It may be January, but most MLB teams have their starting five set in stone.
The New York Mets set the bar extremely high in 2015 proving that a stalwart starting pitching staff can carry a team deep into the playoffs.
Which teams boast the most dominating starting pitchers? We decided to rank the top 10 starting rotations as we approach the 2016 MLB season.
10. Boston Red Sox
With the addition of lefty ace David Price, the Red Sox are looking to improve their rotation, as they finished in 24th place in 2015 with a 4.39 team ERA.
A one-two punch of Price and Clay Buchholz will give AL East hitters a tough time. But if Boston wants to win the division, it will need consistent performances from back-end starters Rick Porcello and Eduardo Rodriguez.
9. Oakland Athletics
After finishing in last place in the AL West, Oakland will need to rely on its starting pitching if it wants to make a playoff run in 2016. The A’s withheld from trading their ace Sonny Gray this offseason, and he will need to pitch like a true Cy Young candidate if they want to remain competitive.
Jesse Hahn showed signs of promise in 12 starts in 2015 posting a 3.35 ERA, but he will be put to the test as the No. 2 come April. Kendall Graceman will dominate right-handed hitters with his 90 MPH sinker, but the jury is still out on if he can shut down lefties.
Oakland certainly has some young talent, and if it can come together as one unit, this staff should keep the team afloat in 2016.
8. Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers had one of the best starting pitching staffs in the past five years, but the loss of Zack Greinke to the Arizona Diamondbacks will really hurt LA in 2016.
Signing Scott Kazmir in the offseason will help in replacing Greinke’s consistent production, and Clayton Kershaw will undoubtedly be in the Cy Young race again.
The ultimate question mark will be if Hyun-Jin Ryu can make a healthy return. To date, he is scheduled to be ready for opening day after undergoing surgery on his non-throwing right shoulder. If he makes a full recovery, there is no reason why the Dodgers shouldn’t have an elite pitching staff in 2016.
7. St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis won an MLB-high 100 regular season games in 2015 without their top two pitchers, Adam Wainwright and Jamie Garcia, for a majority of the season. Garcia returned to make an appearance in the playoffs and the Cardinals picked up his 2016 option in November.
Wainwright shocked many Cardinals fans by returning from a torn Achilles in just five months by striking out six batters in just five postseason innings.
As long as Wainwright and Garcia can return to 100 percent to start the 2016 season, St. Louis will have one of the best pitching staffs in the entire NL.
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates had the fifth-lowest ERA in 2015 at 3.53, which lead to their 98-win season. Gerrit Cole was unstoppable posting a 19-8 record and 2.60 ERA as the ace of the staff.
Perhaps the biggest dark horse in the Pirates rotation is 38 year-old Ryan Vogelson, who signed a one-year deal in December. He will be the club’s number five pitcher but brings great experience to a relatively young staff.
Cole and the rest of the Pittsburgh pitching staff will need to be as dominant, if not more, in 2016 for Pittsburgh to compete in the toughest division in baseball.
5. Cleveland Indians
The 2016 Indians will have arguably the most underrated starting pitching rotation in all of baseball, and will certainly stun some AL hitters.
Led by 2015 Cy Young candidate Corey Kluber, who recorded 245 strikeouts last season, and the flame throwing Carlos Carrasco, Cleveland pitching will shut down AL Central hitters. The true difference-maker will be the number three, Danny Salazar. He is coming off a career year where he posted 14 wins and a 1.13 WHIP.
Kluber and Carrasco will be the leaders of the Indians staff, but look for Salazar to be the difference between a good team and a playoff team.
4. San Francisco Giants
As previously stated on Sportsnaut, the Giants are our favorites to win the 2016 World Series, and they will need their dominating pitching staff to carry its weight.
The San Francisco staff will be headed by the 2014 World Seris MVP Madison Bumgarner, who posted a 2.93 ERA in 2015. But the real difference makers will be pricy new comers Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija. Both Cueto and Samardzija could easily be aces on any other MLB team, but will be the number one and two, respectively, for the Giants.
In a playoff series, San Fransisco will be able to send the top pitchers in all of baseball to the mound and will give many NL hitters a real struggle in 2o16.
3. Washington Nationals
After an absolute train wreck of a season in 2015, the Nationals are primed to make a World Series run in 2016. A couple years ago, many Washington fans would have predicted that young stud Stephen Strasburg would be the ace. But after a series of arm injuries and controversial pitch counts he is now the No. 2 — not a bad take.
Ace Max Scherzer will be a complete nightmare for NL hitters and crafty lefty Gio Gonzalez will look to bounce back from a subpar 2015 campaign.
The Nationals will have one of the best and most consistent pitching staffs this season, but they surprisingly don’t own the best staff in its division.
2. Chicago Cubs
The North Siders offered baseball a truly magical run in 2015, and that was due to possessing the best pitcher, and Cy Young winner, in the NL in Jake Arrieta. The 29 year-old went 22-6 and posted a dynamic 1.77 ERA last regular season, and will need to have similar numbers for the Cubs in 2016.
Big free agent signee Jon Lester had a somewhat disappointing 2015 campaign going 11-12 and earning a 3.34 ERA. Hopefully he can bounce back and be the Lester of old, and a true ace for Chicago.
The Cubs made an interesting offseason move by signing veteran John Lackey to a three-year deal. Lackey is a solid third starter and will bring some much needed postseason experience to a relatively young team.
1. New York Mets
The Mets have, without a doubt, the best pitching staff in all of baseball, and its not even close.
Jacob deGrom will be the ace of the staff after posting an impressive 0.98 WHIP in 2015. 23 year-old flame thrower Noah Syndergaard will be the best No. 2 in the NL, and Matt Harvey will be the team’s No. 3.
A starting three of deGrom, Syndergaard and Harvey will have the entire MLB shaking in its boots, and will certainly lead New York to an NL East championship, and even a possible World Series title.