The heavyweights are still at the top of our Starting Pitcher Power Rankings. But even this late in the season, a couple of newcomers have broken into the Top 5.
Freddy Peralta's scoreless streak for the MLB-best Brewers and Trevor Rogers' incredible resurgence with the Orioles have put them in the company of Cy Young frontrunners Tarik Skubal, Paul Skenes and Garrett Crochet.
These rankings are based on a formula constructed by MLB.com’s data team, which considers performance over the past 365 days but places greater weight on season-long and especially recent performance.
Here are the latest Starting Pitcher Power Rankings. (Rankings are based on results through Tuesday's games.)
1. Tarik Skubal, Tigers (Previously: 1)
No one's been able to dethrone Skubal for the last eight Starting Pitcher Power Rankings. Since the last edition of the rankings, he's turned in back-to-back scoreless seven-inning starts to pick up wins No. 12 and 13 on the season. Skubal leads the American League with a 2.10 ERA and is second only to Crochet with 222 strikeouts. He's the favorite to win his second straight Cy Young Award.
2. Paul Skenes, Pirates (2)
Skenes stays right behind Skubal in the power rankings, and maybe he's even coming for the No. 1 spot. With five scoreless innings Wednesday night against the Orioles, the Pirates ace leads the Majors with a 1.92 ERA -- the only qualified starter with an ERA under two. Skenes also registered his first 200-strikeout season, fanning eight to increase his season total to 203. He's running away with the National League Cy Young Award.
3. Freddy Peralta, Brewers (10)
The Brewers ace has rocketed up the rankings thanks to a lights-out stretch for the best team in baseball. Peralta put together a five-start scoreless streak from Aug. 12 through Sept. 4, including starts against the rival Cubs and two division leaders in the Blue Jays and Phillies. Even after a rocky start against the Rangers on Wednesday ended his scoreless streak at 30 innings, Peralta is still 16-6 with a 2.69 ERA and 185 strikeouts. He leads the NL in wins and ranks third in ERA. (Note: The power rankings were already set before Peralta's outing Wednesday.)
4. Garrett Crochet, Red Sox (3)
Crochet is the one pitcher who has a chance to catch Skubal in the AL Cy Young race down the stretch. The Red Sox lefty leads the Majors with 228 strikeouts and 185 1/3 innings pitched and ranks fourth with a 2.57 ERA, behind only Skenes, Skubal and Hunter Brown. Crochet just recorded his seventh 10-strikeout game of the season; only Skubal (10) has more.
5. Trevor Rogers, Orioles (7)
Rogers is a few weeks away from completing a remarkable comeback season. In 15 starts, the O's southpaw is now 8-2 with a 1.51 ERA, the lowest of anyone with as many games started or innings pitched as he has. Rogers was in the Minors earlier this year … now no one in the Majors can put runs on the board against him.
6. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers (Not ranked)
Yamamoto has been the rock of the Dodgers' rotation all year, and he just pitched his finest game yet -- coming just one out short of a no-hitter against the Orioles on Saturday. Yamamoto has a 2.72 ERA and 177 strikeouts in his second MLB season, and he's made 27 starts and thrown 155 1/3 innings. No one else currently on the Dodgers has even made 20 starts or pitched 100 innings this season.
7. Carlos Rodón, Yankees (Not ranked)
Rodón has been on a heater for the Yankees lately, winning five consecutive starts over the last month, until Wednesday night's loss to the Tigers. That victorious stretch included victories over the rival Red Sox on Aug. 24 and Astros on Sept. 4. He is 16-8 -- tied with Peralta and teammate Max Fried for the MLB lead in wins -- with a 3.11 ERA and 186 strikeouts in 176 1/3 innings.
8. Hunter Brown, Astros (5)
Brown might well be the third AL Cy Young finalist along with Skubal and Crochet. He has the third-best ERA in the Majors at 2.25, behind only Skenes and Skubal. And with 190 K's, already a career high, his first 200-strikeout season is within reach. Just since the start of August, Brown has held the Yankees to two runs, the Red Sox to one run twice, and the Tigers and Rangers scoreless.
9. Nick Pivetta, Padres (4)
Pivetta is far from the biggest name in the Padres rotation. But in a season where Dylan Cease has been inconsistent (195 strikeouts but a 4.71 ERA), and Michael King and Yu Darvish have missed major time due to injury, Pivetta has been a model of consistency. In 29 starts, the veteran right-hander is 13-5 with a 2.73 ERA and 180 strikeouts in 171 1/3 innings. It's easily the best season of his career and could have him starting Game 1 of a postseason series for San Diego.
10. Nolan McLean, Mets (Not ranked)
The Mets' top pitching prospect has turned into a rookie phenom who's carrying the team's playoff hopes on his back. McLean won his first four big league starts after being called up, and through five career outings, the 24-year-old has a 1.42 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings. With nasty stuff, including a curveball and sweeper boasting elite spin rates, McLean looks like a future ace.
Honorable mentions: Ranger Suárez (Phillies), Cristopher Sánchez (Phillies), Hunter Greene (Reds), Jacob deGrom (Rangers), Chris Sale (Braves), Bryan Woo (Mariners), Cade Horton (Cubs), Logan Webb (Giants), Brady Singer (Reds), Justin Verlander (Giants)