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MLB: Power Ranking All 30 Major League Starting Rotations

By Nicholas Ian Allen

Feb 19, 2014; Port St Lucie, FL, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg (37) chats with the pitchers including Doug Fister (58) (in blue) in spring training action at Space Coast Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 19, 2014; Port St Lucie, FL, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg (37) chats with the pitchers including Doug Fister (58) (in blue) in spring training action at Space Coast Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 2, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Francisco Liriano (47) in the dugout against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 2, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Francisco Liriano (47) in the dugout against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

4. <p><strong>Projected Starting Rotation:</strong></p> <ul> <li>LHP Francisco Liriano (7-10, 3.38 ERA, 29 GS in 2014)</li> <li>RHP Gerrit Cole (11-5, 3.65 ERA, 22 GS in 2014)</li> <li>RHP A.J. Burnett (8-18, 4.59 ERA, 34 GS in 2014)</li> <li>LHP Jeff Locke (7-6, 3.91 ERA, 21 GS in 2014)</li> <li>RHP Vance Worley (8-4, 2.85 ERA, 18 G, 17 GS in 2014)</li> <li>*RHP Charlie Morton (6-12, 3.72 ERA, 26 GS in 2014)</li> </ul>. 2nd. NL Central. Pittsburgh Pirates. 13. player

Veteran left-hander Francisco Liriano is scheduled to make his third career Opening Day start this season and the second in a row for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The 31-year old has been even better than expected in two seasons with the Bucs having posted a 3.02 ERA in 2013 and a 3.39 mark last year after three straight seasons of 5.09 or higher in the American League, and as a result has a new three-year, $39 million deal.

As good as Liriano is and despite his new contract, he’s not the long-term ace in Pittsburgh. That distinction goes to Gerrit Cole, the top pick in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft. In parts of two Major League seasons, the 24-year old right-hander has a record of 21-12 with a 3.45 ERA and 238 strikeouts in 255.1 innings spread across 41 starts.

Cole has been at his best in September, having posted a 2.78 ERA with eight wins in 11 starts in the final month of the regular season. With the Pirates once again a perennial playoff contender, that’s extremely important. Of course, so is staying healthy and Cole had two separate stints on the DL in 2014.

A.J. Burnett is back in town following a one-year sabbatical in Philadelphia. The 38-year old wasn’t nearly as successful with the Phillies as he had been during two years in Pittsburgh, but he started more than 30 games for the seventh consecutive season and pitched more than 200 innings for the sixth time in his 16-year big league career.

Lefty Jeff Locke earned a spot in the rotation and Vance Worley will pitch fifth until Charlie Morton returns from an early season stint on the disabled list following offseason hip surgery.

Next: 12. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

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