20. Marcus Stroman –Toronto Blue Jays
Fresh off dominating Puerto Rico in the championship game of the World Baseball Classic, Stroman enters the season looking to turn all his potential into reality. The diminutive hurler has one of the game’s best sinkers — generating a very high groundball rate. He features terrific spin on all of his pitches, which helps to make him a deceptive pitcher. Through his first three seasons he has been prone to giving up big innings, but Stroman’s talent alone makes him one of the league’s most promising pitchers.
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19. Stephen Strasburg — Washington Nationals
Another pitcher with immense potential, Strasburg is not higher on this list due to health concerns. Strasburg started last year on an absolute tear, going 10-0 into June before a back strain sent him to the DL. A subsequent elbow injury and second strain in September led to a complete shutdown. With an explosive fastball and increasingly devastating change-up, Strasburg has the stuff to be a top five pitcher in baseball. If he can stay healthy over the course of a season, there is a good chance he will join the upper echelon.
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18. Aaron Sanchez — Toronto Blue Jays
Sanchez may have the best potential to rise up this list. Possessing a heavy sinker, Sanchez led the A.L. in ERA (3.00) and lowest home-run rate. One of the main issues facing Sanchez is his control — as he walks a few too many batters (3.0) per nine innings. If Sanchez can continue to get hitters out with his sinker and a plus curve, he will be putting pressure on breaking into the lists’s top 10 in short order.
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17. Rich Hill — Los Angeles Dodgers
Talk about a late bloomer. Before starting 20 games last season, Hill had only started four games total since 2010. Using a devastating curveball, Hill compiled a 12-5 record over a split season with the A’s and Dodgers. His 2.12 ERA was by far the best of his career as a starter, and gave the Dodgers a great second option behind Clayton Kershaw. While Hill’s track record doesn’t give the most confidence in another great season, his pitching repertoire and tenacity on the mound make Hill a vital piece for Los Angeles.
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16. Masahiro Tanaka — New York Yankees
The Yankees best starting pitcher comes in at No. 16. Tanaka finished 2016 with the A.L.’s third best ERA, 3.07, trailing only Sanchez and Justin Verlander. Tanaka posted a record of 14-4, and if his spring training performance is any indication of the season he is primed to have, look out. He allowed his first run of the spring after 18 2/3 scoreless innings in his final spring start before opening the season for the Yankees on Sunday against Tampa Bay. If Tanaka can carry the momentum into the season it is possible to see him in the discussion for A.L. Cy Young at seasons end.
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15. Jose Quintana — Chicago White Sox
This is a huge season for Quintana and the White Sox. For Quintana, the departure of Chris Sale gives him the opportunity to capture the ace tag and prove himself to be a top pitcher in the league. For the White Sox — who are likely to seek a trade for Quintana — a productive season would only enhance their return on any potential trade. Quintana may become one of the most important players of this season, as contenders including the Astros and Cardinals are said to be interested in acquiring the top talent.
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14. David Price — Boston Red Sox
After an abysmal start to his Red Sox career last year, Price steadied himself. His numbers began to resemble the consistent ace-like statistics he had accrued for Tampa Bay, Detroit, and Toronto. While Price will be easing into this season due to an arm injury, a healthy Price is still one of the best in the business. Price finished second in the Cy Young voting in 2015, and has generally been a workhorse throughout the regular season. More familiarity at Fenway and with the organization should help Price regain his form.
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13. Zack Greinke –Arizona Diamondbacks
Based off a rough first season in Arizona it would be understandable for people to be down on Greinke. While the right-hander posted his worst statistical season since 2010, one cannot ignore what he accomplished the prior three seasons. Greinke finished those seasons with ERA’s of 2.63, 2.71, and 1.66. That version of Greinke didn’t disappear in one year. Given his ability and competitive nature, Greinke should regain his ace form and reestablish himself as one of the best pitchers in baseball in 2017.
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12. Johnny Cueto — San Francisco Giants
In his first season in San Francisco, Cueto showed the rest of the league that he is still an elite pitcher. Cueto was a strong challenger for the Cy Young for most of the season, ultimately finishing sixth. He threw five complete games en route to a 18-5 record. His 198 strikeouts were his most since his incredible 2014 season with the Reds. The lowest walk rate of his career helped Cueto post a 2.79 ERA — ultimately propelling the Giants to a playoff appearance.
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11. Jake Arrieta — Chicago Cubs
Arrieta came back down earth after his sensational 2015 season — in which he won the Cy Young Award with a 1.77 ERA. A year after setting the baseball world on fire, Arrieta finished 2016 18-8 with a 3.10 ERA. Arrieta’s accuracy became an issue. He threw 16 wild pitches and had nearly 30 more walks than the year before. If Arrieta’s performance falls somewhere in between his last two seasons, the Cubs will face a very difficult decision as he enters free agency.
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10. Kyle Hendricks — Chicago Cubs
Hendricks was the most surprising pitcher to make a star turn last season. Hendricks went 16-8 with a 2.13 ERA, down from 3.95 the year before. Hendricks pinpoint control and command of his off-speed pitches resulted in hitters making weak contact more often than not. Expect more of the same from Hendricks in 2017, probably not to the tune of a 2.13 ERA, but if his ERA sits below 3.00, the Cubs will benefit greatly.
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9. Justin Verlander — Detroit Tigers
After two down years by his standard, many thought Verlander might be nearing the end of his time atop the Tigers rotation. His performance in 2016 flipped that notion on its head with a vintage showing from the 2011 A.L. Cy Young winning-year. Verlander was the best he had been since 2012, finishing the year the runner-up in the Cy Young race. His newfound reliance on his fastball helped rack up his second highest single-season strikeout total, and nearly cut a point and a half off his ERA compared to in 2014 (4.54). If Verlander can continue to utilize his fastball and limit home runs, he can challenge for another postseason honor this year.
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8. Yu Darvish — Texas Rangers
If healthy, Darvish is one of the best in the game without a doubt. After losing the entire 2015 season recovering from Tommy John surgery, Darvish missed most of 2016 as well. The results seemed to prove Darvish made a smart decision in delaying his return, as he posted the highest strikeout rate of his career. In only 17 starts, Darvish struck out 132 batters while only walking 31. He did give up 12 home runs; However, that number isn’t overly terrible when one considers the hitter-friendly ballpark Darvish pitches in. More than two years removed from his injury, look for a healthy Darvish to dominate the A.L. and help Texas contend for the A.L. West crown.
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7. Corey Kluber — Cleveland Indians
After a losing 2015 season following his Cy Young winning 2014 campaign, Kluber returned to his ace form in 2016. Numbers don’t always tell the full truth, and this is certainly the case with Kluber’s 2015 season. Although he went 9-16, Kluber had the lowest WHIP of his career, and pitched four complete games. In 2016, Kluber received more support and his record and a drop in ERA followed suit. He ended the season with a 18-9 record, and posted a 3.14 ERA. Kluber features one of the games best pitches — a breaking ball which he won’t even classify as either a slider or curveball. After a mostly dominant postseason, Kluber looks to continue being an ace for the reigning A.L. champs in 2017.
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6. Jon Lester — Chicago Cubs
Lester delivered a phenomenal 2016 season, as he helped carry the Cubs to their long awaited World Series triumph. Lester went 19-5 with a 2.44 ERA — good for his fourth sub-3.00 ERA season in five years. Lester’s performance was vital to the Cubs season and ultimate World Series victory, including a rare bullpen appearance late in the series against Cleveland. If Lester can repeat his performance from last season, the Cubs will once again be in great position to return to the World Series.
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5. Chris Sale — Boston Red Sox
Joining a rotation with two Cy Young winners already set in place, Sale immediately becomes the big dog in Boston. Sporting one of the strangest deliveries in baseball, Sale is a nightmare for hitters (especially lefties). Joining Boston should help Sale’s ERA go down a tick as he will have a stronger defense behind him. With better run support, Sale should also see his win-loss record improve. The 5-time All-Star has been incredibly durable throughout his career, which should also help to ease the absence of Price early in the season.
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4. Madison Bumgarner — San Francisco Giants
While Bumgarner doesn’t have a Cy Young to bolster his resume, his postseason heroics combined with his consistent, great pitching during the regular season has earned him this spot. Bumgarner heads into 2017 coming off four consecutive sub-3.00 ERA seasons, and has garnered Cy Young votes in each season. While he doesn’t strikeout hitters nearly at the rate as the three men above him, MadBum ended 2016 with a 10.0 SO/9 inning mark. If this were a list of best postseason pitchers, Bumgarner would be first. Nonetheless, coming in at No. 4 amongst all starters in the game is not a bad place to be.
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3. Noah Syndergaard — New York Mets
Syndergaard may be the most intimidating starter in all of baseball. This is mainly due to averaging 98.2 miles-per-hour on his fastball, and possessing a vicious slider. In his second full season, Syndergaard allowed fewer home runs and lowered his ERA by almost a full point when compared to his rookie campaign. One of the main concerns when it comes to the Mets ace is his health. After having forearm tightness during his rookie season, Syndergaard dealt with bone spurs in his elbow last season. With two arm problems and the fastest fastball amongst starters in the entire league, Syndergaard’s health will be watched closely all season. Should he stay healthy, there is a real chance he can surpass the man directly ahead of him on this list.
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2. Max Scherzer — Washington Nationals
Behind Kershaw, Scherzer is the clear option as the next best pitcher in baseball. In his Cy Young winning 2016, Scherzer tied a record by striking out 20 batters in a single game. While his ERA is higher than some of the greats behind him on this list, Scherzer’s dominance can’t go unnoticed. Second only to the late Jose Fernandez, Scherzer’s 31.5 strikeout-rate paced all of MLB. If Scherzer’s knuckle heals without any setbacks, he should further his claim as the second best pitcher in baseball.
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1. Clayton Kershaw — Los Angeles Dodgers
Every list ranking the best pitchers in baseball will start with Clayton Kershaw. If anyone believes there is a better pitcher in the game today, there is a high probability they root for the Giants. Had it not been for a back injury that limited his season, Kershaw’s 2016 would have likely netted him a fourth Cy Young in six years, and quite possibly could have completed the greatest season ever by a starter. In only 149 innings, Kershaw struck out 172 batters while issuing only 11 walks. Utilizing an above-average fastball, and possibly the best wipeout slider/curveball combination of all-time, Kershaw looks like a lock to be the game’s best pitcher for the foreseeable future.
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