Baltimore Orioles: Where does the rotation rank among AL East foes?
By Nate Wardle
1. Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox’ SPs: Chris Sale, Rick Porcello, David Price, Steven Wright, Drew Pomeranz, Eduardo Rodriguez, Joe Kelly, Henry Owens
Two Cy Young winners and I’m still not sure how Sale hasn’t won one yet. Porcello is the defending winner.
Now, the asterisk here is how healthy David Price is. It sounds similar to Chris Tillman, where he will miss time but be able to pitch this year. However, there is no guarantee of that. If he is out of the picture, I would probably have the Red Sox in second, behind the Blue Jays.
Wright, the knuckleballer, was 13-6 with a 3.33 ERA, and he was considered a Cy Young candidate for awhile and made the All-Star Game. Pomeranz was also an All-Star in 2016, although he struggled once he was traded to Boston.
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Sale is a five-time All-Star, each of the last five seasons. Price is also a five-time All-Star and finished second in the Cy Young race in 2015.
So, an All-Star cast of starting pitchers. Not guys like Ubaldo Jimenez, who is several years removed from his All-Star appearances, but current All-Stars in one rotation.
They deserve to be the top ranked rotation, but injury concerns to Price could test the depth and resolve of this staff.
Rodriguez had a successful year in 2015 as a 22-year-old but struggled in 2016 dealing with injury concerns. He could be a vital part of the team if Price is injured.
Next: Does Trumbo’s return put O’s atop AL East DH rankings?
Disagree? Think a different team should be number one? Let us know in the comment section!