Top 15 MLB Starting Pitchers During the 2025 Season

Prior to the 2025 season, our editorial team sat down and ranked the top starting pitchers in baseball. With the league currently possessing so many talented arms, there were plenty of starters to consider.

Now that the 2025 season is over, we can look back and reflect on this list, re-ranking the top starters in baseball. From ever-consistent veterans to some surprising breakouts, this list has changed a lot since the beginning of the year.

Of the 15 players featured in this story, six were unranked before the season, showing just how much the league’s talent is changing. One of these unranked pitchers even made it the whole way to number four on this list, a massive development in just one season’s time.

Our team of editors each voted on their own personal top 20, and their rankings were averaged to determine this list. You will also find next to each player’s name where they were ranked prior to the season, or if they were even ranked at all.

Let’s dive into the updated rankings.

15. Logan Gilbert, Seattle Mariners (Preseason Rank: No. 11)

2025 Stats: 25 GS, 131 IP, 3.44 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 3.35 FIP, 11.89 K/9, 2.13 BB/9

Over the past few seasons, the Seattle Mariners have cemented their ability to develop high-end arms as one of the team’s best traits. This season was even more proof of this, as two of their arms made it into our top 15. The first of these players is right-hander Logan Gilbet.

This season, Logan Gilbert turned in yet another dominant performance on the mound. Despite missing some significant time on the injured list this year, he still managed to post a 2.6 fWAR, an impressive mark. Gilbert also struck out over 40 more batters than he had innings pitched.

Gilbert has slowly proven that he’s one of the best pitchers in the sport when it comes to limiting baserunners. He was one of 18 starters with at least 100 innings pitched to record a WHIP under 1.05, putting him in some elite company.

With Gilbert showcasing elite tools once again, it really makes us wonder how much better he would’ve been without missing time on the injured list. If he’s fully healthy next season, Gilbert could crack into the top 10 on this list.

14. Jacob deGrom, Texas Rangers (Preseason: Unranked)

2025 Stats: 30 GS, 172 2/3 IP, 2.97 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 3.64 FIP, 9.64 K/9, 1.93 BB/9

Before the season, many questions surrounded Rangers righty Jacob deGrom. With his injury battles being a constant concern, the Rangers weren’t sure what they’d get out of deGrom. However, at 37 years old, deGrom just finished the best season he’s had since 2021.

For the first time since his Cy Young-winning 2019 season, deGrom reached the 100-inning mark. Along the way, he finished with the fourth-lowest WHIP in the sport, making his first All-Star team in four seasons.

He became a dominant force at the top of the Rangers’ rotation, reclaiming his crown as one of the best starters in the sport. This is largely due to deGrom prioritizing consistently sitting in the high-90s and preserving his health rather than maxing out for a handful of innings.

This season brought back good memories with flashes of vintage deGrom shining through. deGrom is now entering his age-38 season, and it’ll be incredibly important for him to continue this production into next season.

13. Bryan Woo, Seattle Mariners (Preseason: Unranked)

2025 Stats: 30 GS, 186 2/3 IP, 2.94 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 3.47 FIP, 9.55 K/9, 1.74 BB/9

For the last few seasons, Mariners’ starter Bryan Woo has shown flashes of dominance. Many hailed his potential to become one of the best young starters in baseball, and this year, Woo finally took that jump to the next level.

For the first time in his career, Woo made 30 starts, and he was dominant in nearly every game he pitched. An astounding 21 of these outings were quality starts, tying him for the second-highest mark in the league. The Mariners were seemingly in a good position to win every time Woo took the hill, with his consistent outings being a highlight of their rotation.

Thanks to his performance this season, Woo became an All-Star for the first time in his career as well. He narrowly missed the 200-strikeout mark this season as well, likely making it into the club if he hadn’t missed his last start of the season due to a pec injury.

This season displayed plenty of growth for Bryan Woo, as he developed into the best pitcher in a loaded Mariners’ rotation. It still appears as though Woo can take another step forward, and if he does, he’ll likely become a legitimate Cy Young candidate.

12. Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves (Preseason Rank: No. 9)

2025 Stats: 20 GS, 125 2/3 IP, 2.58 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 2.67 FIP, 11.82 K/9, 2.29 BB/9

After winning the National League Cy Young Award in 2024, Chris Sale entered the 2025 season looking to replicate his dominance. Injuries ended up plaguing his season, but the 36-year-old was very good while he was on the mound.

Sale recorded an ERA+ over 160 this season for the fifth time in his storied career, picking up his second straight All-Star appearance along the way. Sale finished 10th in baseball in ERA as well, just a tick above Red Sox Cy Young candidate Garret Crochet.

This was also the 10th time in Sale’s career where he’s generated at least 3.5 fWAR. Sale currently sits just shy of the 60-fWAR mark for his career as he closes in on yet another elite club. Reaching milestones like these will be huge for his Hall of Fame candidacy, as he’ll likely reach this mark with a healthy season in 2026.

If Sale had spent more time on the mound this season, he would’ve likely finished near the top of the league in counting stats once again. However, Sale proved that he’s still one of the best pitchers in baseball, and a healthy next season will be huge for the left-hander.

11. Freddy Peralta, Milwaukee Brewers (Preseason: Unranked)

2025 Stats: 33 GS, 176 2/3 IP, 2.70 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 3.64 FIP, 10.39 K/9, 3.36 BB/9

Before the 2025 season got underway, many analysts around the game raised serious questions about the Milwaukee Brewers’ pitching staff. Their staff ultimately proved to be very good, with ace Freddy Peralta leading the charge.

Peralta has quietly shaped himself into one of the best right-handed starters in baseball, and this season was arguably the best version we’ve seen of him yet. Peralta achieved a career high in innings pitched, where he was consistent all year long.

His 2.70 ERA was the lowest of his career, and he reached the 200-strikeout mark for the third straight season. Peralta also surpassed 3.5 fWAR for the second time in his career. Only 20 starting pitchers with at least 100 innings pitched reached this mark during 2025’s play.

After beginning the season unranked on our starting pitching ranking, Peralta has made it one spot shy of cracking the top 10 in baseball. As long as he stays healthy, there’s a good chance he achieves this at the end of the 2026 season.

10. Max Fried, New York Yankees (Preseason Rank: No. 17)

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

Losing Juan Soto was not an easy pill to swallow for the New York Yankees, but the way they pivoted away from him was incredibly impressive. One of the best uses of this money came when they inked Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million deal.

During his first year in pinstripes, Fried was fantastic. He showed the baseball world exactly why he was worth $218 million, as he took on a huge role in the Yankees’ rotation. Fried quickly became the team’s ace after Gerrit Cole went down with Tommy John surgery.

Fried finished eighth in baseball when it came to fWAR, as he reached the 4.0 mark for the second time in his career. Fried’s 189 strikeouts were a new career high, earning him a third career All-Star appearance.

To put it simply, Fried was fantastic throughout the 32 starts he made this season. Because of this, Fried jumped seven spots on our starting pitcher rankings, an impressive feat for the left-hander.

9. Nathan Eovaldi, Texas Rangers (Preseason: Unranked)

2025 Stats: 22 GS, 130 IP, 1.73 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 2.80 FIP, 8.93 K/9, 1.45 BB/9

When Nathan Eovaldi inked a three-year deal worth $75 million in the offseason, many people instantly called this contract a reach. However, Eovaldi silenced his doubters with arguably the best season of his career, proving the Rangers were correct to hand out this extension.

Eovaldi finished the season with a 1.73 ERA, the lowest mark he’s posted in his career by a good margin. This number was also good enough to lead the league for starters with at least 100 innings by nearly 0.10 points, something we shouldn’t take lightly when evaluating his season.

Eovaldi pitched to quality starts in 14 of his 22 games this season, keeping the Rangers close in the games where he took the mound. When he was healthy, he was one of the most reliable arms in baseball for this very reason.

Although it was only 130 innings, Eovaldi was incredible this season on all cylinders. If he can even come close to this production in a fully healthy season, Eovaldi may slide up this list even further than he did already.

8. Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia Phillies (Preseason Rank: No. 2)

2025 Stats: 24 GS, 149.2 IP, 2.71 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 3.00 FIP, 11.73 K/9, 1.98 BB/9

The 2025 season was a whirlwind for Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler. At 35 years old, Wheeler turned in yet another fantastic season. Unfortunately, due to complications from a blood clot, Wheeler only made 24 starts for the team and may miss some of the 2026 season.

For the second straight season, Wheeler posted an ERA under 2.75. Wheeler also racked up 4.0 fWAR during the time he spent on the mound, meaning he likely would’ve finished near the top of the league if he had made all of his starts down the stretch.

Wheeler was also selected to another All-Star team, the third time in his career, where he’s had this honor. He also came five strikeouts shy of the 200-mark despite throwing fewer than 150 innings, the fifth time in his career he’s struck out 190 or more batters.

Unfortunately, due to his health and the success of the arms above him, Wheeler slides down our rankings a few spots. However, when he’s fully healthy, it’s quite difficult to find many pitchers with higher ceilings than the right-hander.

7. Hunter Brown, Houston Astros (Preseason: Unranked)

2025 Stats: 31 GS, 185.1 IP, 2.43 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 3.14 FIP, 10.00 K/9, 2.77 BB/9

For the last few seasons, Astros right-hander Hunter Brown has been emerging as one of the best pitchers in baseball. This season, Brown put it all together and fully cemented himself as one of the brightest stars on the mound.

For the first time in his career, Brown posted an ERA under 3.00 en route to a 4.6 fWAR season. Brown was one of only four American League starters to record 200 or more strikeouts, the first time in his career he’s done so.

Just like a few pitchers on this list, Brown was named to his first All-Star team thanks to his big season. With the Astros potentially losing Framber Valdez in free agency this offseason, the emergence of Hunter Brown has become even more important.

Brown emerged as one of the brightest pieces of this Astros team, and he could make a huge impact heading into next season. If he continues to look this dominant, Brown could easily slip into the top five by this time next season.

6. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers (Preseason Rank: No. 15)

2025 Stats: 30 GS, 173.2 IP, 2.49 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 2.94 FIP, 10.42 K/9, 3.06 BB/9

Even though it was only 19 starts, Yoshinobu Yamamoto showcased an incredibly talented arsenal for the World Series-winning 2024 Los Angeles Dodgers. This season, we finally got a look at a full season from Yamamoto, and it was incredibly special.

Yamamoto ended the season with a 5.0 fWAR and 200 strikeouts for the first time in his career, as he showcased his full arsenal every time he took the mound. Yamamoto also raised his ERA+ to 167, a sizable jump from his 133 mark last season.

Among starters with at least 100 innings pitched, Yamamoto finished with the sixth-best ERA. He also picked up the first All-Star nod of his career this season. In a team full of ace-caliber arms, Yamamoto looks to be the best starter in the Dodgers’ rotation just one year after making his debut.

Yamamoto rose nine spots on our starting pitcher rankings, making him one of the biggest risers on this whole list. If he has another big year in 2026, he could crack the top five for the first time in his career.

5. Logan Webb, San Francisco Giants (Preseason Rank: No. 8)

2025 Stats: 34 GS, 207 IP, 3.22 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 2.60 FIP, 9.74 K/9, 2.00 BB/9

Over the past few seasons, Giants right-hander Logan Webb has quietly become one of the most reliable and consistent arms in the sport. This season was no different, as Logan Webb put together yet another tremendous season.

For the fifth straight season, Webb posted an ERA under 3.50, an impressive stretch. He also recorded a career-high 5.5 fWAR after never reaching 5.0 in past seasons. He struck out 224 batters, the first time he’s surpassed 190 strikeouts in his career.

Webb’s value also came from how often he was available. Webb was the only pitcher in baseball to start 34 games, allowing him to be a consistent workhorse for the Giants. It’s rare to have a starter make this many starts, and it shows just how valuable Webb was to the club.

With Webb seemingly only getting better with every season he spends on the field, the sky seems to be the limit for the right-hander. He’ll certainly be in the Cy Young conversation this year, and he could eventually take home the award sometime in the future.

4. Cristopher Sanchez, Philadelphia Phillies (Preseason: Unranked)

2025 Stats: 32 GS, 202 IP, 2.50 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 2.55 FIP, 9.45 K/9, 1.96 BB/9

One of the biggest breakout stars of the 2024 season was Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sanchez, as he made the first All-Star team of his career en route to a fantastic season. However, nobody could’ve predicted the giant leap forward he’d take in 2025, as he became one of the best pitchers in baseball.

Sanchez finished the season as one of just three players to record an fWAR above 6.0, putting him in an elite group that features Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal. He also finished the year tied for seventh in strikeouts and ERA among starters with at least 100 innings pitched.

Sanchez catapulted himself past Zack Wheeler to become the best starting pitcher in the Phillies’ rotation, a quite difficult feat to achieve given the strength of their rotation. If he takes another step forward next year, he could become a legitimate Cy Young threat in no time.

Sanchez went from being unranked in our preseason starting pitcher rankings to becoming our fourth-best starting pitcher in the span of just one season. It’ll be quite difficult to find a player who took a bigger stride forward than Sanchez did this year.

3. Garrett Crochet, Boston Red Sox (Preseason Rank: No. 7)

2025 Stats: 32 GS, 205.1 IP, 2.59 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 2.89 FIP, 11.18 K/9, 2.02 BB/9

Before the 2025 season began, the Boston Red Sox went all in to acquire Garrett Crochet in hopes that he could replicate the success he found in 146 innings the year prior. Crochet exceeded their expectations, cementing himself as a top starting pitcher in the sport.

For the first time in his career, Crochet exceeded 200 innings, becoming the head of the Red Sox’s rotation. He struck out 255 batters and posted an ERA of 2.59, nearly a full point better than the season prior. Crochet also became one of five starters to post an fWAR of 5.5 or higher.

Crochet led baseball in strikeouts, earning his second consecutive All-Star nod. He also wrapped up his 2025 season with one of the best Postseason outings in recent memory, striking out 11 batters across 7.2 innings versus the New York Yankees in the Wild Card.

Crochet unanimously became our third-ranked starting pitcher after this tremendous season. So far, the Red Sox aren’t regretting the price they paid for Crochet in the slightest bit, as he’s been a force at the top of their rotation.

2. Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates (Preseason Rank: No. 3)

2025 Stats: 32 GS, 187.2 IP, 1.97 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 2.36 FIP, 10.36 K/9, 2.01 BB/9

After posting arguably the best rookie pitching season in baseball history, fans had high expectations for Paul Skenes’ first full season in the major leagues. He not only lived up to these expectations, but he also took another step forward in his success.

Skenes finished the season with 6.5 fWAR, the highest mark in the National League. Skenes also became the first qualified starting pitcher since Justin Verlander in 2022 to finish the season with an ERA under 2.00, really speaking to the success of his sophomore season.

Skenes was also given the nod to start the All-Star Game for the second straight season, making him the only pitcher in baseball history to start their career in this way. In addition to this, Skenes’ ERA+ of 217 led all of baseball.

Although it was another disappointing season for the Pittsburgh Pirates as a team, every time Paul Skenes took the mound was must-watch TV. He’ll also likely take home the first Cy Young Award of his career thanks to his performance in 2025.

1. Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers (Preseason Rank: No. 1)

2025 Stats: 31 GS, 195.1 IP, 2.21 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, 2.45 FIP, 11.10 K/9, 1.52 BB/9

After unanimously taking home the Cy Young Award last season, Tarik Skubal took the hill looking to replicate this success once again. He did all of this and more, once again proving that he deserved the title of the best pitcher in baseball.

Skubal followed up his Cy Young campaign by lowering his ERA by nearly 0.20 points and raising his ERA+ to 187. Skubal also finished the 2025 season with a higher fWAR, more strikeouts, and a better walk rate than he had during the 2024 campaign.

Skubal threw one of the best games all season during a start at home versus the Cleveland Guardians. He threw a complete game in 94 pitches, striking out 13 batters and allowing just two hits in the process. This performance was otherworldly, showing just how good Skubal is at his peak.

Due to his 2025 campaign, Tarik Skubal comes in as our unanimous best pitcher in baseball. Although it’ll likely be a tighter race than last season, Skubal will likely take home his second straight Cy Young Award during the offseason.