It really wasn’t that long ago when they were making 35-40 starts a season, and completing at least half of them. Normal rest meant three days off between assignments, short rest meant two days. And rookies threw 175-200 innings, or more.
That’s no longer the case with starting pitchers. Today’s game demands they throw every pitch like it was their last one before needing Tommy John surgery, which more and more pitchers are opting for at the slightest hint of elbow damage.
That doesn’t mean starting pitching isn’t as important today as it was 20, 30, 40 years ago. While they may not be as durable as they once were, starting pitchers remain crucial to a team’s success, and they’re still the first factor oddsmakers look at before releasing lines for a game.
They’ll carry the same weight and responsibility for their teams come this postseason, and we’re looking at three rotations that could be the difference in winning or losing the 2024 World Series.
Yankees’ Mound Corps Finally Healthy
When your Opening Day starting pitcher is now No. 6 in your rotation, that’s usually the sign of a deep staff. And in the case of the New York Yankees, that is indeed true.
Nestor Cortes may not be happy about being relegated to the bullpen after starting New York’s season opener, but manager Aaron Boone is ecstatic about the current shape of his rotation as the Yankees try to hold off the Baltimore Orioles for the AL East title and potentially claim the No. 1 seed for the American League Playoffs.
Granted, the Yankees had to go through 31 pitchers to get to this stage of the season, but everyone is presently healthy and that’s what led to the decision to shift Cortes to a long relief role. Specifically, it was the return of Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt from the injured list.
New York has veterans Gerrit Cole, Marcus Stroman and Carlos Rodón in addition to the trio of Cortes, Gil and Schmidt. That half-dozen has combined for a 3.69, just a tick below the staff mark of 3.79 on the season.
Cortes was pushed into the Opening Day role after Cole was shelved the first 10 weeks due to an elbow injury. Cole has been dominant since the end of July with a 1.59 ERA over his last seven starts (40 IP), and is truly earning the $36 million New York is paying him this year.
Cole, Rodón and Stroman would seem locks for three slots in what should be a 4-man playoff rotation, with Cortes, Gil and Schmidt in spot-start/long relief roles. No wonder the Yankees are World Series favorites at top-rated sportsbooks.
Phils Foursome Lead the Way in NL
Rob Thomson hasn’t had to use as many pitchers as his counterpart in the Bronx, with the Phillies trotting 26 different arms out to the bump so far. And there are some who might argue Brian Snitker has the best NL rotation with the Atlanta Braves.
Atlanta does indeed have some strong arms in their starting mix; but then, the Braves are currently on the outside, looking in for the National League playoffs, and their MLB futures odds to even reach the playoffs are becoming dimmer and dimmer with each day.
Considering Thomson will turn to a 4-man rotation like most teams in the postseason, it’s tough to beat the quartet of arms Philadelphia will have for October baseball.
Righthanders Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola lead the way at the top of the mix, and they are joined by southpaws Ranger Suarez and Christopher Sanchez. Combined, that foursome has started 108 games resulting in 67 quality starts, all while netting a 3.06 ERA.
Wheeler is running second to Atlanta’s Chris Sale on player futures boards for the NL Cy Young. Suarez was literally unbeatable earlier this season, and is now trying to regain that form following a stint on the IL with back soreness. Nola is a proven veteran and Sanchez is one of the most underrated lefthanders in the game.
Injuries Make Dodgers’ Rotation a Mystery
No playoff contender has dealt with more injuries to its starting rotation than Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts. Los Angeles has burned through 37 arms to reach this point, with 17 different pitchers used to start a game.
It’s a testament to LA’s lineup, bullpen and Roberts that the Dodgers are still the No. 1 choice at sharp sportsbooks to win the NL.
Gavin Stone leads the staff with 25 starts, but his status remains uncertain after hitting the IL with a bum shoulder. Tyler Glasnow is on the IL – for a second time this year – with elbow tendinitis. Clayton Kershaw is hoping to be back from a toe injury later in September, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto is just now returning from a shoulder injury.
That’s an impressive foursome, but at least two, if not three, of those arms have to be healthy come October or else Roberts and the Dodgers are going to fall short…Again!
