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Being a pitcher in today's MLB landscape can be quite a challenge. Torpedo bats, bigger bases, shift bans, and pitch clocks are just some of the many hurdles hurlers have to take into account in the present-day setting of America's favorite pastime.
With that being said, there are still pitchers that are just a cut above the rest. The following players have dominated from the mound through the first 25 games of the MLB season.
Top 5 pitchers in 2025 MLB season
5) Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers
Heading into a marquee matchup against Paul Skenes on Friday, Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto boasts the National League lead in ERA amongst starters with 0.93 through five starts.
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The three-time Eiji Sawamura Awardee is pitching within the 95th percentile in terms of strikeout rate and has not allowed an earned run in the past 19 innings that he's pitched.
4) Hunter Greene, Cincinnati Reds
Having made his debut in 2022, Hunter Greene only established himself last season. The 2024 All-Star has a 2-2 record with a 2.35 ERA across five starts.
What's even more impressive is that the fireballer has made batters look foolish despite using his four-seamer almost 60% of the time, albeit with an average of 99.3 miles an hour. Greene has limited opposing batters to a .164 average this year.
3) Logan Webb, San Francisco Giants
It's almost criminal that Giants ace Logan Webb has only been selected as an All-Star once since his major league debut in 2019. After compiling 13.8 fWAR from 2022-24, Webb has received Cy Young votes in each of those years, highlighted by a runner-up finish in 2023.
This year, he's posted a 1.98 ERA with 44 strikeouts across six starts. With San Francisco firing on all cylinders, Webb is slowly building his case in the NL Cy Young conversation in 2025.
2) Garrett Crochet, Boston Red Sox
It would have been a National League wipeout if not for Boston's Garrett Crochet. The lanky lefty is hurling at a 1.95 ERA-1.05 WHIP clip. Although the Red Sox have struggled to hit their stride in the AL East, Crochet has been reliable on the mound with 44 strikeouts across 37 innings.
1) Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates
The face of MLB's new generation of pitchers, Paul Skenes spent little time establishing himself as one of the league's best.
The reigning NL Rookie of the Year is above the 90th percentile when it comes to expected ERA and walk rate to start the season. He has also posted a 2-2 record with a 2.87 ERA in 2025. Pittsburgh's woes elsewhere aren't helping Skenes' cause, but he's proven that he can carry the load, as evidenced by his 11-3 win-loss card and 1.96 ERA during the 2024 season.
