Ranking Every MLB Playoff Contender's Projected 2024 Postseason Rotation

From openers at the beginning of games to stacked bullpens to close things out, teams have found ways to work around not having a loaded starting rotation, but starting pitching still wins championships in October.

The Texas Rangers leaned heavily on Nathan Eovaldi and Jordan Montgomery during their run to a World Series title a year ago, while the Arizona Diamondbacks made a surprise run through the National League field on the strength of Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly leading the way atop their staff.

So which teams could ride strong starting pitching to a title this year? Ahead, we've ranked all 13 teams still legitimately in the mix for a playoff berth on their projected playoff rotation, which is made up of the four starting pitchers expected to be called upon in October.

Projected Playoff Rotation 1.

LHP Tarik Skubal (31 GS, 18-4, 2.39 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 228 K, 192.0 IP) 2.

RHP Reese Olson (22 GS, 4-8, 3.53 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 101 K, 112.1 IP) 3.

RHP Keider Montero (16 GS, 6-6, 4.81 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 75 K, 95.1 IP) 4.

RHP Casey Mize (20 GS, 2-6, 4.37 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 78 K, 101.0 IP) Other Options: LHP Brant Hurter, RHP Jackson Jobe Aside from AL Cy Young favorite Tarik Skubal as ace of the staff, the upstart Detroit Tigers have a starting rotation full of question marks.

Right-hander Reese Olson had a solid first half, but he missed roughly two months with a right shoulder strain and has pitched just 9.1 innings in three starts since returning to action on Sept.

16.

He might be good for three or four innings, but likely will not be pitching deep into games.

Rookie Keider Montero has shown flashes of brilliance, including a 96-pitch, complete-game shutout against the Colorado Rockies on Sept.

10, while Casey Mize has been a respectable back-of-the-rotation option in his return from Tommy John surgery.

Tyler Holton, Brant Hurter, Beau Brieske and electric top prospect Jackson Jobe are all capable of providing multi-inning support out of the bullpen.

Projected Playoff Rotation 1.

RHP Tanner Bibee (31 GS, 12-8, 3.47 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 187 K, 173.2 IP) 2.

LHP Matthew Boyd (8 GS, 2-2, 2.72 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 46 K, 39.2 IP) 3.

RHP Alex Cobb (3 GS, 2-1, 2.76 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 10 K, 16.1 IP) 4.

RHP Ben Lively (28 GS, 13-9, 3.80 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 114 K, 147.0 IP) Other Options: LHP Joey Cantillo, RHP Gavin Williams The Cleveland Guardians may not have a top-tier starting rotation, but whoever takes the ball to start games will be supported by baseball's best bullpen, with the relief corps boasting a 2.59 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and .201 opponents' batting average.

Tanner Bibee is the de facto ace of the staff, while deadline pickup Matthew Boyd has been a revelation since getting healthy and staking his claim to the No.

2 starter role.

Assuming veteran Alex Cobb is healthy as he works his way back from a blister, he is the most likely option to start Game 3 in the ALDS.

Otherwise, Ben Lively has been a steady innings-eater all season and would be the guy.

Right-hander Gavin Williams is slated to pitch behind an opener in the regular-season finale on Sunday, which seems to suggest he is preparing for a bullpen role in October.

Projected Playoff Rotation 1.

RHP Zac Gallen (28 GS, 14-6, 3.65 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 156 K, 148.0 IP) 2.

RHP Merrill Kelly (12 GS, 5-0, 3.71 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 55 K, 68.0 IP) 3.

RHP Brandon Pfaadt (31 GS, 10-10, 4.80 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 176 K, 176.1 IP) 4.

LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (9 GS, 3-4, 5.56 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 44 K, 45.1 IP) Other Options: LHP Jordan Montgomery, RHP Ryne Nelson Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly will once again anchor the Arizona Diamondbacks rotation in October after leading the team to a World Series appearance a year ago.

After dealing with injuries for much of the year, Kelly is hitting his stride at the perfect time with a 2.45 ERA and 0.82 WHIP in 22 innings over his last four starts.

Brandon Pfaadt was shelled for six hits and five runs (four earned) over 2.2 innings last time out against the San Francisco Giants, but that came on the heels of a strong outing on the road against the Milwaukee Brewers where he racked up 12 strikeouts over seven strong innings.

He leads the team with 176.1 innings pitched and boasts valuable postseason experience from a year ago.

With Ryne Nelson only recently returning from an injured list stint for shoulder inflammation, the fourth starter spot is up in the air.

Assuming he is limited to a bullpen role, at least early in the postseason, high-priced veterans Eduardo Rodriguez and Jordan Montgomery are the top options to round out the starting staff.

Projected Playoff Rotation 1.

RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (17 GS, 6-2, 2.96 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 99 K, 85.0 IP) 2.

RHP Jack Flaherty (28 GS, 13-7, 3.17 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 194 K, 162.0 IP) 3.

RHP Walker Buehler (16 GS, 1-6, 5.38 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 64 K, 75.1 IP) 4.

RHP Landon Knack (12 GS, 3-5, 3.74 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 65 K, 65.0 IP) Other Options: RHP Tony Gonsolin, LHP Clayton Kershaw With Tyler Glasnow (elbow tendinitis) and Gavin Stone (shoulder inflammation) both out for the postseason, the Dodgers do not have a single active pitcher who reached 100 innings pitched for the club this year.

A healthy Yoshinobu Yamamoto and prized deadline acquisition Jack Flaherty are easy choices for the top two spots in the playoff rotation, but things get blurry after that.

Clayton Kershaw is not expected to be healthy for the NLDS, which leaves Walker Buehler and Landon Knack as the only real options to fill the final two spots on the staff.

Despite his struggles this year, Buehler has a fantastic postseason track record with a 2.94 ERA in 79.2 playoff innings over 15 starts.

He looked good on Thursday against the San Diego Padres, allowing five hits and one earned run over five innings.

An outside-the-box option would be to let Tony Gonsolin make his season debut in the NLDS as he continues to ramp up to return from Tommy John surgery.

The 2022 All-Star has made three rehab starts at Triple-A, posting a 2.35 ERA and 12 strikeouts in 7.2 innings.

However, a bullpen role might be a more realistic expectation, at least in the NLDS.

Projected Playoff Rotation 1.

RHP Corbin Burnes (32 GS, 15-9, 2.92 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 181 K, 194.1 IP) 2.

RHP Zach Eflin (28 GS, 10-9, 3.59 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 134 K, 165.1 IP) 3.

RHP Dean Kremer (24 GS, 8-10, 4.10 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 123 K, 129.2 IP) 4.

LHP Cade Povich (15 GS, 2-9, 5.59 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 67 K, 74.0 IP) Other Options: RHP Albert Suarez The Orioles were dealt a blow when it was announced earlier this week that Grayson Rodriguez will not be returning this season because of shoulder and back issues.

Ace Corbin Burnes is an easy choice to take the ball in Game 1, while deadline pickup Zach Eflin has looked the part of a frontline starter since joining the O's with a 2.60 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 55.1 innings over nine starts.

Right-hander Dean Kremer is 4-1 with a 2.98 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 45.1 innings over his last eight starts, so he should be an easy choice for the Game 3 start, but the fourth spot in the rotation is a toss-up.

Rookie Cade Povich has thrown the ball well in September with a 3.27 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 22 innings over four starts, while swingman Albert Suarez has had a much better season overall but has not been as sharp of late.

Perhaps it's as simple as piggy-backing those two to help take some pressure off the bullpen.

Projected Playoff Rotation 1.

RHP Freddy Peralta (32 GS, 11-9, 3.68 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 200 K, 173.2 IP) 2.

RHP Aaron Civale (31 GS, 8-9, 4.36 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 149 K, 161.0 IP) 3.

RHP Frankie Montas (29 GS, 7-11, 4.85 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 142 K, 146.2 IP) 4.

RHP Tobias Myers (25 GS, 8-6, 3.09 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 122 K, 134.0 IP) Other Options: RHP Colin Rea Now the ace of the staff after years of pitching behind Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff, right-hander Freddy Peralta is one of the best strikeout pitchers in the game with a 27.6 percent strikeout rate that ranks 10th among qualified starters.

The unheralded duo of Tobias Myers and Colin Rea have done a great job stabilizing the rotation this year, but they are likely battling for the fourth starter job thanks to the recent performance of deadline pickups Aaron Civale and Frankie Montas.

Civale has not allowed more than three earned runs in a start since Aug.

3, going 6-1 with a 2.57 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 49 innings over his last nine outings, and that should make him the front-runner for the Game 2 start.

Meanwhile, Montas logged a 3.55 ERA in 50.2 innings over his first nine starts in a Brewers uniform before an ugly start last Sunday where he allowed seven earned runs in 2.2 innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks, but he has done enough to be part of the playoff staff.

Projected Playoff Rotation 1.

LHP Sean Manaea (31 GS, 12-5, 3.29 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 183 K, 178.0 IP) 2.

LHP David Peterson (20 GS, 9-3, 3.08 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 93 K, 114.0 IP) 3.

LHP Jose Quintana (30 GS, 10-9, 3.74 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 126 K, 166.0 IP) 4.

RHP Tylor Megill (14 GS, 4-5, 3.98 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 83 K, 72.1 IP) Other Options: RHP Luis Severino Anyone who thinks this New York Mets team is lacking an ace has not been paying attention.

Left-hander Sean Manaea has been one of the best pitchers in baseball during the second half of the season, and over his last 11 starts he has a 2.63 ERA, 0.76 WHIP and 82 strikeouts in 72 innings.

The Mets are 10-1 in those games, and he has tallied nine quality starts during that stretch.

Veteran Jose Quintana has rebounded from a rough patch in August to toss 20.2 scoreless innings in his last three starts, but he has not pitched since Sept.

18.

The Mets' decision to use David Peterson over him in the big series against the Atlanta Braves could be an indication of how they plan to line things up in the playoffs.

The wild card here is the recent performance of Tylor Megill, who has allowed just seven hits and one earned run in 16 innings over his last three starts while racking up 19 strikeouts.

Luis Severino has a 4.50 ERA in 16 innings during that same stretch, so the club will have a decision to make for a potential Game 4 if they reach the NLDS.

Projected Playoff Rotation 1.

RHP Gerrit Cole (17 GS, 8-5, 3.41 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 99 K, 95.0 IP) 2.

LHP Carlos Rodon (31 GS, 16-9, 3.98 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 190 K, 169.2 IP) 3.

RHP Luis Gil (28 GS, 15-6, 3.27 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 166 K, 146.0 IP) 4.

RHP Clarke Schmidt (15 GS, 5-5, 2.55 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 88 K, 81.1 IP) Other Options: LHP Nestor Cortes, RHP Marcus Stroman A flexor tendon strain will sideline Nestor Cortes through at least the ALDS and perhaps for the entire postseason, while Marcus Stroman has a 5.98 ERA in 49.2 innings since the All-Star break after surrendering 10 hits and six earned runs in 3.1 innings against the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday.

That should make the Yankees' four playoff starters pretty clear.

Gerrit Cole is rounding into form with nine innings of two-hit, one-run ball against the Oakland Athletics and six shutout innings against the Baltimore Orioles in his last two starts, so pencil him in as the Game 1 starter.

Left-hander Carlos Rodon has done a much better job earning his $27.8 million salary this year, and with a 2.57 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 35 innings over his last six starts, he is pitching like the No.

2 guy he was expected to be.

Clarke Schmidt has experience pitching out of the bullpen, so he might be more useful in the swingman role that often comes with being the Game 4 starter.

That puts AL Rookie of the Year contender Luis Gil in the Game 3 starter spot, though those two could certainly be flip-flopped as needed.

Projected Playoff Rotation 1.

LHP Chris Sale (29 GS, 18-3, 2.38 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 225 K, 177.2 IP) 2.

LHP Max Fried (28 GS, 10-10, 3.42 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 157 K, 165.2 IP) 3.

RHP Spencer Schwellenbach (20 GS, 8-7, 3.47 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 122 K, 116.2 IP) 4.

RHP Charlie Morton (29 GS, 8-9, 4.08 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 164 K, 161.0 IP) Other Options: RHP Reynaldo Lopez A long-awaited Cy Young Award is likely coming to Chris Sale this season, as he leads the NL in all three pitching Triple Crown categories with 18 wins, a 2.38 ERA and 225 strikeouts in 177.2 innings.

The Braves' decision to buy low on him during the offseason has given them a bona fide ace to anchor their potential playoff run.

Free-agent-to-be Max Fried has put together another strong regular season, and now he will look to put shaky postseason outings in 2022 (1 GS, 3.1 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 4 ER) and 2023 (1 GS, 4.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER) in the rearview.

After that, the health of Reynaldo Lopez will be a major factor.

Currently on the injured list with shoulder inflammation, Lopez is reportedly ready to return whenever the team decides to activate him.

The question then is whether he will be used in a relief role, or if he will be asked to immediately jump back into the rotation.

Assuming he needs a bit of time to build back up to starting, rookie Spencer Schwellenbach has made a compelling case to follow the two lefties in the rotation ahead of veteran Charlie Morton.

Schwellenbach, 24, stabilized the back of the rotation after making his MLB debut on May 29.

He threw seven innings of three-hit, one-run ball in a huge start against the New York Mets on Tuesday, proving he can handle the big moment.

Projected Playoff Rotation 1.

LHP Framber Valdez (28 GS, 15-7, 2.91 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 169 K, 176.1 IP) 2.

RHP Hunter Brown (30 GS, 11-9, 3.49 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 179 K, 170.0 IP) 3.

LHP Yusei Kikuchi (32 GS, 9-10, 4.05 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 206 K, 175.2 IP) 4.

RHP Ronel Blanco (28 GS, 12-6, 2.88 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 163 K, 162.1 IP) Other Options: RHP Spencer Arrighetti, RHP Justin Verlander What role is Justin Verlander going to play in the Houston Astros' playoff run? That's the big question that still needs to be answered, and with a 5.55 ERA in 84.1 innings this year and a 10.90 ERA in 17.1 innings over four September starts, there is a very real chance he will be left off the playoff roster entirely.

Left-hander Framber Valdez will be the playoff ace, and with 80.2 postseason innings under his belt, he brings a wealth of experience to that role.

Rookie Hunter Brown has been one of the best pitchers in baseball since the All-Star break, posting a 2.26 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 74 strikeouts in 71.2 innings, and slotting him in the No.

2 starter role allows the Astros to split up their lefties.

The front office paid a steep price to acquire rental starter Yusei Kikuchi at the trade deadline, and he has delivered with a 2.70 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 76 strikeouts in 60 innings over 10 starts.

That leaves breakout starter Ronel Blanco and rookie Spencer Arrighetti for the fourth spot, and both pitchers figure to pitch some big innings in October, regardless of what role they are asked to fill.

Projected Playoff Rotation 1.

RHP Seth Lugo (32 GS, 16-9, 3.03 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 178 K, 204.2 IP) 2.

LHP Cole Ragans (32 GS, 11-9, 3.14 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 223 K, 186.1 IP) 3.

RHP Michael Wacha (29 GS, 13-8, 3.35 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 146 K, 166.2 IP) 4.

RHP Brady Singer (31 GS, 9-12, 3.73 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 165 K, 173.2 IP) Other Options: RHP Michael Lorenzen, RHP Alec Marsh The one-two punch of Seth Lugo and Cole Ragans could make the Kansas City Royals sleepers for a deep run into October, but it's worth mentioning that both pitchers will be making the first postseason start of their career.

Lugo at least has some postseason experience, as he tossed three scoreless innings in relief for the New York Mets during the 2022 Wild Card Series against the San Diego Padres.

On the flip side, Michael Wacha made some huge postseason starts during his time with the St.

Louis Cardinals, winning 2013 NLCS MVP as a 21-year-old rookie when he outdueled Clayton Kershaw twice with 13.2 scoreless innings to lead the Cardinals to the World Series.

Right-hander Brady Singer has been hit hard his last two times out, allowing 13 hits and 10 earned runs in 10.1 innings against the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants, but he is still the likely choice for a Game 4 start.

Michael Lorenzen missed a month with a hamstring strain and then exited his first start back on Wednesday with " lower body fatigue ," so his status for the playoffs is up in the air.

He likely slots in as a long reliever if he is available.

Projected Playoff Rotation 1.

RHP Dylan Cease (33 GS, 14-11, 3.47 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 224 K, 189.1 IP) 2.

RHP Michael King (30 GS, 13-9, 2.95 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 201 K, 173.2 IP) 3.

RHP Joe Musgrove (19 GS, 6-5, 3.88 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 101 K, 99.2 IP) 4.

RHP Yu Darvish (15 GS, 6-3, 3.18 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 74 K, 76.1 IP) Other Options: LHP Martin Perez Dylan Cease and Michael King emerged as two of the best pitchers in the National League in a season where Joe Musgrove and Yu Darvish both missed significant time, and now all four are healthy and ready to roll for San Diego's playoff push.

Cease and King have earned the Game 1 and Game 2 nods for their consistent performance, with Cease likely to get the opener thanks to his swing-and-miss potential and more dominant peripherals.

It will be interesting to see who they turn to in a potential Game 3 in the Wild Card Series, with both Musgrove and Darvish throwing the ball well down the stretch.

At the very least, they are in a better position than any other wild-card team if they do advance to the NLDS after a three-game Wild Card Series, as they will still have an ace-caliber pitcher to turn to in Game 1 of that series.

Tip of the cap to Martin Perez who has quietly posted a 2.61 ERA and 1.10 WHIP in 48.1 innings over nine starts since he was acquired at the trade deadline.

Projected Playoff Rotation 1.

RHP Zack Wheeler (31 GS, 16-7, 2.56 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 213 K, 193.2 IP) 2.

LHP Cristopher Sanchez (31 GS, 11-9, 3.32 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 153 K, 181.2 IP) 3.

RHP Aaron Nola (32 GS, 13-8, 3.52 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 190 K, 194.1 IP) 4.

LHP Ranger Suarez (26 GS, 12-7, 3.15 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 143 K, 148.2 IP) Other Options: None The Phillies rank fifth in the majors with a 3.75 ERA from the starting rotation, and given what a revolving door the No.

5 starter spot has been this year, there are absolutely no questions about which four pitchers will make up their playoff rotation.

The idea of Cristopher Sanchez pitching Game 2 over Aaron Nola might raise some eyebrows at first glance, but the home/road splits for Sanchez suggest the Phillies should do what they can to make sure he takes the ball at Citizens Bank Park.

The breakout lefty has a 2.21 ERA in 110 innings at home, compared to a 5.02 ERA in 71.2 innings on the road.

With Orion Kerkering, Matt Strahm, Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez poised to shorten games in October from their spot at the back of the bullpen, the Phillies rotation is well supported..

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