The 10 Best Pitchers in MLB Right Now, Ranked
On this page16
- 01The best MLB pitchers right now at a glance
- 02Paul Skenes (Pittsburgh Pirates)
- 03Tarik Skubal (Los Angeles Dodgers)
- 04Jacob Misiorowski (Milwaukee Brewers)
- 05Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Los Angeles Dodgers)
- 06Cristopher Sanchez (Philadelphia Phillies)
- 07Zack Wheeler (Philadelphia Phillies)
- 08Dylan Cease (Toronto Blue Jays)
- 09Chris Sale (Atlanta Braves)
- 10Garrett Crochet (Boston Red Sox)
- 11Hunter Brown (Houston Astros)
- 12How we ranked the best pitchers
- 13The injuries reshaping the 2026 board
- 14The Dodgers’ super-rotation
- 15Beyond the top 10
- 16What separates an ace from a good starter
This is a 'best right now' list: 2026 form carries the most weight, then recent track record — Cy Young finishes and postseason impact — with durability and, crucially, availability as tiebreakers. An ace who isn't pitching can't help you win today, so injured stars drop even with elite talent.
The best MLB pitchers right now at a glance
| Rank | Pitcher | Current case |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul Skenes | 2025 unanimous NL Cy Young; 1.97 ERA |
| 2 | Tarik Skubal | Back-to-back AL Cy Young winner |
| 3 | Jacob Misiorowski | 2026 ERA and strikeout leader |
| 4 | Yoshinobu Yamamoto | 2025 World Series MVP |
| 5 | Cristopher Sanchez | 2026 NL All-Star starter |
| 6 | Zack Wheeler | Proven ace back from surgery |
- Reigning NL Cy Young
Paul Skenes (Pittsburgh Pirates)
Skenes did in two years what most aces never do: 2024 NL Rookie of the Year, then a unanimous 2025 NL Cy Young on a 1.97 ERA with 216 strikeouts. He was the first NL pitcher to sweep every first-place vote since Sandy Alcantara in 2022.
His arsenal is the separator — a fastball near 100 mph, the diving "splinker" hitters can't square, and a wipeout slider. He ranks above Skubal here only on ceiling: at 23 he pairs the sport's nastiest stuff with the innings to anchor a rebuilding Pirates staff by himself.
Team: Pirates · 2025: 1.97 ERA, 216 K, unanimous Cy Young · Signature pitch: the splinker
- Back-to-back Cy Young
Tarik Skubal (Los Angeles Dodgers)
Skubal is the only pitcher here with two Cy Youngs, going back-to-back in the AL after a 2024 season that included a rare pitching Triple Crown — leading the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts.
At the 2026 deadline the Dodgers acquired him from Detroit as a rental, pairing him with Yamamoto atop the majors' deepest rotation. He commands four pitches with pinpoint control; where Skenes wins on ceiling, Skubal wins on floor, with no obvious hole to attack.
Team: Dodgers (traded from Tigers, Aug 2026) · Cy Young: 2024 & 2025 · Free agent after 2026
- 2026 ERA leader
Jacob Misiorowski (Milwaukee Brewers)
The reason this list looks different from a year ago. Through 2026, Milwaukee's right-hander has led the majors in ERA and strikeouts, converting his rookie-year command questions into a second straight All-Star nod.
The velocity is historic: his 105.5-mph fastball to the Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong on June 26 is the fastest pitch by a starter in the tracking era, which dates to 2008 — see our fastest pitch in MLB history guide. He ranks above proven names like Yamamoto because no starter has been better, out-pitch for out-pitch, in 2026.
Team: Brewers · 2026: MLB ERA & strikeout leader · Top velo: 105.5 mph (starter record)
- World Series MVP
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Los Angeles Dodgers)
Yamamoto answered every doubt about the jump from Japan in October: 2025 World Series MVP, throwing two complete games and closing out Game 7 in relief on zero days' rest as the Dodgers repeated.
He blends a lively fastball with one of the best splitters in baseball and a sharp curve. He sits behind Misiorowski only because the Brewers rookie owns the louder 2026 line; in a start that decides a season, few managers hesitate to hand Yamamoto the ball.
Team: Dodgers · 2025 World Series MVP · 2025 NL Cy Young finalist
- Cy Young finalist
Cristopher Sanchez (Philadelphia Phillies)
Sanchez was one of the 2025 NL Cy Young finalists and started the 2026 All-Star Game at home in Philadelphia — the first Phillies pitcher to do so since Robin Roberts in 1952.
The engine is a changeup that has generated more strikeouts than any single pitch in baseball since the start of 2025. His edge over the arms below is durability: he cleared 200 innings for the first time in 2025. For how that weapon works, see types of pitches in baseball.
Team: Phillies · 2025: 2.62 ERA, 200+ IP · 2026 NL All-Star Game starter
- Proven workhorse
Zack Wheeler (Philadelphia Phillies)
Ranking Wheeler is about track record and return. A perennial Cy Young contender into his mid-30s, he missed the back half of 2025 after thoracic outlet surgery to clear a blood clot in his throwing shoulder.
He rejoined the Phillies rotation in 2026, and his profile ages well: a heavy high-90s fastball, a deep well-commanded mix, few walks and length into games. The health caveat is why he sits sixth rather than top three — but few pitchers own a longer recent record of front-line innings.
Team: Phillies · Returned 2026 from TOS surgery · Profile: heavy sinker, elite control
- Strikeout artist
Dylan Cease (Toronto Blue Jays)
Cease signed a seven-year, $210M deal with Toronto after 2025, betting on some of the American League's nastiest swing-and-miss stuff — a high-spin fastball and a sharp slider that stack double-digit-strikeout starts.
He owns a 2022 AL Cy Young runner-up finish from his White Sox days. Command is the difference between him and the top five: around the zone he's nearly unhittable, but walk spikes keep him from Skubal's floor. He's one loud start at a time from climbing the career strikeout leaders.
Team: Blue Jays · 7-yr, $210M deal (2025) · 2022 AL Cy Young runner-up
- Future Hall of Famer
Chris Sale (Atlanta Braves)
Sale proved he's still elite with the 2024 NL Cy Young, completing his own pitching Triple Crown for Atlanta behind the low-slot slider that's defined his career.
In 2025 he carried a 2.58 ERA before a rib fracture cost him time, then returned sharp. Health is the entire question at 37 — when he takes the ball he's among the best left-handers alive, but Atlanta manages his workload carefully, which caps how high the ceiling translates.
Team: Braves · 2024 NL Cy Young (Triple Crown) · 2025: 2.58 ERA
- Elite, sidelined
Garrett Crochet (Boston Red Sox)
On stuff, Crochet is a top-three arm: in 2025 he went 18-5 with a 2.59 ERA and led the AL with 255 strikeouts and 205.1 innings. He sits ninth for one reason — he's been on the injured list since April 2026 with a left shoulder strain.
His stated goal is a return for the playoffs, and the timeline has slipped more than once. Rank him on 2025 and he's near the top; rank him on "right now," and an ace who hasn't pitched since April can't sit higher. Health, not talent, is the cap.
Team: Red Sox · 2025: AL strikeout leader (255) · Status: IL since April 2026
- Astros ace
Hunter Brown (Houston Astros)
Brown broke through in 2025, finishing third in AL Cy Young voting with a 2.43 ERA, 206 strikeouts and a 1.03 WHIP over 31 starts for Houston.
He makes the list on that track record, with a caveat the entries above don't carry: his walk rate has climbed in 2026 as he hunts a consistent release point. The raw arsenal is top-tier; the command needs to settle for him to climb. He edges out injured arms like Royals lefty Cole Ragans, whose 2026 ended in elbow surgery.
Team: Astros · 2025: 2.43 ERA, 206 K, 3rd in AL Cy Young · Watch: 2026 walk rate
Reader interaction
Build your ranking
Drag the names into the order you think is right — or use the arrows — then submit to see how your list compares with everyone else's.
- Paul Skenes (Pittsburgh Pirates)
- Tarik Skubal (Los Angeles Dodgers)
- Jacob Misiorowski (Milwaukee Brewers)
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Los Angeles Dodgers)
- Cristopher Sanchez (Philadelphia Phillies)
- Zack Wheeler (Philadelphia Phillies)
- Dylan Cease (Toronto Blue Jays)
- Chris Sale (Atlanta Braves)
- Garrett Crochet (Boston Red Sox)
- Hunter Brown (Houston Astros)
Audience ranking
How everyone ranked them
Built from reader rankings using position-based points.
Who is the best pitcher in MLB right now? As of the 2026 season, Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes holds the throne, with Detroit-turned-Dodger Tarik Skubal a half-step back and a wave of young power arms crowding in behind them. The ranked cards above lay out each ace and why they land where they do. Below is how the list was built and the context that moves it week to week.
How we ranked the best pitchers
“Right now” is the operative phrase. Current-season (2026) performance carries the most weight, followed by recent track record — Cy Young voting is the clearest annual consensus, and World Series impact counts too. Durability and availability are the tiebreakers, and in 2026 they did real work: an elite arm on the injured list simply can’t rank above one producing quality starts every fifth day.
That framing is why the order here differs from a pure “most talented” list. Jacob Misiorowski’s live 2026 numbers lift him over more decorated names, while injured stars like Garrett Crochet and Cole Ragans fall despite their stuff. Pitching is the most volatile role in the sport — one elbow can end a season — so this ranking is a snapshot of the 2026 season, not a permanent order.
The injuries reshaping the 2026 board
Health is doing as much to shape this list as performance. Four names that would otherwise sit higher are limited or out:
| Pitcher | Injury | 2026 status |
|---|---|---|
| Cole Ragans (Royals) | Left elbow UCL repair | Out ~10–12 months; targeting mid-2027 |
| Garrett Crochet (Red Sox) | Left shoulder strain | On IL since April; eyeing a playoff return |
| Zack Wheeler (Phillies) | Thoracic outlet surgery (Sept 2025) | Returned to the rotation in 2026 |
| Chris Sale (Braves) | Injury history at 37 | Available; workload managed carefully |
Ragans in particular would have made the top 10 on 2025 form; a UCL repair takes him out of the “right now” conversation entirely.
The Dodgers’ super-rotation
The biggest structural change of 2026 is that Los Angeles now employs two of the top four pitchers on this list. Trading for Skubal to sit alongside Yamamoto — with two-way star Shohei Ohtani also back on the mound — made the Dodgers the first team in MLB history to field a reigning two-time MVP (Ohtani) and reigning two-time Cy Young winner (Skubal) in the same season. Skubal is a pure rental headed for free agency, so it’s a win-now bet on an already-loaded staff.
Beyond the top 10
The next tier is crowded. Ohtani has returned to pitching for the Dodgers, though his limited innings as a two-way player keep him off a starters-only ranking. Add the healthy front-line arms across contenders and any honest top 20 fills quickly. For the wider picture, browse our baseball guides.
What separates an ace from a good starter
Velocity gets the highlights, but the arms on this list share more than a big fastball. Each pairs it with two or more plus secondary pitches, the command to land them in any count, and the durability to pitch deep into games across a full season. Advanced marks — ERA, strikeout rate, WHIP, innings, and stats like FIP and WAR — capture the value, while command of a deep arsenal is what turns a good starter into a true No. 1.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the best pitcher in MLB right now?+
As of the 2026 season, Paul Skenes has the strongest all-around case: the reigning unanimous NL Cy Young winner backed a 1.97-ERA 2025 with another dominant year. Tarik Skubal, the back-to-back AL Cy Young winner now with the Dodgers, is 1a. The wild card is Milwaukee's Jacob Misiorowski, who has led the majors in ERA and strikeouts in 2026. On pure current form, those three headline every list.
Why isn't Garrett Crochet ranked higher?+
Crochet's stuff belongs near the top — he led the American League with 255 strikeouts in 2025. But this is a 'best right now' list, and he has been on the injured list since April 2026 with a left shoulder strain, with his return timeline pushed toward the playoffs. An ace who hasn't taken the mound in months can't rank above pitchers producing every fifth day, so availability drops him to ninth.
Who are the favorites for the 2026 Cy Young Awards?+
In the National League, Jacob Misiorowski and Paul Skenes have led the conversation, with Cristopher Sanchez and Yoshinobu Yamamoto close behind after all three were 2025 finalists. In the American League, Tarik Skubal was chasing a third straight award, though his midseason trade to the NL's Dodgers splits his innings across leagues. Cy Young races swing on the season's final month, so treat these as front-runners rather than locks.
How hard does Jacob Misiorowski throw?+
Misiorowski is the hardest-throwing starter in the game. On June 26, 2026 he hit 105.5 mph against the Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong — the fastest pitch by a starting pitcher since pitch tracking began in 2008. He regularly sits above 100 mph and pairs it with a power breaking ball. For the all-time context — Aroldis Chapman's 105.8-mph reliever heater — see our [fastest pitch in MLB history](/fastest-pitch-in-mlb-history/) guide.
Did the Skubal trade make the Dodgers the best rotation in baseball?+
It gave them the strongest top end. Adding reigning two-time AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal to World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto — plus a returning Shohei Ohtani on the mound — made Los Angeles the first team ever with a reigning two-time MVP and two-time Cy Young winner in the same clubhouse. Skubal is a rental headed for free agency, so the deal is built to win in 2026 rather than long term.
Which top MLB pitchers are currently injured?+
Several 2025 standouts are sidelined in 2026. Royals lefty Cole Ragans had UCL repair surgery and is expected out 10-12 months, likely returning mid-2027. Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet has been on the injured list since April with a shoulder strain. Zack Wheeler returned in 2026 after 2025 thoracic outlet surgery, and Chris Sale, at 37, is managed carefully after past injuries. Pitching's volatility is why these rankings shift so fast.
Sources
Play & tools
Free browser games and tools — no account, no download.
- Play 162-0 — Draft nine and see if your roster can survive a flawless 162-game MLB season.
- Explore all our games →
- Analyze a trade — Compare both sides of a fantasy baseball trade before you accept.
- Run the MLB predictor — Simulate the MLB postseason bracket down to a World Series champion.
- Open the ERA calculator — Work out earned run average from earned runs and innings pitched — handles the .1/.2 thirds convention.
- Explore all our free sports tools →
Related baseball guides
View all →
MLB Rookie of the Year Winners (Recent List)
Paul Skenes and Luis Gil won the 2024 MLB Rookie of the Year awards. Recent winners in both leagues, plus the Jackie Robinson history behind the trophy.
The Best MLB Ballparks, Ranked by Atmosphere & History
The best MLB ballparks ranked: PNC Park, Oracle Park, Wrigley Field, Fenway and Camden Yards, weighed on views, history, features, food and atmosphere.
The 10 Largest MLB Stadiums by Seating Capacity, Ranked
Dodger Stadium tops the list at roughly 56,000 seats, followed by Chase Field, T-Mobile Park, Coors Field and Yankee Stadium. Every top-10 MLB ballpark by capacity, ranked and explained.
The Oldest MLB Stadiums Still in Use
Ranked: the 10 oldest MLB ballparks still in use, from Fenway Park (1912) and Wrigley Field (1914) to Dodger Stadium (1962), Angel Stadium (1966), Kauffman Stadium (1973) and beyond, with opening years and history.
Most Wins in a Season by an MLB Pitcher
The most wins in a season by an MLB pitcher: Old Hoss Radbourn's 60 in 1884 leads all-time, Jack Chesbro's 41 is the modern record, McLain's 31 was last.
Most Losses in MLB History (Pitchers)
Cy Young holds the MLB record with 316 career losses, the same pitcher who also holds the record for 511 wins. The full leaderboard, explained.