MLB Betting: The 5 Best Starting Rotations in 2015

The third month of the 2015 MLB betting season is just getting started and with it comes a lot of renewed expectations from various teams as well as their fans, as the league continues to shape up progressively. In fact, by the time you’ll be read this write-up, some of the data in it will already be changed as teams continue to play in the ever-busy 162-game MLB season. Still, it is worth noting that, as of Tuesday morning (June 2, 2015), the St. Louis Cardinals rank as the best pitching team in Major League Baseball with an average ERA of 2.73, 20 saves and 5 shutouts, while the Colorado Rockies rank bottom in the MLB with a 4.64 ERA, 15 saves, and 2 shutouts. On paper, the performance and efficiency of these teams should be good enough to determine the teams that have the best starting rotations in MLB. However, in the analysis we’ve been doing about MLB teams and the ranking of their starting rotations, we have found out that other factors like injuries, proven talent of starters, and consideration of current roster as well as future rosters also have a crucial impact on how to grade the rotations.

MLB Betting: The 5 Best Starting Rotations in 2015

 

Vance Worley is the odd man out of the Pirates’ rotation right now. From @stephenjnesbitt: http://t.co/BiFwHl9oe6 pic.twitter.com/4tIVt8J4GT

— Post-Gazette Sports (@PGSportsNow) May 31, 2015

  Factoring the above-mentioned facets, and many other relevantly related details, here are our top 5 rotations, as of the start of this month:

Pittsburgh Pirates (26-24), 3.04 ERA, 31 QS, 70.00 SV%

Ranked at #2 in Pitching in MLB and with two of their starters (Gerrit Cole and A.J. Burnett) ranked in baseball’s top 7 starting pitchers, it easily makes sense why we have the Pirates topping our list. Signing 17-year veteran Burnett on a one-year, $8.5 million deal was certainly a masterstroke for Pittsburgh, as the 38-year-old pitcher has been having a time of his life, currently ranking 5th-best in the MLB with a 1.81 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and an impressive 5-1 record to go with it. Meanwhile, Cole (the No. 1 pick in the 2011 draft) has been equally amazing, playing impressively as a veteran, despite being 24 years old. Unfortunately for the team, Jeff Locke and Vance Worley haven’t been with the strong tenacity that was evident of them in 2015, hence the need for them to step up their game, alongside other starters.

New York Mets (28-23), 3.40 ERA, 20 QS, 80.95 SV%

The New York Mets come second in our list of the best pitchers in the league, as Bartolo Colon, Matt Harvey and reigning Rookie of the Year Jacob deGrom have been doing a commendable job in leading the team. Meanwhile, Noah Syndergaard, Jon Niese and the supporting cast (including Dillon Gee and Rafael Montero) have been doing a serviceable job. With no major injuries to contend with right now, the Mets and their starting rotation should be able to go the distance.

St. Louis Cardinals (33-17), 2.73 ERA, 31 QS, 83.33 SV%

Despite losing Adam Wainwright for the year, the Cardinals haven’t lost a step in their pitching, as Michael Wacha, Lance Lynn and John Lackey have stepped up their services to uplift the red-hot St. Louis team. Carlos Martinez has also been a breath of fresh air to the team, though his inconsistencies make him quite reliable. Still, considering the gap left in the team after losing Wainwright, it is highly laudable that the Cards have held their own and fought spiritedly as team (together with the support of their relief players) to post very respectable pitching numbers in the MLB.

Oakland Athletics (20-33), 3.63 ERA, 28 QS, 50.00 SV%

With Oakland’s Sony Gray and Jesse Chavez ranking among the top-10 pitchers in MLB, and Scott Kazmir also having a good number of games under his belt, the Athletics have certainly been a welcome surprise in the pitching department. Jesse Hahn and Drew Pomeranz have also show sparks of potential and brilliance, though far from what you’d be able to bank on to deliver a successful season. Even so, the writings on the wall look promising, so the A’s should be a team to watch this season.

Washington Nationals (28-22), 3.76 ERA, 29 QS, 69.23 SV%

After starting the season on a shaky note, the Nationals have gradually improved on both sides of the field, with the pitchers being led by Mark Scherzer’s solid season. Scherzer, who signed with the nationals just recently on $210-million deal, ranks third in MLB’s best pitchers. Meanwhile, the likes of Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg and Gio Gonzalez haven’t been doing too badly, hence giving the Nats a chance to improve even further as the season goes on. Sources ESPN.com (http://espn.go.com/mlb/stats/team/_/stat/pitching) MLB.com (http://m.mlb.com/player/150359)