Do the New York Yankees have the best starting rotation in Major League Baseball?
ESPN's Bradford Doolittle believes so, an opinion that probably won't sit well with Boston Red Sox fans as their team looks to bounce back in the American League East in 2023.
Doolittle this week ranked each MLB rotation for ESPN.com with spring training approaching. The Yankees landed the top spot, edging the Milwaukee Brewers and New York Mets, who checked in at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively.
The Yankees' rotation, of course, is headlined by Gerrit Cole, a five-time All-Star who finished ninth in AL Cy Young voting last season, his third in the Bronx. Cole finished in the top five each season from 2018 to 2021, solidifying his status as a legitimate ace, first with the Houston Astros and then with the Yankees.
Cole is joined by Carlos Rodón, who signed a six-year, $162 million contract with the Yankees this offseason. Rodón, who has dealt with various injuries in his career, is coming off back-to-back All-Star seasons. The left-hander finished fifth in AL Cy Young voting with the Chicago White Sox in 2021. He finished sixth in National League Cy Young voting with the San Francisco Giants in 2022.
Throw in New York's other three projected starters -- Nestor Cortes, Luis Severino and Frankie Montas -- and it's easy to see why Doolittle is so high on the unit with Opening Day less than two months away.
"The depth of the Yankees' power-laden rotation is underscored by Severino landing as the fourth starter here, followed by Montas," Doolittle wrote. "With the Yankees, the question will center around health. Can Severino put up a full season? Will Montas' right shoulder keep him on the sideline? There are potential issues, sure, but the Yankees are starting from a very good place."
The Toronto Blue Jays boast the AL East's second-best rotation, according to Doolittle, ranking No. 8 overall, two spots ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays. The Red Sox landed at No. 11, a relatively positive outlook given the question marks scattered across Boston's staff, which could consist of Chris Sale, Corey Kluber, Nick Pivetta, Garrett Whitlock, Brayan Bello and/or James Paxton.
"Could be way too optimistic about Sale here, both in quantity and quality," Doolittle wrote. "But the fact that he's started only 11 games in three seasons and the projection systems still love him is a reminder of just how good he is when he's right. There's a lot of optimism in this ranking in general -- Whitlock joining the rotation, Paxton staying healthy for that many starts, etc. But there is some good material to work with at least."
The Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies rounded out Doolittle's top five.
