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The Opening Day starter is usually a team's best. Sometimes, they have to get creative thanks to injuries, but there are a bunch of ace matchups on Opening Day. While only some starters have been confirmed, the fact that there will be elite pitchers throwing is very real. Here are the best of those who are penciled in already.
The best confirmed starters for MLB Opening Day
10) Nestor Cortes
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Nestor Cortes is a shocking entry to this list, but he's here for a couple of reasons. For starters, Gerrit Cole is hurt, otherwise he'd be No. 1. Carlos Rodon and Marcus Stroman might be better, but their spring schedule and rhythm would be interrupted by an Opening Day start. Cortes did hava 2.44 ERA the last time he was fully healthy, though.
9) Pablo Lopez
Pablo Lopez has exceptional strikeout numbers. The rest of his stats drag down his overall quality, but the Minnesota Twins probably feel like they're in really good hands to open the season. Lopez, if he could be a little more consistent, would be a much higher ranking.
8) Freddy Peralta
Freddy Peralta gets the nod since Corbin Burnes has been traded, and it's not the biggest downgrade possible. Peralta is a quality pitcher that had 210 strikeouts in 165.1 innings last year, so he has really good stuff.
7) Framber Valdez
Framber Valdez is starting due to Justin Verlander's shoulder injury, but he is still more than capable himself. He started last year's Opening Day and had a very nice season, so Verlander's injury doesn't leave Houston high and dry.
6) Mitch Keller
Mitch Keller sort of burst onto the scene last year with the Pittsburgh Pirates, posting a very solid ERA and overall quality record. He got a big extension over the offseason, and the Pirates are rewarding him with an Opening Day start.
5) Zac Gallen
Zac Gallen is one of the best pitchers in baseball irrespective of Opening Day starters. He was a key part of their run to the World Series last year, and the Arizona Diamondbacks will put their season opener on his capable right arm.
4) Tyler Glasnow
Tyler Glasnow is being named the ace of one of the deepest rotations in baseball. The Los Angeles Dodgers have Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Bobby Miller and others, but Glasnow earned the spot.
3) Yu Darvish
Yu Darvish might go overlooked, but he is quietly one of the most dependable pitchers in baseball. The San Diego Padres ace gets an unenviable matchup with the loaded Dodgers, but he's likely as up to the task as anyone.
2) Corbin Burnes
All the Baltimore Orioles really needed last year was an ace, and they got one of the best in baseball. Corbin Burnes will start Opening Day and it can be assumed he will show how dominant he is and start the season on an excellent note.
1) Zack Wheeler
For the last few years, Zack Wheeler has been the most valuable pitcher in the MLB. He has more fWAR over that span than Gerrit Cole, and he has been as dependable as anyone, so the Philadelphia Phillies will lean on him once more.
