To be a successful team in MLB, pitching is integral, which led us to rank the top starters in the league. These guys make life very difficult for batters.
Below, we’ll dive into the top 10 starting pitchers for the 2023 MLB season.
1. Justin Verlander (New York Mets)
It might not be for much longer, but Justin Verlander is still the king in terms of starting pitching in MLB. He’s coming off winning the American League Cy Young and posting an 18-4 record with a sparkling 1.75 ERA. However, Verlander’s debut with the club will have to wait, with him on the IL to start the season with a low-grade teres major strain.
Where does Verlander’s teammate Pete Alonso rank on our top first basemen list?
2. Jacob deGrom (Texas Rangers)
If Jacob deGrom could stay healthy for an entire season, it’s hard to see him not finding a way to the top of this list. He’s dominant when he can take the hill every fifth day, but is it realistic to expect him to do that as he shifts his career to Texas? deGrom’s first start with the Rangers didn’t go as planned, where he was tagged with five earned runs.
3. Sandy Alcantara (Miami Marlins)
The reigning National League Cy Young winner, Sandy Alcantara, will be a problem moving forward. He boasts electric stuff and is coming off a 14-9 campaign, paired with a sparkling 2.28 ERA and 207 strikeouts. Alcantara didn’t get through the sixth inning in his first regular-season start for the Marlins against the Mets.
4. Corbin Burnes (Milwaukee Brewers)
Few pitchers have the swing-and-miss ability that Corbin Burnes of the Milwaukee Brewers does. The NL Central flamethrower who carries elite off-speed stuff in his bag is undoubtedly in the conversation for one of the baseball’s best-starting pitchers. Much like some of the other top arms, Burnes struggled in his season debut, where he allowed four earned runs against the Chicago Cubs.
5. Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Angels)
If Shohei Ohtani were focused on just one of pitching or hitting, it’s scary to think of the possibilities. Still, his ability as a pitcher has him amongst the game’s elite, and he should find a way to continue being involved in the AL Cy Young race in 2023. In Ohtani fashion, he had a stellar debut, but he didn’t get much run support despite striking out ten.
6. Max Scherzer (New York Mets)
Much like his teammate in Verlander, Max Scherzer of the New York Mets is still elite, but he’s also 38 years old. Questions about how long he can stay healthy and continue to put up Cy Young quality numbers are there. Scherzer allowed three earned runs over six solid innings against the Marlins to kick off the campaign.
7. Zack Wheeler (Philadelphia Phillies)
The hard-throwing right-hander, Zack Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies, is a game-changer when he takes the bump. In 2022, Wheeler posted a 12-7 record, a 2.82 ERA, and 163 strikeouts. If Wheeler can stay healthy, he’s a bonafide ace in a tough NL East. In his first start, Wheeler got lit up for seven hits and four earned runs against the Texas Rangers.
8. Max Fried (Atlanta Braves)
The first left-hander on this list is Atlanta Braves starter, Max Fried. He’s been a consistent threat on the mound since entering the league in 2017 and has posted three straight seasons with an ERA below 3.05. Fried is already headed for the 15-day IL with a hamstring injury, which will be something to monitor.
9. Shane McClanahan (Tampa Bay Rays)
Another left-hander inside the top ten is Shane McClanahan of the Tampa Bay Rays, who was a leader in the AL Cy Young race for a large chunk of 2022 before getting hampered with an injury. McClanahan is the real deal and the leader of a deep Rays pitching staff. The Rays lefty was strong in his first start of the year, pitching six shutout innings and striking out six.
10. Dylan Cease (Chicago White Sox)
Rounding out the top ten is Dylan Cease. The Chicago White Sox starter is coming off a dominant breakout season, where he compiled a 2.20 ERA and tallied 227 strikeouts. Cease continued where he left off in 2022, striking out ten in his first start of the campaign.
