
MLB Midseason Rankings For Top 10 Lineups and Rotations in 2026
If you're entering this article expecting to be happy, allow us to temper expectations.
There isn't one perfect metric to tell you who has the best lineup or bullpen, and reasonable minds can disagree on how much weight should be given to your core pieces, as opposed to overall depth. Also, there's a balancing act here between projecting what you expect to happen, while also leaning on the evidence of what's taken place for more than half the season thus far.
With all that acknowledged, here's B/R's MLB midseason rankings for top 10 lineups and rotations in 2026.
10. St. Louis Cardinals
1 of 20
All-Star Representative(s) From Lineup: Jordan Walker
The Cardinals looked like a team poised to lose 90-plus game entering the season, as president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom tried to remake the organization in his image.
Instead, Oli Marmol's squad is 47-40 and in the thick of the NL wild-card race. There's reason to believe this offense could have staying power:
- Jordan Walker is an All-Star for the first time, as he's hitting .292 with 20 home runs, 67 RBI and an .881 OPS. Following two disastrous seasons, Walker is finally living up to the superstar potential he flashed in his rookie season of 2023.
- JJ Wetherholt has been one of baseball's most impactful rookies. In addition to elite defense at second base, Wetherholt has homered 13 times and posted a .780 OPS.
- Alec Burleson is one of the more underrated hitters in the league, as evidenced by the 20 doubles, 14 homers and .818 OPS the 27-year-old has so far in 2026.
- Iván Herrera is another under-appreciated piece, who has an .818 OPS since the start of the 2025 season.
Between 2021 and 2024, Lars Nootbaar posted a 115 OPS+ (100 is the league average) for the Cardinals. The 28-year-old didn't make his season debut until June 5, but his presence is reason to think the Cardinals lineup won't fade as the season goes along.
9. Tampa Bay Rays
2 of 20
All-Star Representative(s) From Lineup: Junior Caminero, Yandy Díaz
Fresh off of a stretch that saw him hit 11 homers in as many days, Junior Caminero is going to be the starting third baseman for the AL All-Star team. The 23-year-old does hit into his fair share of double plays, but he's emerged as one of the league's top power threats.
Also joining him in Philadelphia for the All-Star Game will be first baseman Yandy Díaz. Three years after winning the AL batting title, Díaz again finds himself atop the batting average leaderboard in the junior circuit, this time with a .321 mark.
Jonathan Aranda isn't an All-Star, although you can definitely make the case he was deserving of a second consecutive selection since he's drawn 49 walks and posted an .841 OPS.
Kevin Cash's squad is going to need to make a veteran addition to the outfield to climb up any further on this list, but Tampa Bay has an elite lineup trio that's helped them to an improbable lead in the AL East.
8. Chicago White Sox
3 of 20
All-Star Representative(s) From Lineup: Miguel Vargas
It would have been shocking for the White Sox to be on this list coming into the season, but two years after losing a staggering 121 games, they are in first place in the AL Central. Their offense has been a major reason why.
Miguel Vargas has been rewarded for his breakout season with an All-Star Game nod, as he's homered 20 times, driven in 56 runs and drawn 55 walks.
Munetaka Murakami has been sidelined by a right hamstring strain since late May, but was en route to winning the AL Rookie of the Year—if not being an MVP candidate—prior to that. Murakami had 20 homers, 41 RBI, 44 walks and a .938 OPS before landing on the IL.
Shortstop Colson Montgomery wasn't selected as an All-Star, but the former first-round pick appears to be a long-term cog on the south side nonetheless. The 24-year-old has homered 23 times and posted a 121 OPS+.
Kyle Teel only now just returned from a right hamstring strain that he suffered in the World Baseball Classic, but there's a thought he could develop into one of the better hitting catchers in the sport.
Under manager Will Venable, the Chi Sox have had some strict platoons, which not everyone likes to watch. It's hard to argue with the results, though, as the White Sox are second in home runs hit, and in the top 10 in terms of RBI and slugging percentage. Randal Grichuk has been a great platoon piece. He was signed on May 4 after being designated for assignment by the Yankees, and has nine homers and a .861 OPS since joining the White Sox.
7. New York Yankees
4 of 20
All-Star Representative(s) From Lineup: Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, Ben Rice
Things aren't in a great spot for the Yankees right now because three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge is out with a stress fracture in his right ribcage, while Giancarlo Stanton has played in just 24 games this year.
It's fair to wonder whether Stanton—who is currently dealing with a right calf strain—is just hitting a wall physically at age 36. Then again, the former NL MVP didn't make his season debut last season until June 16, but went on to hit 24 home runs. The recent evidence we have suggests that when Stanton is available, he's still really good offensively.
Judge had 17 homers before going on the IL, so while his return doesn't appear imminent, he should resume being arguably the best hitter in baseball when he comes back.
Even without Stanton and Judge, the Yankees have some special hitters in their lineup:
- Ben Rice is a first-time All-Star by virtue of his 24 homers and 56 RBI.
- Cody Bellinger is an All-Star for the third time in his career, as he's walked 50 times, as opposed to striking out just 53 times.
- Paul Goldschmidt has turned back the clock, having homered 14 times, driven in 41 runs and posted an .844 OPS so far in his age-38 season.
General manager Brian Cashman does need to find an offensive upgrade on the right side of the infield, and the Yankees need Judge—if not also Stanton—to get healthy. But it would be prisoner of the moment to bury the offense of the Yankees, a group that is first in baseball in homers.
6. Milwaukee Brewers
5 of 20
All-Star Representative(s) From Lineup: William Contreras
The Brewers currently have a plus-127 run differential, which is the second-best mark in baseball.
William Contreras is the lone selection from their lineup in the All-Star Game. This will mark his third trip to the Midsummer Classic, after he drove in 51 runs in the first half of the season.
Frankly, there's other fixtures in Pat Murphy's lineup who could have been All-Stars:
- With an .861 OPS, Jake Bauers is having the best season of his career in his age-30 campaign.
- Brice Turang was definitely an All-Star snub, as he's driven in 51 runs and already drawn 50 walks.
- Jackson Chourio had a monster month of June, hitting .319 with 25 RBI.
This isn't a lineup that necessarily has national star power outside of Christian Yelich, but when you also consider Garrett Mitchell (.817 OPS) and Andrew Vaughn (.928 OPS), there's a lot of different productive options. If the Brewers can get any sort of offensive production from the right side of their infield, they'll be a tough out in October.
5. Pittsburgh Pirates
6 of 20
All-Star Representative(s) From Lineup: None
Paul Skenes is the lone All-Star for the Pirates, despite them being third in RBI and second in OPS.
General manager Ben Cherington really hit on a pair of offseason pickups in Brandon Lowe (.815 OPS) and Ryan O'Hearn (.807 OPS). Imagine if the third addition to the lineup, Marcell Ozuna, wasn't struggling as much as he is (.610 OPS).
There's also been internal improvement in Pittsburgh. Nick Gonzales is batting .312 just a year after hitting .260. After posting a .767 OPS between 2023 and 2025, Bryan Reynolds has an .867 OPS in 2026. Before landing on the IL with a left hamstring strain, Spencer Horwitz had a .386 on-base percentage, up from .353 last season.
The Pirates might be ranked higher than some would expect, but they will get both Horwitz and Oneil Cruz (left hand fractures) back. Star rookie Konnor Griffin has also been tremendous when healthy since April, and it would hardly be shocking if he goes on a tear in the second half of the season.
If the Buccos are able to upgrade at DH—or Ozuna finds the Fountain of Youth—their going to have an offense that compliments a very talented starting pitching staff. That's really saying something when this is a team that finished dead-last in runs scored a year ago.
4. Atlanta Braves
7 of 20
All-Star Representative(s) From Lineup: Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson and Drake Baldwin
Between Ozzie Albies and Drake Baldwin, the Braves have two starters on the NL All-Star team.
Albies is an All-Star for the fourth time in his career, and currently leads Major League Baseball in sacrifice flies.
Baldwin—the reigning NL Rookie of the Year—has had such a strong 2026 that he's starting in the All-Star Game, despite missing nearly a month with a strained right oblique. Across his first 189 MLB games, Baldwin has an .801 OPS.
Matt Olson isn't a starter, but he's headed to the Midsummer Classic for the fourth time in his excellent career. Olson has homered 22 times and driven in 54 runs this season.
Elsewhere, Michael Harris II isn't an All-Star, but is having his best offensive campaign since he won NL Rookie of the Year in 2022. Harris is currently batting .302 with a 130 OPS+.
We've said all this without even mentioning former NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr., who is currently on the injured list with a left hamstring strain. By his standards, it's been a disappointing first half, but Acuña still has a .793 OPS. If he's able to get hot after he returns from the IL, Walt Weiss' lineup is going to be one of the scariest baseball has to offer.
3. Chicago Cubs
8 of 20
All-Star Representative(s) From Lineup: Pete Crow-Armstrong
Even though Alex Bregman—their big-ticket offseason signing—has just a .685 OPS, the Cubs are top six in runs scored, RBI, walks, on-base percentage, OPS and wRC+.
Pete Crow-Armstrong had just a .683 OPS at the end of April, which was concerning considering that he had just a .634 OPS after the All-Star Break a year ago. But he's been on fire since then, and will start in the All-Star Game for a second year in a row not just because of his great defense, but also due to the fact that he's hitting .292 with 19 homers, 41 RBI and a .910 OPS.
Is it a bit concerning how hot and cold PCA seems to be offensively? Sure, but in the first half of last season, his offensive value was super tied to hitting home runs. He had just a .302 on-base percentage a year ago, despite posting an .847 OPS. This year, he has a .383 OBP, which might mean even if he cools off that he won't go into the tank offensively.
What else is there to like with Craig Counsell's lineup?
- Dansby Swanson showed signs of life offensively in June with an .842 OPS, including homering twice on June 30. He began July with a three-homer game a day later.
- Seiya Suzuki hit .315 with a .939 OPS in June.
- Ian Happ has gone yard 17 times and driven in 41 runs.
- Michael Conforto has a 133 OPS+ in 58 games.
This might not be a team with a ton of great offensively, but there's a lot of good-to-very-good, especially if some combination of Bregman, Nico Hoerner and Michael Busch get back on track.
Durable starting pitching should be the No. 1 focus for Jed Hoyer before the Aug. 3 trade deadline, because he has the lineup to make a deep playoff run.
2. Washington Nationals
9 of 20
All-Star Representative(s) From Lineup: CJ Abrams, James Wood
If you haven't paid close attention to the Nationals this season, you might be shocked to see them this high. But considering they lead baseball in runs scored and are top‑five in OPS, stolen bases, doubles and home runs, it would be hard to justify having them any lower.
CJ Abrams will start at shortstop for the senior circuit in the All-Star Game. With 18 home runs and a 133 OPS+, Abrams is one of the most productive hitting infielders at any position.
James Wood isn't a starter, but you can argue he should be based on the fact that he's leading baseball in runs scored, while having the top marks in the NL in terms of walks and total bases. Among NL players, only Juan Soto, Kyle Schwarber and Shohei Ohtani top the .926 OPS that Wood has.
Washington being in the wild-card mix despite a disastrous bullpen isn't just because of Abrams and Wood, though:
- Luis García Jr. is having the best season of his career, as he's homered 19 times and posted an .874 OPS.
- Curtis Mead—long known as just being the guy the the Rays indefensibly traded Cristopher Sánchez for—has had a breakout season. The 25-year-old has 14 homers and a .793 OPS.
- Just when it appeared that Keibert Ruiz—a key piece in the July 2021 trade that sent Max Scherzer and Trea Turner to the Los Angeles Dodgers—was a bust, he has a 116 OPS+. To put that in perspective, he posted an 86 OPS+ between 2022 and 2025.
- Nasim Nuñez may not be a great hitter, but he makes it count when he gets on base. He currently leads the majors with 32 stolen bases, having been thrown out just three times so far.
The Nationals probably don't have the pitching to reach the postseason in 2026, but if you're wondering why a team that looked likely to lose 100-plus games before the season is hovering around .500, it's because they have a top-five offense.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
10 of 20
All-Star Representative(s) From Lineup: Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy, Andy Pages
The two-time defending World Series Champions have the No. 1 offense, and it's not particularly close.
While Shohei Ohtani is having the finest season of his career on the mound, he's cruising towards a staggering fifth MVP because he continues to be one of the scariest hitters in baseball. Even if his offensive numbers aren't as gaudy as his first two years with the Dodgers, Ohtani still has 18 homers, 51 RBI, 58 walks and a .926 OPS. That would represent a career year for just about anyone else.
Freddie Freeman is starting at first base for the NL All-Star team in what will be his 10th trip to the Midsummer Classic. Even in his age-36 campaign, Freeman just continues to hit. He has 22 doubles and an .884 OPS, which would be his highest mark in a season since 2023.
Max Muncy may get overshadowed at times, but it's becoming harder and harder not to recognize his importance to this era of Dodgers baseball. He's now headed to the All-Star Game for a third time, having homered 17 times already.
The biggest breakout piece for the Dodgers offensively has been Andy Pages, who has gone from hitting .078 last postseason to 21 doubles and 16 homers in the first half this year, earning him a start in the All-Star Game as well.
Think about the pieces we've yet to mention. Mookie Betts is one of the greatest players of all time. Kyle Tucker has perhaps underwhelmed to this point, but has been a top-10 player in baseball at points during his career. Teoscar Hernández can produce runs with the best of them when he's going right. And we know the Dodgers aren't going to be complacent before the trade deadline.
10. Milwaukee Brewers
11 of 20
All-Star Representative(s) From Starting Rotation: Jacob Misiorowski
Jacob Misiorowski alone is enough for the Brewers to crack the top 10. He's been the best story of baseball in the first half, as he leads all qualified starting pitchers in ERA, FIP, strikeouts, WHIP and WAR, per FanGraphs. He's done all this while averaging 100.4 mph on his fastball.
Can Misiorowski hold up while throwing this hard? We're about to find out, but he's been far and away the best starting pitcher in baseball in 2026.
Lefty Kyle Harrison has been tremendous in his first campaign in Milwaukee as well, having pitched to a 2.82 ERA in 16 starts in 2026. Getting the 24-year-old back from the Red Sox in the trade that sent Caleb Durbin to Boston looks like a stroke of genius from president of baseball operations Matt Arnold.
With Brandon Woodruff back on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation and struggles from Brandon Sproat–acquired in the offseason trade that sent Freddy Peralta to the New York Mets—the Brewers don't have the depth of the other teams on this list. But their one-two punch is great, and if Arnold gets aggressive in trying to add a third starter, they could be scary in a short playoff series this October.
9. Boston Red Sox
12 of 20
All-Star Representative(s) From Starting Rotation: Ranger Suárez
In the first season of a five-year, $130 million contract, Ranger Suárez will represent the Red Sox in the All-Star Game at his former home stadium of Citizens Bank Park. The lefty is tied with Dylan Cease for he fewest home runs allowed by a qualified starting pitcher at five.
For Suárez, durability has always been his biggest issue. He's never reached 160 innings pitched in a season, and his second-half ERA in his career (3.68) is significantly higher than the first (2.96). But so far, so good for Suárez in Boston.
Ditto for Sonny Gray, who is 10-1 with a 2.61 ERA after being acquired from the Cardinals via trade this past offseason. He arguably should have been an All-Star for the fourth time in his career.
There are also some young arms who have impressed for the Red Sox:
- 23-year-old lefty Payton Tolle has a 3.39 ERA across 74.1 innings pitched this season.
- Connelly Early was 7-5 with a 3.44 ERA over 17 starts before he recently landed on the IL with left elbow inflammation.
- Jake Bennett has a 3.10 ERA to show for the first seven starts of his career.
A mixture of durability questions and the possibility of Gray being dealt by the last-place Red Sox keep Boston from being higher than this, but their rotation has been a silver lining in an otherwise disastrous season.
8. Pittsburgh Pirates
13 of 20
All-Star Representative(s) From Starting Rotation: Paul Skenes
Despite his ERA spiking to 3.62, Paul Skenes is an All-Star for the third time in as many MLB seasons. Skenes has already said he won't pitch in the game, and he probably will benefit from the break. The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner has a 2.76 expected ERA and 3.03 FIP, which suggest he's been unlucky in the first half.
Braxton Ashcraft has probably been the best starter for the Buccos in the first half, with Skenes vouching for him to be added to the NL All-Star roster. The 26-year-old righty is 9-3 with a 3.24 ERA across 18 starts.
This is another team where we are doing some projecting after the top two:
- Mitch Keller posted a 4.15 ERA between 2022 and 2025. He's got to improve on the 5.02 ERA he has so far in 2026, right?
- Jared Jones has a 5.28 ERA to show for his first seven outings back from an internal brace procedure on his right elbow. His fastball is sitting at 98.6 mph, and his slider at 90.2 mph. He has a chance to be special if he stays healthy.
- Bubba Chandler has struggled with walks this season, having issued an MLB-worst 52 free passes, which contributes heavily to his 4.82 ERA over 89.2 innings pitched. The 23-year-old is another live arm, though, with a very high ceiling.
There was hope entering the season that the Pirates would have one of the five best rotations in baseball. That hasn't materialized yet, but given the unexpected prowess of their lineup, if the rotation gets improved results, the Pirates could very well return to the postseason for the first time since 2015.
7. Texas Rangers
14 of 20
All-Star Representative(s) From Starting Rotation: None
The Rangers don't have an All-Star representative from their rotation, but you're surely familiar with the works of the two righties Skip Schumaker will lean on the most.
Nathan Eovaldi has a 4.02 ERA in 17 starts this season, but the veteran righty is one of the most accomplished postseason pitchers of this ERA. A two-time World Series Champion, Eovaldi has a 3.05 ERA across 79.2 career October frames.
Two-time NL Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom may no longer be at the height of his powers, but continues to strike out opposing hitters at a high clip, as evidenced by his 10.8 K/9.
MacKenzie Gore's 4.31 ERA in his first season with the Rangers isn't impressive, but both his 3.86 ERA and 3.44 FIP give you reason to think better results are coming for the lefty down the stretch.
What's interesting is that former first-round pick Kumar Rocker has been a pretty effective arm at the back end of the rotation this season, with a 3.95 ERA across 84 1/3 innings pitched.
President of baseball operations Chris Young probably needs to add another starter to this group, particularly since both the 36-year-old Eovaldi and 38-year-old deGrom are injury risks. For what it's worth, though, FanGraphs says Rangers starters are third among all teams in WAR.
6. Seattle Mariners
15 of 20
All-Star Representative(s) From Starting Rotation: None
There is a bit of projection here, because by most metrics, the Mariners haven't been a top-10 rotation this season.
With that said, we are giving the M's a bit of the benefit of the doubt here, because entering the season, they were expected to have arguably the top rotation in the sport.
Even if they have underachieved so far, there's still a lot to like with this group:
- Logan Gilbert has pitched to a 3.19 ERA across 107.1 innings pitched, and is a former All-Star.
- Bryan Woo has a 4.17 ERA in 17 starts this season, though both his 3.34 expected ERA and 3.00 FIP suggest he's due for positive regression.
- Bryce Miller didn't make his season debut until May 13, but since coming back from a left oblique strain, the 27-year-old righty has a 1.71 ERA over 52.2 innings.
- Luis Castillo has had a relatively disastrous first half, with Baseball Reference giving him a minus-0.5 WAR for 2026. With that said, the three-time All-Star may have turned the corner in June, when he posted a 3.38 ERA across four starts.
- Emerson Hancock finally has shown what made him the No. 6 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, as he has a 3.23 ERA in 17 starts.
- George Kirby has given up the most hits in the AL, but the former All-Star still has a 3.81 ERA and a history that suggests better results should be coming.
Like we said, there's some projection with this group. But based on their track record and that they play in a pitcher-friendly park, it's fair to assume they can improve in the second half.
5. Cincinnati Reds
16 of 20
All-Star Representative(s) From Starting Rotation: Chase Burns
Chase Burns perhaps hasn't gotten enough attention for how dominant he's been because there's been so much great pitching in the NL this season. The former No. 2 overall pick is 10-1 with a 2.40 ERA and 10.7 K/9 in his first full MLB season, earning him an All-Star nod.
The Reds had been without Hunter Greene all season until his return this past weekend because he had to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his pitching elbow in March. Greene was hit hard in his first start of 2026, giving up eight earned runs over just 3.1 innings. The flame-throwing righty posted a 2.76 ERA and struck out 301 batters over 45 starts between 2024 and 2025. If he gets into a groove, he'll form one of the best one-two punches in baseball with Burns.
Andrew Abbott hasn't matched his All-Star production from a season ago, but the lefty has still been effective, with a 3.88 ERA to show for 18 starts in 2026.
Giving up seven runs over 4.2 innings on June 17 inflated Nick Lodolo's numbers, though the left-hander has allowed just one earned run over three starts since. He's a better pitcher than a 4.68 ERA would lead you to believe, but health is always a question with him.
Durability is the biggest question with the Reds, who probably need to add another arm in the event that president of baseball operations Nick Krall buys before the Aug. 3 trade deadline. The ceiling for this group is extremely high, though.
4. Cleveland Guardians
17 of 20
All-Star Representative(s) From Starting Rotation: Parker Messick
Parker Messick has been rewarded for a breakout season with his first All-Star Game selection. The left-hander has a 2.80 ERA across 18 starts.
Gavin Williams struggled mightily in June, posting a 6.04 ERA across five starts. However, he outdueled Cristopher Sánchez on May 22 in a 1-0 Guardians win, striking out 11 in eight shutout innings. His high-end flashes are intriguing.
Lefty Joey Cantillo has also pitched well during his first season as a full-time MLB starter. He's 7-3 with a 3.86 ERA in 18 starts.
Given that Stephen Vogt's club is unlikely to make a major external addition, what they really need is Tanner Bibee to get his season back on track. His 4.06 ERA isn't terrible, but he has a 4.88 FIP. For this rotation to reach its ceiling, they need the version of Bibee that posted a 3.25 ERA in 56 starts between 2023 and 2024.
3. New York Yankees
18 of 20
All-Star Representative(s) From Starting Rotation: Cam Schlittler
Cam Schlittler struggled in his most recent start, but he's been arguably the best starting pitcher in the AL this season. After a dominant start in Game 3 of the ALWCS last year, Schlittler has had a breakout campaign that's seen him post the top marks among all junior circuit pitchers in ERA, ERA+, strikeout-to-walk ratio and WAR, per Baseball Reference.
Schlittler needs to prove he can maintain this over a full season, but if he does, Aaron Boone's squad is going to be set up well to win their second AL pennant in three years, even if it doesn't feel that way right now.
Max Fried has been on the IL with a left elbow bone bruise since mid-May, but he's 23-8 with a 2.94 ERA in 42 starts since putting on the pinstripes.
Gerrit Cole struggled in June, which is why he has a 4.01 ERA after his first eight starts back from Tommy John surgery. The 35-year-old is one of the best pitchers of this era, though, and it's hard to think he won't turn the corner as he moves further away from the procedure.
Carlos Rodón being able to return from left elbow inflammation at some point in the second half will go a long way in determining just how deep this rotation is in potential playoff starters. Ryan Weathers and Will Warren are fine as depth pieces, but are they going to be starting playoff games for you?
You can definitely see the ceiling with this group, but between the team's poor play recently and some health uncertainty, it's just as easy to see their floor right now.
2. Philadelphia Phillies
19 of 20
All-Star Representative(s) From Starting Rotation: Cristopher Sánchez
Cristopher Sánchez was shelled by the Kansas City Royals Monday, giving up nine earned runs over 3.1 innings pitched. Even still, he's arguably been the best starter in the sport this season outside of Misiorowski. Last year's NL Cy Young runner-up is still second in both innings pitched and WAR, per FanGraphs.
The Phillies actually have gotten more WAR from their starting pitchers than any team in baseball, with that production coming almost exclusively from the top three in their starting rotation.
Sánchez has gotten the bulk of the attention, but Zack Wheeler has been tremendous in his return from both a blood clot and thoracic outlet decompression surgery. The 36-year-old righty was an All-Star snub, probably partially because he didn't make his first start until April 25. He's made up for lost time by going 8-1 with a 2.36 ERA over his first 13 starts of the season.
Jesús Luzardo had a brutal start to the season, posting a 5.50 ERA between March and April. Since then, he's looked much more like the pitcher the Phillies rewarded with a five-year, $135 million extension before the season. His ERA is down to 3.75.
The problem for the Phillies is that the back end of their rotation has been terrible. Taijuan Walker was released in April, while Andrew Painter was optioned back to Triple-A after posting a 7.06 ERA over his first 65 MLB innings. Most concerning is that Aaron Nola–who is in just the third season of a seven-year, $172 million contract—has a 5.94 ERA since the beginning of the 2025 campaign.
Dombrowski likely needs to add a fourth starter, one who could potentially take the ball in the postseason. The Phillies can hope for the best with Nola and/or Painter, but right now there's a steep fall off after their top three.
But as we've seen with all the teams on this list, no one has a perfect rotation. Pretty much any team in baseball would sign up for the top three the Phillies have and take their chances after that.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers
20 of 20
All-Star Representative(s) From Starting Rotation: Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Shohei Ohtani was technically selected to the All-Star Game as the starting DH for the NL, but his pitching alone has been worth a trip to the Midsummer Classic. The four-time NL MVP has a 1.79 ERA across 85.2 innings in what's probably been his best season on the mound in his career.
Reigning World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto is an All-Star for the second time in three MLB seasons. He's 9-5 with a 2.49 ERA in 16 starts.
Justin Wrobleski was an All-Star snub, as the lefty has been a breakout star for the Dodgers this season. The 25-year-old is 10-2 with a 2.80 ERA and 1.7 BB/9, as if Los Angeles needed another frontline arm.
The Dodgers have done all this while Roki Sasaki has disappointed with a 5.40 ERA over 15 starts, while both Blake Snell (NanoScope procedure on left elbow) and Tyler Glasnow (lower back spasms) have missed much of the season.
A year ago, though, everything came together for the Dodgers in October, with Snell and Glasnow getting healthy in time to take down crucial postseason innings, while Sasaki thrived in relief. Maybe you can't just bank on the Dodgers to flip a switch in the postseason, but Ohtani, Yamamoto and Wrobleski is a pretty good base to have knowing what reinforcements could be on the way.






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