Ranking Every MLB Playoff Contender's Projected 2025 Postseason Rotation
Pitching wins championships.
That old adage still holds true, though in today's game, teams need to successfully utilize their entire pitching staff to make a deep playoff run, rather than simply leaning on two or three starting pitchers to shoulder the load.
A strong performance from the starting staff can give a team a major leg up, especially if said team has a shaky middle relief situation or a less-than-dominant offense that can go quiet at times.
Ahead, we've ranked the projected playoff rotation of every postseason contender, focusing on the 15 teams still in the thick of the playoff race as the regular season winds to a close.
Which team has baseball's best rotation for this year's postseason?
15. Cleveland Guardians
1 of 15
RHP Tanner Bibee (11-11, 4.34 ERA, 157 K, 176.1 IP)
RHP Gavin Williams (11-5, 3.06 ERA, 161 K, 161.2 IP)
LHP Parker Messick (3-0, 2.08 ERA, 31 K, 34.2 IP)
LHP Joey Cantillo (5-3, 3.21 ERA, 100 K, 89.2 IP)
Other Candidates: LHP Logan Allen, RHP Slade Cecconi
The Guardians turned to Alex Cobb and Matthew Boyd to start playoff games a year ago, and this time around, it will fall on a healthy Gavin Williams and rookies Parker Messick and Joey Cantillo to round out the rotation behind de facto ace Tanner Bibee if they make an October run.
Messick, 24, has just six big league starts under his belt and is a soft contact guy with a fastball that averages 92.8 mph and four offspeed pitches. That profile doesn't always play in October when strikeouts are key, but he has been fantastic so far and could get the Game 2 start if they want to break up their right-handed starters.
14. New York Mets
2 of 15
RHP Nolan McLean (4-1, 1.27 ERA, 46 K, 42.2 IP)
LHP David Peterson (9-6, 3.98 ERA, 149 K, 167.1 IP)
RHP Brandon Sproat (0-1, 3.94 ERA, 15 K, 16.0 IP)
RHP Clay Holmes (11-8, 3.69 ERA, 127 K, 158.2 IP)
Other Candidates: LHP Sean Manaea, RHP Jonah Tong
The Mets have leaned hard on rookies Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong and Brandon Sproat down the stretch, and there's a good chance at least two of those guys find their way into a four-man playoff rotation.
Sean Manaea (3.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER) and Clay Holmes (3.2 IP, 4 H, 0 ER) shared a piggyback game on Sunday, and that could be how those two veterans are deployed in October, with Holmes already well past his career-high in innings and Manaea struggling to find any level of consistency after missing the first half of the season.
13. Arizona Diamondbacks
3 of 15
RHP Zac Gallen (13-14, 4.70 ERA, 172 K, 187.2 IP)
RHP Ryne Nelson (7-3, 3.34 ERA, 123 K, 148.0 IP)
LHP Eduardo Rodríguez (9-8, 4.91 ERA, 137 K, 148.1 IP)
RHP Brandon Pfaadt (13-8, 5.00 ERA, 142 K, 172.2 IP)
Other Candidates: RHP Nabil Crismatt
The D-backs might be challenging for a spot inside the top five in these rankings if they had a healthy Corbin Burnes and deadline trade chip Merrill Kelly still penciled into the projected rotation.
However, Zac Gallen (12 GS, 3.59 ERA, 72.2 IP) and Ryne Nelson (12 GS, 2.97 ERA, 69.2 IP) have both been throwing the ball well since the All-Star break, and all four projected starters have an ERA under 3.20 in four September starts each. Can they pull off the upset and sneak into the final NL wild-card spot?
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12. Toronto Blue Jays
4 of 15
RHP Kevin Gausman (10-10, 3.38 ERA, 177 K, 183.2 IP)
RHP Max Scherzer (5-4, 5.06 ERA, 77 K, 80.0 IP)
RHP Shane Bieber (3-2, 3.57 ERA, 34 K, 35.1 IP)
RHP Trey Yesavage (0-0, 5.00 ERA, 11 K, 9.0 IP)
Other Candidates: RHP Chris Bassitt, RHP Jose Berríos, LHP Eric Lauer
With Jose Berríos moved to the bullpen and Chris Bassitt on the injured list with shoulder inflammation, rookie Trey Yesavage might be the guy for a Game 4 start. The 22-year-old has just nine MLB innings under his belt, but he dominated minor league hitters to the tune of a 3.12 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 160 strikeouts in 98 innings across four levels.
Max Scherzer recorded just two outs while allowing seven hits, two walks and seven earned runs against the Royals on Friday, so his final regular season start on Wednesday against the Red Sox will be an important one.
11. Milwaukee Brewers
5 of 15
RHP Freddy Peralta (17-6, 2.68 ERA, 201 K, 174.2 IP)
RHP Quinn Priester (13-2, 3.25 ERA, 128 K, 152.1 IP)
RHP Chad Patrick (3-8, 3.66 ERA, 119 K, 115.2 IP)
RHP Brandon Woodruff (7-2, 3.20 ERA, 83 K, 64.2 IP)
Other Candidates: RHP Jacob Misiorowski, LHP Jose Quintana, LHP Robert Gasser
Brandon Woodruff will be eligible to return from the injured list in time for the NLDS, but a lat strain for a pitcher who missed the entire 2024 season recovering from shoulder surgery is an ominous sign, and there is no guarantee he will pitch again in any capacity in 2025.
That uncertainty is the reason the Brewers rank so low, and if Woodruff is unable to return, it would fall to some combination of largely unproven young arms to pick up the slack. Veteran Jose Quintana is also on the injured list and working his way back from a calf strain, so he could be an option as well to fill in the gaps.
10. Detroit Tigers
6 of 15
LHP Tarik Skubal (13-5, 2.23 ERA, 233 K, 189.1 IP)
RHP Jack Flaherty (8-14, 4.60 ERA, 182 K, 156.2 IP)
RHP Casey Mize (14-6, 3.91 ERA, 131 K, 142.2 IP)
RHP Troy Melton (3-2, 2.79 ERA, 35 K, 42.0 IP)
Other Candidates: RHP Keider Montero, RHP Chris Paddack, LHP Tyler Holton
Tarik Skubal might be the pitcher most likely to pull a Madison Bumgarner and put his team on his shoulders during a deep playoff run, but those types of performances are few and far between, and looking at the Detroit rotation as a whole presents more questions than answers.
Jack Flaherty has been pitching better of late, but he struggled in the postseason with the Dodgers a year ago and has had a rocky season overall. A.J. Hinch did a fantastic job utilizing his bullpen in the postseason a year ago, and it will likely be an "all hands on deck" situation once again if the Tigers can pull out of their late-season tailspin to make the playoffs.
9. Boston Red Sox
7 of 15
LHP Garrett Crochet (17-5, 2.69 ERA, 249 K, 197.1 IP)
RHP Brayan Bello (11-8, 3.34 ERA, 121 K, 161.2 IP)
RHP Lucas Giolito (10-4, 3.46 ERA, 118 K, 140.1 IP)
LHP Connelly Early (1-1, 1.88 ERA, 22 K, 14.1 IP)
Other Candidates: LHP Kyle Harrison, LHP Payton Tolle, RHP Dustin May
If Tarik Skubal is the pitcher most likely to put his team on his shoulders in October, Garrett Crochet is "1A" on that list, as he has been everything the Red Sox could have hoped for and more in the role of staff ace.
Brayan Bello has struggled in September and Lucas Giolito has walked five or more batters three times in his last eight starts. Both of those pitchers are capable of tossing a gem or making an early exit after allowing a crooked number. Payton Tolle and his extreme fastball usage probably fit better in the bullpen, leaving Connelly Early and Kyle Harrison as the best options for a Game 4 start.
8. Chicago Cubs
8 of 15
RHP Cade Horton (11-4, 2.66 ERA, 95 K, 115.0 IP)
LHP Shota Imanaga (9-7, 3.37 ERA, 114 K, 139.0 IP)
RHP Jameson Taillon (10-7, 3.78 ERA, 90 K, 123.2 IP)
LHP Matthew Boyd (13-8, 3.20 ERA, 151 K, 174.1 IP)
Other Candidates: RHP Colin Rea, RHP Michael Soroka, RHP Aaron Civale
Over his last 11 starts, rookie Cade Horton has gone 8-1 with a 0.93 ERA and 0.79 WHIP in 58.1 innings, allowing two or fewer earned runs in each of those outings. The 24-year-old is lacking in experience, but he's the clear ace of the staff for the Cubs heading into October.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, All-Star Matthew Boyd seems to be running out of gas with a 6.54 ERA in 31.2 innings over his last six games. He falls to the No. 4 starter spot, and could end up off the playoff roster entirely with another dud on Wednesday against the Mets.
7. San Diego Padres
9 of 15
RHP Nick Pivetta (13-5, 2.87 ERA, 190 K, 181.2 IP)
RHP Dylan Cease (8-12, 4.64 ERA, 207 K, 163.0 IP)
RHP Yu Darvish (4-5, 5.51 ERA, 64 K, 67.0 IP)
RHP Michael King (5-3, 3.57 ERA, 73 K, 70.2 IP)
Other Candidates: RHP Randy Vásquez, LHP Nestor Cortes
All four pitchers in the Padres' projected rotation have pitched at an ace level at some point in the past two years, but can they all pitch up to their potential at the same time in October?
Nick Pivetta (4 GS, 3.09 ERA, 23.1 IP) and Dylan Cease (4 GS, 3.43 ERA, 21.0 IP) have been the best of the bunch in October, and they will likely be asked to anchor the staff in the Wild Card Round. Expect Randy Vásquez to pitch some meaningful innings, even if he doesn't get a chance to start, as he has been quietly productive in the No. 5 starter role.
6. New York Yankees
10 of 15
LHP Max Fried (18-5, 2.92 ERA, 182 K, 188.1 IP)
LHP Carlos Rodón (17-9, 3.04 ERA, 198 K, 189.1 IP)
RHP Cam Schlitter (3-3, 3.27 ERA, 75 K, 66.0 IP)
RHP Luis Gil (4-1, 3.33 ERA, 36 K, 46.0 IP)
Other Candidates: RHP Will Warren, LHP Ryan Yarbrough
The Yankees will go as far as the one-two punch of Max Fried and Carlos Rodón can carry them in October, with ace Gerrit Cole watching from the sidelines, and that tandem has been rock solid this season.
It could come down to how each performs in their final regular season start as far as who lines up behind them, with Cam Schlitter, Luis Gil and Will Warren all still in the running to be the Game 3 starter. If they opt for a bullpen game at some point, swingman Ryan Yarbrough could be a factor.
5. Houston Astros
11 of 15
RHP Hunter Brown (12-8, 2.30 ERA, 201 K, 180.1 IP)
LHP Framber Valdez (12-11, 3.75 ERA, 177 K, 185.0 IP)
RHP Cristian Javier (2-3, 4.45 ERA, 30 K, 32.1 IP)
RHP Jason Alexander (4-2, 3.65 ERA, 56 K, 66.2 IP)
Other Candidates: RHP A.J. Blubaugh, RHP Lance McCullers Jr.
Hunter Brown has emerged as one of the best pitchers in all of baseball this season, and he is on track to join Tarik Skubal and Garrett Crochet as a finalist in the AL Cy Young race. He also sports a 1.61 ERA in 16.1 career playoff innings, including 5.2 innings of two-hit, one-run ball in his first playoff start last year.
Framber Valdez and Cristian Javier are seasoned postseason veterans, and while neither is pitching at the peak of his game right now, they know how to handle the bright lights of October. Expect them to lean heavily on the bullpen in a Game 4 situation, with a long list of guys capable of working multiple innings.
4. Philadelphia Phillies
12 of 15
LHP Cristopher Sánchez (13-5. 2.66 ERA, 198 K, 189.1 IP)
LHP Ranger Suárez (12-7. 3.12 ERA, 147 K, 153.0 IP)
LHP Jesús Luzardo (14-7, 4.08 ERA, 206 K, 176.2 IP)
RHP Aaron Nola (4-10, 6.46 ERA, 88 K, 86.1 IP)
Other Candidates: RHP Taijuan Walker, RHP Walker Buehler
Even with Zack Wheeler watching from the sidelines and Aaron Nola battling through a down year, the Phillies still have a standout starting rotation with a trio of lefties capable of providing a shutdown start.
Cristopher Sánchez has a 2.91 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 76 strikeouts in 74.1 innings since the All-Star break, continuing to pitch at a frontline level at a time when a lot of guys are running out of steam. Despite his struggles, Nola has a strong postseason track record, and his poor season could quickly be forgotten with a playoff gem.
3. Cincinnati Reds
13 of 15
RHP Hunter Greene (7-4, 2.74 ERA, 125 K, 101.2 IP)
LHP Nick Lodolo (8-8, 3.44 ERA, 144 K, 149.1 IP)
RHP Brady Singer (14-10, 3.86 ERA, 155 K, 161.0 IP)
LHP Andrew Abbott (9-7, 2.80 ERA, 145 K, 161.0 IP)
Other Candidates: RHP Zack Littell, RHP Nick Martinez, RHP Chase Burns
If the Reds can complete their late-season surge to claim a playoff berth, they immediately become one of the most dangerous teams in October thanks to their stacked starting rotation.
Brady Singer has a 3.10 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 63 strikeouts in 61 innings since the All-Star break, while Andrew Abbott has stumbled a bit of late, so it will be interesting to see who gets the nod as the Game 3 starter. Don't sleep on flame-throwing rookie Chase Burns as a playoff X-factor, though his contributions will come out of the bullpen.
2. Seattle Mariners
14 of 15
RHP Bryan Woo (15-7, 2.94 ERA, 198 K, 186.2 IP)
RHP Logan Gilbert (6-6, 3.43 ERA, 168 K, 126.0 IP)
RHP Luis Castillo (10-8, 3.63 ERA, 152 K, 173.1 IP)
RHP George Kirby (10-7, 4.24 ERA, 127 K, 121.0 IP)
Other Candidates: RHP Bryce Miller
Bryan Woo broke into the league as the No. 5 starter in a stacked Seattle rotation in 2023, and pitching alongside the same four starters who were slotted ahead of him two years ago, he is now the ace of the staff and tied for the MLB lead with 21 quality starts.
There are some question marks, including the fact that Logan Gilbert has only completed six innings in eight of his 24 starts, and an overall inconsistent year from George Kirby. However, this group still has the potential to carry Seattle on a deep postseason run.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
15 of 15
RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (11-8, 2.58 ERA, 194 K, 167.2 IP)
LHP Blake Snell (5-4, 2.44 ERA, 67 K, 55.1 IP)
RHP Tyler Glasnow (4-3, 3.30 ERA, 103 K, 87.1 IP)
LHP Clayton Kershaw (10-2, 3.55 ERA, 77 K, 106.1 IP)
Other Candidates: RHP Emmet Sheehan, RHP Shohei Ohtani
The Dodgers are paying Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow a combined $66.4 million this year, and while both pitchers have missed time, they are healthy at the right time and poised to back ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Will it be Clayton Kershaw, Emmet Sheehan or Shohei Ohtani in a Game 4 situation? Kershaw is probably the most likely answer, though Sheehan has made his case with a 1.15 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 31.1 innings over his last five starts.
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