Soccerforall24

The top pitchers in Major League Baseball in 2024 will be a mix of players signed as free agents, traded players, and homegrown talent. Unless the startling amount of injuries has prompted every team to acquire pitchers from wherever they can, there doesn’t seem to be a trend. The Boston Red Sox traded Chris Sale to the Atlanta Braves during the offseason, and he is currently tied for the NL lead in wins and ranked in the top 10 in innings pitched, strikeouts, and ERA. Following the transaction, the Braves offered the 35-year-old lefty a two-year, $38 million contract.

Previously, we found that the best offensive players so far in the American League have been grown and remained with one team, while the best in the National League have been acquired in trades or signed as high-priced free agents.The Philadelphia Phillies boast four of the best pitchers in the National League: Zack Wheeler signed as a free agent, but two of them were developed in the organization; the right-hander is tied for third in wins, second in innings pitched, and fourth in strikeouts and ERA.

The Phillies offered Wheeler a five-year, $118 million contract in 2018. In March of this year, Wheeler agreed to a three-year extension worth $42 million a season through 2027.
In terms of victories and earned run average, Ranger Suarez is the league leader. He ranks 10th in strikeouts and seventh in innings pitched. One of the best deals in the game is the lefty as well. In 2012, at the age of sixteen, he signed for a mere $25,000. Currently, he is on a $5,050,000 one-year contract. Aaron Nola ranks in the top 15 in strikeouts and ERA, and third in innings pitched and victories. In 2014, he signed for $3,300,900 as a first-round pick. Last autumn, following his eighth season with the team, the right-hander inked a seven-year, $172 million contract deal.

Lefty Christopher Sanchez, a fourth Phillies starter, is ranked in the top 15 in the majority of categories. His ERA has dropped to 2.41, second only to Suarez and slightly ahead of Wheeler, after he has not given up a run in his last two outings combined for 16 innings. In December 2019, the Phillies acquired him in a minor trade with the Tampa Bay Rays. The Boston Red Sox traded Chris Sale to the Atlanta Braves during the offseason, and he is currently tied for the NL lead in wins and ranked in the top 10 in innings pitched, strikeouts, and ERA. Following the transaction, the Braves offered the 35-year-old lefty a two-year, $38 million contract.

A mostly unknown free agent from the NL is having his finest season yet in the AL. Seth Lugo, 34, spent seven seasons with the New York Mets and one with the San Diego Padres but never won more than eight games in a season. After agreeing to a three-year, $45 million contract in December, the 34-year-old right-hander leads the American League in wins, ranks second in innings pitched, and is third in ERA for the Kansas City Royals. The Baltimore Orioles acquired Corbin Burnes from the Milwaukee Brewers, and he is a top pitcher in most AL pitching categories. After the season, the right-hander, who is currently making $15,637,000, might sign a huge contract as a free agency.
Along with right-hander Tanner Houck of the Boston Red Sox, other AL multi-list players include lefties Cole Ragans of the Royals, Garret Crochet of the Chicago White Sox, and Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers.

Here’s a look at top performers in five pitching categories thus far in 2024.

National League

Earned Run Average

Ra. Suarez (2.01), Gavin Stone (2.73), Javier Assad (3.04) grown; Sanchez (2.41), Max Fried (3.00) developed; Sale (2.79), Tyler Glasnow (2.88) trade; Wheeler (2.73), Sonny Gray (2.81), Shota Imanaga (3.07) free agent. No edge.

Innings Pitched

Logan Webb (112.1), Wheeler (105.2), Miles Mikolas (94.2) free agent; Nola (101), Mitch Keller (8.1), Ra. Suarez (98.1), Brandon Pfaadt (97) grown; Glasnow (100), Dylan Cease (98.1), Sale (93.2) trade. Edge to grown.

Strikeouts

Cease (125), Sale (118), Michael King (109), MacKenzie Gore (99) trade; Glasnow (135), Wheeler (112), S. Gray (103) free agent; Hunter Greene (103), Ra. Sanger (99) grown; Freddy Peralta (112) developed. Edge to trade.

Wins

Ra. Suarez (10), Nola (9), Stone (9), Keller (9), Nick Lodolo (8) grown; Sale (10), Glasnow (8), Cease (7) trade; Wheeler (9), So. Gray (9) free agent; Fried (7) developed. Edge to grown.

Saves

Ryan Helsley (29), Robert Suarez (20), Alexis Diaz (17), Camilo Doval (14) grown; Raisel Iglesias (20), David Bednar (16), Trevor Megill (17), Jose Alvarado (12) trade; Kyle Finnegan (22) free agent; Evan Phillips (13) off waivers. No edge.

American League

Earned Run Average

Houck (2.18), Tarik Skubal (2.32), Ronel Blanco (2.49), Logan Gilbert (2.72), Crochet (3.05), Singer (3.12) grown; Burnes (2.28), Cole Ragans (3.03) trade; Lugo (2.29), Tyler Anderson (2.63) free agent. Edge to grown.

Innings Pitched

Lugo (110), Nestor Cortes (100.2), Erick Fedde (100.1), Anderson (99.1) free agent; Burnes (106.2), Jose Berrios (104), Luis Castillo (99.2) trade; Gilbert (112.1), Houck (103.1), George Kirby (99.1) grown. Edge to free agent.

Strikeouts

Crochet (130), Skubal (112), Tanner Bibee (106), Gilbert (102), Houck (101) grown; Ragans (120), Pablo Lopez (101), Castillo (100), trade; Jack Flaherty (115) free agent; Joe Ryan (100) developed. Edge to grown.

Wins

Skubal (9), Grayson Rodriguez (9), Logan Allen (8), Blanco (8) grown; Burnes (9) trade; Lugo (10), Carlos Rodon (9) free agent; Luis Gil (9) developed; Four of nine players tied with 7 wins. Edge to grown.

Saves