The starting pitching market didn’t move nearly as much as anticipated at this year’s trade deadline — but that didn’t stop some MLB clubs from upgrading their rotations for the homestretch of the season. Here’s how the top ten starting staffs stack up entering August.
10. Pittsburgh Pirates
Don’t let their win-loss records fool you — Pirates starters can deal. Pittsburgh’s rotation, anchored by 23-year-old phenom and NL Cy Young frontrunner Paul Skenes, boasts the seventh-best ERA (3.76) and sixth-best WHIP (1.20) in baseball this season.
The Pirates dealt left-hander Bailey Falter to the Royals at the deadline, but the rest of the rotation weathered the trade rumors and made it to August wearing the same uniform.
9. Chicago Cubs
Chicago was active in the search for a starting pitcher at this year’s deadline. But even after coming up empty-handed, the existing rotation has held strong and keeps getting better. Cubs starters own a top-10 ERA since June 1 at 3.88, a number that has plummeted to just 2.94 since the turn of July — second-best in the sport.
Chicago may not have landed an ace at the deadline, but they already have one: Matthew Boyd, a 34-year-old southpaw whose 2.34 ERA trails only Garrett Crochet, Tarik Skubal, and Paul Skenes.
8. Boston Red Sox
The Sox got hot — and it’s showing in their pitching staff.
Over the full season, Boston’s 3.99 rotational ERA ranks in the bottom half of the majors. Since June 1, that number is down to 3.77, fourth best in the MLB. And since the start of July, Red Sox starters own a clean 3.00 ERA — third-best in baseball — a trend that’s helped them climb to the top of the AL Wild Card race.
Boston was mostly inactive at the deadline but did acquire Dodgers right-hander Dustin May, hoping the 27-year-old can recapture his past form in a rotation headlined by AL Cy Young contender Garrett Crochet.
7. Seattle Mariners
The Mariners’ rotation got knocked around to start the season, but they’ve rebounded and returned to dominant form. Since the beginning of June, Seattle starters pace the American League with a 1.14 WHIP and a .228 opponent batting average.
In that time, the Mariners’ starting five have pitched an MLB-leading 314.2 innings — a testament to their ability to throw deep into games. No one embodies that more than right-hander Bryan Woo, who just passed Randy Johnson for the longest streak of six-plus inning starts in franchise history (21).
6. Miami Marlins
The Marlins just swept the Yankees for the first time in franchise history. One of those games was a shutout, and the final matchup saw right-hander Edward Cabrera twirl six innings of one-run ball with seven strikeouts.
Miami’s rotation has been unstoppable over the last few months, sporting a top-five ERA in the majors since the start of June (3.78). And they’ve only gotten better. Since July 1, Marlins starters lead the MLB with a 2.92 ERA and a 0.97 WHIP — even after Janson Junk let up six earned runs to the Yankees in the series opener.
5. Detroit Tigers
The Tigers’ rotation has stumbled a bit in the past few months, but the starting staff remains one of the best in the MLB. Headlined by flamethrowing southpaw and AL Cy Young frontrunner Tarik Skubal, Detroit’s rotation maintains a top-five ERA (3.48) and the second-best WHIP (1.18) across the majors.
At the deadline, Detroit swung a deal for Orioles right-hander Charlie Morton. While the 41-year-old’s season stats aren’t exactly frontline material, he sports a solid 3.73 ERA with 62 strikeouts in 11 starts since the turn of June.
4. Kansas City Royals
It seemed almost inevitable that Royals right-hander Seth Lugo — a 35-year-old putting up incredible numbers in his walk year — would be on the move at the trade deadline. But with the American League up for grabs, Kansas City opted against trading Lugo, instead signing him to a two-year, $46 million extension.
The decision to keep Lugo secures a dominant Kansas City rotation that sports the fourth-best ERA (3.40) and a top-five WHIP (1.19) in the majors.
Meanwhile, the Royals added another reliable arm to the mix by landing Pittsburgh southpaw Bailey Falter, a 28-year-old who owns a 3.73 ERA over 113.1 innings this season.
3. Milwaukee Brewers
A 15-day IL stint for rookie phenom Jacob Misiorowski — left tibia contusion, retroactive to July 31 — is less than ideal, but it shouldn’t be enough to derail the steamrolling Brew Crew.
Milwaukee’s rotation has been firing on all cylinders, boasting the second-best ERA (3.38) in baseball. Since the beginning of June, the Brewers’ starting five has held opponents to a cramped .222 average with a 25.9% strikeout-percentage — both marks lead the league.
2. Philadelphia Phillies
Good luck getting a hit on these guys. The Phillies sport not one, but three aces in Ranger Suarez, Cristopher Sanchez, and Zack Wheeler — the last of whom is contending with Paul Skenes for the National League Cy Young.
Philadelphia’s rotation leads the majors with 679 strikeouts across the most innings pitched by any starting five (634.2). They boast a 3.09 ERA since June 1, the best mark in baseball by a wide margin.
Oh, and right-hander Aaron Nola — recovering from a sprained ankle and stress fracture in his rib — just threw three scoreless frames in his first rehab assignment with Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
1. Texas Rangers
The Rangers walked out of the deadline with a three-headed monster.
Texas entered deadline day, seemingly discontent with their rotation’s MLB-leading ERA, WHIP, and opponent average. And with the clock nearing the 6 pm cutoff, they struck a deal for Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly, one of the most coveted pitchers on the trade market.
Kelly, 36, carries a 3.22 ERA with a 1.04 WHIP and 127 strikeouts across 134.1 innings pitched in the final year of his contract. He’ll join forces with Jacob deGrom, a two-time Cy Young in the midst of a career-resurgent season, as well as Nathan Eovaldi, a two-time World Series champion just named the American League Pitcher of the Month for July.
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