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Predicting Every MLB Team's 2026 Opening Day Starting Rotation, Version 2.0

Joel ReuterJan 5, 2026

The starting pitching landscape looks quite a bit different than it did in late November when the first round of 2026 starting rotation predictions were released.

The only notable moves that had been made at that point were Brandon Woodruff and Shota Imanaga accepting their qualifying offers and Grayson Rodriguez being traded from the Orioles to the Angels.

Dylan Cease (7/$210M) signing with the Blue Jays has been the biggest move in the weeks since, while Michael King (3/$75M) and Tatsuya Imai (3/$54M) also landed deals north of $50 million from the Padres and Astros, respectively.

That said, several of the market's top arms are still looking for new contracts, including Framber Valdez, Ranger Suárez, Zac Gallen, Lucas Giolito, Chris Bassitt and Justin Verlander.

For now, we've assigned all of the top remaining free agents to logical landing spots on the way to predicting each MLB team's Opening Day starting rotation for the 2026 season.

Note: Names in bold indicate a projected signing or trade pickup.

Arizona Diamondbacks

1 of 30
San Diego Padres v Arizona Diamondbacks
Ryne Nelson

Projected Starting Rotation

1. RHP Merrill Kelly
2. RHP Ryne Nelson
3. LHP Eduardo Rodriguez
4. RHP Brandon Pfaadt
5. RHP Michael Soroka

Quick Thoughts: A reunion with Merrill Kelly and a roll of the dice on Michael Soroka might be the extent of what the D-backs do to address their starting rotation this winter.

Ryne Nelson had a 3.16 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 105 strikeouts in 128 innings over 23 starts last season after starting the year in the bullpen, and he will be counted on to fill a more prominent role on the staff.

Other Internal Candidates: RHP Cristian Mena, RHP Yilber Díaz, LHP Kohl Drake, LHP Mitch Bratt

Athletics

2 of 30
Kansas City Royals v Athletics

Projected Starting Rotation

1. RHP Luis Severino
2. LHP Jeffrey Springs
3. RHP Nick Martinez
4. LHP Jacob Lopez
5. RHP Luis Morales

Quick Thoughts: Even with the second-half emergence of Jacob Lopez and Luis Morales, as well as some other solid in-house candidates for the back of the rotation, the Athletics would still benefit greatly from another veteran starter.

In four seasons since returning from an extended stint in Japan, right-hander Nick Martinez has a 3.67 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 524.2 innings spanning 61 starts and 131 relief appearances. If he prefers to start over a potential swingman role, a team like the Athletics might have the upper hand.

Other Internal Candidates: RHP Jack Perkins, RHP Luis Medina, RHP J.T. Ginn, RHP Gunner Hoglund, RHP Mitch Spence, RHP Joey Estes, RHP Mason Barnett

Atlanta Braves

3 of 30
MLB: AUG 20 White Sox at Braves
Hurston Waldrep

Projected Starting Rotation

1. LHP Chris Sale
2. RHP Spencer Schwellenbach
3. RHP Spencer Strider
4. RHP Hurston Waldrep
5. RHP Grant Holmes

Quick Thoughts: Will a healthy Reynaldo López return to a starting role, or will his workload be limited by a multi-inning relief role where he has also had success in the past?

That appears to be the only major question for the Braves, assuming Hurston Waldrep is locked into a rotation spot following a stellar 2025 campaign where he posted a 2.88 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 55 strikeouts in 56.1 innings over the final two months.

Other Internal Candidates: RHP Reynaldo López, LHP Joey Wentz, RHP Didier Fuentes, RHP Bryce Elder

TOP NEWS

Texas Rangers v Philadelphia Phillies
Los Angeles Angels v New York Yankees

Baltimore Orioles

4 of 30
Pittsburgh Pirates v Baltimore Orioles
Kyle Bradish

Projected Starting Rotation

1. LHP Trevor Rogers
2. RHP Kyle Bradish
3. RHP Shane Baz
4. RHP Dean Kremer
5. RHP Zach Eflin

Quick Thoughts: The addition of Shane Baz and reunion with Zach Eflin, coupled with healthy seasons from Trevor Rogers and Kyle Bradish at the top of the rotation, give the Orioles a chance at one of the better starting staffs in the American League.

The front office paid a steep price to acquire Baz, who dealt with a variety of injuries early in his career before finally staying healthy for the entirety of the 2025 campaign. Still only 26 years old, he is controllable through 2028 and capable of frontline-caliber production.

Other Internal Candidates: RHP Tyler Wells, LHP Cade Povich, RHP Brandon Young, RHP Chayce McDermott

Boston Red Sox

5 of 30
Boston Red Sox v Tampa Bay Rays
Garrett Crochet

Projected Starting Rotation

1. LHP Garrett Crochet
2. RHP Sonny Gray
3. RHP Brayan Bello
4. RHP Kutter Crawford
5. RHP Johan Oviedo

Quick Thoughts: Are the Red Sox finished adding pieces to the rotation? They made a pair of trades to acquire Sonny Gray from the Cardinals and Johan Oviedo from the Pirates, and behind the projected five-man staff there is a lot of quality depth.

It's not out of the question to think that any of Connelly Early, Payton Tolle, Patrick Sandoval or Kyle Harrison could outperform Kutter Crawford or Oviedo during spring training to secure a spot.

Other Internal Candidates: LHP Connelly Early, LHP Payton Tolle, LHP Patrick Sandoval, LHP Kyle Harrison

Chicago Cubs

6 of 30
New York Mets v Chicago Cubs
Cade Horton

Projected Starting Rotation

1. LHP Matthew Boyd
2. RHP Cade Horton
3. RHP Jameson Taillon
4. LHP Shota Imanaga
5. RHP Colin Rea

Quick Thoughts: There is still time for the Cubs to make a splash with one of the top arms left on the market, but they could just as easily roll with their in-house options and bank on a healthy Justin Steele providing a major boost.

It's also important to remember they were without standout rookie Cade Horton in the playoffs, and he likely would have been the Game 1 starter after going 8-1 with a 1.03 ERA and 0.78 WHIP in 61.1 innings after the All-Star break.

Other Internal Candidates: RHP Javier Assad, LHP Jordan Wicks, RHP Jaxon Wiggins

Chicago White Sox

7 of 30
Chicago White Sox v Washington Nationals
Shane Smith

Projected Starting Rotation

1. RHP Shane Smith
2. LHP Anthony Kay
3. RHP Davis Martin
4. LHP Sean Newcomb
5. RHP Sean Burke

Quick Thoughts: The White Sox have made a pair of intriguing upside signings this winter to bolster the rotation, adding starter-turned-reliever Sean Newcomb and Japanese League standout Anthony Kay.

Newcomb opened the 2025 season in the Red Sox rotation, then thrived in the Athletics bullpen with a 1.75 ERA in 51.1 innings. Kay is a former first-round pick in 2016 who spent 2024 and 2025 pitching for the Yokohama Bay Stars, posting a 1.74 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 130 strikeouts in 155 innings last year.

Other Internal Candidates: RHP Jonathan Cannon, LHP Chris Murphy, LHP Noah Schultz, RHP Tanner McDougal

Cincinnati Reds

8 of 30
Chicago Cubs v Cincinnati Reds
Chase Burns

Projected Starting Rotation

1. RHP Hunter Greene
2. LHP Andrew Abbott
3. RHP Brady Singer
4. LHP Nick Lodolo
5. RHP Chase Burns

Quick Thoughts: Unless they decide to flip Brady Singer ahead of his final year of arbitration, it looks like the first four spots in the Reds rotation are set, while flame-throwing Chase Burns is the front-runner for the No. 5 job.

Don't sleep on Rhett Lowder making an impact in 2026. The No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 draft debuted with a bang in 2024, logging a 1.17 ERA in 30.2 innings over six starts, then spent 2025 sidelined with forearm and oblique injuries.

Other Internal Candidates: RHP Rhett Lowder, RHP Chase Petty

Cleveland Guardians

9 of 30
Wild Card Series - Detroit Tigers v Cleveland Guardians - Game Three
Slade Cecconi

Projected Starting Rotation

1. RHP Gavin Williams
2. RHP Tanner Bibee
3. RHP Slade Cecconi
4. LHP Joey Cantillo
5. LHP Logan Allen

Quick Thoughts: The first three spots in the Cleveland rotation are set, leaving a trio of lefties to battle it out for the final two starting jobs, barring a late addition in free agency.

Joey Cantillo had a 1.59 ERA in 39.2 innings over his final seven starts last season, but he also has the most experience pitching in relief out of the three, so it will be interesting to see how everything lines up.

Other Internal Candidates: LHP Parker Messick, RHP Daniel Espino

Colorado Rockies

10 of 30
Colorado Rockies v Los Angeles Dodgers
Chase Dollander

Projected Starting Rotation

1. LHP Kyle Freeland
2. RHP Chase Dollander
3. RHP Ryan Feltner
4. RHP Tanner Gordon
5. RHP Antonio Senzatela

Quick Thoughts: Since the 2021-22 offseason, Chad Kuhl, José Ureña and Dakota Hudson are the only starting pitchers the Rockies have signed to major league deals, so expecting any major outside additions would be wishful thinking.

Instead, they will have to rely on Chase Dollander and Tanner Gordon taking a step forward following their first extended big league action in 2025. A healthy Ryan Feltner could also make a difference, as he is not far removed from posting a 4.49 ERA in 162.1 innings over 30 starts in 2024.

Other Internal Candidates: RHP Bradley Blalock, RHP McCade Brown, LHP Carson Palmquist, RHP Gabriel Hughes

Detroit Tigers

11 of 30
Cleveland Guardians v Detroit Tigers
Jack Flaherty

Projected Starting Rotation

1. LHP Tarik Skubal
2. RHP Jack Flaherty
3. RHP Justin Verlander
4. RHP Casey Mize
5. RHP Reese Olson

Quick Thoughts: Potential reunions with Justin Verlander or Max Scherzer make plenty of logical sense for the Tigers to fill out their starting rotation and provide veteran depth to a young group of back‑end starters.

Drew Anderson is the leading in-house candidate for the No. 5 starter job after he was signed to a one-year, $7 million deal in early December. The 31-year-old spent the last four years pitching overseas in the KBO and Japanese League, and he went 12-7 with a 2.25 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 245 strikeouts in 171.2 innings for the KBO's SSG Landers in 2025.

Other Internal Candidates: RHP Drew Anderson, RHP Troy Melton, RHP Keider Montero, RHP Ty Madden, RHP Sawyer Gipson-Long

Houston Astros

12 of 30
South Korea v Japan - Asia Professional Baseball Championship Final
Tatsuya Imai

Projected Starting Rotation

1. RHP Hunter Brown
2. RHP Cristian Javier
3. RHP Tatsuya Imai
4. RHP Lance McCullers Jr.
5. RHP Mike Burrows

Quick Thoughts: With Japanese League star Tatsuya Imai signed to a three-year, $54 million deal and Mike Burrows acquired from the Pirates in a three-team trade, the Astros starting rotation is starting to take shape.

The question remains whether they can count on Lance McCullers Jr. to hold down a starting spot after he struggled to a 6.51 ERA over 55.1 innings in his first big league action since 2022. If not, Spencer Arrighetti and Jason Alexander both have ample rotation experience, while a stretched out Nate Pearson is a wild card.

Other Internal Candidates: RHP Spencer Arrighetti, RHP Jason Alexander, RHP Nate Pearson, LHP Colton Gordon, RHP J.P. France, RHP AJ Blubaugh, RHP Miguel Ullola

Kansas City Royals

13 of 30
Kansas City Royals v Miami Marlins
Kris Bubic

Projected Starting Rotation

1. LHP Cole Ragans
2. RHP Seth Lugo
3. LHP Kris Bubic
4. RHP Michael Wacha
5. LHP Noah Cameron

Quick Thoughts: Unless they decide to sell high on Kris Bubic or find a true blockbuster return for Cole Ragans, the Royals rotation appears to be set, and their five starters are backed by some excellent depth.

Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek were acquired in the deal that sent Freddy Fermin to the Padres at last year's deadline, and both still have minor league options remaining. Left-hander Bailey Falter is out of options, so he will likely find a spot in the bullpen if he is not part of the rotation.

Other Internal Candidates: RHP Ryan Bergert, RHP Stephen Kolek, LHP Bailey Falter

Los Angeles Angels

14 of 30
Cincinnati Reds v Los Angeles Angels
Reid Detmers

Projected Starting Rotation

1. LHP Yusei Kikuchi
2. RHP Lucas Giolito
3. RHP José Soriano
4. RHP Grayson Rodriguez
5. LHP Reid Detmers

Quick Thoughts: The Angels made a splash with the three-year, $63.7 million deal they gave Yusei Kikuchi last offseason, and they look like a prime candidate for a similar mid-level signing of someone like Lucas Giolito or Zac Gallen.

Reid Detmers had a 3.96 ERA and 11.3 K/9 in 61 appearances out of the bullpen in 2025, but prior to that he had worked exclusively as a starter, and he will likely be stretched out again this spring. Can Alek Manoah return to even a fraction of the form he showed in 2022 when he finished third in AL Cy Young voting?

Other Internal Candidates: RHP Alek Manoah, RHP Chase Silseth, LHP Sam Aldegheri, RHP Caden Dana, RHP Jack Kochanowicz

Los Angeles Dodgers

15 of 30
National League Championship Series - Milwaukee Brewers v Los Angeles Dodgers - Game Three
Roki Sasaki

Projected Starting Rotation

1. RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto
2. LHP Blake Snell
3. RHP Shohei Ohtani
4. RHP Tyler Glasnow
5. RHP Emmet Sheehan
6. RHP Roki Sasaki

Quick Thoughts: Expect the Dodgers to go with a six-man rotation once again in 2026, which should help keep oft-injured Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow upright, while also allowing Shohei Ohtani and Roki Sasaki to pitch at the cadence they were accustomed to in Japan.

Right-hander Gavin Stone went 11-5 with a 3.53 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 116 strikeouts in 140.1 innings while making 25 starts as a rookie in 2024, but he missed the entire 2025 season recovering from shoulder surgery. He could push Emmet Sheehan or Sasaki to the bullpen with a strong spring.

Other Internal Candidates: RHP Gavin Stone, RHP Landon Knack, RHP Kyle Hurt, RHP River Ryan, LHP Justin Wrobleski

Miami Marlins

16 of 30
Atlanta Braves v Miami Marlins
Edward Cabrera

Projected Starting Rotation

1. RHP Sandy Alcantara
2. RHP Eury Pérez
3. RHP Edward Cabrera
4. LHP Ryan Weathers
5. LHP Braxton Garrett

Quick Thoughts: Eury Pérez (20 starts), Ryan Weathers (8 starts) and Braxton Garrett (0 starts) all missed extended time for the Marlins last year, and they used 15 different starting pitchers over the course of the season as a result.

With it looking more and more likely that Sandy Alcantara and Edward Cabrera will both be staying put, this has a chance to be one of the better starting rotations in the National League.

Other Internal Candidates: RHP Max Meyer, RHP Janson Junk, RHP Adam Mazur, RHP Ryan Gusto, LHP Dax Fulton

Milwaukee Brewers

17 of 30
Pittsburgh Pirates v Milwaukee Brewers
Freddy Peralta

Projected Starting Rotation

1. RHP Freddy Peralta
2. RHP Brandon Woodruff
3. RHP Jacob Misiorowski
4. RHP Quinn Priester
5. RHP Logan Henderson

Quick Thoughts: A trade of ace Freddy Peralta ahead of the final season of his contract remains a very real possibility, but for now he is penciled into Milwaukee's projected rotation alongside fellow frontline starter Brandon Woodruff.

It could be Quinn Priester, Logan Henderson and Chad Patrick battling for the final two spots on the starting staff, and the prediction of Patrick being the odd-man out is a product of how well he pitched in a relief role in the playoffs, making him the best candidate of the three to start the season in the bullpen.

Other Internal Candidates: RHP Chad Patrick, LHP DL Hall, LHP Robert Gasser, RHP Tobias Myers

Minnesota Twins

18 of 30
Minnesota Twins v Los Angeles Angels
Taj Bradley

Projected Starting Rotation

1. RHP Joe Ryan
2. RHP Pablo López
3. RHP Bailey Ober
4. RHP Simeon Woods Richardson
5. RHP Taj Bradley

Quick Thoughts: It was reported in early December that the Twins planned to keep both Joe Ryan and Pablo López after some speculation that they could continue wheeling and dealing on the heels of their trade deadline fire sale.

Reclamation project Taj Bradley will be given every opportunity to win the No. 5 starter job, while Zebby Matthews (25 MLB starts) and David Festa (23 MLB starts) offer experienced alternatives if he struggles.

Other Internal Candidates: RHP Zebby Matthews, RHP David Festa, RHP Mick Abel, RHP Marco Raya, RHP Andrew Morris

New York Mets

19 of 30
Seattle Mariners v New York Mets
Nolan McLean

Projected Starting Rotation

1. LHP Framber Valdez
2. RHP Nolan McLean
3. LHP David Peterson
4. LHP Sean Manaea
5. RHP Kodai Senga

Quick Thoughts: A year after using 17 different starting pitchers and finishing 18th in the majors with a 4.13 ERA from the starting staff, the Mets have yet to add a single starter to their 40-man roster, assuming Luke Weaver is going to remain in the bullpen.

Clay Holmes is the logical player to slot in the bullpen from the current projected rotation if they do end up making a splash with someone like Framber Valdez, given his experience closing games for the Yankees.

Other Internal Candidates: RHP Clay Holmes, RHP Jonah Tong, RHP Brandon Sproat, RHP Christian Scott

New York Yankees

20 of 30
Wild Card Series - Boston Red Sox v New York Yankees - Game 3
Cam Schlittler

Projected Starting Rotation

1. LHP Max Fried
2. RHP Cam Schlittler
3. RHP Luis Gil
4. RHP Zack Littell
5. RHP Will Warren

Quick Thoughts: The Yankees don't necessarily need to make a splashy signing, but they do need to add at least one arm to help bridge the gap with Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón and Clarke Schmidt all expected to start the season on the injured list.

Zack Littell has ample experience pitching as both a starter and a reliever, and he could slot into the rotation to start the year before potentially shifting into a multi-inning relief role alongside Ryan Yarbrough.

Other Internal Candidates: LHP Ryan Yarbrough

Philadelphia Phillies

21 of 30
Division Series - Los Angeles Dodgers v Philadelphia Phillies - Game Two
Jesús Luzardo

Projected Starting Rotation

1. LHP Cristopher Sánchez
2. LHP Jesús Luzardo
3. RHP Aaron Nola
4. RHP Taijuan Walker
5. RHP Max Scherzer

Quick Thoughts: With Ranger Suárez projected to sign elsewhere in these predictions and Zack Wheeler expected to open the year on the injured list, the Phillies will need to do something to shore up the back of the rotation.

Stretching out Brad Keller is one possibility after he was signed to a two-year, $22 million deal last month, while top prospect Andrew Painter will also get a long look this spring. However, this could be the perfect landing spot for Max Scherzer as he chases another title in the late stages of his Hall of Fame career.

Other Internal Candidates: RHP Brad Keller, RHP Andrew Painter, RHP Jean Cabrera

Pittsburgh Pirates

22 of 30
Pittsburgh Pirates v Cincinnati Reds
Braxton Ashcraft

Projected Starting Rotation

1. RHP Paul Skenes
2. RHP Mitch Keller
3. RHP Braxton Ashcraft
4. RHP Bubba Chandler
5. LHP Tyler Anderson

Quick Thoughts: Braxton Ashcraft, Bubba Chandler and Carmen Mlodzinski are the leading in-house candidates to fill out the Pirates rotation, but considering they have a combined 29 starts in the majors, adding a low-cost veteran to help absorb some innings makes a ton of sense.

The Pirates have made a point of targeting veteran lefties on one-year deals in recent years, signing Derek Holland (2020), Tyler Anderson (2021), Jose Quintana (2022), Rich Hill (2023), Martin Pérez (2024) and Andrew Heaney (2025). A reunion with Anderson or Quintana would keep that trend alive.

Other Internal Candidates: RHP Carmen Mlodzinski, LHP Hunter Barco, RHP Thomas Harrington

San Diego Padres

23 of 30
New York Mets v San Diego Padres

Projected Starting Rotation

1. RHP Nick Pivetta
2. RHP Michael King
3. RHP Joe Musgrove
4. RHP Randy Vásquez
5. RHP Walker Buehler

Quick Thoughts: The Padres brought back Michael King on a reasonable three-year, $75 million deal, but they still have one hole to plug in the starting rotation that was previously occupied by Dylan Cease.

They have not been shy about taking on reclamation projects or relievers transitioning into starting roles, and buying low on Walker Buehler could provide some excellent value.

Other Internal Candidates: LHP JP Sears, LHP Kyle Hurt, RHP Matt Waldron

San Francisco Giants

24 of 30
Colorado Rockies v San Francisco Giants
Logan Webb

Projected Starting Rotation

1. RHP Logan Webb
2. LHP Ranger Suárez
3. LHP Robbie Ray
4. RHP Tyler Mahle
5. RHP Adrian Houser

Quick Thoughts: The Giants could still make a run at someone like Bo Bichette or Cody Bellinger to bolster the offense, but adding Framber Valdez or Ranger Suárez to slot alongside Logan Webb and Robbie Ray at the top of the rotation would also give their 2026 outlook a major boost.

They have done a great job adding Tyler Mahle (1/$10M) and Adrian Houser (2/$22M) on contracts that don't bog down the payroll, keeping the door open for a long-term contract to one of those top-tier arms.

Other Internal Candidates: RHP Landon Roupp, RHP Hayden Birdsong, LHP Carson Whisenhunt, RHP Kai-Wei Teng, RHP Trevor McDonald, RHP JT Brubaker

Seattle Mariners

25 of 30
Seattle Mariners v Kansas City Royals
Luis Castillo

Projected Starting Rotation

1. RHP Bryan Woo
2. RHP Logan Gilbert
3. RHP Luis Castillo
4. RHP George Kirby
5. RHP Bryce Miller

Quick Thoughts: The five starters listed above started 128 of 162 games for the Mariners last season, while Emerson Hancock (16) and Logan Evans (15) accounted for all but two of the remaining outings, so Seattle's rotation returns fully intact on the heels of a 90-win campaign.

Right-hander Logan Gilbert will be a free agent after the 2027 season and could be a candidate for an early extension. He is projected to earn north of $10 million via arbitration this winter, and locking him up long-term would provide more cost certainty going forward.

Other Internal Candidates: RHP Logan Evans, RHP Emerson Hancock

St. Louis Cardinals

26 of 30
St. Louis Cardinals v Cincinnati Reds
Matthew Liberatore

Projected Starting Rotation

1. RHP Zac Gallen
2. LHP Matthew Liberatore
3. RHP Dustin May
4. RHP Michael McGreevy
5. RHP Andre Pallante

Quick Thoughts: With Sonny Gray traded to the Red Sox and Miles Mikolas gone in free agency, the Cardinals are set to roll out an extremely young rotation, even with the addition of Dustin May on a one-year, $12.5 million deal in free agency.

Keep an eye on St. Louis as a potential landing spot for Zac Gallen if he decides to opt for a short-term, high-AAV deal in an effort to rebuild his value and test the free agency waters again in short order. He could eat innings early in the season while serving as staff ace and give the Cardinals a high-value trade chip at the deadline.

Other Internal Candidates: RHP Kyle Leahy, LHP Quinn Mathews, RHP Tink Hence

Tampa Bay Rays

27 of 30
Tampa Bay Rays v New York Yankees
Shane McClanahan

Projected Starting Rotation

1. RHP Drew Rasmussen
2. LHP Shane McClanahan
3. RHP Ryan Pepiot
4. LHP Steven Matz
5. LHP Ian Seymour

Quick Thoughts: With two-time All-Star Shane McClanahan expected to be full-go for spring training and Steven Matz signed to a two-year, $15 million deal to be stretched back out as a starter after working in relief last year, the top four spots in the Rays rotation appear to be set.

Ian Seymour pitched well in his first MLB action last year, while Joe Boyle has electric stuff with a fastball that averaged 98.5 mph and a swing-and-miss slider, and they are top candidates for the No. 5 starter job. He likely won't break camp with a spot, but top pitching prospect Brody Hopkins should debut in 2026.

Other Internal Candidates: RHP Joe Boyle, RHP Yoendrys Gómez, LHP Joe Rock, RHP Brody Hopkins

Texas Rangers

28 of 30
MLB: SEP 26 Rangers at Guardians
Jack Leiter

Projected Starting Rotation

1. RHP Jacob deGrom
2. RHP Nathan Eovaldi
3. RHP Jack Leiter
4. RHP Chris Bassitt
5. RHP Kumar Rocker

Quick Thoughts: The Rangers return Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi at the top of the starting rotation, but counting on them to match the 302.2 innings they combined for in 2025 might be wishful thinking considering their respective ages.

Jack Leiter should be a lock for a rotation spot, while Kumar Rocker and Jacob Latz have both shown potential, but ideally the team would be relying on them for one spot rather than two. A short-term deal for Chris Bassitt would give them a workhorse veteran to help take some pressure off those young arms.

Other Internal Candidates: LHP Jacob Latz, RHP José Corniell, RHP David Davalillo

Toronto Blue Jays

29 of 30
World Series - Toronto Blue Jays v Los Angeles Dodgers - Game 5
Trey Yesavage

Projected Starting Rotation

1. RHP Kevin Gausman
2. RHP Dylan Cease
3. RHP Shane Bieber
4. RHP Trey Yesavage
5. RHP Cody Ponce

Quick Thoughts: The Blue Jays signed Dylan Cease (7/$210M) and Cody Ponce (3/$30M) to multi-year deals while also welcoming Shane Bieber back after he made the somewhat surprising decision to exercise a $16 million player option.

That leaves six starters for five spots, with José Berríos expected to be the odd-man out and a candidate to be traded before the season starts. The 31-year-old is still owed $68.1 million over the next three years, so they will need to pay that figure down considerably to find a taker.

Other Internal Candidates: RHP José Berríos, LHP Eric Lauer, RHP Bowden Francis

Washington Nationals

30 of 30
Pittsburgh Pirates v Washington Nationals
Josiah Gray

Projected Starting Rotation

1. LHP MacKenzie Gore
2. RHP Josiah Gray
3. RHP Cade Cavalli
4. LHP Foster Griffin
5. RHP Brad Lord

Quick Thoughts: There is still a chance MacKenzie Gore is traded before the start of spring training, but there is no rush to move him with two years of club control remaining, and a deadline deal could be more likely at this point.

Left-hander Foster Griffin was signed to a one-year, $5.5 million deal as he gets set to return from a successful three-year run in the Japanese League where he posted a 2.57 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 318 strikeouts in 315.2 innings.

Other Internal Candidates: RHP Jake Irvin, RHP Mitchell Parker, LHP Andrew Alvarez

$380M Roster in Last Place 😬

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