MLB’s Iron Men: Which Top Starters Are in Peak Form Again?

In today’s era of flame-throwing, strikeout-oriented starting pitchers, the durable ones are a rare, dying breed. Only a select handful of arms around the league are a lock for north of 180 innings year in and year out. In fact, since the beginning of 2022, only 14 starting pitchers have logged at least 570 innings.

This is a true testament to how difficult it is average 190 innings a season. However, in 2025, several of Major League Baseball’s top starting pitchers are right back at it, putting their rotations on their back and pitching deep into games.

Let’s take a look at the modern “iron men” of MLB and where they’re at a month into the season.

Stats taken prior to first pitch on May 6th

Logan Webb

661.1 Innings Pitched since Beginning of 2022

Logan Webb has become the poster boy for durability and consistency when it comes to starting pitching. He’s eclipsed 200 innings in each of the last two seasons while owning an elite ground ball rate, consistently hovering around the 60% mark.

While he’ll occasionally surrender some hard contact, his ability to induce double plays often helps him avoid trouble. From 2022 to 2024, Webb posted a 3.21 ERA while averaging 204.1 innings a season.

In 2025, Webb is right back in form. Through eight starts, he’s thrown to the tune of a 2.61 ERA over 48.1 innings. He has allowed just one home run and has seen a massive jump in K/9 to start the year at 10.89 (up from 7.56 last year).

At 1.8 fWAR, Webb is once again positioning himself to be one of the game’s most valuable starters and a master of a lost art.

Aaron Nola

639.0 Innings Pitched since Beginning of 2022

Since the start of 2022, Aaron Nola has been one of the best inning’s eaters in all of baseball. Though he hasn’t necessarily produced ace-level ERAs — a 3.75 mark from 2022-24 — his ability to be on the mound every fifth day has been invaluable.

Nola made at least 32 starts in each of those seasons, truly providing the Phillies with irreplaceable reliability.

However, in 2025, Nola is off to a slower start. He’s recorded a 4.61 ERA and a slightly better 3.87 FIP over seven starts and 41 innings. With one of the best rotations in all of baseball, the pressure on Nola has lessened. However, fans expect and hope that his numbers will improve as we get deeper into the season.

Corbin Burnes

622.2 Innings Pitched since Beginning of 2022

Corbin Burnes has been one of the elite starting pitchers in Major League Baseball since the start of 2021, when he eventually won the National League Cy Young. Over the last three seasons, he’s posted a sub-3.40 ERA, including two under 3.00, while throwing at least 190 innings. Though his strikeout rate has declined slightly in each of the last few seasons, it hasn’t necessarily affected his performance.

In his first season with the Diamondbacks, Burnes has faced manageable levels of adversity after signing a $210 million deal. He’s pitched to a 3.58 ERA over just north of 32 innings.

The strikeout rate is concerning, reaching a career low of 7.71 K/9. While he’s been better of late, Arizona hopes to see the former Cy Young reach his peak form which helped make him one of the most coveted free agents this past winter.

Framber Valdez

616.2 Innings Pitched since Beginning of 2022

Framber Valdez has anchored the rotation in Houston for the past few seasons with his elite ability to induce ground balls. He pitched to a 70.3% ground ball rate in 2021 and a 66.5% mark in 2022.

While his innings totals have slightly decreased each year since 2022, he’s still been able to deliver a high-2.00s to mid-3.00s ERA consistently.

Through his first 41 innings of 2025, he’s struggled a bit, posting an ERA of 4.39. The ground ball rates have decreased slightly, likely affecting the elevated ERA to start the year. If he can restore his signature style of pitching, a turnaround could be in the near future.

Logan Gilbert

615.1 Innings Pitched since Beginning of 2022

Logan Gilbert has quietly become one of baseball’s most reliable and dominant starters over the last few seasons. From 2022-2024, he posted a 3.39 ERA while eclipsing the 185 inning mark in each season. In 2024, Gilbert led the league in innings pitched with 208.2.

To start the new season, Gilbert has been exceptional. In just a hair over 30 innings, he’s recorded a 2.37 ERA with an other worldly 13.05 K/9.

He has also been able to maintain a ground ball rate of 51.5%. If he can continue to strike out the world while inducing this many ground balls, Gilbert could be right in the middle of the Cy Young conversation towards the end of the year.

José Berríos

594.2 Innings Pitched since Beginning of 2022

José Berríos has consistently been one of the best workhorses in all of baseball. Even though he hasn’t reached 200 innings since 2019, he has averaged just over 185 innings since the beginning of 2021.

While he’s never been a dominant starter, his ability to eat innings every fifth day has made him a valuable one.

Berríos has been off to a start that is true to form to start the year. Over 40.2 innings and seven starts, he’s delivered a 3.98 ERA, right on par with his career averages. Once again, Berríos is giving Toronto consistent innings with decent production.

Zack Wheeler

589.0 Innings Pitched since Beginning of 2022

Wheeler has been a true workhorse and ace throughout his entire career, surpassing the 180 inning mark six times. He’s also been able to pair his workload with results, recording an ERA under 4.00 in nine of his ten seasons.

The consistent workload doesn’t affect his postseason production either, as he has dominated October, with a 2.18 ERA in just over 70.1 playoff innings.

In 2025, Wheeler is off to a decent start. Despite a pair of tough outings against the Cardinals and Braves, he’s posted a 3.48 ERA in a near MLB best 44 innings. Given Wheeler’s track record, it’d be no surprise to see the ERA dip below 3.00 as he remains the ace of a star-studded rotation in Philadelphia.

Final Thoughts

As the art of pitching deep into games continues to grow less and less important, these guys stand out as true workhorses. They continue to carry the torch of a traditional starting pitcher, taking the ball every fifth day and fighting off injury. To start 2025, despite the typical ups and downs to start a season, they remain the backbone of their rotations and the gold standard for durability in the modern game of baseball.