The San Diego Padres sent shockwaves through Major League Baseball when they held two successful negotiations last week. Within 24 hours, the Fathers acquired the initial pitchers Blake Snell of the Tampa Bay Rays and Yu Darvish of the Chicago Cubs. The additions were not only the biggest moves of a quiet offseason so far, but also helped establish San Diego’s rotation as one of the best in the game. Even without Mike Clevinger, who will miss 2021 during the rehabilitation of Tommy John’s surgery, San Diego has an impressive rotation loaded with advantages.
With Snell and Darvish, the Padres strengthened their rotation and consolidated their status as serious contenders for the 2021 World Series. So much so that the club has the third best chance of winning the 2021 World Series. Only the division rival and current champion Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees stand a better chance as the calendar goes to 2021. The Fathers take the contention of the World Series in 2021 seriously after ending a 14-year long post-season drought in 2020.
Although we are just starting a new year and most major free agent starter pitchers remain out of contract, we think now may be a good time to take a look at the best spins in baseball after the huge amount of recent negotiations from San Diego. Let’s dive into the ratings.
1. RHP Max Scherzer
2. LHP Patrick Corbin
3. RHP Stephen Strasburg
4. RHP Erick Fedde
5. RHP Joe Ross
World Series 2019 champion Washington Nationals suffered a bit of a championship hangover in 2020, but their rotation is expected to recover in 2021. Stephen Strasburg is on his way to spring training after undergoing tunnel neuritis surgery of carpus in late August. Along with Strasburg, Max Scherzer and Patrick Corbin should also be able to help make the Nats rotation one of the best in baseball. Right-handers Erick Fedde and Joe Ross were supposed to be in 4th and 5th places, but it wouldn’t hurt if the Nationals made a move to ensure some extra depth for the back half of their rotation.
1. LHP Max Fried
2. RHP Charlie Morton
3. RHP Ian Anderson
4. LHP Drew Smyly
5. RHP Kyle Wright
* Ace Mike Soroka is recovering from an Achilles tendon injury and is expected to return to rotation early in the 2021 season
The Atlanta Braves had a difficult experience last season when it came to shooting. Injuries and lack of reliability hindered his rotation, but southpaw Max Fried and rookie Ian Anderson impressed. Atlanta did not take long in this off season to resolve his weakness and added veteran All-Star pitcher Charlie Morton and leftist Drew Smyly to regain the depth of rotation. Morton and Smyly will join the return of Mike Soroka (Achilles), Kyle Wright, Fried and Anderson. Some other internal options at this point could be Touki Toussaint, Sean Newcomb, Bryse Wilson and Huascar Ynoa.
3. Cleveland
1. RHP Shane Bieber
2. RHP Carlos Carrasco
3. RHP Zach Plesac
4. RHP Aaron Civale
5. RHP Triston McKenzie
Despite negotiating with Mike Clevinger within the negotiation deadline of last year, Cleveland still boasts a very impressive turnover. Cleveland starters were not only dominant in 2020, they were historically good. Club star Shane Bieber won the 2020 American League Cy Young, will lead in 2021 with veteran right-hander Carlos Carrasco and young Zach Plesac (turning 26 in January), Aaron Civale (25) and Triston McKenzie (23) filling in the rest of the rotation.
2. Dodgers
1. LHP Clayton Kershaw
2. RHP Walker Buehler
3. LHP Julio Urias
4. LHP David Price
5. RHP Dustin May
Defending champion Dodgers will return to a dominant rotation in 2021. Veteran ace Clayton Kershaw will enter the final year of a three-year extension he signed with the club in 2018 and Walker Buehler is in second place as the two real aces will seek to continue anchoring the rotation LA Lefty David Price, who opted out of the 2020 season due to concerns about COVID-19, indicated that he intends to play this next season. Price, 35, intends to reinforce the initial rotation if and when he makes his Dodgers debut next season. Young Julio Urias (24) and Dustin May (23) will seek to cement themselves in the rotation, and Tony Gonsolin should give extra depth. The best right-handed candidate Josiah Gray may also debut in 2021 and become an intermediate rotation holder.
1. Fathers
1. RHP Yu Darvish
2. LHP Blake Snell
3. RHP Dinelson Lamet
4. RHP Chris Paddack
5. LHP Adrian Morejon
From now on, the Fathers get the first place for the best rotation in baseball. With their updated rotation, the Fathers will be a legitimate threat to the Dodgers in the National West League. San Diego holders are a great mix of veterans and young pitchers. Of course, as with any rotation, most success will depend on maintaining the health of your new frontline beginners. Both Yu Darvish and Blake Snell have recent injuries on their resumes. Right-handed Dinelson Lamet will also return from a right biceps injury that interrupted his 2020 season. Also included in the Padres’ rotation depth is potential client MacKenzie Gore. The southpaw is not far from making his MLB debut, and that is likely to happen sometime in the next season.
Honorable mentions: White Sox, Reds, Mets