A great pitching staff in MLB can go a long way for a club, especially a starting rotation. The starters are the tone-setters for the game and can carry a team. The ability to roll out ace after ace in a pivotal series is a luxury few teams can even say they have. The Philadelphia Phillies have that luxury now and it is truly something to behold.
At times it didn't feel like a dominant staff in 2024. The flame out of Taijuan Walker paired with injuries to him and Ranger Suárez forced the Phillies to get creative at the back end of the rotation. They eventually weathered the storm and still managed to remain an imposing force they knew themselves to be.
Phillies surprisingly get topped in ESPN’s starting rotation power rankings
ESPN's Bradford Doolittle recently ranked all Major League starting rotations, and the Phillies fell just one slot short of No. 1.
There are lots of pitching staffs that will leave you in awe, but few can do what the Phillies do night after night. So much so that the only rotation ranked better was the Seattle Mariners. Here's how the top starting rotations in baseball shook out.
Rank | Team | Rotation Index (100 average) |
|---|---|---|
1. | Mariners | 117.3 |
2 | Phillies | 115.2 |
3. | Braves | 111.2 |
4 | Dodgers | 110.5 |
5 | Yankees | 110.5 |
The Mariners were the only team to top the Phillies in the starting rotation rankings. Although the Mariners' lack of offense is among the biggest disappointments in the sport, ESPN shows they make it up on the mound. The duo of George Kirby (career 3.43 ERA) and Logan Gilbert (career 3.60 ERA) contend well with Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola.
The Mariners have depth in the rotation, with Luis Castillo, Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo all filling in the back half of the rotation — starters who also could easily be the front three on a different club.
Injuries and a revolving fifth starter kept the Phillies from sitting atop the list. Wheeler has been one of the best and most consistent pitchers in the entire sport for the past five seasons. His supporting staff has been right behind him, with Cristopher Sánchez proving himself as a young star and Suárez being a first-half Cy Young candidate in 2024.
The Phillies also traded for starter Jesús Luzardo as more of an under-the-radar move, but he has major upside under the wing of pitching coach Caleb Cotham. Nola is the definition of consistency, posting a career 3.70 ERA. He has also led all of baseball in innings pitched since 2016, with 1,543 2/3 innings. The Phillies' most hyped prospect, Andrew Painter, is also on the way as he's building back from Tommy John surgery.
The Mariners have remained consistent, but the Phillies aren't too far behind as far as talent. What the Phillies have going their way is a staff that is durable and dominates with control. In all of MLB in 2024, they finished fourth best in walks with 444 and first in complete games pitched with five. They may not be the most overpowering by velocity, but they attack the strike zone with precision. They may be second on the most recent rankings but can prove better in 2025.