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MLB 2017: Top 10 starting pitchers

By Joshua Sadlock

Jun 15, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) throws during the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 15, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) throws during the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 10, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner (40) pitches against the Chicago Cubs in the fifth inning in game three of the 2016 NLDS playoff baseball series at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 10, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Madison Bumgarner (40) pitches against the Chicago Cubs in the fifth inning in game three of the 2016 NLDS playoff baseball series at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

6. Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants

Mad Bum is without a doubt the greatest postseason pitcher of this generation. His regular season numbers may not be quite as gaudy as other pitchers ranked higher on this list, but what Bumgarner has done in four separate postseasons is truly special. His dominance in the 2014 World Series may never be topped by a modern pitcher — 21 innings of one-run ball. In 36 career World Series innings, the left-hander has allowed just a single run.

In the regular season, Bumgarner has been the model of consistency. He has finished with an ERA below 3.00 in each of the past four seasons while throwing over 200 innings in each. He may never approach a sub-2.00 ERA for an entire season, but it’s hard to argue that there are many other starting pitchers in the league who give their team a better chance to win each time out. In 34 starts last season, Bumgarner allowed four runs or more only eight times, and never more than five. The Giants lost only four of those starts.

As an added bonus, Bumgarner is the best hitting pitcher in the league. He has 14 home runs in his career, and 12 over the past three seasons. Two of his blasts have come against Clayton Kershaw. There’s certainly some merit to the argument that Bumgarner’s home runs have been aided by the fact that pitchers let up when facing an opposing hurler, but he still has tremendous power. If we must continue to suffer through ugly at-bats by pitchers in the National League, at least we have Madison Bumgarner to provide some entertainment once every few weeks.

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