District On Deck
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Ranking All 30 MLB Starting Rotations

By Max Rayman

HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 22: Max Scherzer #31 of the Washington Nationals reacts after retiring the side in the fifth inning against the Houston Astros in Game One of the 2019 World Series at Minute Maid Park on October 22, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 22: Max Scherzer #31 of the Washington Nationals reacts after retiring the side in the fifth inning against the Houston Astros in Game One of the 2019 World Series at Minute Maid Park on October 22, 2019 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /
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MLB
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 07: Charlie Morton #50 of the Tampa Bay Rays waits to deliver a pitch against the Houston Astros during the third inning in Game Three of the American League Division Series at Tropicana Field on October 07, 2019 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /

2) Tampa Bay Rays

Projected Starting Rotation: Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Charlie Morton, Ryan Yarbrough, Yonny Chirinos,

2019 Stats: W/L 40-35, 3.64 ERA, 3.34 FIP, 17.6 fWAR

The Tampa Bay Rays rotation was elite in 2019, led by the trio of Charlie Morton, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow. Charlie Morton had a breakout season with the Rays, finishing third in AL Cy Young voting. The 36-year old went 16-6, with a 3.05 ERA, and 240 strikeouts. He posted career highs in innings, strikeouts, wins, ERA, WHIP, FIP, fWAR, and K/9.  Morton showed no signs of slowing down and should once again lead the rotation.

2018 Cy Young winner Blake Snell, battled injuries during the 2019 season and had a down year. Now he is fully healthy and should go back to being his Cy Young self. That year (2018), he went 21-5, with a 1.89 ERA, and 221 strikeouts, while also finishing with a 2.94 FIP.

The wild card of the rotation is Tyler Glasnow. Glasnow started the 2019 season on a tear and through the first two months was the best pitcher in the league. Glasnow started 6-1, with a 1.86 ERA, and 55 strikeouts. Unfortunately, he landed on the IL and didn’t return till the end of the season. With COVID pushing back the 2020 season by a few months, Glasnow has had plenty of time to fully recover.  Despite his injury, another thing to keep an eye on is that before arriving in Tampa, Glasnow struggled in the few times he made the pros with the Pirates.

Outside of the big three, the Rays rotation will be joined by Ryan Yarbrough. In 2019, Yarbrough bounced between being a fulltime starter and the teams “bulk starter”. (The Rays use an opener and Yarbrough would usually be handed the ball after and pitch the bulk of the game). Now heading into 2020, Yarbough looks to join the starting rotation fulltime. Last year he went 11-6, with a 4.13 ERA, and 117 strikeouts, while posting an impressive 3.55 FIP.

It will be interesting to see if the Rays use a fifth starter or choose to continue their opener strategy.

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