There’s a new No. 1 in Sportsnaut’s MLB Pitcher Power Rankings as a major shakeup occurred in the latest list. Check out where baseball’s best pitchers land.
**All stats as of Saturday, May 17**
1. Hunter Brown (Last week: 5)
Houston Astros pitcher Hunter Brown is having an exceptional season. The 26-year-old right-hander throws in the high 90s and leads baseball in lowest hits per nine innings (5.241) and FIP (1.94). He ranks second in bWAR for pitchers (2.5), ERA (1.43), and ERA+ (281), fourth in WHIP (0.829), and ninth in strikeouts (67). Brown has struck out at least nine batters in each of his last five starts.
2. Tarik Skubal (Last week: 10)
Despite giving up five earned runs in his last outing against the Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal has rebounded after a slow start to the season. The reigning AL Cy Young winner boasts a 2.67 ERA, 149 ERA+, and 2.12 FIP. He leads baseball in lowest walks per nine (1.0), ranks seventh in WHIP (0.926), fifth in strikeouts per nine (11.833), and seventh in strikeouts (71).
3. Max Fried (Last week: 3)
Max Fried has been the ace the New York Yankees desperately needed after losing Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil. In his first season in the Bronx, Fried has gone 6-0 in his first nine starts while leading baseball in ERA (1.11) and ERA+ (361).
4. Nathan Eovaldi (Last week: 4)
Nathan Eovaldi has been stellar for the Texas Rangers. The right-hander tops all of baseball in WHIP (0.766), ranks third in bWAR (2.2), fourth in ERA (1.61), fifth in FIP (2.20), and is tied for third in batting average allowed (.179).
5. Zack Wheeler (Last week: 7)
Philadelphia Phillies’ Zack Wheeler is showing once again why he’s in the Cy Young conversation. Wheeler ranks second in strikeouts (74), sixth in WHIP (0.914), and eighth in bWAR (2.0). He’s holding opponents to a .200 batting average and has walked only 11 batters in 58 innings.
6. Garrett Crochet (Last week: 9)
Where would the Boston Red Sox be without Garrett Crochet? The hard-throwing southpaw leads the American League in strikeouts with 73, complemented by a 2.00 ERA, 209 ERA+, 1.063 WHIP, and 2.82 FIP.
7. Tyler Mahle (Last week: Not ranked)
Rangers pitcher Tyler Mahle doesn’t overwhelm hitters with velocity. His fastball averages 92 mph, placing in the 17th percentile in baseball, yet opponents are struggling against him. Batters are hitting just .179 against Mahle as he’s posted a 1.47 ERA — good for third in baseball.
8. Joe Ryan (Last week: Not ranked)
Behind the Minnesota Twins’ 12-game winning streak is the rise of Joe Ryan. The right-hander ranks second in WHIP (0.788), seventh in hits per nine (6.058), second in walks per nine (1.038), and eighth in strikeouts per nine (10.904). His strikeout (31.5%) and walk percentage (3.0%) place in the 91st and 98th percentiles respectively.
9. Jesus Luzardo (Last week: Not ranked)
Jesus Luzardo is showcasing his potential when healthy. The Phillies’ lefty leads baseball in bWAR (2.6), ranks sixth in ERA (2.00) and ERA+ (211), and seventh in FIP (2.36). He hasn’t allowed more than three earned runs in any of his nine starts.
10. Paul Skenes (Last week: 7)
Paul Skenes isn’t as dominant as he was during his historic rookie season, but the Pittsburgh Pirates ace remains special. Though his strikeout percentage has dropped to 24.7% (66th percentile) from 33.1% last year, he still maintains a 2.63 ERA, 162 ERA+, 2.99 FIP, and 1.006 WHIP.
**Pitchers who fell out: Hunter Greene, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Bryan Woo**
