MLB Power Rankings: Which pitching rotation is the best in baseball?
By Phil Akre
12. Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks have asserted themselves as a force to be reckoned with in not only the NL West, but all of MLB.
Their offense is surely a big factor, but their starters have been great, too.
What’s interesting is the fact that Zack Greinke hasn’t even been the teams best starter. Although he’s been just fine (3.65 ERA, 9.7 K/9, 1.035 WHIP), it’s Patrick Corbin who has stolen the spotlight.
The soon-to-be free agent has dazzled on the mound, crafting a 2.99 ERA, 11.7 K/9 and a 0.942 WHIP. For what it’s worth, he basically said he wanted to be a Yankee next year.
As a unit, opponents have hit just .239 against Arizona starters. More so, the rotations 318 strikeouts rank sixth-best in baseball.
At the bottom half of the rotation, Matt Koch and Zack Godley have done well in their roles. Both of them have combined for ERA’s above four, but in the bigger picture, they’ve performed very admirably. Godley has gone eight starts allowing six hits or less.
As for Koch, his 4.31 ERA is inflated by two starts in which he gave up 13 runs. In his other six, he allowed three or less.
The wild card of the rotation lies in Clay Buchholz, the one-time Red Sox ‘ace’…? Yea, that was a stretch. But, so far he’s actually been pretty good. In 10 innings through two starts, he’s allowed just two runs.