Baseball Twitter reacts to MLB Network's top ten starting pitchers ranking: "This list is so bad" "How is the reigning Cy Young winner only 5?"

MLB Network posted its top starting pitchers heading into the 2023 season. Corbin Burns sits at No. 1, with reigning American League Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander second and Carlos Rodon third. Verlander's teammate, Max Scherzer, rounds out the top four.

Reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara ranks in the fifth spot. The "unicorn of baseball" Shohei Ohtani sits in the sixth spot, followed by Max Fried, Zach Wheeler, Jacob deGrom and finally Julio Urias.

Given how many elite starting pitchers the league has right now, some names are bound to be left off the list. One glaring absence was Dylan Cease, who finished second to Verlander in the AL Cy Young voting.

Baseball fans can't help but criticize this list. They believe there are too many names left off and the order could be a lot better.

"This list is so bad lol No Gerrit Cole? deGrom at 9? Urias is good but top 10??" one fan tweeted.

"How is the reigning Cy Young winner only 5?" another fan tweeted.

Alongside Dylan Cease, fans are wondering where Gerrit Cole is. He led all of MLB in strikeouts last year. Surely, that alone should grant him somewhere in the top ten.

Another snub that fans are mentioning is Houston Astros pitcher Framber Valdez. He was largely overshadowed by the season Justin Verlander had last year, but he was dominant. Valdez compiled a 17-6 record with a 2.82 ERA.

There's so much elite talent in the MLB right now

Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander in the World Series

The talent level spread across the league is insane. Almost every team has a guy who could make a case for being the face of baseball. No wonder MLB Network had a tough time putting together a top ten list of starting pitchers.

We're in store for what should be a competitive 2023 season. This winter was chock-full of free-agent acquisitions and a couple of trades. Divisions will be reshaped, and new rivalries will be formed in the upcoming year.

Given how many teams will look different in 2023, it's shaping up to be one of the most competitive seasons we have seen. There are so many teams that look good enough on paper to compete for a World Series title.

As spring training is right around the corner, Opening Day will be here before we know it, and fans cannot wait.