Every Major League Baseball team has an ace of its starting rotation, but some are much, much better than others.
Before we can rank the 30 aces, though, we first have to identify them.
As we are defining it for this exercise, a team’s ace isn’t necessarily its Opening Day starter, its highest-paid arm or its pitcher with the most impressive track record. Rather, each ace is the team’s best pitcher this season; the pitcher it could most trust to take the mound if playing a do-or-die game tomorrow.
In many cases—like Jacob Misiorowski in Milwaukee or Dylan Cease in Toronto—there is no debate whatsoever about who the ace is. However, there are others like Baltimore, Seattle and St. Louis where three or more different pitchers could be the pick.
Even in those latter cases, though, the decision doesn’t tangibly change the ranking. For instance, the Mariners would land in roughly the same spot regardless of whether you want to argue that the rightful ace is Logan Gilbert, Emerson Hancock, George Kirby, Bryce Miller or Bryan Woo.
Unless otherwise noted, statistics are current through the start of play on Wednesday, August 19.
