This is the final edition of this lengthy series. I’ve broken down the top 10 players at each position, top 10 starting pitching duos, and top 10 lineups. Last up is the top 10 rotations in the MLB for 2023. Previous editions are listed below:
- Top 10 Lineups
- Top 10 Pitching DuosÂ
- Starting Pitchers
- Right Field
- Center FieldÂ
- First BaseÂ
- Second Base
- Third Base
- Shortstop
- Catcher
- Left Field
- Relief Pitchers
Top 10 2023 MLB Rotations
- New York Mets
- Toronto Blue Jays
- Atlanta Braves
- New York Yankees
- Houston Astros
- Philadelphia Phillies
- Tampa Bay Rays
- Los Angeles Dodgers
- Texas Rangers
- Seattle Mariners
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The Mets may have lost Jacob deGrom, but they replaced him with someone pretty decent, last year’s AL Cy Young winner Justin Verlander. New York also lost Chris Bassitt and Taijuan Walker, but they might have upgraded the back end of their rotation by bringing in Jose Quintana and Kodai Senga. This is the best rotation in baseball from top to bottom.
The Toronto Blue Jays boast one of the best pitching duos in baseball in Kevin Gausman and Alek Manoah. Jose Berrios is also fantastic, and I love the addition of Chris Bassit. This team is going to be fun to watch in 2023.
Because of the Braves offensive talent, their rotation doesn’t get enough credit. Max Fried finished second in the NL Cy Young race, and Spencer Strider is my pick to win the award in 2023. Behind them, they have a 21-game winner in Kyle Wright, Charlie Morton, Mike Soroka, Ian Anderson, and Bryce Elder. As far as depth is concerned, the Braves are in a better spot than anybody in the league.
The Yankees bolstered their rotation in a big way by adding Carlos Rodón. He and Gerrit Cole create an electric one-two punch, and they also have Nestor Cortez and Luis Servino. If Frankie Montas weren’t injured, this group would be higher.
The Astros clock in at #5. Even after the departure of Justin Verlander, this group is incredibly deep, featuring Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, Luis Garcia, Lance McCullers Jr., and José Urquidy.
The NL East is responsible for three of the top six rotations on this list. The depth of Philadelphia’s rotation is a bit concerning. I’m not a huge Taijuan Walker fan, and we’ll see if Ranger Suarez can replicate his 2022 campaign. However, Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola are two of the best pitchers in the game. Those two alone give the Phillies a chance in any postseason series, which we saw last year.
The Rays might be the best organization in baseball when it comes to developing pitching. Shane McClanahan is a Cy Young candidate, and Tyler Glasnow will be right there with him if he can finally stay healthy. There’s nothing sexy after that, but Drew Rasmussen was fantastic last year, and it seems they always have another stud waiting in the wings every season.
The Dodgers rotation will not be as terrific as we’ve become accustomed to this season. Walker Buehler is out with injury and Tyler Anderson signed with the Angels. Still, Clayton Kershaw remains elite, and Julio UrÃas has finished inside the top-seven of the NL Cy Young race in each of the last two seasons. They are another organization that is unbelievable at developing young pitchers.
The addition of Jacob deGrom is enough to boost any rotation near the top 10, even one that was as bad as the Rangers last season. However, Texas also added the likes of Nathan Eovaldi, Andrew Heaney, and Jake Odorizzi this offseason. Those guys, along with deGrom and Martin Perez, give Texas a more than formidable rotation heading into 2023.
The addition of Luis Castillo at last year’s trade deadline pushes the Mariners into the top-ten. He’s one of my favorite pitchers in the league to watch, and Robbie Ray remains a more than solid #2 option. Nobody is going to blow opponents away after those two, but the Mariners feature several middle of the rotation options that just know how to get outs.
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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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