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The NL West is packed with competition with teams heavily arming their pitching staff. With free agents like Blake Snell and Corbin Burnes joining the fray and a returning Shohei Ohtani, the division seems to be the best when it comes to starters. Here's a look at the top five starting pitchers in the NL West.
#5, Dylan Cease
Dylan Cease was a reliable figure in the San Diego Padres rotation in 2024. He amassed a 14-11 record with a 3.75 ERA and ranked third among all pitchers with 224 strikeouts. Along with Michael King, they are a formidable 1-2 combination that is expected to help San Diego make another playoff run.
#4, Yoshinobu Yamamoto
Despite an injury-laden debut regular season, Yoshinobu Yamamoto showed the world why is he one of the best pitchers in the MLB in October. He pitched 7-2, with a 3.00 ERA in 18 starts, and helped the Dodgers to the World Series title. His main goal would be to stay healthy and give the full return of his 12-year $325 million contract.
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#3, Blake Snell
It is not often that Blake Snell appears on any pitcher's list ranked anywhere lower than No. 1. However, such is the competition in the NL West that the 2023 Cy Young winner will have to settle for the third spot. Snell had a rocky start to last season but he posted an ERA of 1.50 after the All-Star break. He opted out of his two-year deal with the San Francisco Giants and joined the Dodgers on a five-year $182 million deal.
#2, Shohei Ohtani
The third Dodgers pitcher on the list didn't even take the mound in 2024. Such is the hype around Shohei Ohtani heading into next season as he aims to return from a second elbow surgery. In the past, he had single-handedly led the pitching staff of the LA Angels. In his career as a pitcher, Ohtani is 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA and 1.08 WHIP.
#1, Corbin Burnes
Corbin Burnes has been one of the most reliable pitchers since his full season debut in 2018. The 2021 Cy Young winner has pitched at least 28 starts each year, outside of the shortened 2020 campaign. He has a 60-36 career record and deservingly earned a $35 million average annual value with Arizona.
