Top 10 Starting Pitchers in Baseball Right now!

This is by far the hardest position to rank every single year. I always have four or five guys I leave out that should be in the top 10, but there is just no room. People like Johnny Cueto who had a lights out year last season, but I look at the last two seasons for these rankings, and two seasons ago he was hurt. Also, Zach Grienke who pitches solid every single year, or how about the world series MVP Madison Baumgardner. No matter what they will never be enough spots for this ranking. Here is my top 10 pitchers right now.

Top Starting Pitchers

1. Clayton Kershaw- I honestly don't feel I need to write much for this guy, he is pretty much self explanatory. He has the best stuff in the game period, and I think a Cy Young trophy proved that last year along with the MVP. He has finished with an under one ERA the last two seasons, and his complete game numbers keep increasing. The remarkable thing is Kershaw put up a record of 21-3, 1.77 ERA, and 239 strike out while missing a month. He truly is the best pitcher in the game.

2. Adam Wainwright- Argue all you want, but the numbers don't lie. I don't know why experts don't give this guy more credit, for if is wasn't for Kershaw he would have been the best pitcher in the National League two years in a row. Wainwright is a pitching machine racking up a 39-18 record the past two seasons in 66 starts. He throws 200 innings every year, and go deep into every single game he pitches. To be honest if Wainwright comes out before finishing the 7th inning everyone is shocked in St. Louis. Not only can he pitch lights out he can also field his position, as he won a gold glove 2 seasons ago.

3. Felix Hernandez- He is the king, and the king will always get a top three spot. A guy that has been lights out his whole career for a team that wasn't very good. Now his team is good, and full of offense. The win total he has been lacking at the end of each year is probably over now, and he should be getting closer to 20 wins. He finished last season with a 15-6 record, 2.14 ERA, 236 innings pitched, with 248 strike outs in 34 starts. 

4. Max Scherzer- It is a fact that this guy has the best swing and miss stuff in baseball, and the most strike outs combined the last two years will prove it. Max finished with a 18-5 record, 3.15 ERA, 220.1 innings pitched, 252 strike outs in 33 starts. He won the Cy Young in the American League two seasons ago and still is pitching on that level. It will be interesting to see what he does in Washington for a very explosive offense.

5. Chris Sale- One of, if not, the hardest throwing left handed pitchers in the game. He reminds me of a young Randy Johnson tall, long, and a fireballer. He finished with a 12-4 record last seasons with a 2.17 ERA, 208 strike outs, in 174 innings pitched. What really hurt Sale from moving up on the list was he got injury for a month or so last season. Unlike Kershaw, he couldn't put up ridiculous numbers to move him into the top three.

6. Jon Lester- He is coming off his best career year finishing with a 16-11record, a 2.46 ERA, 219.2 innings pitched, 220 strike outs in 32 starts. Lester has been nothing but consistent as a solid number one pitcher in anyones rotation, minus the people a head of him on this list. I believe his strike out numbers will increase, and the ERA will stay the same, but don't expect him to get to many wins in a Cub uniform this up coming season.

7. David Price- Having quite a season last year, for a guy who had to change teams like Lester mid season. David Price finished with a 15-12 record, with a 3.26 ERA, in 248.1 innings pitched, with the league most 271 strike outs. 271 strike outs in one year is ridiculous, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it again now that he is the number one in Detroit, and he is in a contract year. 

8. Jordan Zimmerman- Didn't get as many wins as he did the previous year, but when you improve just about every other number it will be okay. He finished with a 14-5 record last season, with a 2.66 ERA, pitched in 199.2 innings , and strike out 182 batters. This has truly been the ace of the Nationals the past couple of seasons, but that all could change with Scherzer. The key here is Zimmerman is in a contract year, and will playing a little harder than Scherzer to try and get a contract that Scherzer got this off season.

9. Corey Kluber- Kind of crazy that I have the reining American League Cy Young pitcher last season ranked so low. I have said that I take my rankings based off the last two seasons, because one season is just not enough to rank people in my eyes. Kluber did have one hell of a year posting a 18-9 record, with a 2.44 ERA, 235.2 innings pitched, and had 269 strike outs. The Indians are in a tough division, but a division who has had to make some changes, which evened out the divisions. If kluber has anything like he did last season you can bet he will be in the top five next season.

10. Cole Hammels- He has been quiet, but steady the past couple of seasons. He finished 9-9 last year with a 2.46 ERA, 204.2 innings pitched, and 198 strike outs. Put this guy on any team that is a contender and I promise you he would have 15 plus wins. He is just stuck in a tough situation, and can't get out. Even playing for a Phillies team that has been so poor Hammels has been pitching lights out.