MLB: Ranking top SP combos for AL contenders

Sep 9, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Max Scherzer (37) warms up before the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 9, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Max Scherzer (37) warms up before the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 9, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Chris Tillman (30) pitches during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 9, 2014; Boston, MA, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Chris Tillman (30) pitches during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports /

6. Baltimore Orioles – RHP Chris Tillman and LHP Wei-Yin Chen

To be honest, I’m not sure how the Baltimore Orioles have gotten this far with such a ho-hum starting rotation, but upon closer inspection, you see solid-yet-not-spectacular numbers from the O’s top two starters. Tillman has been solid, but he’s pretty run-of-the-mill for a team’s top starter. He’s been worth 2.0 fWAR this season, which is a career-high but he hasn’t been pitching over his head in 2014; his 2013 fWAR was 1.9, and in 2012 he was worth 1.2 wins.

That said, Tillman’s strikeout numbers are way down from last year, with 133 punch outs in 2014 compared to 179 Ks in 2013. He’s still pitching roughly the same amount of innings, with a 3.36 ERA in 187.1 IP. That’s a decent ERA, but his Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) is a bit higher, at 4.09. Tillman is a good pitcher, but he’s lacking compared to some of the other studs on this list.

I’m sure the Orioles would rather have offseason acquisition Ubaldo Jimenez slotted in to this spot, but Jimenez has had an awful season in Baltimore, was yanked from the rotation in mid-August, and hasn’t pitched in September. So lefty Wei-Yin Chen will take this spot, and he actually has been about as good as Tillman for the Birds, which is a good sign. Chen has a 3.59 ERA in 168 innings pitched, and has also been worth 2.0 fWAR on the season. Chen also doesn’t strike a lot of guys out (123 in 2013), but he’s a lefty, so at least Baltimore will give opposing batters a different look in both games.