Every MLB Franchise's Greatest Starting Pitchers of the Last 25 Years
Welcome to Bleacher Report's series highlighting the best and brightest for every MLB franchise at each position over the last 25 years!
Up next, the starting pitchers.
While there are a handful of no-brainer selections, such as Clayton Kershaw for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Félix Hernández for the Seattle Mariners, most of the picks required at least some level of debate.
Since we're focusing on the last 25 years, only statistics compiled since the start of the 2000 season were eligible for consideration. That meant someone like Hall of Famer Greg Maddux, who was still active during the 2000s but well past his prime, does not get credit for his entire career—only what he did from 2000 forward.
Overall body of work, peak performance, individual accolades, and postseason success were all factors in determining each team's five best starting pitchers. In a tight race, peak production was valued over a larger, less impressive body of work.
Catch up on the Greatest of the Last 25 Years series: Catchers, First Basemen, Second Basemen, Shortstop, Third Basemen, Outfielders
Arizona Diamondbacks
1 of 30
Randy Johnson (43.5 WAR, 3.2 per 100 IP)
Stats: 101-53, 2.90 ERA (160 ERA+), 1.08 WHIP, 1,713 K, 1,358.2 IP
Brandon Webb (33.0 WAR, 2.5 per 100 IP)
Stats: 87-62, 3.27 ERA (142 ERA+), 1.24 WHIP, 1,065 K, 1,319.2 IP
Curt Schilling (25.9 WAR, 3.3 per 100 IP)
Stats: 58-28, 3.14 ERA (148 ERA+), 1.04 WHIP, 875 K, 781.2 IP
Zack Greinke (16.5 WAR, 2.3 per 100 IP)
Stats: 55-29, 3.40 ERA (131 ERA+), 1.09 WHIP, 683 K, 714.2 IP
Zac Gallen (18.2 WAR, 2.3 per 100 IP)
Stats: 52-34, 3.32 ERA (128 ERA+), 1.13 WHIP, 842 K, 779.0 IP
Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling were easy picks as the co-aces of the 2001 World Series title team, while Brandon Webb had an elite peak, winning 2006 NL Cy Young and finishing runner-up in 2007 and 2008. Zack Greinke also did more than enough in his four seasons with the club, leaving current ace Zac Gallen as the final pick over Dan Haren and a trio of productive middle-of-the-rotation arms.
Honorable Mention: Dan Haren, Merrill Kelly, Patrick Corbin, Robbie Ray
Athletics
2 of 30
Barry Zito (30.6 WAR, 2.1 per 100 IP)
Stats: 102-63, 3.58 ERA (124 ERA+), 1.26 WHIP, 1,098 K, 1,437.1 IP
Tim Hudson (27.1 WAR, 2.5 per 100 IP)
Stats: 81-37, 3.31 ERA (135 ERA+), 1.21 WHIP, 767 K, 1,104.1 IP
Mark Mulder (19.7 WAR, 2.0 per 100 IP)
Stats: 81-42, 3.92 ERA (114 ERA+), 1.28 WHIP, 668 K, 1,003.0 IP
Rich Harden (13.0 WAR, 2.1 per 100 IP)
Stats: 40-23, 3.65 ERA (120 ERA+), 1.27 WHIP, 614 K, 624.1 IP
Sonny Gray (11.3 WAR, 1.6 per 100 IP)
Stats: 44-36, 3.42 ERA (114 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, 607 K, 705.0 IP
The Athletics drafted the "Big Three" of Tim Hudson (sixth round in 1997), Mark Mulder (No. 2 overall pick in 1998) and Barry Zito (No. 9 overall pick in 1999) over three consecutive years, and they anchored one of the best rotations in baseball during their five seasons as teammates. Rich Harden had frontline stuff when healthy and Sonny Gray was another homegrown ace who spent five years in Oakland.
Honorable Mention: Sean Manaea, Dan Haren, Chris Bassitt
Atlanta Braves
3 of 30
Tim Hudson (24.1 WAR, 1.5 per 100 IP)
Stats: 113-72, 3.56 ERA (115 ERA+), 1.24 WHIP, 997 K, 1,573.0 IP
Max Fried (23.1 WAR, 2.6 per 100 IP)
Stats: 73-36, 3.07 ERA (140 ERA+), 1.16 WHIP, 863 K, 884.1 IP
Julio Teherán (20.2 WAR, 1.5 per 100 IP)
Stats: 77-73, 3.67 ERA (110 ERA+), 1.21 WHIP, 1,184 K, 1,360.0 IP
Greg Maddux (17.4 WAR, 1.9 per 100 IP)
Stats: 68-37, 3.16 ERA (139 ERA+), 1.12 WHIP, 605 K, 900.0 IP
Tom Glavine (12.4 WAR, 1.7 per 100 IP)
Stats: 57-31, 3.50 ERA (125 ERA+), 1.32 WHIP, 432 K, 748.1 IP
Tim Hudson (1,573 IP) and Julio Teheran (1,360 IP) are the only pitchers to throw more than 1,000 innings with the Braves over the past 25 years, and both did it with an ERA+ of 110 or higher. Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine were past their respective primes but still did enough to find their way into the rotation, while Max Fried had an elite 140 ERA+ over 884.1 innings. John Smoltz spent more time as a reliever during the 2000s, so he was not eligible for consideration.
Honorable Mention: Spencer Strider, Jair Jurrjens, Charlie Morton, Tommy Hanson
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Baltimore Orioles
4 of 30
Jeremy Guthrie (16.1 WAR, 1.6 per 100 IP)
Stats: 47-65, 4.12 ERA (107 ERA+), 1.27 WHIP, 602 K, 983.1 IP
Érik Bédard (12.8 WAR, 1.9 per 100 IP)
Stats: 40-34, 3.83 ERA (118 ERA+), 1.34 WHIP, 639 K, 658.0 IP
Chris Tillman (8.8 WAR, 0.8 per 100 IP)
Stats: 74-60, 4.57 ERA (91 ERA+), 1.38 WHIP, 847 K, 1,145.0 IP
Kevin Gausman (9.7 WAR, 1.3 per 100 IP)
Stats: 39-51, 4.22 ERA (100 ERA+), 1.35 WHIP, 697 K, 763.2 IP
John Means (10.3 WAR, 2.6 per 100 IP)
Stats: 23-26, 3.68 ERA (123 ERA+), 1.05 WHIP, 334 K, 401.0 IP
The O's claimed Jeremy Guthrie off waivers from Cleveland prior to the 2007 season, and he went on to make three Opening Day starts with the team. Chris Tillman also made three Opening Day starts, while Érik Bédard had swing-and-miss stuff from the left side and was eventually used to acquire Adam Jones from Seattle. Kevin Gausman provided league-average production at a time when that was hard to come by in Baltimore, while John Means was an ace-caliber starter when healthy.
Honorable Mention: Sidney Ponson, Wei-Yin Chen, Rodrigo López
Boston Red Sox
5 of 30
Pedro Martínez (36.8 WAR, 3.9 per 100 IP)
Stats: 75-26, 2.53 ERA (188 ERA+), 0.96 WHIP, 1,119 K, 936.2 IP
Jon Lester (29.9 WAR, 2.0 per 100 IP)
Stats: 110-63, 3.64 ERA (120 ERA+), 1.29 WHIP, 1,386 K, 1,519.1 IP
Josh Beckett (22.3 WAR, 1.8 per 100 IP)
Stats: 89-58, 4.17 ERA (109 ERA+), 1.22 WHIP, 1,108 K, 1,240.0 IP
Tim Wakefield (22.8 WAR, 1.1 per 100 IP)
Stats: 121-113, 4.46 ERA (104 ERA+), 1.31 WHIP, 1,386 K, 2,041.2 IP
Chris Sale (17.1 WAR, 2.5 per 100 IP)
Stats: 46-30, 3.27 ERA (140 ERA+), 1.02 WHIP, 945 K, 670.2 IP
The first four slots on the Boston staff were easy choices, leaving a tough call between Chris Sale and Curt Schilling for the fifth spot. Both were instrumental in a World Series run, but Sale (140 ERA+, 670.2 IP) has a significant edge statistically over Schilling (120 ERA+, 675.0 IP), and that was enough to make him the clear choice to round out the rotation.
Honorable Mention: Curt Schilling, Clay Buchholz, Derek Lowe, David Price, Rick Porcello
Chicago Cubs
6 of 30
Carlos Zambrano (37.7 WAR, 2.1 per 100 IP)
Stats: 125-81, 3.60 ERA (122 ERA+), 1.32 WHIP, 1,542 K, 1,826.2 IP
Kyle Hendricks (22.5 WAR, 1.4 per 100 IP)
Stats: 97-81, 3.68 ERA (113 ERA+), 1.18 WHIP, 1,259 K, 1,580.1 IP
Jon Lester (12.3 WAR, 1.2 per 100 IP)
Stats: 77-44, 3.64 ERA (115 ERA+), 1.25 WHIP, 940 K, 1,002.2 IP
Jake Arrieta (17.9 WAR, 2.0 per 100 IP)
Stats: 73-42, 3.14 ERA (129 ERA+), 1.10 WHIP, 867 K, 889.1 IP
Kerry Wood (21.5 WAR, 1.9 per 100 IP)
Stats: 67-62, 3.71 ERA (116 ERA+), 1.27 WHIP, 1,237 K, 1,112.1 IP
Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks and Jake Arrieta are a big reason why the Cubs finally snapped their World Series drought in 2016, and all three more than earned their place on the staff. "Big Z" was one of the best pitchers of the 2000s and was also an obvious choice, leaving former teammates Kerry Wood and Mark Prior for the fifth spot. Wood spent some time in the closer's role, but he still did enough as a starter to be the pick, even with his dynamic 1998 rookie campaign coming prior to our cut line.
Honorable Mention: Mark Prior, Ted Lilly, Matt Clement, Jon Lieber, Ryan Dempster
Chicago White Sox
7 of 30
Mark Buehrle (48.9 WAR, 2.0 per 100 IP)
Stats: 161-119, 3.83 ERA (120 ERA+), 1.28 WHIP, 1,396 K, 2,476.2 IP
Chris Sale (30.1 WAR, 2.7 per 100 IP)
Stats: 74-50, 3.00 ERA (135 ERA+), 1.07 WHIP, 1,244 K, 1,110.0 IP
José Quintana (21.2 WAR, 2.0 per 100 IP)
Stats: 50-54, 3.51 ERA (115 ERA+), 1.25 WHIP, 890 K, 1,055.1 IP
Jon Garland (18.4 WAR, 1.3 per 100 IP)
Stats: 92-81, 4.41 ERA (106 ERA+), 1.37 WHIP, 761 K, 1,428.2 IP
Lucas Giolito (14.0 WAR, 1.5 per 100 IP)
Stats: 59-52, 4.20 ERA (103 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, 993 K, 929.0 IP
Southpaws Mark Buehrle and Chris Sale both took their turn as the ace of the staff for the South Siders, while José Quintana proved to be an excellent scrapheap pickup after he was cut loose by the Yankees prior to making his MLB debut. The steady production of Jon Garland and a brief run as staff ace for Lucas Giolito earned them the final two spots over a long list of quality options.
Honorable Mention: John Danks, Gavin Floyd, Javier Vázquez, Freddy García, José Contreras, Dylan Cease, Esteban Loaiza
Cincinnati Reds
8 of 30
Johnny Cueto (25.1 WAR, 1.9 per 100 IP)
Stats: 92-63, 3.21 ERA (126 ERA+), 1.17 WHIP, 1,115 K, 1,339.0 IP
Bronson Arroyo (19.1 WAR, 1.1 per 100 IP)
Stats: 108-100, 4.18 ERA (102 ERA+), 1.28 WHIP, 1,157 K, 1,761.1 IP
Aaron Harang (18.2 WAR, 1.4 per 100 IP)
Stats: 75-80, 4.28 ERA (103 ERA+), 1.33 WHIP, 1,125 K, 1,343.0 IP
Luis Castillo (17.8 WAR, 2.2 per 100 IP)
Stats: 44-53, 3.62 ERA (125 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, 860 K, 792.1 IP
Mike Leake (7.9 WAR, 0.8 per 100 IP)
Stats: 62-47, 3.87 ERA (101 ERA+), 1.28 WHIP, 701 K, 1,028.1 IP
Johnny Cueto is far and away the best pitcher the Reds have had in the last 25 years, while Bronson Arroyo and Aaron Harang were a wildly underrated one-two punch at their peak as workhorses. Luis Castillo developed into a frontline starter over his six seasons in Cincinnati before he was traded to Seattle. Mike Leake is one of only 23 players in MLB history to go straight from being drafted to playing in the majors.
Honorable Mention: Sonny Gray, Hunter Greene, Mat Latos, Tyler Mahle
Cleveland Guardians
9 of 30
Corey Kluber (32.5 WAR, 2.4 per 100 IP)
Stats: 98-58, 3.16 ERA (134 ERA+), 1.09 WHIP, 1,461 K, 1,341.2 IP
CC Sabathia (27.5 WAR, 1.8 per 100 IP)
Stats: 106-71, 3.83 ERA (115 ERA+), 1.27 WHIP, 1,265 K, 1,528.2 IP
Cliff Lee (16.1 WAR, 1.4 per 100 IP)
Stats: 83-48, 4.01 ERA (108 ERA+), 1.31 WHIP, 826 K, 1,117.0 IP
Shane Bieber (17.7 WAR, 2.1 per 100 IP)
Stats: 62-32, 3.22 ERA (133 ERA+), 1.12 WHIP, 958 K, 843.0 IP
Carlos Carrasco (20.2 WAR, 1.5 per 100 IP)
Stats: 91-83, 3.91 ERA (109 ERA+), 1.21 WHIP, 1,394 K, 1,346.0 IP
CC Sabathia (2007), Cliff Lee (2008), Corey Kluber (2014, 2017) and Shane Bieber (2020) each won a Cy Young Award during their time in Cleveland, with Kluber taking home the hardware twice during a peak that stacks up to any pitcher of the last 25 years. That made the fifth spot the only real debate, and a 109 ERA+ over 1,346 innings of work was enough for Carlos Carrasco to edge out the rest of the field.
Honorable Mention: Trevor Bauer, Mike Clevinger, Bartolo Colón, Jake Westbrook, Justin Masterson, Danny Salazar
Colorado Rockies
10 of 30
Ubaldo Jiménez (18.9 WAR, 2.2 per 100 IP)
Stats: 56-45, 3.66 ERA (128 ERA+), 1.28 WHIP, 773 K, 851.0 IP
German Marquez (15.9 WAR, 1.6 per 100 IP)
Stats: 65-56, 4.42 ERA (111 ERA+), 1.29 WHIP, 986 K, 1,020.0 IP
Kyle Freeland (17.9 WAR, 1.6 per 100 IP)
Stats: 60-73, 4.48 ERA (108 ERA+), 1.42 WHIP, 820 K, 1,097.2 IP
Aaron Cook (17.1 WAR, 1.3 per 100 IP)
Stats: 72-68, 4.53 ERA (106 ERA+), 1.47 WHIP, 558 K, 1,312.1 IP
Jorge De La Rosa (15.5 WAR, 1.4 per 100 IP)
Stats: 86-61, 4.35 ERA (105 ERA+), 1.38 WHIP, 985 K, 1,141.1 IP
The five pitchers listed above also occupy the top five spots on the Rockies all-time list for pitching WAR. Right-hander Ubaldo Jiménez had the best individual pitching season in franchise history by a landslide in 2010 when he finished 19-8 with a 2.88 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 214 strikeouts in 221.2 innings, racking up 7.5 WAR and finishing third in NL Cy Young voting.
Honorable Mention: Jon Gray, Jhoulys Chacín, Jason Jennings, Jeff Francis
Detroit Tigers
11 of 30
Justin Verlander (56.6 WAR, 2.3 per 100 IP)
Stats: 183-114, 3.49 ERA (123 ERA+), 1.19 WHIP, 2,373 K, 2,511.0 IP
Max Scherzer (21.4 WAR, 2.1 per 100 IP)
Stats: 82-35, 3.52 ERA (117 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, 1,081 K, 1,013.0 IP
Tarik Skubal (11.4 WAR, 2.0 per 100 IP)
Stats: 41-31, 3.37 ERA (123 ERA+), 1.07 WHIP, 648 K, 571.1 IP
Doug Fister (9.9 WAR, 2.2 per 100 IP)
Stats: 32-20, 3.29 ERA (128 ERA+), 1.19 WHIP, 353 K, 440.2 IP
Michael Fulmer (12.2 WAR, 2.1 per 100 IP)
Stats: 32-43, 3.90 ERA (112 ERA+), 1.24 WHIP, 488 K, 592.2 IP
It's hard to believe the Tigers never won a World Series with Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer pitching on the same staff, and both won a Cy Young during their time in Detroit. Tarik Skubal also took home the award during the 2024 season and is the current ace of the staff, while Doug Fister and Michael Fulmer easily outpace the rest of the field for the last two spots on the staff.
Honorable Mention: Rick Porcello, Aníbal Sánchez, Matthew Boyd, Jeff Weaver
Houston Astros
12 of 30
Roy Oswalt (45.7 WAR, 2.4 per 100 IP)
Stats: 143-82, 3.24 ERA (133 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, 1,593 K, 1,932.1 IP
Justin Verlander (22.2 WAR, 2.7 per 100 IP)
Stats: 73-28, 2.71 ERA (155 ERA+), 0.92 WHIP, 962 K, 810.1 IP
Dallas Keuchel (17.4 WAR, 1.5 per 100 IP)
Stats: 76-63, 3.66 ERA (109 ERA+), 1.25 WHIP, 945 K, 1,189.1 IP
Roger Clemens (16.7 WAR, 3.1 per 100 IP)
Stats: 38-18, 2.40 ERA (180 ERA+), 1.07 WHIP, 505 K, 539.0 IP
Framber Valdez (15.1 WAR, 1.7 per 100 IP)
Stats: 68-41, 3.30 ERA (125 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, 866 K, 888.2 IP
Roy Oswalt is the Astros' all-time leader in pitching WAR and one of the best pitchers of the last 25 years to never win a Cy Young Award. On the flip side, Roger Clemens (2004), Dallas Keuchel (2014) and Justin Verlander (2019) each took home the hardware during their time in Houston. Gerrit Cole had a strong peak over 412.2 innings and Wandy Rodríguez logged a 102 ERA+ over 1306.2 innings, but they were both narrowly edged out by current ace Framber Valdez for the fifth spot.
Honorable Mention: Wandy Rodríguez, Gerrit Cole, Wade Miller, Lance McCullers Jr.
Kansas City Royals
13 of 30
Zack Greinke (29.7 WAR, 2.1 per 100 IP)
Stats: 66-91, 3.93 ERA (112 ERA+), 1.27 WHIP, 1,101 K, 1,387.1 IP
Danny Duffy (20.2 WAR, 1.7 per 100 IP)
Stats: 68-68, 3.95 ERA (110 ERA+), 1.32 WHIP, 1,048 K, 1,172.1 IP
James Shields (8.3 WAR, 1.8 per 100 IP)
Stats: 27-17, 3.18 ERA (127 ERA+), 1.21 WHIP, 376 K, 455.2 IP
Brad Keller (9.2 WAR, 1.4 per 100 IP)
Stats: 38-53, 4.27 ERA (105 ERA+), 1.45 WHIP, 506 K, 679.0 IP
Gil Meche (10.2 WAR, 1.7 per 100 IP)
Stats: 29-39, 4.27 ERA (103 ERA+), 1.40 WHIP, 475 K, 617.0 IP
Zack Greinke won 2009 AL Cy Young when he was just 25 years old, while Danny Duffy joined him in tossing at least 1,000 innings with the team and posting an ERA+ of 110 or better. James Shields was the ace of the staff in 2013 and 2014, while Brad Keller is one of the bigger Rule 5 success stories in recent years. Gil Meche never quite lived up to a five-year, $55 million deal that was a major splash back in 2006, but he was still solid enough to claim the fifth spot. Cole Ragans will overtake him with another strong season or two.
Honorable Mention: Brady Singer, Yordano Ventura, Jason Vargas, Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo
Los Angeles Angels
14 of 30
Jered Weaver (36.1 WAR, 1.8 per 100 IP)
Stats: 150-93, 3.55 ERA (114 ERA+), 1.19 WHIP, 1,598 K, 2,025.0 IP
John Lackey (24.8 WAR, 1.7 per 100 IP)
Stats: 102-71, 3.81 ERA (116 ERA+), 1.31 WHIP, 1,201 K, 1,501.0 IP
Jarrod Washburn (18.4 WAR, 1.8 per 100 IP)
Stats: 65-49, 3.80 ERA (117 ERA+), 1.26 WHIP, 612 K, 1,017.2 IP
Ervin Santana (12.6 WAR, 0.9 per 100 IP)
Stats: 96-80, 4.33 ERA (97 ERA+), 1.30 WHIP, 1,167 K, 1,475.2 IP
Shohei Ohtani (15.1 WAR, 3.1 per 100 IP)
Stats: 38-19, 3.01 ERA (142 ERA+), 1.08 WHIP, 608 K, 481.2 IP
Jered Weaver (No. 12 overall in 2004), John Lackey (2nd round in 1999) and Jarrod Washburn (2nd round in 1995) were all homegrown, with Lackey and Washburn playing a key role on the 2002 World Series team. Ervin Santana was also signed and developed by the organization, spending the first eight seasons of his 16-year career with the Angels. Bartolo Colón won the 2005 AL Cy Young with the Angels, but he had an ERA over 5.00 in his other three seasons with the team, opening the door for Shohei Ohtani to claim the final spot.
Honorable Mention: Bartolo Colón, Kelvim Escobar, Garrett Richards
Los Angeles Dodgers
15 of 30
Clayton Kershaw (76.5 WAR, 2.8 per 100 IP)
Stats: 212-94, 2.50 ERA (156 ERA+), 1.10 WHIP, 2,968 K, 2,742.2 IP
Zack Greinke (17.7 WAR, 2.9 per 100 IP)
Stats: 51-15, 2.30 ERA (156 ERA+), 1.03 WHIP, 555 K, 602.2 IP
Chad Billingsley (17.3 WAR, 1.5 per 100 IP)
Stats: 81-61, 3.65 ERA (110 ERA+), 1.36 WHIP, 1,037 K, 1,175.1 IP
Kevin Brown (14.2 WAR, 2.3 per 100 IP)
Stats: 40-23, 2.76 ERA (149 ERA+), 1.11 WHIP, 563 K, 620.1 IP
Hyun-Jin Ryu (13.8 WAR, 1.9 per 100 IP)
Stats: 54-33, 2.98 ERA (129 ERA+), 1.16 WHIP, 665 K, 740.1 IP
Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke were the obvious starting point for the Dodgers, while Chad Billingsley also had a quietly excellent run. Kevin Brown joined the Dodgers as baseball's first $100 million player and had two elite seasons before injuries became an issue. The fifth spot was an extremely tough call, and there's a legitimate case to be made for Walker Buehler and Derek Lowe, but Ryu had a narrow edge in WAR and ERA+ over both guys.
Honorable Mention: Walker Buehler, Derek Lowe, Hiroki Kuroda, Julio Urías, Odalis Pérez
Miami Marlins
16 of 30
José Fernandez (13.0 WAR, 2.8 per 100 IP)
Stats: 38-17, 2.58 ERA (150 ERA+), 1.05 WHIP, 589 K, 471.1 IP
Sandy Alcántara (20.3 WAR, 2.3 per 100 IP)
Stats: 41-55, 3.31 ERA (130 ERA+), 1.15 WHIP, 779 K, 892.1 IP
Dontrelle Willis (17.2 WAR, 1.7 per 100 IP)
Stats: 68-54, 3.78 ERA (111 ERA+), 1.36 WHIP, 757 K, 1,022.2 IP
Josh Johnson (25.8 WAR, 2.8 per 100 IP)
Stats: 56-37, 3.15 ERA (133 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, 832 K, 916.2 IP
Josh Beckett (10.7 WAR, 1.8 per 100 IP)
Stats: 41-34, 3.46 ERA (118 ERA+), 1.24 WHIP, 607 K, 609.0 IP
Few pitchers were more fun to watch at their respective peaks than José Fernandez and Dontrelle Willis. Sandy Alcántara is the only Cy Young winner in franchise history, while Josh Johnson is the club's all-time leader in pitching WAR (25.8), ERA (3.15) and ERA+ (133). Josh Beckett won 2003 World Series MVP honors when he tossed a shutout at Yankee Stadium in the clinching Game 6, marking the culmination of his time as one of the most hyped pitching prospects of the last 25 years.
Honorable Mention: Aníbal Sánchez, A.J. Burnett, Brad Penny, Ricky Nolasco
Milwaukee Brewers
17 of 30
Ben Sheets (25.6 WAR, 1.8 per 100 IP)
Stats: 86-83, 3.72 ERA (115 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, 1,206 K, 1,428.0 IP
Corbin Burnes (13.6 WAR, 1.9 per 100 IP)
Stats: 45-27, 3.26 ERA (129 ERA+), 1.06 WHIP, 870 K, 709.1 IP
Brandon Woodruff (16.8 WAR, 2.5 per 100 IP)
Stats: 46-26, 3.10 ERA (137 ERA+), 1.05 WHIP, 788 K, 680.1 IP
Yovani Gallardo (15.5 WAR, 1.2 per 100 IP)
Stats: 89-64, 3.69 ERA (109 ERA+), 1.30 WHIP, 1,226 K, 1,289.1 IP
Freddy Peralta (9.4 WAR, 1.2 per 100 IP)
Stats: 53-36, 3.79 ERA (111 ERA+), 1.15 WHIP, 949 K, 754.1 IP
Ben Sheets is the greatest pitcher in Brewers franchise history and an obvious choice starting point, while Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff were arguably the best one-two punch in baseball for a brief stretch. Yovani Gallardo made five straight Opening Day starts from 2010-14, while Freddy Peralta was the best No. 3 starter in baseball for years before stepping into the staff ace role in 2024.
Honorable Mention: Doug Davis, Chris Capuano
Minnesota Twins
18 of 30
Johan Santana (35.8 WAR, 2.7 per 100 IP)
Stats: 93-44, 3.22 ERA (141 ERA+), 1.09 WHIP, 1,381 K, 1,308.2 IP
Brad Radke (24.1 WAR, 1.8 per 100 IP)
Stats: 82-71, 4.16 ERA (112 ERA+), 1.25 WHIP, 803 K, 1,366.0 IP
José Berrios (10.0 WAR, 1.3 per 100 IP)
Stats: 55-43, 4.08 ERA (107 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, 779 K, 781.1 IP
Scott Baker (15.8 WAR, 1.6 per 100 IP)
Stats: 63-48, 4.15 ERA (102 ERA+), 1.26 WHIP, 770 K, 958.0 IP
Francisco Liriano (9.3 WAR, 1.2 per 100 IP)
Stats: 50-52, 4.33 ERA (97 ERA+), 1.34 WHIP, 788 K, 783.1 IP
Johan Santana was arguably the best pitcher in baseball during his four-year peak in Minnesota, going 70-32 with a 2.89 ERA and 983 strikeouts in 912.1 innings while winning two ERA titles, three strikeout titles and two Cy Young Awards. Brad Radke was a quality workhorse, while José Berrios and Scott Baker both enjoyed underrated runs as top-end starters. Francisco Liriano was an All-Star as a rookie in 2006 before injuries derailed his ascent, but was dynamic enough pre-injury to earn the final spot.
Honorable Mention: Ervin Santana, Kyle Gibson
New York Mets
19 of 30
Jacob deGrom (41.2 WAR, 3.1 per 100 IP)
Stats: 82-57, 2.52 ERA (155 ERA+), 1.00 WHIP, 1,607 K, 1,326.0 IP
Al Leiter (18.8 WAR, 2.0 per 100 IP)
Stats: 65-49, 3.43 ERA (123 ERA+), 1.30 WHIP, 770 K, 954.0 IP
R.A. Dickey (12.9 WAR, 2.1 per 100 IP)
Stats: 39-28, 2.95 ERA (129 ERA+), 1.15 WHIP, 468 K, 616.2 IP
Johan Santana (15.3 WAR, 2.1 per 100 IP)
Stats: 46-34, 3.18 ERA (127 ERA+), 1.20 WHIP, 607 K, 717.0 IP
Matt Harvey (10.3 WAR, 1.6 per 100 IP)
Stats: 34-37, 3.66 ERA (104 ERA+), 1.19 WHIP, 612 K, 639.1 IP
It's easy to forget how good Al Leiter was in the early 2000s as the ace of the Mets staff, and that R.A. Dickey won a Cy Young in a Mets uniform, which alongside the obvious top pick Jacob deGrom, left just two spots up for grabs. Johan Santana and Matt Harvey both had short, elite peaks to snag the final spots over a collection of aging veterans and young arms that never quite found sustained success due to injuries.
Honorable Mention: Tom Glavine, Pedro Martínez, Noah Syndergaard, Zack Wheeler, Steve Trachsel, Mike Pelfrey, Jon Niese
New York Yankees
20 of 30
CC Sabathia (29.4 WAR, 1.5 per 100 IP)
Stats: 134-88, 3.81 ERA (112 ERA+), 1.27 WHIP, 1,700 K, 1,918.0 IP
Gerrit Cole (19.9 WAR, 2.6 per 100 IP)
Stats: 59-28, 3.12 ERA (134 ERA+), 1.03 WHIP, 915 K, 759.0 IP
Mike Mussina (35.1 WAR, 2.3 per 100 IP)
Stats: 123-72, 3.88 ERA (114 ERA+), 1.21 WHIP, 1,278 K, 1,553.0 IP
Andy Pettitte (29.6 WAR, 1.7 per 100 IP)
Stats: 138-81, 3.95 ERA (113 ERA+), 1.36 WHIP, 1,311 K, 1,752.0 IP
Roger Clemens (18.4 WAR, 2.0 per 100 IP)
Stats: 69-32, 3.88 ERA (117 ERA+), 1.28 WHIP, 851 K, 915.1 IP
CC Sabathia, Gerrit Cole and Mike Mussina all made good as splashy free-agent signings for the Yankees, while Roger Clemens was a blockbuster trade pickup prior to the 1999 season in a deal that sent David Wells and prospects to the Blue Jays. Andy Pettitte was part of the "Core Four" that began their run of success in the 1990s, but he still made more than enough impact from 2000 forward. Tip of the cap to Masahiro Tanaka, but it's tough to make a serious case for anyone outside the five that were chosen.
Honorable Mention: Masahiro Tanaka, Luis Severino, Chien-Ming Wang
Philadelphia Phillies
21 of 30
Cole Hamels (42.0 WAR, 2.2 per 100 IP)
Stats: 114-90, 3.30 ERA (124 ERA+), 1.15 WHIP, 1,844 K, 1,930.0 IP
Zack Wheeler (25.4 WAR, 3.1 per 100 IP)
Stats: 59-32, 2.94 ERA (142 ERA+), 1.03 WHIP, 899 K, 829.1 IP
Roy Halladay (17.0 WAR, 2.4 per 100 IP)
Stats: 55-29, 3.25 ERA (122 ERA+), 1.12 WHIP, 622 K, 702.2 IP
Cliff Lee (21.3 WAR, 2.6 per 100 IP)
Stats: 48-34, 2.94 ERA (132 ERA+), 1.09 WHIP, 813 K, 827.1 IP
Aaron Nola (35.6 WAR, 2.2 per 100 IP)
Stats: 104-79, 3.70 ERA (113 ERA+), 1.14 WHIP, 1,779 K, 1,621.1 IP
Once upon a time, the Phillies had a starting rotation of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt, and somehow they didn't win a World Series title with that group. Oswalt was on the downswing of his career at that point, but the top three guys from that staff and current co-aces Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola make for quite the hypothetical juggernaut of a staff.
Honorable Mention: Randy Wolf, Brett Myers, Ranger Suárez
Pittsburgh Pirates
22 of 30
Gerrit Cole (11.0 WAR, 1.4 per 100 IP)
Stats: 59-42, 3.50 ERA (112 ERA+), 1.22 WHIP, 734 K, 782.1 IP
A.J. Burnett (7.2 WAR, 1.3 per 100 IP)
Stats: 35-28, 3.34 ERA (112 ERA+), 1.27 WHIP, 532 K, 557.1 IP
Jameson Taillon (8.6 WAR, 1.8 per 100 IP)
Stats: 29-24, 3.67 ERA (112 ERA+), 1.25 WHIP, 419 K, 466.0 IP
Francisco Liriano (7.9 WAR, 1.1 per 100 IP)
Stats: 46-39, 3.65 ERA (105 ERA+), 1.32 WHIP, 722 K, 693.2 IP
Paul Skenes (5.9 WAR, 4.4 per 100 IP)
Stats: 11-3, 1.96 ERA (214 ERA+), 0.95 WHIP, 170 K, 133.0 IP
Prior to Paul Skenes bursting onto the scene in 2024 with a rookie season for the ages, Gerrit Cole was the only true ace-caliber pitcher the Pirates have had since Doug Drabek won 1990 NL Cy Young. Francisco Liriano and A.J. Burnett were key pieces on the teams that made back-to-back playoff appearances in 2014 and 2015, while Jameson Taillon eventually delivered on the potential that made him the No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 draft.
Honorable Mention: Paul Maholm, Mitch Keller, Kip Wells, Zach Duke, Charlie Morton
San Diego Padres
23 of 30
Jake Peavy (24.8 WAR, 1.8 per 100 IP)
Stats: 92-68, 3.29 ERA (119 ERA+), 1.19 WHIP, 1,348 K, 1,342.2 IP
Blake Snell (9.7 WAR, 2.2 per 100 IP)
Stats: 29-25, 3.15 ERA (127 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, 575 K, 436.2 IP
Joe Musgrove (10.8 WAR, 1.9 per 100 IP)
Stats: 37-24, 3.20 ERA (123 ERA+), 1.11 WHIP, 585 K, 559.1 IP
Yu Darvish (8.7 WAR, 1.5 per 100 IP)
Stats: 39-32, 3.79 ERA (104 ERA+), 1.09 WHIP, 615 K, 579.0 IP
Chris Young (8.3 WAR, 1.5 per 100 IP)
Stats: 33-25, 3.60 ERA (110 ERA+), 1.19 WHIP, 489 K, 550.2 IP
With a resume bolstered by his 2007 NL Cy Young win, Jake Peavy has a strong case for the title of best pitcher in Padres history. Blake Snell also took home the award in 2023 to earn his spot on the staff, while Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish have both logged multiple seasons of frontline production. Towering 6'10" right-hander and current Rangers team president Chris Young rounds out the staff with a solid five-year run in San Diego.
Honorable Mention: Tyson Ross, Mat Latos, Brian Lawrence
San Francisco Giants
24 of 30
Madison Bumgarner (32.9 WAR, 1.8 per 100 IP)
Stats: 119-92, 3.13 ERA (120 ERA+), 1.11 WHIP, 1,794 K, 1,846.0 IP
Tim Lincecum (21.5 WAR, 1.3 per 100 IP)
Stats: 108-83, 3.61 ERA (107 ERA+), 1.27 WHIP, 1,704 K, 1,643.2 IP
Matt Cain (29.3 WAR, 1.4 per 100 IP)
Stats: 104-118, 3.68 ERA (108 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, 1,694 K, 2,085.2 IP
Jason Schmidt (22.6 WAR, 2.1 per 100 IP)
Stats: 78-37, 3.36 ERA (126 ERA+), 1.18 WHIP, 1,065 K, 1,069.2 IP
Logan Webb (17.5 WAR, 2.0 per 100 IP)
Stats: 55-42, 3.42 ERA (118 ERA+), 1.19 WHIP, 770 K, 855.1 IP
The homegrown trio of Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Madison Bumgarner was the foundation of the Giants run of three World Series titles in a span of five years to start the 2010s, and all three are obvious choices for this rotation. Lincecum was the best pitcher in baseball when he won back-to-back NL Cy Young awards in 2008 and 2009. Jason Schmidt had a pair of top-five finishes in Cy Young balloting himself, while Logan Webb is the current workhorse ace of the staff.
Honorable Mention: Johnny Cueto, Kirk Rueter, Russ Ortiz
Seattle Mariners
25 of 30
Félix Hernández (49.9 WAR, 1.8 per 100 IP)
Stats: 169-136, 3.42 ERA (117 ERA+), 1.21 WHIP, 2,524 K, 2,729.2 IP
Jamie Moyer (17.4 WAR, 1.3 per 100 IP)
Stats: 93-63, 4.11 ERA (105 ERA+), 1.28 WHIP, 802 K, 1,371.1 IP
Hisashi Iwakuma (17.0 WAR, 1.9 per 100 IP)
Stats: 63-39, 3.42 ERA (111 ERA+), 1.14 WHIP, 714 K, 883.2 IP
Freddy García (13.3 WAR, 1.5 per 100 IP)
Stats: 59-42, 3.85 ERA (112 ERA+), 1.26 WHIP, 649 K, 895.0 IP
Logan Gilbert (9.8 WAR, 1.4 per 100 IP)
Stats: 41-30, 3.60 ERA (106 ERA+), 1.06 WHIP, 711 K, 704.1 IP
"King Felix" logged 10 straight seasons with at least 30 starts and 190 innings pitched, finishing in the top-10 in AL Cy Young voting six times during that stretch and taking home the award in 2010. Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo could all move up the rankings in the coming years, but for now Jamie Moyer, Hisashi Iwakuma and Freddy García have impressive enough bodies of work to hold onto their spots.
Honorable Mention: James Paxton, Marco Gonzales, Luis Castillo, George Kirby, Joel Piñeiro
St. Louis Cardinals
26 of 30
Adam Wainwright (40.9 WAR, 1.5 per 100 IP)
Stats: 200-128, 3.53 ERA (114 ERA+), 1.24 WHIP, 2,202 K, 2,668.1 IP
Chris Carpenter (27.6 WAR, 2.0 per 100 IP)
Stats: 95-44, 3.07 ERA (133 ERA+), 1.13 WHIP, 1,085 K, 1,348.2 IP
Lance Lynn (15.2 WAR, 1.4 per 100 IP)
Stats: 79-51, 3.43 ERA (114 ERA+), 1.29 WHIP, 1,028 K, 1,095.0 IP
Matt Morris (11.3 WAR, 1.1 per 100 IP)
Stats: 82-48, 3.81 ERA (111 ERA+), 1.27 WHIP, 758 K, 1,046.2 IP
Carlos Martínez (12.9 WAR, 1.3 per 100 IP)
Stats: 62-52, 3.74 ERA (107 ERA+), 1.30 WHIP, 927 K, 967.0 IP
The torch was passed from Matt Morris to Chris Carpenter to Adam Wainwright as the ace of the staff in St. Louis, and all three found their way into this rotation. Lance Lynn and Carlos Martínez were both homegrown All-Stars who had some ups and downs in a Cardinals uniform, but they did enough to edge out the oft-injured duo of Jack Flaherty and Michael Wacha.
Honorable Mention: Jack Flaherty, Michael Wacha, Miles Mikolas, Darryl Kile, Woody Williams
Tampa Bay Rays
27 of 30
David Price (21.3 WAR, 1.9 per 100 IP)
Stats: 82-47, 3.18 ERA (122 ERA+), 1.14 WHIP, 1,065 K, 1,143.2 IP
James Shields (19.7 WAR, 1.4 per 100 IP)
Stats: 87-73, 3.89 ERA (107 ERA+), 1.22 WHIP, 1,250 K, 1,454.2 IP
Blake Snell (11.6 WAR, 2.1 per 100 IP)
Stats: 42-30, 3.24 ERA (129 ERA+), 1.24 WHIP, 648 K, 556.0 IP
Scott Kazmir (16.5 WAR, 2.0 per 100 IP)
Stats: 55-44, 3.92 ERA (114 ERA+), 1.39 WHIP, 874 K, 834.0 IP
Chris Archer (12.4 WAR, 1.1 per 100 IP)
Stats: 55-69, 3.71 ERA (107 ERA+), 1.23 WHIP, 1,167 K, 1,082.1 IP
David Price and Blake Snell both punched their ticket to a spot on the staff with Cy Young wins in a Rays uniform. James Shields is the franchise's all-time leader in wins (87), strikeouts (1,250) and innings pitched (1,452.2), so he is also a clear choice. Scott Kazmir and Chris Archer both took turns as elite strikeout pitchers and top-of-the-rotation options, earning them the final two spots over middle-of-the-rotation arm Alex Cobb and injury-returnee Shane McClanahan.
Honorable Mention: Alex Cobb, Shane McClanahan, Tyler Glasnow, Jake Odorizzi
Texas Rangers
28 of 30
Yu Darvish (18.5 WAR, 2.4 per 100 IP)
Stats: 52-39, 3.42 ERA (127 ERA+), 1.18 WHIP, 960 K, 782.2 IP
Kenny Rogers (18.4 WAR, 1.9 per 100 IP)
Stats: 63-45, 4.43 ERA (109 ERA+), 1.44 WHIP, 521 K, 965.2 IP
C.J. Wilson (11.6 WAR, 1.6 per 100 IP)
Stats: 43-35, 3.60 ERA (125 ERA+), 1.29 WHIP, 637 K, 708.0 IP
Martín Pérez (11.7 WAR, 1.1 per 100 IP)
Stats: 65-61, 4.30 ERA (102 ERA+), 1.43 WHIP, 724 K, 1,099.1 IP
Derek Holland (10.1 WAR, 1.0 per 100 IP)
Stats: 62-50, 4.35 ERA (101 ERA+), 1.33 WHIP, 790 K, 985.0 IP
The Rangers have historically had a tough time fielding a competitive starting rotation to back a high-powered offense. Yu Darvish and Kenny Rogers both took turns as aces, while C.J. Wilson was a converted closer who eventually also filled the role of staff ace. Lefties Martín Pérez and Derek Holland logged enough slightly above-average innings to edge out Mike Minor and Lance Lynn who enjoyed brief but impressive peaks with the team.
Honorable Mention: Mike Minor, Lance Lynn, Colby Lewis, Matt Harrison, Cole Hamels
Toronto Blue Jays
29 of 30
Roy Halladay (45.4 WAR, 2.4 per 100 IP)
Stats: 139-69, 3.40 ERA (134 ERA+), 1.17 WHIP, 1,400 K, 1,883.1 IP
Marcus Stroman (12.5 WAR, 1.6 per 100 IP)
Stats: 47-45, 3.76 ERA (114 ERA+), 1.28 WHIP, 635 K, 789.2 IP
Kevin Gausman (7.2 WAR, 1.3 per 100 IP)
Stats: 38-30, 3.45 ERA (118 ERA+), 1.21 WHIP, 604 K, 540.2 IP
Ricky Romero (10.1 WAR, 1.3 per 100 IP)
Stats: 51-45, 4.16 ERA (103 ERA+), 1.40 WHIP, 622 K, 801.1 IP
J.A. Happ (10.2 WAR, 1.4 per 100 IP)
Stats: 59-41, 3.88 ERA (108 ERA+), 1.28 WHIP, 691 K, 745.1 IP
The gap between Roy Halladay and everyone else that has toed the rubber for the Blue Jays over the last 25 years is a wide one, though Marcus Stroman and current ace Kevin Gausman both had solid peak performances. Ricky Romero had three really good seasons before he was 27 years old and then completely disappeared, while J.A. Happ went 20-4 with a 3.18 ERA in 195 innings during the 2016 season as part of a solid six-year run with the team split over two separate stints.
Honorable Mention: Marco Estrada, R.A. Dickey, Robbie Ray, Shaun Marcum
Washington Nationals
30 of 30
Max Scherzer (38.9 WAR, 3.2 per 100 IP)
Stats: 92-47, 2.80 ERA (152 ERA+), 0.96 WHIP, 1,610 K, 1,229.0 IP
Stephen Strasburg (30.9 WAR, 2.1 per 100 IP)
Stats: 113-62, 3.24 ERA (127 ERA+), 1.10 WHIP, 1,723 K, 1,470.0 IP
Jordan Zimmermann (19.5 WAR, 1.8 per 100 IP)
Stats: 70-50, 3.32 ERA (118 ERA+), 1.16 WHIP, 903 K, 1,094.0 IP
Gio González (20.6 WAR, 1.6 per 100 IP)
Stats: 86-65, 3.62 ERA (112 ERA+), 1.28 WHIP, 1,215 K, 1,253.1 IP
Javier Vázquez (19.5 WAR, 2.2 per 100 IP)
Stats: 50-45, 3.65 ERA (123 ERA+), 1.22 WHIP, 824 K, 902.1 IP
Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg are no-brainers to kick off the Nationals staff, while Jordan Zimmermann pitched well enough during his time with the team to earn a five-year, $110 million deal from the Tigers when he departed in free agency. Gio Gonzalez was an underrated standout from the left side, while Javier Vázquez was a swing-and-miss staff ace in the final days of the Expos.
Honorable Mention: Livan Hernandez, Tanner Roark
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