Ranking the Top 25 Starting Pitchers of 2023 MLB Season
It's time to put a bow on the 2023 MLB season with Bleacher Report's final positional rankings.
Throughout the year, we released monthly updates to our position-by-position player rankings, selecting the top 10 players at each spot. Now it's time to finalize those rankings while expanding the list to the 25 best at each position.
Just like the regular-season rankings, past production and future expectations played no part in deciding the order—this is simply a rundown of the best and brightest of 2023.
To qualify for inclusion, a pitcher had to pitch at least 100 innings, and he had to have made more starts than relief appearances. That notably excluded Joe Musgrove (97.1 IP), Eury Pérez (91.1 IP), Gavin Williams (82.0 IP), Tarik Skubal (80.1 IP), Max Fried (77.2 IP) and Brandon Woodruff (67.0 IP).
Now let's dive into the top 25 starting pitchers of the 2023 season.
Catch up on the Top 25 in 2023 series: Catchers, First basemen, Second basemen, Shortstops, Third basemen, Outfielders
Honorable Mentions: Next 25
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Since there are far more starting pitchers than any other position in this rankings series, it made sense to add an honorable mention list of 25 guys to our Top 25 list. These players just missed the cut, listed alphabetically:
Andrew Abbott, CIN
Sandy Alcantara, MIA
Chris Bassitt, TOR
Brayan Bello, BOS
José Berríos, TOR
Aaron Civale, CLE/TB
Mike Clevinger, CWS
Kutter Crawford, BOS
Dane Dunning, TEX
Bryce Elder, ATL
Braxton Garrett, MIA
Logan Gilbert, SEA
Tyler Glasnow, TB
Mitch Keller, PIT
Seth Lugo, SD
Shane McClanahan, TB
Bobby Miller, LAD
Charlie Morton, ATL
Aaron Nola, PHI
Bailey Ober, MIN
Freddy Peralta, MIL
Eduardo Rodriguez, DET
Max Scherzer, NYM/TEX
Michael Wacha, SD
Taijuan Walker, PHI
Nos. 25-21
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25. Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
Stats: 24 GS, 13-5, 2.46 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 40 BB, 137 K, 131.2 IP, 3.7 WAR
At 35 years old, Kershaw is not the same workhorse ace he was in his prime. He only completed six full innings in 12 of his 24 starts, and his 131.2 frames were the lowest total of anyone who cracked the top 25. Still, when the future Hall of Famer was on the mound, he continued to pitch at an elite level.
24. Nathan Eovaldi, Texas Rangers
Stats: 25 GS, 12-5, 3.63 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 47 BB, 132 K, 144.0 IP, 3.1 WAR
An All-Star for the second time in three years, Eovaldi was one of the best signings of the offseason playing on a two-year, $34 million deal. The 33-year-old cemented his place on this list by going 5-0 with a 2.95 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 41 strikeouts in 36.2 innings over six postseason starts.
23. Jesús Luzardo, Miami Marlins
Stats: 32 GS, 10-10, 3.58 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 55 BB, 208 K, 178.2 IP, 4.1 WAR
Luzardo turned a corner last season with a 3.32 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 100.1 innings in his first full season with the Marlins, and with Sandy Alcantara taking a step backward, he was the best pitcher on the Miami staff in 2023. The 26-year-old trailed only Blake Snell (234) for most strikeouts among left-handed pitchers.
22. Tanner Bibee, Cleveland Guardians
Stats: 25 GS, 10-4, 2.98 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 45 BB, 141 K, 142.0 IP, 3.6 WAR
Bibee finished runner-up to Gunnar Henderson in AL Rookie of the Year voting on the strength of a brilliant second half of the season. The 24-year-old allowed three or fewer earned runs in each of his final 16 starts, going 8-2 with a 2.50 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 96 strikeouts in 93.2 innings during that span.
21. Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels
Stats: 23 GS, 10-5, 3.14 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 55 BB, 167 K, 132.0 IP, 4.0 WAR
Ohtani threw his final pitch of the season on Aug. 23 when he suffered a season-ending torn UCL in his right elbow. While he avoided Tommy John surgery, he did undergo a procedure that will keep him off the mound in 2024. That time missed knocks him down the rankings several spots, but he was a bona fide ace once again when healthy.
Nos. 20-16
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20. Pablo López, Minnesota Twins
Stats: 32 GS, 11-8, 3.66 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 48 BB, 234 K, 194.0 IP, 3.3 WAR
López ranked second in the AL with 234 strikeouts during his first season with the Minnesota Twins, earning his first All-Star selection and finishing seventh in AL Cy Young balloting. The 27-year-old was acquired during the offseason in a one-for-one deal that sent Luis Arraez the other way, and he inked a four-year, $73.5 million extension in April.
19. Framber Valdez, Houston Astros
Stats: 31 GS, 12-11, 3.45 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 57 BB, 200 K, 198.0 IP, 3.2 WAR
Valdez took over the role of staff ace in Houston after Justin Verlander (briefly) departed in free agency, and for the second year in a row, he tallied at least 20 quality starts. The 30-year-old threw a pair of complete-game shutouts and finished third in the AL in innings pitched en route to a ninth-place finish in AL Cy Young voting.
18. Merrill Kelly, Arizona Diamondbacks
Stats: 30 GS, 12-8, 3.29 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 69 BB, 187 K, 177.2 IP, 3.8 WAR
One of the most underrated pitchers in baseball, Kelly went 13-8 with a 3.37 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 177 strikeouts in 200.1 innings during an under-the-radar breakout season in 2022. The 35-year-old proved that step forward was for real with more of the same this year, and he capped off his 2023 season with a gem (7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 9 K) in Game 2 of the World Series.
17. Justin Verlander, New York Mets/Houston Astros
Stats: 27 GS, 13-8, 3.22 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 45 BB, 144 K, 162.1 IP, 3.5 WAR
Verlander started the 2023 season on the injured list after signing a two-year, $86.7 million deal with the New York Mets during the offseason, but he quickly rounded into form once he returned to action. The 40-year-old had a 3.31 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 68 innings over 11 starts after he was traded back to the Houston Astros at the deadline.
16. Spencer Strider, Atlanta Braves
Stats: 32 GS, 20-5, 3.86 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 58 BB, 281 K, 186.2 IP, 3.4 WAR
The MLB leader in wins (20) and strikeouts (281), Strider was virtually unhittable once again when everything was clicking, tallying 11 starts with double-digit strikeouts. The 25-year-old didn't always have his elite stuff, allowing four or more earned runs in 10 of his 32 starts en route to the highest ERA of any pitcher in the top 25, making him one of the tougher players to slot in these rankings.
Nos. 15-11
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15. Zach Eflin, Tampa Bay Rays
Stats: 31 GS, 16-8, 3.50 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 24 BB, 186 K, 177.2 IP, 3.5 WAR
The three-year, $40 million deal that Eflin inked last offseason represented a rare free-agency splurge for the Tampa Bay Rays, but it proved to be one of the best signings of the offseason. The longtime Philadelphia Phillies starter had the best season of his career, and his 186-to-24 strikeout-to-walk ratio helped him post a 1.02 WHIP that ranked second in the majors.
14. Luis Castillo, Seattle Mariners
Stats: 33 GS, 14-9, 3.34 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 56 BB, 219 K, 197.0 IP, 3.3 WAR
Castillo received Cy Young votes for the first time in his career in 2023, finishing fifth in the AL balloting in his first full season atop the Seattle Mariners young rotation. The 30-year-old has made at least 30 starts four times in the past six seasons, and the five-year, $108 million extension he signed with the Mariners last September already looks like a bargain relative to his market value.
13. Corbin Burnes, Milwaukee Brewers
Stats: 32 GS, 10-8, 3.39 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 66 BB, 200 K, 193.2 IP, 3.5 WAR
Has Burnes thrown his last pitch in a Brewers uniform? The 2021 NL Cy Young winner is arbitration-eligible for the final time in 2024 before reaching free agency, and between last year's unpleasantness at his arbitration hearing and the Brewers' general unwillingness to spend money, it's hard to see him sticking around long-term.
12. Jordan Montgomery, St. Louis Cardinals/Texas Rangers
Stats: 32 GS, 10-11, 3.20 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 48 BB, 166 K, 188.2 IP, 4.1 WAR
Montgomery proved to be one of the most impactful pickups of this year's trade deadline, posting a 2.79 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 67.2 innings down the stretch after he was traded to the Texas Rangers before logging a 2.90 ERA in 31 innings in the playoffs. The 30-year-old is hitting free agency at the perfect time, as his stock has never been higher.
11. George Kirby, Seattle Mariners
Stats: 31 GS, 13-10, 3.35 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 19 BB, 172 K, 190.2 IP, 3.9 WAR
Kirby finished with a 3.39 ERA and 133 strikeouts in 130 innings as a rookie in 2022, and he took another step forward in his second season with an elite 9.05 strikeout-to-walk ratio that led all qualified starters. The 25-year-old threw his curveball less and his slider more as he continues to refine his repertoire.
10. Kevin Gausman, Toronto Blue Jays
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Stats: 31 GS, 12-9, 3.16 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 55 BB, 237 K, 185.0 IP, 3.4 WAR
Kevin Gausman once again had one of baseball's elite pitches, befuddling hitters with a splitter that generated a 43.2 percent whiff rate and limited opposing hitters to a .201 average and .307 slugging percentage.
The 32-year-old has gone 38-25 with a 3.10 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and 669 strikeouts in 551.2 innings over the past three seasons since turning a corner during the shortened 2020 campaign.
9. Justin Steele, Chicago Cubs
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Stats: 30 GS, 16-5, 3.06 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 36 BB, 176 K, 173.1 IP, 3.8 WAR
Left-hander Justin Steele put together an under-the-radar season in 2022 when he finished with a 3.18 ERA and 126 strikeouts in 119 innings, though that performance did not make his breakout 2023 campaign any less surprising.
A fifth-round pick in 2014 who never ranked higher than the No. 9 prospect in the Chicago Cubs system, he now looks like a long-term staple in the North Siders rotation with club control through the 2027 season and a 3.02 FIP that speaks to the sustainability of his numbers.
8. Kodai Senga, New York Mets
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Stats: 29 GS, 12-7, 2.98 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 77 BB, 202 K, 166.1 IP, 4.5 WAR
After 11 seasons in the Japanese League, Kodai Senga made the jump stateside last offseason when he signed a five-year, $75 million deal with the New York Mets. That ended up being the best move of a busy offseason for the Mets.
The 30-year-old dealt with some ups and downs early in the season but settled in nicely during the second half, posting a 2.44 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 101 strikeouts in 84.2 innings over his final 14 starts. With Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer traded at the deadline, he is now the ace of the staff for the Mets.
7. Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia Phillies
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Stats: 32 GS, 13-6, 3.61 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 39 BB, 212 K, 192.0 IP, 4.3 WAR
Zack Wheeler recorded 25 quality starts in 36 total starts including the postseason, and while his 3.61 ERA was a tick higher than we've seen in recent years, his peripheral numbers were right in line with what he has produced throughout his time with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Four seasons into his five-year, $118 million contract, he has posted a 3.06 ERA and 675 strikeouts in 629.1 innings, and his 19.6 WAR leads all pitchers during that four-year stretch. The 33-year-old also had a 1.95 ERA in 27.2 innings in the playoffs to help the Phillies reach the NLCS.
6. Zac Gallen, Arizona Diamondbacks
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Stats: 34 GS, 17-9, 3.47 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 47 BB, 220 K, 210.0 IP, 4.3 WAR
With a 3.21 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 729 strikeouts in 667.1 innings over five seasons in the big leagues, Zac Gallen has steadily developed into one of baseball's top starting pitchers since joining the Arizona Diamondbacks at the 2019 trade deadline.
The 28-year-old set career highs in starts (34), wins (17), strikeouts (220) and innings pitched (210), and he finished third in NL Cy Young balloting behind Blake Snell and Logan Webb. He has two more years of club control remaining and could be an extension candidate this offseason.
5. Kyle Bradish, Baltimore Orioles
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Stats: 30 GS, 12-7, 2.83 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 44 BB, 168 K, 168.2 IP, 4.9 WAR
After posting a 4.90 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in 117.2 innings as a rookie, Kyle Bradish was far and away baseball's most surprising standout on the mound in 2023 with a breakout season that earned him a fourth-place finish in AL Cy Young voting.
The 27-year-old saw an uptick in velocity (86.9 to 88.1 mph) and spin rate (2,483 to 2,650 rpm) from his slider, and he leaned more heavily on that pitch while also throwing his fastball less and his sinker more. The reworked repertoire helped him take a huge step forward and gave the upstart Orioles the ace they were lacking.
4. Sonny Gray, Minnesota Twins
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Stats: 32 GS, 8-8, 2.79 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 55 BB, 183 K, 184.0 IP, 5.3 WAR
Sonny Gray picked the perfect time for one of the best seasons of his career, as he parlayed his terrific 2023 contract year into a three-year, $75 million deal with the St. Louis Cardinals even though he just turned 34 years old earlier this month.
An All-Star for the third time in his career and for his third different team, Gray finished runner-up to Gerrit Cole in AL Cy Young balloting while ranking among the AL leaders in ERA (2.79, second), WHIP (1.15, eighth) and pitcher's WAR (5.3, second).
3. Logan Webb, San Francisco Giants
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Stats: 33 GS, 11-13, 3.25 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 31 BB, 194 K, 216.0 IP, 5.5 WAR
Right-hander Logan Webb led the majors with 216 innings pitched, and he was more than just a workhorse, providing frontline production across the board on his way to a runner-up finish in NL Cy Young balloting.
The 27-year-old led all qualified starters with a 62.1 percent ground-ball rate, pitching with a sinker-slider-changeup approach that made him extremely difficult to square up. His 46 percent hard-hit rate was actually among the worst in baseball, but he does such a good job keeping the ball on the ground that it was a non-factor.
2. Blake Snell, San Diego Padres
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Stats: 32 GS, 14-9, 2.25 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 99 BB, 234 K, 180.0 IP, 6.0 WAR
Blake Snell had one of the more confounding Cy Young seasons in MLB history, posting dominant numbers across the board aside from his MLB-leading 99 walks, taking being effectively wild to new heights.
The 30-year-old became the seventh pitcher in MLB history to win a Cy Young Award in both leagues, and after a shaky start to the year, he went 13-3 with a 1.18 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 180 strikeouts in 130 innings over his final 22 starts while limiting opposing hitters to a .154 average.
1. Gerrit Cole, New York Yankees
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Stats: 33 GS, 15-4, 2.63 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 48 BB, 222 K, 209.0 IP, 7.4 WAR
With runner-up finishes in 2019 and 2021, along with three other top-five finishes along the way, Gerrit Cole was arguably the best active pitcher in baseball to never win a Cy Young Award before finally taking home the hardware this year.
The 33-year-old led the AL in ERA (2.63), WHIP (0.98), innings pitched (209) and pitcher's WAR (7.4). In a season where very little went right for the New York Yankees, he played his role as staff ace brilliantly.
