Snell in the offseason, but got a significant boost just before Opening Day when they acquired Dylan Cease. He’s been a viable replacement at the front of the rotation, with Yu Darvish also getting back on track after a sub-par 2023 season. Michael King and Joe Musgrove have started to come along after slow starts, making for an excellent front four. The fifth spot has been inconsistent with knuckleballer Matt Waldron, and the team has some intriguing arms on the farm should he continue to struggle.
13 of 3013. Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
Joe Camporeale / USA Today Sports Images
The Diamondbacks entered the season figuring the starting rotation would be one of their biggest strengths after the additions of Eduardo Rodriguez and Jordan Montgomery, but injuries have taken their toll. Zac Gallen (3.12 ERA) and Brandon Pfaadt (4.05 ERA) have been as expected, but Montgomery has taken a while to round into form while Rodriguez and Merrill Kelly have been sidelined. The backend of the rotation has been a nightmare between Ryne Nelson, Slade Cecconi, and Tommy Henry. There are better days ahead of the big guns get healthy, but that remains in question.
14 of 3014. San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
John Hefti / USA Today Sports Images
It’s difficult to say the Giants rotation has underachieved, but Blake Snell’s struggles with injury and performance make that statement accurate. The trio of Logan Webb, Jordan Hicks, and Kyle Harrison has been quite good in his stead, with Webb and Hicks in the NL Cy Young conversation. The injury bug has also struck Keaton Winn, whose 6.17 ERA in nine starts wasn’t reflective of his overall performance.
15 of 3015. Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
Nathan Ray Seebeck / USA Today Sports Images
Tampa Bay knew they’d have to tread water until Shane Baz, Jeffrey Springs, and Drew Rasmussen returned from injury later this season. They’re still waiting, but the rotation has held up in the meantime. Zack Littell and Ryan Pepiot, in particular, have delivered, as has Taj Bradley since returning from a pectoral injury. Zach Eflin was an ace for the team last season, but had trouble missing bats before suffering a back injury. The Rays would like to fix Aaron Civale, with an ERA inching toward 6.00 through the first two months, but he is fanning more than one batter per inning.
16 of 3016. Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
Peter Aiken / USA Today Sports Images
Toronto is off to another slow start, but the rotation isn’t to blame. Jose Berrios has pitched like an ace again, and Yusei Kikuchi hasn’t been far behind. Chris Bassitt’s ERA hovers near 4.00 once again, and Kevin Gausman is coming around after a very poor start with a K/BB ratio of better than 4.00. Former ace Alek Manoah has returned from Triple-A to post a sub-4.00 ERA through four starts, though his inability to keep the ball down makes him volatile.
17 of 3017. Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
Eric Hartline / USA Today Sports Images
Washington has been one of the surprise pitching staffs in the league, especially with Josiah Gray nursing an injury. While big contract Patrick Corbin has still struggled, the Nats had four other starters with sub-4.00 ERAs led by Trevor Williams’ 2.29 ERA in 10 starts. MacKenzie Gore’s upside remains the more appealing, with a 10.5 K/9, but Jake Irvin and Mitchell Parker also look like keepers due to exemplary control.
18 of 3018. New York Mets
New York Mets
Vincent Carchietta / USA Today Sports Images
The Mets hoped to have Kodai Senga behind a lineup of new rotation additions this season, but his arm hasn’t cooperated yet. Those new additions, led by Luis Severino and Sean Manaea have been giving the team a chance to win, albeit with shaky control. Rookie Christian Scott has been far more efficient and impressive in his first four starts, and old standby David Peterson should give the team a boost. Soft-tossing Jose Quintana has lacked command early, posting an ERA above 5.00, while Tylor Megill has struggled to stay healthy again.
19 of 3019. Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
Charles LeClaire / USA Today Sports Images
The Pirates extended Mitch Keller, and while he’s been solid (3.59 ERA in 11 starts), he’s been upstaged by rookies Jared Jones and Paul Skenes. Jones set the table with a 3.05 ERA and K/BB ratio near 7.00 in his first 10 starts, and Skenes has come storming through with a 2.25 ERA and gaudy strikeout numbers in his first three career starts. The backend of the rotation isn’t bad, either, as veteran lefties Bailey Falter and Martin Perez have consistently given the team a chance to mend while fellow veteran lefty Marco Gonzales is on the mend.
20 of 3020. Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers
Jerome Miron / USA Today Sports Images
With the absences of Max Scherzer, Tyler Mahle, and Jacob deGrom, plus in-season injuries to Nathan Eovaldi, Cody Bradford, Jon Gray, and Dane Dunning, it’s a miracle the Rangers rotation has performed as well as it has to this point. Gray and Eovaldi did post sub-3.00 ERAs before going on the IL, and Michael Lorenzen has also been effective despite a sub-2.00 K/BB ratio. Dunning has been more erratic this season, missing more bats but also struggling to keep the ball in the park. Andrew Heaney’s rotation spot could be in jeopardy when the rest of the rotation gets healthy, as the long ball pushes his ERA toward 5.00.
21 of 3021. Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
Matt Kartozian / USA Today Sports Images
There were big questions about Cincinnati’s rotation coming into the season, but the young trio of Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, and Andrew Abbott have delivered. Greene and Lodolo have looked like aces, missing bats on demand, while Abbott has smoothed out some of his control issues. Graham Ashcraft has been inconsistent again, but a 4.67 ERA in 10 starts is viable. Free agent acquisitions Frankie Montas and Nick Martinez have seen mixed results but have been able to eat innings.
22 of 3022. Cleveland Guardians
Cleveland Guardians
Brett Davis / USA Today Sports Images
Cleveland seems to find and produce pitching from everywhere, and they’ve continued to manage despite injuries to Shane Bieber and Gavin Williams. Tanner Bibee has inherited the ace title, keeping an ERA just below 4.00 with more than one strikeout per inning. Triston McKenzie has righted the ship after a slow start, though his erratic command is a red flag. Free ag
ent flier Ben Lively has been great with a 2.80 ERA through eight starts, and Logan Allen has potential if he can keep the ball in the park.
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All 30 MLB starting rotations, ranked
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All 30 MLB starting rotations, ranked
Posted 1 minute ago | By Seth Trachtman
The first two months of the MLB regular season have been filled with great pitching performances. As starting rotations continue to take shape, here’s how they stack up from 1-30 heading into June.
1 of 301. Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
Bill Streicher / USA Today Sports Images
The baseball world knew about co-aces Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola entering the year, but it’s the rest of the rotation that has made Philadelphia’s starting five the best in baseball early this season. Ranger Suarez is a clear Cy Young candidate with a 1.75 ERA through 11 starts, adding more strikeouts to his strong groundball rate. Cristopher Sanchez has similar upside, showing last season wasn’t a fluke. Spencer Turnbull turned a corner to start the year, and will likely to get more chances if Taijuan Walker continues to show inconsistency.
2 of 302. Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
Matt Krohn / USA Today Sports Images
Seattle probably doesn’t have a Cy Young candidate through the first trimester of the season, but 29 other teams would be happy with their selection of starters. Logan Gilbert has been the most effective with a 3.06 ERA through 11 starts, though Luis Castillo and Bryce Miller have also pitched like near-aces. George Kirby’s inability to keep the ball in the park has inflated his ERA above 4.00, even as he’s shown nearly perfect control. Bryan Woo has struggled with arm issues but is back healthy.
3 of 303. Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
Dale Zanine / USA Today Sports Images
Atlanta lost ace Spencer Strider for the year after only two starts, but offseason acquisition Chris Sale has more than filled the void. The lefty looks like his old form, with a 2.12 ERA through 10 starts and a K/BB ratio near 9.00. Max Fried has gotten on track behind him, with a 3.38 ERA in 10 starts, and veterans Reynaldo Lopez and Charlie Morton have been similarly effective. The fifth starter job has been the only sore spot, as the team has played musical chairs with Bryce Elder, Darius Vines, and others.
4 of 304. Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
Reggie Hilliard / USA Today Sports Images
Baltimore had their fair share of depth entering the year, and they’ve needed every bit of it. Corbin Burnes has been an ace, as advertised, but behind him Grayson Rodriguez, Kyle Bradish, John Means, and Dean Kremer have missed time. Rodriguez and Bradish are back pitching like aces, and the backend has been surprisingly effective with Cole Irvin and swingman Albert Suarez. The O’s also have top prospect Cade Povich waiting at Triple-A.
5 of 305. Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
Rick Scuteri / USA Today Sports Images
Detroit’s rotation has been truly elite between the development of their young pitchers and Jack Flaherty’s rebound. Flaherty’s 12.00 K/BB is among the best in baseball, while Tarik Skubal and Reese Olson have been aces, with ERAs hovering around 2.00. The team would like to see more from former top prospects Casey Mize and Matt Manning, and Kenta Maeda has also struggled to keep the ball in the park.
6 of 306. Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
Kirby Lee / USA Today Sports Images
The Dodgers had arguably the most pitching depth in baseball entering the year and have needed it with arm injuries to young right-handers Bobby Miller and Emmet Sheehan. Tyler Glasnow and Yoshinobu Yamamoto have been the top-of-the-rotation pitchers many hoped for, while Gavin Stone and James Paxton have also posted sub-4.00 ERAs in spite of their struggles to miss bats. Walker Buehler has come along slowly but surely from elbow surgery to get off to a solid start, and the team is hopeful Clayton Kershaw can return from shoulder surgery later in the year.
7 of 307. New York Yankees
New York Yankees
David Frerker / USA Today Sports Images
No Gerrit Cole, no problem for the Yankees early this season as the rest of the rotation has stayed healthy and prospered. Lefties Carlos Rodon and Nestor Cortes have put injury-plagued 2023 seasons behind them, both posting ERAs near 3.00 with nearly one strikeout per inning. Clarke Schmidt has also taken a step forward with a 2.52 ERA through 11 starts, and Marcus Stroman has been as advertised with a sub-3.00 ERA and consistent grounders. The big surprise has been Luis Gil, back from Tommy John surgery to post a dominant 2.11 ERA and 11.4 K/9 through 10 starts. Assuming Cole returns healthy around the All-Star break, the Yankees will be in great shape.
8 of 308. Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
Nick Turchiaro / USA Today Sports Images
The Royals revamped their starting rotation in free agency, but couldn’t have expected these results. Seth Lugo is a Cy Young candidate with a 1.74 ERA through 11 starts, while Michael Wacha has also been strong. Cole Ragans has been the high-powered ace many foresaw with a 3.34 ERA in 11 starts and 11.0 K/9, and Brady Singer has rebounded to post a 2.63 ERA in 11 starts. The biggest surprise has been Alec Marsh, who has corrected his control issues to post a 2.72 ERA in his first eight starts. Many of the team’s pitchers are likely to regress, but this appears to be a playoff rotation.
9 of 309. Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
Nick Wosika / USA Today Sports Images
Sonny Gray and Kenta Maeda weren’t small losses, yet Minnesota has continued to sport a strong rotation in 2024. Joe Ryan has ascended as the ace (3.15 ERA through 10 starts) while Pablo Lopez has struggled to keep the ball in the park. Bailey Ober and Chris Paddack have seen similar struggles but have also flashed brilliance at times. Former top prospect Simeon Woods Richardson could be the rotation savior after seeing an uptick in velocity, posting a 2.57 ERA through seven outings.
10 of 3010. Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
Eric Canha / USA Today Sports Images
New pitching coach Andrew Bailey’s impact has been clear, with a rotation that dominated in April and has continued to hold serve in May. Tanner Houch has been the ace Boston hoped when they drafted him with a 1.90 ERA through 11 starts, while Kutter Crawford has also exceeded expectations. Brayan Bello and Nick Pivetta have been uneven as they’ve returned from injury, but continue to show great potential. Cooper Criswell has been a great find, with a sub-3.00 ERA before Memorial Day. The unfortunate loss of Garrett Whitlock to a season-ending injury has cut into the team’s depth.
11 of 3011. Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
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It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Cubs have one of the best starting rotations in baseball, but the way they’ve done it is unexpected. Ace Justin Steele has struggled since returning from a leg injury, but the trio of Shota Imanaga, Javier Assad, and Jameson Taillon has been spectacular with elite ERAs. The team will get young Jordan Wicks back from injury soon, while young Ben Brown and Cade Horton provide high upside depth for the stretch run.
12 of 3012. San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
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San Diego lost Cy Young winner Blake Snell in the offseason, but got a significant boost just before Opening Day when they acquired Dylan Cease. He’s been a viable replacement at the front of the rotation, with Yu Darvish also getting back on track after a sub-par 2023 season. Michael King and Joe Musgrove have started to come along after slow starts, making for an excellent front four. The fifth spot has been inconsistent with knuckleballer Matt Waldron, and the team has some intriguing arms on the farm should he continue to struggle.
13 of 3013. Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
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The Diamondbacks entered the season figuring the starting rotation would be one of their biggest strengths after the additions of Eduardo Rodriguez and Jordan Montgomery, but injuries have taken their toll. Zac Gallen (3.12 ERA) and Brandon Pfaadt (4.05 ERA) have been as expected, but Montgomery has taken a while to round into form while Rodriguez and Merrill Kelly have been sidelined. The backend of the rotation has been a nightmare between Ryne Nelson, Slade Cecconi, and Tommy Henry. There are better days ahead of the big guns get healthy, but that remains in question.
14 of 3014. San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
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It’s difficult to say the Giants rotation has underachieved, but Blake Snell’s struggles with injury and performance make that statement accurate. The trio of Logan Webb, Jordan Hicks, and Kyle Harrison has been quite good in his stead, with Webb and Hicks in the NL Cy Young conversation. The injury bug has also struck Keaton Winn, whose 6.17 ERA in nine starts wasn’t reflective of his overall performance.
15 of 3015. Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
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Tampa Bay knew they’d have to tread water until Shane Baz, Jeffrey Springs, and Drew Rasmussen returned from injury later this season. They’re still waiting, but the rotation has held up in the meantime. Zack Littell and Ryan Pepiot, in particular, have delivered, as has Taj Bradley since returning from a pectoral injury. Zach Eflin was an ace for the team last season, but had trouble missing bats before suffering a back injury. The Rays would like to fix Aaron Civale, with an ERA inching toward 6.00 through the first two months, but he is fanning more than one batter per inning.
16 of 3016. Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
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Toronto is off to another slow start, but the rotation isn’t to blame. Jose Berrios has pitched like an ace again, and Yusei Kikuchi hasn’t been far behind. Chris Bassitt’s ERA hovers near 4.00 once again, and Kevin Gausman is coming around after a very poor start with a K/BB ratio of better than 4.00. Former ace Alek Manoah has returned from Triple-A to post a sub-4.00 ERA through four starts, though his inability to keep the ball down makes him volatile.
17 of 3017. Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
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Washington has been one of the surprise pitching staffs in the league, especially with Josiah Gray nursing an injury. While big contract Patrick Corbin has still struggled, the Nats had four other starters with sub-4.00 ERAs led by Trevor Williams’ 2.29 ERA in 10 starts. MacKenzie Gore’s upside remains the more appealing, with a 10.5 K/9, but Jake Irvin and Mitchell Parker also look like keepers due to exemplary control.
18 of 3018. New York Mets
New York Mets
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The Mets hoped to have Kodai Senga behind a lineup of new rotation additions this season, but his arm hasn’t cooperated yet. Those new additions, led by Luis Severino and Sean Manaea have been giving the team a chance to win, albeit with shaky control. Rookie Christian Scott has been far more efficient and impressive in his first four starts, and old standby David Peterson should give the team a boost. Soft-tossing Jose Quintana has lacked command early, posting an ERA above 5.00, while Tylor Megill has struggled to stay healthy again.
19 of 3019. Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
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The Pirates extended Mitch Keller, and while he’s been solid (3.59 ERA in 11 starts), he’s been upstaged by rookies Jared Jones and Paul Skenes. Jones set the table with a 3.05 ERA and K/BB ratio near 7.00 in his first 10 starts, and Skenes has come storming through with a 2.25 ERA and gaudy strikeout numbers in his first three career starts. The backend of the rotation isn’t bad, either, as veteran lefties Bailey Falter and Martin Perez have consistently given the team a chance to mend while fellow veteran lefty Marco Gonzales is on the mend.
20 of 3020. Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers
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With the absences of Max Scherzer, Tyler Mahle, and Jacob deGrom, plus in-season injuries to Nathan Eovaldi, Cody Bradford, Jon Gray, and Dane Dunning, it’s a miracle the Rangers rotation has performed as well as it has to this point. Gray and Eovaldi did post sub-3.00 ERAs before going on the IL, and Michael Lorenzen has also been effective despite a sub-2.00 K/BB ratio. Dunning has been more erratic this season, missing more bats but also struggling to keep the ball in the park. Andrew Heaney’s rotation spot could be in jeopardy when the rest of the rotation gets healthy, as the long ball pushes his ERA toward 5.00.
21 of 3021. Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
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There were big questions about Cincinnati’s rotation coming into the season, but the young trio of Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, and Andrew Abbott have delivered. Greene and Lodolo have looked like aces, missing bats on demand, while Abbott has smoothed out some of his control issues. Graham Ashcraft has been inconsistent again, but a 4.67 ERA in 10 starts is viable. Free agent acquisitions Frankie Montas and Nick Martinez have seen mixed results but have been able to eat innings.
22 of 3022. Cleveland Guardians
Cleveland Guardians
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Cleveland seems to find and produce pitching from everywhere, and they’ve continued to manage despite injuries to Shane Bieber and Gavin Williams. Tanner Bibee has inherited the ace title, keeping an ERA just below 4.00 with more than one strikeout per inning. Triston McKenzie has righted the ship after a slow start, though his erratic command is a red flag. Free agent flier Ben Lively has been great with a 2.80 ERA through eight starts, and Logan Allen has potential if he can keep the ball in the park.
23 of 3023. Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Angels
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The Angels rotation has been a mixed bag but poor overall. 2023 free agent signing Tyler Anderson has held up his end with a 2.52 ERA through 10 starts, while a flamethrowing right-hander has emerged with a 3.61 ERA by Memorial Day. On the other hand, lefties Red Detmers and Patrick Sandoval have underperformed with ERAs above 5.00 while Griffin Canning digs out from a slow start.
24 of 3024. Houston Astros
Houston Astros
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Houston’s rotation would like to wake up from its nightmare. They’ve seen IL stints from Framber Valdez, Justin Verlander, Cristian Javier, J.P. France, and Jose Urquidy, while Hunter Brown has been one of the game’s worst starters. The saving grace has been Ronel Blanco, who threw a no-hitter early and has yet to slow down with a sub-2.00 ERA through nine starts. For all their struggles, Houston is likely to improve with better health.
25 of 3025. Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
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The expectations were Milwaukee’s rotation were quite low after losing Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff. They’ve had several injuries to follow, including Jakob Junis, DL Hall, Wade Miley, and Joe Ross. Yet, the rotation continues to tread water somehow. Freddy Peralta has taken on the title as ace, with an impressive 11.3 K/9, and Colin Rea has done a fine job behind him with a sub-4.00 ERA. Rookie Robert Gasser is off to an excellent start, and Bryse Wilson has done well converting from relief to starter like he was early in his career with Atlanta. Minor league fiend Tobias Myers is also showing ability when he can keep the ball down.
26 of 3026. St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
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The Cardinals were aggressive early in the offseason adding Sonny Gray, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Gibson. Those three pitchers have held up fine, but incumbents Miles Mikolas and Steven Matz have been far from reliable. The team’s lack of depth has been yet another issue, with Matthew Liberatore and Zack Thompson failing as fill-ins.
27 of 3027. Miami Marlins
Miami Marlins
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Miami lost Sandy Alcantara to Tommy John surgery late last season, and top young pitcher Eury Perez suffered that same fate before throwing a pitch this season. Injuries have also been rampant elsewhere, as Jesus Luzardo, Edward Cabrera, Braxton Garrett, and A.J. Puk have missed time. So it’s no wonder the team has all but shut down Max Meyer at Triple-A after a great start to his season. Ryan Weathers has been the team’s brightest spot, posted a 3.16 ERA in 11 starts. Trevor Rogers has been the polar opposite, staying healthy but posting an ERA over 6.00. The Marlins are ready to turn the page on 2024.
28 of 3028. Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
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For all the White Sox struggles, they’ve produced two very bright spots with Erick Fedde and Garrett Crochet. Fedde has a 2.80 ERA in 11 starts after reinventing himself in Korea, while Crochet has looked like an ace with 85 strikeouts in 63.2 innings after returning from an arm injury. As for the rest of the rotation, it hasn’t been pretty. Veterans Chris Flexen, Mike Clevinger, and Michael Soroka are off to rough starts, while Nick Nastrini has failed to establish himself in his rookie season.
29 of 3029. Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
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Colorado faced a tall task entering the year as German Marquez and Antonio Senzatela recover from elbow surgery. Kyle Freeland and Austin Gomber have been added to the list. Fortunately, offseason acquisition Cal Quantrill has been a nice find with a 3.53 ERA through 11 starts, while Ryan Feltner also shows potential. Dakota Hudson has continued to throw the ball and pray as he relies on groundballs, and Ty Blach isn’t missing bats.
30 of 3030. Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
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Oakland’s rotation is a M.A.S.H. unit with four of their Opening Day starting five on the IL come Memorial Day. Paul Blackburn was the only pitcher of that group that was consistent, but Ross Stripling and Alex Wood were eating innings. JP Sears is the only man left standing, fitting for a lefty who has become the team’s ace with a sub-4.00 ERA through 11 starts. The A’s are trying to string together innings with other organization pieces like Mitch Spence, Aaron Brooks, and Joey Estes, but the situation is dire.
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