If you want to win the World Series, you almost definitely need a strong pitching staff. A good rotation can keep teams in the game even if their offense flounders, and a strong bullpen can close out leads and give teams the chance to come back if they’re trailing.
With that in mind, here is a list of the ten best overall pitching staffs in Major League Baseball.
10. Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays are a middling offensive team, but they’re hovering around .500 thanks in large part to a very strong start to the season by their pitching staff. They have the third-best ERA in the American League and four starters with ERAs under 4.
Jake Odorizzi has been a surprise leader of the staff with a 3.14 ERA, and Matt Andriese has impressed with five wins and a 3.24 ERA. Chris Archer has predictably rebounded from a down 2016, and perhaps most importantly, Alex Cobb has come back from Tommy John surgery to give the Rays a valuable lift.
The bullpen has also been strong. Closer Alex Colome looks to be the real deal, while Chase Whitley has been a big surprise with a 1.64 ERA in 22 innings. There is no standout superstar on this staff, but a collection of solid arms have combined to make a good pitching staff thus far.
9. Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona’s good start to the season is an even bigger surprise when you take into account the fact that Shelby Miller has been lost for the season, Patrick Corbin hasn’t pitched well, and the bullpen has had its share of struggles. In spite of all this, the Diamondbacks sit second in the National League in ERA despite low expectations and home games in hitter-friendly Chase Field.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Zack Greinke, one of last season’s biggest disappointments, has reverted back to form, with a 3.24 ERA, 10.5 strikeouts per nine, and a minuscule 14 walks in 72.1 innings to his credit. The real improvement has come from those behind him.
Robbie Ray has a 3.45 ERA, offseason acquisition and former top prospect Taijuan Walker is at 3.46, and Zack Godley, whose ERA was over 6 in 2016, has a 1.99 ERA in five starts. It’s unlikely to last, but there may be some legitimacy to the performances of the others, which could make Arizona a threat to overachieve this season.
8. St. Louis Cardinals
Adam Wainwright actually has the worst ERA of the five regular Cardinal starters, which just goes to show the surprise contributions and returns to form from some guys that St. Louis probably wasn’t expecting it from. Carlos Martinez continues to look like the real deal, striking out nearly ten batters per nine. The real pleasant surprises have been in Mike Leake, whose 2.24 ERA leads the team, and Lance Lynn, who has returned with a 2.93 ERA after Tommy John surgery cost him all of 2016.
Korean import Seung-hwan Oh has assumed the closer’s role, posting a solid 3 ERA. The former closer, Trevor Rosenthal, seems to be enjoying being out of the spotlight, as he’s put together a 31-to-6 strikeouts-to-walks ratio in 18.1 innings. It’s all good enough to have the Cardinals third in the NL in ERA — and all this is without Wainwright pitching anywhere near his best.
7. New York Yankees
Aaron Judge and the Yankee bats have received most of the publicity, but the New York pitching staff has been key to their 29-19 record. They, too, have put up good numbers despite the struggles of ace pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, whose ERA is close to 6.
Michael Pineda, who has long had the nasty fastball-slider combination to progress further, seems to have done so, with a 3.32 ERA, 66 strikeouts in 59.2 innings, and just 12 walks. Luis Severino has also impressed, with a 3.11 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 55 innings.
The Yankee bullpen was expected to be good, and even if Aroldis Chapman hasn’t quite been at his best, he’s putting up the high strikeout numbers that one would expect of him. Dellin Betances has put a messy arbitration spat behind him to give up just one earned run in his first 17.1 innings pitched. Adam Warren has stepped up to be a valuable third arm in the bullpen as well.
Don’t overlook this staff’s contribution to the Yankees’ hot start.
6. Houston Astros
Dallas Keuchel’s return to form has been a huge boon for the Astros. He looks like a Cy Young winner again, with a 1.81 ERA in his first ten starts. Fellow starter Lance McCullers has followed his lead, with a 2.48 ERA thus far. The two together have gone 14-1 to start the season.
What has really made the Astros staff elite has been their ability to shorten games.
Relievers Will Harris and Michael Feliz have been extremely reliable when called upon, and closer Ken Giles has shaken off a shaky 2016 to become a reliable option at the back end of the Houston bullpen. The real key, however, is Chris Devenski, who has evolved into a full-blown relief ace. He’s thrown 29 innings in just 17 appearances, is striking out 14.6 batters per nine, and is generally called upon as a fireman when manager A.J. Hinch needs it.
The Kansas City Royals won a World Series using a similar formula.
