Last time out, we ranked the top catchers in MLB heading into the 2026 season. Now we move to the other side of the battery and rank the ten best starting pitchers in the game today.
Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers
Skubal is the clear No. 1. He has won back-to-back AL Cy Young Awards and posted a dominant 2.21 ERA in 2025. He hasn’t had an ERA above 3.00 since 2022 and has lowered it each season since. Over the last two years, he has racked up 469 strikeouts while leading the AL in both WAR and ERA in each season. He also threw 20.2 innings in the postseason and struck out 36 batters. If this level continues, a third straight Cy Young is very much in play.
Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates
Skenes is the only pitcher close to Skubal right now, and he’s not far behind. The Pirates’ ace posted a 1.96 and 1.97 ERA in his first two seasons. He already owns two franchise records, most strikeouts in a season with 216 and lowest ERA by a starting pitcher at 1.96. His debut was so highly anticipated that MLB dubbed it “Paul Skenes Day,” and he followed it up by unanimously winning the NL Cy Young last year.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers
Yamamoto was dominant in the World Series and earned MVP honors. Each time the Dodgers turned to him, the outcome felt decided. He posted a 2.49 ERA in the regular season, second-best in the NL, and elevated his performance in October. He threw two complete games in back-to-back starts, recording 15 strikeouts while allowing just two runs.
Garrett Crochet, Boston Red Sox
Crochet is another former White Sox pitcher thriving elsewhere. He began his breakout in Chicago before being traded to Boston between the 2024 and 2025 seasons. In his first year with the Red Sox, he posted a 2.59 ERA, led MLB with 255 strikeouts, and walked just 46 batters.
Logan Webb, San Francisco Giants
Webb’s 2025 flew under the radar, but he again led the league in games started and innings pitched for the second straight season. He finished with a 3.22 ERA, earned an All-Star nod, and led the NL with 224 strikeouts. He may not always be mentioned alongside names like Skubal and Skenes, but he has been one of the most consistent starters in baseball since 2021.
Cristopher Sánchez, Philadelphia Phillies
Sánchez posted a 2.50 ERA, third-best in the NL behind Yamamoto and Skenes, and finished second in Cy Young voting. While Skenes was the unanimous winner, Sánchez earned the most second-place votes thanks to his league-leading 8.0 WAR. He struck out 212 batters while walking just 44, matching his 2024 walk total despite a significant jump in strikeouts. If he comes close to repeating that, another All-Star selection should follow.
Hunter Brown, Houston Astros
Brown just wrapped up his third full season, and it was easily his best. He earned an All-Star selection, finished third in AL Cy Young voting, and posted a career-best 6.1 WAR, more than doubling his 2024 total. His 2.43 ERA ranked second in the AL.
Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves
Sale won the NL Cy Young in 2024 after a dominant season, leading the league in strikeouts, ERA, WAR, and wins. His 2025 wasn’t quite at that level, but he still posted a 2.58 ERA with 165 strikeouts. Projections have him around a 3.15 ERA in 2026, but he’s still capable of keeping it under 3.00.
Max Fried, New York Yankees
Fried enters his 10th season and his second with the Yankees. He is coming off two straight All-Star appearances and led the AL in wins. Even in a shortened season, he went 7-0 for Atlanta and has posted a sub-3.00 ERA in four of the last six seasons. The Yankees need him to maintain that level to contend.
Dylan Cease, Toronto Blue Jays
Cease signed a seven-year, $210 million deal with Toronto, the largest free-agent signing in franchise history. But was it too much? He posted a 4.55 ERA in 2025 with 215 strikeouts and 71 walks. He’s durable, making at least 32 starts in each of the last five seasons, but the results have been inconsistent. Since finishing second in AL Cy Young voting in 2022, his ERA has climbed back above 4.00.
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