Top 10 Best Pitchers in the AL East for the 2026 MLB Season
Just Baseball breaks down the top 10 arms in one of MLB's most competitive divisions.
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The American League East division is made up of some big spenders, and that leads to a large number of established, veteran starters making up teams’ rotations. Ranking the top 10 pitchers in this division is sure to spark some debate, as many of these hurlers have had long, productive careers and are still posting quality numbers.
The editorial staff of Just Baseball ranked the top 10 pitchers in the AL East for 2026, and I’ll be breaking down each of their choices in this piece.
Who Just Missed?
Tampa Bay Rays – Drew Rasmussen, Shane McClanahan
Since the inception of his career, Drew Rasmussen has been one of the best in baseball at preventing runs. He has never ended a season in which he appeared as a starter with an ERA above 2.84, a remarkable achievement. After setting a career-high in innings last year at 150, perhaps another full season from Rasmussen will get him on this list in 2027.
As for Shane McClanahan, it’s hard to say that a guy who hasn’t pitched in two full seasons is definitely better than those in the top 10. We just don’t know how productive he’ll be upon his return. His peak was outstanding in 2022, and he’s looked good this spring.
New York Yankees – David Bednar
It’s been a rollercoaster ride for David Bednar over the past few seasons. In 2023, Bednar was nails – earning 39 saves with a 2.00 ERA in 67.1 innings for Pittsburgh. The following year was the complete opposite; Bednar imploded to a 5.77 ERA in 57.2 innings, losing his grip on the closer role.
Then, last season, he was excellent again. Between the Pirates and Yankees, Bednar threw 62.2 innings with a 2.30 ERA and earned 27 saves. That inconsistency likely cost him a spot in the top 10.
Baltimore Orioles – Trevor Rogers
Trevor Rogers enjoyed one of the most outstanding and unexpected 100-inning stretches in major league history last season. After beginning the season in Triple-A, Rogers threw to a 1.81 ERA in 109.2 major league innings and earned himself the “Most Valuable Oriole” award for 2025.
Rogers was excellent in 2021, but 2022-24 were lost seasons. A free agent at season’s end, perhaps another quality season will elevate Rogers to “top-10 pitcher in a division” status.
10. Kyle Bradish, Baltimore Orioles
2025 Stats: 6 GS, 32 IP, 2.53 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 2.45 FIP, 13.22 K/9, 2.81 BB/9
When Kyle Bradish has been on a major league mound, he’s performed like an ace. In 2023, Bradish threw 168.2 innings to a 2.83 ERA, functioning as the 101-win Orioles’ best pitcher. The following season, Bradish and Corbin Burnes were supposed to create a dynamic one-two punch in Baltimore’s rotation, but Bradish unfortunately needed to undergo Tommy John surgery.
Upon his return in 2025, Bradish was stellar yet again. His 37.3% K-rate and 34.8% whiff rate would be ridiculous marks for a starter over a full season’s sample. He has good command of all his offerings, and his slider and curveball both rate as above-average pitches, per Stuff+.
In 2026, Bradish aims to put his health woes behind him and anchor an Orioles rotation with hopes of contending for the postseason.
9. Aroldis Chapman, Boston Red Sox
2025 Stats: 67 G, 61.1 IP, 1.17 ERA, 1.73 FIP, 0.70 WHIP, 12.47 K/9, 2.20 BB/9
Aroldis Chapman has had a marvelous career, but after the 2024 season, it was uncertain if he’d be an impact closer again in his late thirties. His 37.1% strikeout rate in 2024 was great, though his 14.4% walk rate and 1.35 WHIP were not. Chapman could still throw gas but was losing command.
If he had any doubters after that season, they’re probably hard to find these days. Chapman had an otherworldly renaissance season at age 37 in Boston, striking out 37.3% of opposing batters and only walking 6.6% of them. “The Cuban Missile” earned 32 saves for the Red Sox last year and posted his most valuable season by fWAR since 2016.
Chapman can still throw harder than most closers in the game, so as long as he can continue to command it, he will send a shiver down the opposition’s spine.
8. Carlos Rodón, New York Yankees
2025 Stats: 33 GS, 195 1/3 IP, 3.09 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 3.78 FIP, 9.35 K/9, 3.36 BB/9
The 2025 season may not have been Carlos Rodón’s best by fWAR, but it was clearly one of his most valuable. Last year, his 195.1 innings pitched were a career-high, and his 3.09 ERA speaks to how effective he was over that span.
The 33-year-old lost about a tick and a half of fastball velocity in 2025 compared to previous years. While sitting around 94 mph as a lefty isn’t bad, it would help his case to move up this list if he were able to regain some velo. Rodón underwent offseason surgery to address bone spurs in his throwing elbow, so perhaps removing those will add another level to his game.
Rodón is likely going to miss most of April but will be a stalwart in the Yankees’ rotation upon his return.
7. Ranger Suárez, Boston Red Sox
2025 Stats: 26 GS, 157 1/3 IP, 3.20 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 3.21 FIP, 8.64 K/9, 2.17 BB/9
Ranger Suárez had the best season of his career by fWAR in 2025, and the timing couldn’t have been better. A free agent at season’s end, his stellar performance earned him a five-year, $130 million deal from the Red Sox. After spending his whole career with the Phillies, Suárez will aim to help Boston’s new core win.
Suárez is a unique pitcher because he has been productive over the past few years but has consistently been losing fastball velocity. Last season, his fastball sat at just 91 mph – which is well-below league average. The crafty lefty has made up for the velocity difference by throwing three different fastballs and offering three breakers, as well.
It was a bit of a risky move for Boston to give a soft-tosser $26 million per year, but Suárez’s body of work has spoken for itself.
6. Gerrit Cole, New York Yankees
2024 Stats: 33 GS, 95 IP, 3.41 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 3.69 FIP, 9.38 K/9, 2.75 BB/9
Gerrit Cole’s career has been nothing short of exceptional, which is why it may be a surprise to see him ranked so far down this list. The reason for skepticism with Cole is that he aims to return from Tommy John surgery this spring at 35 years old, after missing all of 2025. While it’s likely that he’s still an impact arm, he may not immediately be one of the game’s best.
The prime of Cole’s career saw strikeout rates north of 30% and a fastball that sat in the high 90s. We’ve already seen signs of those marks starting to slip, as Cole’s 2023 K-rate was 27% and his fastball velocity dipped from 97.8 mph to 96.8 mph. Both marks were still very good, but those were pre-injury results. There could be another dip in production coming off of a major surgery at this stage in his career.
Cole returned to game action recently by throwing one scoreless inning late in Grapefruit League play, so he’s trending in the right direction. Upon his return, I would bet on him to be a top-five pitcher in this division.
5. Sonny Gray, Boston Red Sox
2025 Stats: 32 GS, 180 2/3 IP, 4.28 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 3.39 FIP, 10.01 K/9, 1.89 BB/9
Following a seven-year hiatus, Sonny Gray makes his triumphant return to the AL East in new threads. After posting one of the worst seasons of his career with the Yankees in 2018, Gray will now pitch as a member of their rivals, the Red Sox, in 2026.
Gray may only sit at 92 mph with the fastball, but he remains an effective pitcher at age 36 by having great command and getting chase on his breaking balls.
Gray’s excellent command is only a recent development for him – his lowest walk rates have come in each of the past two seasons. These command improvements have also led Gray to the best K-BB% marks of his career over the past two seasons, as well.
At 36, Gray’s very best years are likely behind him, but Boston’s new regime has been innovative in improving pitchers. He should be an impact arm yet again in 2026.
4. Kevin Gausman, Toronto Blue Jays
2025 Stats: 32 GS, 193 IP, 3.59 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 3.41 FIP, 8.81 K/9, 2.33 BB/9
Every front office hopes that its free agent pitching signings turn out the way the Blue Jays’ acquisition of Kevin Gausman did. Gausman is entering the final year of a five-year, $110 million deal and has been both durable and effective. Over those four seasons in Toronto, Gausman has thrown at least 174 innings in each campaign and posted no fewer than 3.0 fWAR per year.
Gausman’s arsenal is surprisingly simple – he throws his four-seamer just over half of the time, offers a splitter just over a third of the time, and mixes in a slider occasionally to keep the opposition off-balanced. The basic pitch mix fared well for Gausman at age 34, as he still posted an above-average 17.9% K-BB%.
The reigning American League champions will rely heavily on Gausman to give them one last great season on this outstanding deal. If he’s able to, there will be pressure for Toronto to give him a second contract to retire a Blue Jay.
3. Dylan Cease, Toronto Blue Jays
2025 Stats: 32 GS, 168 IP, 4.55 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 3.56 FIP, 11.52 K/9, 3.80 BB/9
Dylan Cease has had an interesting career. In terms of ERA, the 30-year-old righty has posted results just north of 4.50 in two of the past three seasons. In terms of fWAR, however, he’s been at least a three-win pitcher in each of the past five seasons.
Cease is a high-velocity starter who is susceptible to the long ball and hasn’t shown good command. Leading with a plus fastball and a plus slider (per Stuff+), Cease gets a lot of in-zone whiffs and plenty of strikeouts. Toronto is banking on those trends continuing, so they gave Cease $30 million per year over the next seven seasons in free agency.
Given how well Cease is able to miss bats and that he’s been durable throughout his career, I understand why Toronto would feel comfortable paying him as an elite starter. There’s some variance to his game, but he could be one of baseball’s best if it all clicks this season.
2. Max Fried, New York Yankees
2025 Stats: 32 GS, 195 1/3 IP, 2.86 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 3.07 FIP, 8.71 K/9, 2.35 BB/9
In some ways, Max Fried is a bit of an antithesis to Cease. Fried, a lefty, is consistently strong at limiting hard contact, keeping balls on the ground, and maintaining a stellar walk rate. He isn’t exactly a soft-tosser at 95 mph, but he gets his outs differently. His strikeout rate was only a little above average last year, but Fried posts a strong ERA just about every season.
Last year’s big-league leader in wins, Fried’s average exit velocity against was in the top 8% in baseball. The southpaw has seven offerings that rate above average by Stuff+ and locates them effectively. There’s no reason to believe that what Fried has been accomplishing won’t continue into 2026.
With Cole and Rodon on the mend, the Yankees will continue to lean on Fried as their ace to start this season. When those two return, the three of them, plus emergent youngster Cam Schlittler, will form an imposing starting rotation.
1. Garrett Crochet, Boston Red Sox
2025 Stats: 32 GS, 205.1 IP, 2.59 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 2.89 FIP, 11.18 K/9, 2.02 BB/9
Garrett Crochet asserted himself as one of the premier aces in baseball with an amazing campaign in 2025. The 26-year-old lefty led baseball in strikeouts, as well as pacing the American League in innings pitched and batters faced. Boston traded some promising young bats to obtain Crochet’s services, and he has delivered for them.
There’s not much more to say about Crochet other than that he does everything well. He throws hard (96.5 mph fastball), commands effective stuff (25.6% K-BB%), and limits hard contact (top-15% in avg. exit velo against). Crochet gave up 24 home runs last season, but he still had a strong groundball rate – so that could improve, as well.
The American League Cy Young award has gone to Tarik Skubal each of the past two years, but Crochet didn’t make it easy for voters last season. This could be the year that Crochet wins the award, even if he simply replicates those fantastic numbers from 2025.
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Written by
Daniel Rotter follows the game of baseball with passion. He was the youngest participant in the inaugural year of The Great Fantasy Baseball Invitational, at 17…