Philly Leader

Only 30 pitchers are given the opportunity to start on Opening Day each Major League Baseball season. A recent poll has ranked these pitchers, highlighting some of the standout performers.

Eighteen out of the 30 Opening Day starters received at least one vote from a panel of voters.

Tarik Skubal of the Tigers leads the rankings. After recovering from an injury in 2023, Skubal emerged as a dominant force in baseball, boasting a record of 25-7 with a 2.51 ERA and 330 strikeouts over 46 starts. He won the AL pitching Triple Crown and was unanimously chosen for the AL Cy Young Award in 2024.

Paul Skenes of the Pirates is considered a strong contender to challenge Skubal's position. His rookie season performance included a 1.96 ERA and an impressive K-to-BB ratio, suggesting significant potential for further development.

Zack Wheeler from the Phillies ranks third, having demonstrated consistency over seven seasons despite early career injuries. Wheeler is noted for his durability and effectiveness into his 30s.

Chris Sale of the Braves follows closely behind, having matched Skubal’s accomplishments in terms of accolades in 2024 despite previous health issues that had limited his playing time since 2018.

Garrett Crochet, now with the Red Sox, is another noteworthy pitcher who has made a successful transition from bullpen to starting rotation after being traded from Chicago to Boston.

Cole Ragans represents the Royals as he continues his journey after overcoming multiple surgeries and transitioning successfully into a key role within Kansas City's rotation last year.

Logan Gilbert from the Mariners has shown reliability with consistent starts and improving performance metrics that led him to become an All-Star in 2024.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s second season with the Dodgers began positively following challenges during his rookie year but promises more success following major financial investment by Los Angeles.

Framber Valdez of the Astros faces free agency next year but remains an elite performer due to his unique pitching style focused on ground-ball outs rather than strikeouts.

Finally, Logan Webb (Giants) and Shota Imanaga (Cubs) share tenth place. Webb excels at preventing home runs at Oracle Park while Imanaga adjusts to MLB dynamics after debuting as an older rookie last season.

Other notable pitchers receiving votes include Zac Gallen (D-backs), Hunter Greene (Reds), Sandy Alcantara (Marlins), Michael King (Padres), Pablo López (Twins), Freddy Peralta (Brewers), and Sonny Gray (Cardinals).

The voting panel consisted of various contributors including David Adler, Chris Begley, Brett Blueweiss among others who participated in this assessment process.