Predicting Every MLB Team's Opening Day 2026 Starting Rotation, Version 4.0
While a few notable free agents remain unsigned and there will inevitably be a handful of injuries that shake things up, all 30 MLB teams should have a good idea of what their 2026 starting rotation is going to look like at this point.
The free-agent market shook things up, with Framber Valdez (Tigers), Dylan Cease (Blue Jays), and Ranger Suárez (Red Sox) the biggest names that found new homes, while Michael King (Padres), Zac Gallen (D-backs), Brandon Woodruff (Brewers), and Shota Imanaga (Cubs) stayed put.
With spring training in full swing, now is the perfect time for a fresh look at B/R's rotation predictions, with our first update since Feb. 2, when the final dominoes of the offseason had yet to topple.
In case you missed it: Predicting Every MLB Team's Opening Day 2026 Lineup, Version 4.0
Arizona Diamondbacks
1 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. RHP Zac Gallen
2. RHP Ryne Nelson
3. LHP Eduardo Rodriguez
4. RHP Brandon Pfaadt
5. RHP Michael Soroka
IL: RHP Corbin Burnes, RHP Merrill Kelly
Spring Spotlight: The D-backs re-signed veteran Merrill Kelly to a two-year, $40 million deal after trading him to the Rangers last summer, but he will be sidelined to start the year due to a nagging back issue. With Corbin Burnes also still recovering from Tommy John surgery, the late-offseason reunion with Zac Gallen becomes even more important, and he will likely take the ball on Opening Day.
Athletics
2 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. RHP Luis Severino
2. LHP Jeffrey Springs
3. RHP Aaron Civale
4. LHP Jacob Lopez
5. RHP Luis Morales
IL: None
Spring Spotlight: With no needle-moving addition to the starting rotation this offseason, it will fall on Luis Morales and Jacob Lopez to take a step forward if the Athletics are going to field a serviceable rotation. Veteran Aaron Civale should soak up some innings at a league-average rate after signing a one-year, $6 million deal, but he's more floor than ceiling.
Atlanta Braves
3 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. LHP Chris Sale
2. RHP Spencer Strider
3. RHP Reynaldo López
4. RHP Grant Holmes
5. RHP Zack Littell
IL: RHP Spencer Schwellenbach, RHP Hurston Waldrep, RHP AJ Smith-Shawver
Spring Spotlight: With Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep both recovering from February elbow procedures, the Braves' rotation is stretched thin, especially with Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, and Reynaldo López all coming off injury-shortened seasons. That makes them a logical landing spot for Zack Littell or Lucas Giolito, who are the two notable rotation-caliber arms still looking for work, and Littell offers the more durable profile of the two.
Baltimore Orioles
4 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. LHP Trevor Rogers
2. RHP Kyle Bradish
3. RHP Shane Baz
4. RHP Chris Bassitt
5. RHP Zach Eflin
6. RHP Dean Kremer
IL: None
Spring Spotlight: After adding Shane Baz and Chris Bassitt to the mix this offseason, along with re-signing Zach Eflin, the Orioles now have six quality options for the starting rotation. Right-hander Dean Kremer is clearly No. 6 on that list, despite logging a team-high 171.2 innings with a 4.19 ERA and 2.2 WAR in 2026. The question is whether they will utilize a six-man rotation or slot Kremer into a swingman role to start the year.
Boston Red Sox
5 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. LHP Garrett Crochet
2. RHP Sonny Gray
3. LHP Ranger Suárez
4. RHP Brayan Bello
5. LHP Connelly Early
IL: RHP Tanner Houck, RHP Kutter Crawford, LHP Patrick Sandoval
Spring Spotlight: The Red Sox have an intriguing camp battle brewing for the No. 5 starter job, with offseason pickup Johan Oviedo trying to hold off rising prospects Connelly Early and Payton Tolle after they both debuted down the stretch last year. Oviedo is the favorite as the established big leaguer, but he does have a minor league option remaining, and Early pitched well enough last September to earn a postseason start.
Chicago Cubs
6 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. RHP Cade Horton
2. LHP Matthew Boyd
3. RHP Edward Cabrera
4. LHP Shota Imanaga
5. RHP Jameson Taillon
IL: LHP Justin Steele
Spring Spotlight: The Cubs have a strong rotation top-to-bottom, but there's a case to be made that they are lacking a bona fide ace to anchor the staff. After going 8-1 with a 1.03 ERA in 61.1 innings after the All-Star break last season, Cade Horton has the potential to be that guy, or at least to bridge the gap until Justin Steele returns sometime before the All-Star break.
Chicago White Sox
7 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. RHP Shane Smith
2. LHP Anthony Kay
3. RHP Davis Martin
4. RHP Sean Burke
5. RHP Erick Fedde
IL: RHP Drew Thorpe, LHP Ky Bush
Spring Spotlight: The White Sox spent a combined $18 million to sign Anthony Kay, Sean Newcomb, and Erick Fedde this offseason, and they appear to be competing for two spots in the Opening Day rotation. Newcomb has 65 career starts under his belt, but he pitched exclusively in relief last year and enjoyed a resurgent season, so he is the most likely candidate to open in the bullpen.
Cincinnati Reds
8 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. RHP Hunter Greene
2. LHP Andrew Abbott
3. RHP Brady Singer
4. LHP Nick Lodolo
5. RHP Rhett Lowder
IL: LHP Brandon Williamson, RHP Julian Aguiar
Spring Spotlight: There might not be a more compelling rotation battle in baseball this spring than Rhett Lowder vs. Chase Burns for the final spot on the Reds starting staff. Both were top-10 picks, both have shown flashes in the majors, and both profile as long-term anchors of the Cincinnati rotation. Burns could be a lethal weapon in a multi-inning role out of the bullpen, while waiting in the wings as the next man up if injury strikes.
Cleveland Guardians
9 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. RHP Gavin Williams
2. RHP Tanner Bibee
3. RHP Slade Cecconi
4. LHP Joey Cantillo
5. LHP Logan Allen
IL: None
Spring Spotlight: The Guardians have a trio of young left-handers vying for the final two spots in their rotation, with Joey Cantillo, Logan Allen and Parker Messick all coming off solid 2025 performances. Cantillo is out of minor league options and a lock for the roster, but he also has the most experience pitching in relief, so there is a door open for Messick if he forces the issue this spring.
Colorado Rockies
10 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. LHP Kyle Freeland
2. RHP Michael Lorenzen
3. LHP Jose Quintana
4. RHP Chase Dollander
5. RHP Tomoyuki Sugano
IL: None
Spring Spotlight: After the starting rotation served up an MLB-worst 6.65 ERA a year ago, the Rockies spent $19.1 million on a trio of one-year deals for Michael Lorenzen, Jose Quintana, and Tomoyuki Sugano. That raises the question of how a healthy Ryan Feltner fits the team's plans. The 29-year-old had a 4.49 ERA and 105 ERA+ in 30 starts during the 2024 season, but was slowed by a shoulder injury last season that limited him to 30.1 innings.
Detroit Tigers
11 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. LHP Tarik Skubal
2. LHP Framber Valdez
3. RHP Justin Verlander
4. RHP Jack Flaherty
5. RHP Casey Mize
IL: RHP Reese Olson, RHP Jackson Jobe
Spring Spotlight: The Tigers signed Drew Anderson to a one-year, $7 million deal following an elite run in the KBO last season, where he logged a 2.25 ERA and 245 strikeouts in 171.2 innings. However, they followed that move by adding Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander to the rotation, leaving his role up in the air for his stateside return.
Houston Astros
12 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. RHP Hunter Brown
2. RHP Tatsuya Imai (R)
3. RHP Cristian Javier
4. RHP Lance McCullers Jr.
5. RHP Mike Burrows
6. RHP Ryan Weiss (R)
IL: RHP Ronel Blanco, RHP Hayden Wesneski
Spring Spotlight: Right-hander Ryan Weiss went 16-5 with a 2.87 ERA and 207 strikeouts in 178.2 innings in the KBO last season, and the Astros inked him to a one-year, $2.1 million deal in December. That modest investment likely guarantees him a spot on the roster. However, it remains to be seen if the Astros will opt for a six-man rotation, and he still needs to beat out Spencer Arrighetti and Jason Alexander even if they do.
Kansas City Royals
13 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. LHP Cole Ragans
2. RHP Seth Lugo
3. LHP Kris Bubic
4. RHP Michael Wacha
5. LHP Noah Cameron
IL: RHP Alec Marsh, RHP Stephen Kolek
Spring Spotlight: Assuming Noah Cameron is a lock for the rotation after logging a 2.99 ERA in 138.1 innings as a rookie, the Royals have one of the most set starting staffs in baseball. Right-hander Stephen Kolek was arguably his biggest competition for the No. 5 job, and he is now sidelined with an oblique strain. That leaves Bailey Falter and Ryan Bergert as the next in line to start.
Los Angeles Angels
14 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. LHP Yusei Kikuchi
2. RHP José Soriano
3. LHP Reid Detmers
4. RHP Grayson Rodriguez
5. RHP Alek Manoah
IL: None
Spring Spotlight: An AL Cy Young candidate in 2022, Alek Manoah has not pitched in the big leagues since May 29, 2024, and the Angels rolled the dice on a rebound with a one-year, $1.95 million deal. If he struggles this spring, Caden Dana, Jack Kochanowicz, and Sam Aldegheri are the leading in-house candidates to push him for the No. 5 job.
Los Angeles Dodgers
15 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto
2. RHP Tyler Glasnow
3. RHP Shohei Ohtani
4. RHP Emmet Sheehan
5. RHP Roki Sasaki
IL: LHP Blake Snell
Spring Spotlight: With Blake Snell battling a shoulder issue and expected to start the year on the injured list, the Dodgers now have a decision to make on whether they still want to roll with a six-man rotation. A healthy Gavin Stone would be the leading candidate to fill the sixth spot, while River Ryan, Kyle Hurt, and Landon Knack are also in the mix.
Miami Marlins
16 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. RHP Sandy Alcantara
2. RHP Eury Pérez
3. LHP Braxton Garrett
4. RHP Max Meyer
5. RHP Chris Paddack
IL: None
Spring Spotlight: The Marlins signed Chris Paddack to a one-year, $4 million deal in February to add depth to the rotation following the offseason trades of Edward Cabrera and Ryan Weathers. Right-hander Janson Junk is his biggest competition after logging a 4.17 ERA and 3.14 FIP in 110 innings last season, but he also has experience pitching in a swingman role.
Milwaukee Brewers
17 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. RHP Brandon Woodruff
2. RHP Jacob Misiorowski
3. RHP Quinn Priester
4. RHP Chad Patrick
5. RHP Logan Henderson (R)
IL: None
Spring Spotlight: The Freddy Peralta trade means a collection of young arms will be competing for two spots in the Brewers' rotation rather than one this spring. Right-hander Chad Patrick had a 3.53 ERA in 119.2 innings last season and has a leg up for one of the spots. The other will go to whoever pitches the best out of Logan Henderson, DL Hall, Kyle Harrison, Brandon Sproat, and Robert Gasser.
Minnesota Twins
18 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. RHP Joe Ryan
2. RHP Bailey Ober
3. RHP Simeon Woods Richardson
4. RHP Zebby Matthews
5. RHP Taj Bradley
IL: RHP Pablo López, RHP David Festa
Spring Spotlight: Injuries to Pablo López and David Festa have cleared a path for reclamation project Taj Bradley to win the No. 5 starter job for the Twins, but he is not without competition. Mick Abel, Connor Prielipp, and Kendry Rojas are all on the 40-man roster and close to big league ready, so the door isn't shut on a potential surprise rotation contender.
New York Mets
19 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. RHP Freddy Peralta
2. RHP Nolan McLean (R)
3. LHP David Peterson
4. RHP Clay Holmes
5. LHP Sean Manaea
6. RHP Kodai Senga
IL: RHP Tylor Megill
Spring Spotlight: The Mets are in a unique position where they are not necessarily aiming for a six-man rotation, but also have a collection of starters that might benefit from that approach. That puts the ball squarely in the court of Kodai Senga or Jonah Tong to force the team's hand with a strong spring.
New York Yankees
20 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. LHP Max Fried
2. RHP Cam Schlittler
3. RHP Luis Gil
4. LHP Ryan Weathers
5. RHP Will Warren
IL: RHP Gerrit Cole, LHP Carlos Rodón, RHP Clarke Schmidt
Spring Spotlight: With Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón both sidelined, the Yankees need someone to step forward as a viable No. 2 starter behind Max Fried early in the season. Cam Schlittler is the leading candidate after posting a 2.96 ERA with 84 strikeouts in 73 innings last season before a dominant playoff run, while a healthy Luis Gil is also a factor.
Philadelphia Phillies
21 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. LHP Cristopher Sánchez
2. LHP Jesús Luzardo
3. RHP Lucas Giolito
4. RHP Aaron Nola
5. RHP Taijuan Walker
IL: RHP Zack Wheeler
Spring Spotlight: As the roster currently stands, the Phillies have essentially put all of their eggs in the Andrew Painter basket to fill the No. 5 starter job, unless non-roster invitees Bryse Wilson and Tucker Davidson make a surprise roster push. That makes them one of the few logical fits for Lucas Giolito, who is still searching for a new home in free agency after posting a 3.41 ERA in 145 innings for the Red Sox last year.
Pittsburgh Pirates
22 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. RHP Paul Skenes
2. RHP Mitch Keller
3. RHP Braxton Ashcraft
4. RHP Bubba Chandler (R)
5. RHP José Urquidy
IL: RHP Jared Jones
Spring Spotlight: The Pirates have an interesting mix of arms competing for the No. 5 spot, led by José Urquidy, who signed a one-year, $1.5 million MLB deal in February. Non-roster invitee Mike Clevinger and top prospect Hunter Barco are his biggest competition, and the spot will likely belong to Barco at some point in 2026, but Urquidy has valuable experience and could help absorb innings early.
San Diego Padres
23 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. RHP Michael King
2. RHP Nick Pivetta
3. RHP Joe Musgrove
4. RHP Randy Vásquez
5. RHP Walker Buehler
IL: RHP Yu Darvish, RHP Griffin Canning, RHP Matt Waldron
Spring Spotlight: The Padres have cast a wide net to fill out the back of their starting rotation, and assuming Randy Vásquez is a lock for the No. 4 starter job, it's a long list of veterans vying for one spot. JP Sears and Kyle Hurt are the incumbent options, and they are joined by low-cost offseason fliers Germán Márquez, Walker Buehler, Triston McKenzie, and Marco Gonzales. This likely comes down to who has the better spring.
San Francisco Giants
24 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. RHP Logan Webb
2. LHP Robbie Ray
3. RHP Tyler Mahle
4. RHP Adrian Houser
5. RHP Landen Roupp
IL: None
Spring Spotlight: The Giants' biggest spring battle appears to be a straightforward Landen Roupp vs. Hayden Birdsong competition for the No. 5 starter job. Roupp had a solid 3.80 ERA in 106.2 innings over 22 starts last season, but Birdsong offers a significantly higher ceiling if he can rein in his electric stuff. Both have minor league options remaining, and the loser likely heads to Triple-A to stay stretched out as a starter.
Seattle Mariners
25 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. RHP Bryan Woo
2. RHP Logan Gilbert
3. RHP Luis Castillo
4. RHP George Kirby
5. RHP Bryce Miller
IL: RHP Logan Evans
Spring Spotlight: With the Mariners' rotation set, the biggest question this spring is who fills the "next man up" role now that Logan Evans is out for the year due to Tommy John surgery. Right-hander Emerson Hancock had a 5.08 FIP over 90 innings while making 16 spot starts last year, so a strong spring from someone else could push him down the depth chart.
St. Louis Cardinals
26 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. LHP Matthew Liberatore
2. RHP Dustin May
3. RHP Michael McGreevy
4. RHP Andre Pallante
5. RHP Richard Fitts
IL: None
Spring Spotlight: The No. 5 spot in the Cardinals' rotation appears to be a battle between newcomer Richard Fitts and reliever-turned-starter candidate Kyle Leahy this spring. However, given the overall youth and lack of a proven workhorse, the outcome could be a six-man rotation that gives both guys a shot and lightens the load on everyone.
Tampa Bay Rays
27 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. RHP Drew Rasmussen
2. LHP Shane McClanahan
3. RHP Ryan Pepiot
4. LHP Steven Matz
5. RHP Nick Martinez
IL: None
Spring Spotlight: By filling out the back of their rotation with a pair of veterans who are comfortable pitching in a variety of roles, the Rays have created a clean path for one of their young arms to emerge. Ian Seymour and Joe Boyle are two names to monitor after both pitched well in limited action last year, but the cleanest move might be to start the season with the veterans in the rotation and see who forces the issue at Triple-A.
Texas Rangers
28 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. RHP Jacob deGrom
2. RHP Nathan Eovaldi
3. LHP MacKenzie Gore
4. RHP Jack Leiter
5. LHP Jacob Latz
IL: LHP Cody Bradford, LHP Jordan Montgomery
Spring Spotlight: The Rangers have a clean two-man battle between Jacob Latz and Kumar Rocker for the No. 5 starter job, with non-roster invitees Cal Quantrill and Austin Gomber in camp as organizational depth. Latz pitched better in a starting role than he did in relief last year, and his 2.84 ERA in 85.2 innings overall should be enough to earn him the upper hand.
Toronto Blue Jays
29 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. RHP Kevin Gausman
2. RHP Dylan Cease
3. RHP Trey Yesavage (R)
4. RHP José Berríos
5. RHP Cody Ponce
IL: RHP Shane Bieber, RHP Bowden Francis
Spring Spotlight: What role will newly re-signed Max Scherzer fill on the 2026 Blue Jays? The 41-year-old signed an incentive-laden, one-year deal over the weekend, and his status for Opening Day is up in the air. There was some talk of a six-man rotation before Shane Bieber was injured, so perhaps the answer is to simply add him to the established five-man group whenever he is stretched out and ready.
Washington Nationals
30 of 30
Projected Starting Rotation
1. RHP Miles Mikolas
2. RHP Cade Cavalli
3. RHP Josiah Gray
4. RHP Brad Lord
5. LHP Foster Griffin (R)
IL: RHP Trevor Williams, LHP DJ Herz
Spring Spotlight: The Nationals' rotation was a weakness before MacKenzie Gore was traded to the Rangers, and now it's one big question mark. The X-factor might be Josiah Gray, who missed the entire 2025 season and most of 2024 recovering from Tommy John surgery, but was an All-Star in 2023.
