MLB Midseason Position Power Rankings: B/R's Top 30 Starting Pitchers
It's been an interesting year for starting pitching.
While guys like Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer, Chris Sale and Corey Kluber remain the gold standard, there have been a number of out-of-nowhere performances as well.
Jason Vargas and Ervin Santana have found the fountain of youth, Alex Wood and Luis Severino went from relievers a year ago to studs, and the unheralded duo of Jimmy Nelson and Chase Anderson have helped make the Milwaukee Brewers a contender.
All of that has left this updated version of the league's top 30 starting pitchers looking considerably different from our preseason version, which can be found here.
The goal here was to identify the 30 best starting pitchers for the 2017 season alone.
Is someone like Madison Bumgarner a better bet to produce going forward than Zack Godley?
Probably, but that's not what this is about—it's about ranking players based solely on their performance so far this year.
Previous top 30 series entries: Catchers, First Basemen, Second Basemen, Shortstops, Third Basemen, Outfielders
30. Zack Godley, Arizona Diamondbacks
1 of 30
2017 Standard: 12 GS, 3-4, 3.09 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 74 K, 75.2 IP
2017 Advanced: 152 ERA+, 3.24 FIP, 3.59 SIERA, .199 BAA
WAR: 2.5
Player Summary
The Arizona Diamondbacks acquired Zack Godley in the deal that sent two-time All-Star catcher Miguel Montero to the Chicago Cubs prior to the 2015 season.
After posting a 6.39 ERA and 1.49 WHIP in 74.2 innings of work last year, he spent the first month this season in the minors before replacing an injured Shelby Miller and hasn't looked back from there.
Godley is one of just six pitchers this season with at least 75 innings of work, a WHIP under 1.00 and an opponents' batting average under .200, joining Max Scherzer, Clayton Kershaw, Chris Sale, Alex Wood and Dallas Keuchel.
Honorable Mentions: Jose Berrios (MIN), Mike Clevinger (CLE), Danny Duffy (KC), Mike Foltynewicz (ATL), Jordan Montgomery (NYY), Aaron Nola (PHI), Drew Pomeranz (BOS), Jose Quintana (CHC), Jameson Taillon (PIT), Taijuan Walker (ARI)
29. Sean Manaea, Oakland Athletics
2 of 30
2017 Standard: 17 GS, 8-5, 3.68 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 101 K, 100.1 IP
2017 Advanced: 114 ERA+, 3.45 FIP, 4.08 SIERA, .227 BAA
WAR: 2.5
Player Summary
The Oakland Athletics landed Sean Manaea in the 2015 deadline deal that sent Ben Zobrist to the eventual World Series champion Kansas City Royals.
The big 6'5" left-hander turned in a strong rookie season last year, going 7-9 with a 3.86 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with 124 strikeouts in 144.2 innings, and he's continued to build on those numbers with a strong follow-up performance this year.
There's a good chance Sonny Gray is moved ahead of the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline and that would leave the 25-year-old Manaea to step into the role of staff ace for the rebuilding Oakland Athletics.
28. Mike Leake, St. Louis Cardinals
3 of 30
2017 Standard: 18 GS, 6-7, 3.14 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 77 K, 114.2 IP
2017 Advanced: 136 ERA+, 3.99 FIP, 4.22 SIERA, .255 BAA
WAR: 2.3
Player Summary
Since 1995, there have been just two players who have jumped directly from being selected in the MLB draft to playing in the majors: Xavier Nady (2000) and Mike Leake (2010).
The 29-year-old went 9-12 with a 4.69 ERA and 1.32 WHIP in 176.2 innings last season on the heels of signing a five-year, $80 million deal with the St. Louis Cardinals.
He's living up to that lofty salary this season, albeit with less than dominant peripheral numbers.
Since stringing together nine straight quality starts to open the season, he's gone 1-5 with a 4.56 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in his last nine starts, so his stock is trending in the wrong direction. Still, his fantastic start is enough to earn him a spot in these rankings for the time being.
27. Dan Straily, Miami Marlins
4 of 30
2017 Standard: 19 GS, 7-4, 3.32 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 98 K, 108.1 IP
2017 Advanced: 123 ERA+, 4.16 FIP, 4.22 SIERA, .219 BAA
WAR: 2.0
Player Summary
The Cincinnati Reds struck gold with a waiver claim of Dan Straily prior to last season as he went on to go 14-8 with a 3.76 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over a career-high 191.1 innings of work.
He was flipped to the Miami Marlins for a pair of prospects in the offseason, and after a subpar start to the year, he's been dialed in, going 6-1 with a 2.79 ERA and 1.02 WHIP over his last 13 starts.
The 28-year-old is under team control through the 2020 season and he'll be arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter, so he remains a valuable asset if the Marlins decide to throw in the towel and flip him again at some point.
26. James Paxton, Seattle Mariners
5 of 30
2017 Standard: 15 GS, 8-3, 3.19 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 100 K, 87.1 IP
2017 Advanced: 133 ERA+, 2.66 FIP, 3.67 SIERA, .220 BAA
WAR: 2.1
Player Summary
James Paxton began the 2017 season as well as any pitcher in the game, going 3-0 with a 1.43 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in his first six starts before missing nearly a month with a left forearm strain.
After shaking off some initial rust upon returning, he once again looks sharp with a 2.73 ERA and 0.80 WHIP in his last four starts.
The 28-year-old still has the stuff to develop into a front-line starter with a 96.1 mph average fastball velocity and a terrific curveball that has limited batters to a .133 average and .067 ISO. It's simply a matter of staying healthy.
25. Chris Archer, Tampa Bay Rays
6 of 30
2017 Standard: 20 GS, 7-5, 3.91 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 156 K, 129.0 IP
2017 Advanced: 106 ERA+, 3.12 FIP, 3.56 SIERA, .245 BAA
WAR: 1.3
2017 All-Star
Player Summary
How much value should be placed on elite strikeout numbers and the ability to eat innings?
That's the question that needs to be asked when deciding where to rank Tampa Bay Rays ace Chris Archer, as the rest of his numbers fall squarely into the "good, not great" category.
The 28-year-old has only been slightly above average as far as ERA and WHIP are concerned, but he checks in among the MLB leaders in strikeouts (156, fifth), strikeouts per nine innings (10.9, fifth) and innings pitched (129, fourth).
For the sake of these rankings, that's enough to earn him the No. 25 spot.
24. Kyle Freeland, Colorado Rockies
7 of 30
2017 Standard: 18 GS, 9-7, 3.67 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 69 K, 110.1 IP
2017 Advanced: 136 ERA+, 4.66 FIP, 4.94 SIERA, .263 BAA
WAR: 3.2
Player Summary
Improved starting pitching has been the biggest difference this season for a contending Colorado Rockies team, and the best of the bunch has been rookie left-hander Kyle Freeland.
The No. 8 overall pick in the 2014 draft and the team's No. 8 prospect to start the year, per Baseball America, Freeland broke camp with the No. 5 starter's job on a staff that included two other rookies.
The 24-year-old Freeland took a no-hitter into the ninth inning in his final start of the first half, and while his 3.67 ERA might not look like anything special on the surface, his park-adjusted 136 ERA+ is good for 12th among qualified starters.
23. Jacob DeGrom, New York Mets
8 of 30
2017 Standard: 18 GS, 10-3, 3.48 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 141 K, 119.0 IP
2017 Advanced: 122 ERA+, 3.74 FIP, 3.50 SIERA, .227 BAA
WAR: 2.8
Player Summary
The New York Mets have already trotted out 11 different starting pitchers this season and that group has combined for a 4.94 ERA (25th in MLB) and 38 quality starts (21st in MLB).
The lone standout on the staff has been Jacob deGrom, as he has developed into a true front-line starter since his surprise run to NL Rookie of the Year honors in 2014.
Over 94 career starts, he's gone 40-25 with a 2.89 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 9.5 K/9. With team control through the 2020 season, it will be interesting to see if the Mets entertain offers for him at the trade deadline, as he could potentially bring back a game-changing haul of prospect talent.
22. Lance McCullers Jr., Houston Astros
9 of 30
2017 Standard: 17 GS, 7-2, 3.28 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 111 K, 96.0 IP
2017 Advanced: 121 ERA+, 2.76 FIP, 3.13 SIERA, .229 BAA
WAR: 1.6
2017 All-Star
Player Summary
Health remains the determining factor in whether Lance McCullers Jr. can deliver on his potential as a front-line starter for the Houston Astros.
The 23-year-old had shown plenty of flashes entering the season as he boasted a 3.22 ERA and 10.2 K/9 in 206.2 career innings, but he was coming off an injury-plagued season when arm issues limited him to just 14 starts.
While he did make a brief trip to the disabled list with a sore lower back earlier this season, he's healthy now and he's been a clear X-factor for the first-place Astros—especially with ace Dallas Keuchel missing time.
21. Chase Anderson, Milwaukee Brewers
10 of 30
2017 Standard: 16 GS, 6-2, 2.89 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 85 K, 90.1 IP
2017 Advanced: 152 ERA+, 3.44 FIP, 4.14 SIERA, .224 BAA
WAR: 2.3
Player Summary
The Milwaukee Brewers picked up Chase Anderson along with prospect Isan Diaz in the deal that sent Jean Segura to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
While he was a regular part of the rotation last season and a useful innings-eater in going 9-11 with a 4.39 ERA in 151.2 innings of work, there was little indication of a breakout to come.
The 29-year-old has really come into his own this season, though, and he'd rank among the MLB leaders in ERA if not for an oblique injury that has him sidelined and leaves him just short of qualifying.
20. Ivan Nova, Pittsburgh Pirates
11 of 30
2017 Standard: 18 GS, 9-6, 3.21 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 67 K, 120.2 IP
2017 Advanced: 134 ERA+, 4.11 FIP, 4.51 SIERA, .254 BAA
WAR: 3.3
Player Summary
The Pittsburgh Pirates acquired Ivan Nova in an under-the-radar deadline deal last year, and he went 5-2 with a 3.06 ERA and a brilliant 52-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 11 starts following the trade.
That was enough for the team to bring him back on a three-year, $26 million deal that looks like one of the best signings of the offseason.
The 30-year-old has continued to show dominant command this season with just 15 walks in 120.2 innings, which has gone a long way toward offsetting a career-low 5.0 K/9. He's not an ace, but he's an awfully good middle-of-the-rotation arm capable of chewing through innings.
19. Carlos Martinez, St. Louis Cardinals
12 of 30
2017 Standard: 19 GS, 6-8, 3.36 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 133 K, 123.1 IP
2017 Advanced: 127 ERA+, 3.78 FIP, 3.87 SIERA, .212 BAA
WAR: 2.5
2017 All-Star
Player Summary
There's little question that Carlos Martinez is now the ace of the St. Louis Cardinals staff.
The 25-year-old is on pace for career bests in WHIP (1.14), H/9 (6.9) and K/9 (9.7) and he threw his first career shutout against the Philadelphia Phillies in June.
In terms of pure stuff, Martinez stacks up to any pitcher in baseball, and there's a good chance he still hasn't reached his ceiling as he continues to refine his overall game and starts to rely less on simply throwing it by opposing hitters.
18. Carlos Carrasco, Cleveland Indians
13 of 30
2017 Standard: 18 GS, 10-4, 3.65 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 124 K, 111.0 IP
2017 Advanced: 128 ERA+, 3.49 FIP, 3.44 SIERA, .228 BAA
WAR: 3.0
Player Summary
As far as "what ifs" are concerned, "what if Carlos Carrasco doesn't get hurt last September" ranks right up there for the Cleveland Indians.
After going 11-8 with a 3.32 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 150 strikeouts in 146.1 innings during the regular season, Carrasco was relegated to the role of spectator with a fractured hand during the team's run to the World Series.
Maybe things go differently if he's filling that No. 2 starter spot in the postseason rotation. At any rate, he's back healthy this season and once again pitching like a second ace alongside Cy Young candidate Corey Kluber.
With three years and $26.5 million left on his contract, he also has as team-friendly a deal as any pitcher in baseball.
17. Jimmy Nelson, Milwaukee Brewers
14 of 30
2017 Standard: 19 GS, 8-4, 3.27 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 127 K, 115.2 IP
2017 Advanced: 134 ERA+, 3.17 FIP, 3.42 SIERA, .256 BAA
WAR: 2.5
Player Summary
Jimmy Nelson wasn't even guaranteed a spot in the Milwaukee Brewers rotation heading into spring training.
Now he's the clear ace of a staff that has surprised more than a few people by ranking seventh in the majors with a 4.08 starters' ERA. After all, it's essentially the same collection of arms that backed the team in an 89-loss season a year ago.
Nelson has always had the stuff to be an impact starter, and the 28-year-old has finally put it all together to rank among the NL leaders in ERA (3.27, eighth), strikeouts (127, ninth) and K/9 (9.9, seventh).
16. Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals
15 of 30
2017 Standard: 19 GS, 10-3, 3.31 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 139 K, 119.2 IP
2017 Advanced: 131 ERA+, 3.10 FIP, 3.47 SIERA, .219 BAA
WAR: 2.8
2017 All-Star
Player Summary
Stephen Strasburg is the first of three pitchers from the Washington Nationals rotation to earn a place on this list, and when he has it going he's as good as anyone on that staff—which is saying something.
The 28-year-old missed time down the stretch last season with flexor strain but avoided Tommy John surgery, and he's shown no lingering effects here in 2017 as he ranks among the NL leaders in WHIP (1.10, sixth) and strikeouts (139, fifth).
After averaging 24 starts and 138 innings the past two seasons, keeping him healthy down the stretch and into the postseason will be paramount if the Nats hope to make a legitimate title run.
15. Yu Darvish, Texas Rangers
16 of 30
2017 Standard: 20 GS, 6-8, 3.45 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 131 K, 125.1 IP
2017 Advanced: 133 ERA+, 3.73 FIP, 3.94 SIERA, .220 BAA
WAR: 3.3
2017 All-Star
Player Summary
Will the Texas Rangers make Yu Darvish available at the deadline?
That's one of the biggest questions as trade season kicks into full swing, and for a team that sits two games under .500, it's a huge decision.
Either way, Darvish is going to cash in as a free agent this coming offseason as his deep arsenal of pitches and clean bill of health following Tommy John surgery in 2015 make him perhaps the most attractive arm on the market.
There's no question he has swing-and-miss stuff as his 11.0 K/9 since he entered the league in 2012 are tops among pitchers who have thrown at least 500 innings during that span.
14. Luis Severino, New York Yankees
17 of 30
2017 Standard: 18 GS, 5-4, 3.40 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 130 K, 113.2 IP
2017 Advanced: 135 ERA+, 3.09 FIP, 3.30 SIERA, .227 BAA
WAR: 3.2
2017 All-Star
Player Summary
Luis Severino looked like an ace in the making when he went 5-3 with a 2.89 ERA in 11 starts as a 21-year-old rookie in 2015.
However, he spent last season bouncing between the rotation, the bullpen and Triple-A as he was plagued by spotty fastball command.
The 23-year-old is now delivering that breakout performance that many predicted, just a year later than expected.
His walks are down (3.2 to 2.3 BB/9), his strikeouts are up (8.4 to 10.3 K/9) and he's pitching deeper into games with 11 quality starts. The Yankees were patient with the young right-hander and that's paying off in a big way.
13. Dallas Keuchel, Houston Astros
18 of 30
2017 Standard: 11 GS, 9-0, 1.67 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 69 K, 75.2 IP
2017 Advanced: 239 ERA+, 3.10 FIP, 3.11 SIERA, .183 BAA
WAR: 3.3
2017 All-Star
Player Summary
As one saying goes: "The best ability is availability."
It's that idea that made Dallas Keuchel by far the hardest player to slot in these rankings.
The 2015 AL Cy Young winner was probably the best pitcher in baseball over the first two months of the season, turning in a quality start in nine of his 11 starts en route to a 9-0 record and a sterling 1.67 ERA.
However, he's been sidelined since June 2 with a nerve issue in his neck, making it difficult to compare him to guys who have worked nearly twice as many innings.
In the end, this felt like a good spot to reward his brilliant start while still taking into account the significant time he's missed.
12. Michael Fulmer, Detroit Tigers
19 of 30
2017 Standard: 18 GS, 10-6, 3.06 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 87 K, 123.2 IP
2017 Advanced: 143 ERA+, 3.22 FIP, 4.30 SIERA, .229 BAA
WAR: 3.3
2017 All-Star
Player Summary
Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila stopped short of calling Michael Fulmer untouchable in trade talks while speaking to reporters recently:
"Fulmer's been a guy who has attracted a lot of attention. It's muddied the waters a little bit. Now there is speculation that we have him out there and we don't. But you can't stop a team from calling and inquiring. We're not going to be so naive to where we say we're not even going to listen. I've learned many, many years ago, if you can get two Michael Fulmer's [sic] for one, it's a pretty good trade.
But the probability of that kind of trade happening is probably zero. It's all speculation at this point. Obviously, you can never say never, but at the same time, it's not probable at this point."
The 2016 AL Rookie of the Year has picked up right where he left off last season, and if the Tigers were to move him, it would go a long way toward restocking a thin farm system and kicking a full-scale rebuild into gear.
11. Jason Vargas, Kansas City Royals
20 of 30
2017 Standard: 18 GS, 12-4, 3.06 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 82 K, 109.0 IP
2017 Advanced: 147 ERA+, 4.04 FIP, 4.68 SIERA, .252 BAA
WAR: 3.4
2017 All-Star
Player Summary
Jason Vargas can probably clear a space on his mantle for the AL Comeback Player of the Year Award.
After making just 12 starts the past two seasons while working his way back from Tommy John surgery, the soft-tossing lefty is enjoying the best season of his career.
His peripheral numbers scream "unsustainable," and he's been hit hard his last two times out, but he's still been one of the better stories of the season to this point and these rankings are based on what he's done, not what he might do going forward.
With free agency looming, a strong finish could mean another multiyear deal.
10. Marcus Stroman, Toronto Blue Jays
21 of 30
2017 Standard: 19 GS, 9-5, 3.10 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 98 K, 119.0 IP
2017 Advanced: 146 ERA+, 3.82 FIP, 3.72 SIERA, .264 BAA
WAR: 4.2
Player Summary
Marcus Stroman was one of the bigger All-Star snubs this season; just ask Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Steven Souza Jr.
The 26-year-old has overcome a torn ACL and questions about whether his undersized frame could handle a 200-inning workload to emerge as one of the game's best young arms and the ace of the Toronto Blue Jays staff.
While 2016 was disappointing on the surface as he went 9-10 with a 4.37 ERA in what many expected to be a breakout season, his peripheral numbers painted a more positive picture and now he's seeing the results this season.
9. Ervin Santana, Minnesota Twins
22 of 30
2017 Standard: 19 GS, 11-6, 2.99 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 94 K, 126.1 IP
2017 Advanced: 149 ERA+, 4.77 FIP, 4.86 SIERA, .207 BAA
WAR: 3.6
2017 All-Star
Player Summary
While a 4.77 FIP doesn't inspire a ton of confidence that Ervin Santana can maintain his sub-3.00 ERA going forward, that takes nothing away from what he's done to this point.
The 34-year-old has tossed four complete games and three shutouts as he ranks among the AL leaders in ERA (2.99, third), WHIP (1.11, sixth) and opponents' batting average (.207, third).
With a reasonable $13.5 million salary next season and a $14 million team option for 2019 that provides some flexibility, he's an attractive trade chip if the Minnesota Twins decided to move him. Otherwise, he's a valuable veteran leader on a young team that's still building for the future.
8. Robbie Ray, Arizona Diamondbacks
23 of 30
2017 Standard: 17 GS, 8-4, 2.97 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 141 K, 106.0 IP
2017 Advanced: 158 ERA+, 3.75 FIP, 3.72 SIERA, .203 BAA
WAR: 3.6
2017 All-Star
Player Summary
Robbie Ray was a popular pick for a breakout season after he finished fourth in the NL with 218 strikeouts, albeit accompanied by a 4.90 ERA and 1.47 WHIP.
And the 25-year-old has done just that.
The key to his success has been a newfound confidence in his curveball—a pitch he threw just 5.5 percent of the time last year.
That usage rate is up to 19.5 percent this season, and he's holding opposing hitters to a .188 average and minuscule .016 ISO while tallying 64 of his 141 strikeouts with the pitch.
With that, he's joined veteran Zack Greinke to form one of the better one-two punches in the game.
7. Gio Gonzalez, Washington Nationals
24 of 30
2017 Standard: 19 GS, 8-4, 2.66 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 116 K, 121.2 IP
2017 Advanced: 163 ERA+, 4.06 FIP, 4.41 SIERA, .215 BAA
WAR: 4.3
Player Summary
Gio Gonzalez is probably a Game 3 starter this October as long as the Washington Nationals can avoid injury, but there's no ignoring his numbers.
His 2.66 ERA is good for fourth in the majors, and he also ranks among the NL leaders in innings pitched (121.2, fifth), opponents' batting average (.215, fifth), WHIP (1.19, 11th) and strikeouts (116, 10th).
The 31-year-old has had his ups and downs, but it's hard to argue with his overall body of work as he's gone 110-81 with a 3.65 ERA over the course of his 10-year career.
6. Zack Greinke, Arizona Diamondbacks
25 of 30
2017 Standard: 18 GS, 11-4, 2.86 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 131 K, 116.1 IP
2017 Advanced: 164 ERA+, 3.15 FIP, 3.21 SIERA, .216 BAA
WAR: 3.7
2017 All-Star
Player Summary
It's fair to say Zack Greinke didn't quite live up to the expectations that came with signing a six-year, $206.5 million deal in his first season with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
After leading the NL in ERA (1.66) during his final season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he went 13-7 with a 4.37 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in his first go-around in the desert.
However, the 33-year-old has returned to front-line form to earn his fourth All-Star nod and help turn what was a 69-win team a year ago into a legitimate contender this season.
5. Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians
26 of 30
2017 Standard: 15 GS, 7-3, 2.86 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 135 K, 100.2 IP
2017 Advanced: 163 ERA+, 2.49 FIP, 2.75 SIERA, .201 BAA
WAR: 3.7
2017 All-Star
Player Summary
A few red flags started to wave when Corey Kluber followed up a rocky spring training with a 6.38 ERA over his first three starts.
Was he showing signs of fatigue after tacking on an extra 34.1 postseason innings to the 215 he tossed during the regular season?
Then in his fourth start, he threw a three-hit shutout against the Chicago White Sox and since then it's been business as usual for the Cleveland Indians ace.
If you erase those three early outings, he's gone 6-2 with a 2.08 ERA, 0.86 WHIP and 117 strikeouts in 82.1 innings in 12 starts.
4. Alex Wood, Los Angeles Dodgers
27 of 30
2017 Standard: 14 GS, 11-0, 1.56 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 101 K, 86.2 IP
2017 Advanced: 268 ERA+, 2.04 FIP, 2.83 SIERA, .173 BAA
WAR: 3.3
2017 All-Star
Player Summary
Clayton Kershaw. Rich Hill. Julio Urias.
If you had told me going into the season that a Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander would become the first pitcher in franchise history to start the season 11-0, those names all probably would have come out of my mouth before Alex Wood.
The 26-year-old started the season in the bullpen, despite a better-than-you-might-have-guessed 3.35 ERA over 499.1 innings of work in his first four seasons in the majors.
Injuries gave him a chance to start soon after the season began, and the rest is history as he's been one of the breakout stars of 2017.
3. Chris Sale, Boston Red Sox
28 of 30
2017 Standard: 19 GS, 11-4, 2.59 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 191 K, 135.1 IP
2017 Advanced: 175 ERA+, 1.99 FIP, 2.49 SIERA, .196 BAA
WAR: 4.3
2017 All-Star
Player Summary
The Boston Red Sox gave up a boatload to acquire Chris Sale from the Chicago White Sox during the offseason—shipping out a package of prospects that included phenom Yoan Moncada and flame-throwing Michael Kopech.
And they'd do it all over again without thinking twice if given the chance.
If the season ended today, Sale would be the AL Cy Young winner and he's carried the Boston Red Sox staff with David Price slowly rounding into form after missing significant time early and 2016 Cy Young winner Rick Porcello taking several steps back.
The 28-year-old leads the majors with 191 strikeouts and he's tallied double-digit punchouts in 13 of his 19 starts to go along with terrific numbers across the board.
2. Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
29 of 30
2017 Standard: 19 GS, 14-2, 2.18 ERA, 0.88 WHIP, 159 K, 132.1 IP
2017 Advanced: 192 ERA+, 3.00 FIP, 2.88 SIERA, .195 BAA
WAR: 3.8
2017 All-Star
Player Summary
Let the Clayton Kershaw vs. Max Scherzer debate begin.
If we're basing this on career body of work and which pitcher you'd pick right now to build a franchise around, Kershaw is probably the clear-cut answer.
However, based solely on 2017 performance, the nod goes to Scherzer.
Kershaw still ranks second in the majors in ERA (2.18), WHIP (0.88), opponents' batting average (.195) and innings pitched (132.1).
The guy who's first in all those categories just happens to be ranked ahead of him.
1. Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals
30 of 30
2017 Standard: 19 GS, 11-5, 2.01 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 183 K, 134.1 IP
2017 Advanced: 216 ERA+, 2.56 FIP, 2.71 SIERA, .162 BAA
WAR: 5.3
2017 All-Star
Player Summary
Simply put, Max Scherzer has been completely dominant this season, and the best way to illustrate that is with a look at the best single-season marks in MLB history in WHIP and opponents' batting average:
WHIP
- Pedro Martinez, 2000 (0.737)
- Guy Hecker, 1882 (0.769)
- Walter Johnson, 1913 (0.780)
- Max Scherzer, 2017 (0.797)
- Tim Keefe, 1880 (0.800)
BAA
- Max Scherzer, 2017 (.162)
- Pedro Martinez, 2000 (.167)
- Luis Tiant, 1968 (.168)
- Nolan Ryan, 1972 (.171)
- Nolan Ryan, 1991 (.172)
There's good and then there's historically good, which makes him the clear choice right now for the No. 1 spot.
Standard stats and WAR totals courtesy of Baseball Reference. Advanced stats courtesy of FanGraphs and Brooks Baseball. Contract information via Spotrac.
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