Ranking the 10 best starting pitchers in MLB for 2025

Buckle up: Over the next two weeks, we're ranking baseball's best players at every position.

Our eight-part series begins with starting pitchers, where a reigning Rookie of the Year looks to build off his success and a former Cy Young winner makes a comeback. 

Let's dive into the top 10 starters heading into the 2025 season.

2024 stats: 18-4, 192 innings pitched, 2.39 ERA, 228 strikeouts, 5.9 fWAR
2025 ZiPS projection: 13-7, 170 IP, 2.74 ERA, 196 Ks, 5.2 fWAR

Not only is Skubal the unequivocal leader atop our starting-pitcher rankings, but the 28-year-old ace at the peak of his prime also has a legitimate chance to repeat as the American League Cy Young winner. It will be exciting to watch the southpaw reunite with his 1-2 punch partner in Jack Flaherty as the Tigers hope to make the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time in over a decade.

2024: 16-7, 200 IP, 2.57 ERA, 224 Ks, 5.4 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: 13-7, 175 IP, 3.28 ERA, 184 Ks, 4.2 fWAR

Wheeler looked poised to win his first career Cy Young award last season when he recorded personal bests in ERA and WHIP (0.95) before Chris Sale put up a career year of his own. Wheeler leads all major-league pitchers with 24.7 fWAR since 2020, and his experience and durability make him our No. 1 starter in the National League.

2024: 11-3, 133 IP, 1.96 ERA, 170 Ks, 4.3 fWAR
2025 ZiPS: 8-6, 151 IP, 3.25 ERA, 181 Ks, 3.7 fWAR

After winning the NL Rookie of the Year award and finishing third in Cy Young balloting, what's next for Skenes? Winning the MVP? The 22-year-old could become the first Rookie of the Year pitcher to claim a Cy Young the following season since Dwight Gooden did it in 1985. We're looking forward to Skenes crossing over the 150-innings threshold as he gets