MLB Power Rankings: The best and worst starting rotations in baseball this season
By Tim Boyle
This week’s MLB Power Rankings lists out the best starting rotations in baseball from the bottom to the top.
Pitchers and catchers report for every team this week. When better to put together MLB Power Rankings of the starting rotations for all 30 teams?
It’s the starting pitchers who work as a five-man-plus quarterback for every ball club. We know there will be injuries. There are certain to be demotions, promotions, and trades along the way.
As it stands right now, this is how the starting rotations for all 30 MLB teams rank.
30. MLB Power Rankings: Washington Nationals
Even some sort of redemption campaign from Patrick Corbin won’t help the Washington Nationals all that much. The starting rotation has a lot of growing up to do. Josiah Gray, Cade Cavalli, and MacKenzie Gore are each hoping to be a part of the next chapter in the organization’s history. Trevor Williams is the lone new guy to join the fight in D.C. It’s going to be a long year for the Nationals with plenty of growing pains.
29. MLB Power Rankings: Oakland Athletics
Ask most baseball fans to name a single Oakland Athletics starting pitcher, they may be at a loss. It’s a relatively low-upside group that has the potential to be competent. Two candidates for the rotation brought in this offseason came from overseas so maybe they didn’t realize the disarray going on with the organization. Drew Rucinski came over from the KBO while Shintaro Fujinami was purchased from Japan. Expectations for the Athletics are low. The starting rotation is actually one of the better parts of the team.
28. MLB Power Rankings: Colorado Rockies
Nobody grows up wanting to pitch for the Colorado Rockies. The ball club hasn’t gotten consistent enough performances from notable starters Kyle Freeland or German Marquez over the years. As talented as they are, each would probably prefer to have some thicker air in Denver to help them out. The Rockies did nothing to improve their starting rotation, leaving them with the potential for another rough season ahead. Statistically, their starters could end up far worse than the Nationals or Athletics.
27. MLB Power Rankings: Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Hunter Greene is one of the more exciting young pitchers in baseball. He has a lot of amazing stuff and will dazzle us in 2023. Nick Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft have some nice potential as well. Even with those three included, the Reds’ pitching staff is a potpourri of mystery. It’s hard enough pitching at the bandbox in Cincinnati. All of these starting pitchers probably need at least another season under their belts before the ball club starts winning more games.
26. MLB Power Rankings: Pittsburgh Pirates
Seeing is believing. With the Pittsburgh Pirates, we need to see much more to believe in anything. Vince Velasquez and Rich Hill are two of their new starting rotation options. It’s interesting to see them land Hill, a mercenary for many playoff-hopeful clubs. He already looks like someone who will be traded, but hopefully not before he passes along some knowledge to JT Brubaker and Mitch Keller.