Who’s the Best Pitcher in Baseball Right Now?
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It’s a debate that never seems to die down – who is the best pitcher in baseball right now? Some say it’s still Clayton Kershaw, while others believe it’s time to crown a new king. Who do you think is the best pitcher in baseball right now?
Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Kershaw is one of the best pitchers in baseball right now. He’s a left-handed starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and he’s been one of the best pitchers in the league for a few years now. Kershaw has won three Cy Young Awards, and he’s a five-time All-Star. He’s also the reigning National League MVP.
LA Dodgers
Clayton Kershaw is a American professional baseball pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the Houston Astros.
Kershaw was drafted seventh overall in the 2006 MLB draft and he quickly rose through the Dodgers’ farm system, debuting with the team in 2008. He won the National League (NL) Rookie of the Year Award in 2011, and he later became a two-time Cy Young Award winner as well as a three-time NL ERA leader. Kershaw has pitched two no-hitters, including a perfect game, and he is one of only six pitchers to have done so more than once. He has also led the NL in strikeouts a record eight times and earned MVP honors once.
3-time Cy Young Award Winner
Clayton Kershaw is a 3-time Cy Young Award winner, 7-time All-Star, and 2-time National League MVP. He currently plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and is widely considered to be one of the best pitchers in baseball right now.
Justin Verlander
As of right now, the best pitcher in baseball is Justin Verlander. He’s a starting pitcher for the Houston Astros, and he’s been absolutely dominant this season. In 21 starts, he has a 16-5 record with a 2.78 ERA and 0.80 WHIP. He’s struck out 185 batters in 143 innings pitched, and he’s only walked 27. He’s also allowed just 9.9 hits per nine innings. Verlander is an ace, and he’s the best pitcher in baseball right now.
Houston Astros
Justin Verlander is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Houston Astros of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has also played in the MLB for the Detroit Tigers.
2011 AL MVP and Cy Young Award Winner
In 2011, Justin Verlander had one of the greatest pitching seasons in baseball history. He became the first pitcher since Pedro Martinez in 1999 to win the Cy Young Award and MVP in the same season. He led the majors in wins (24), ERA (2.40), strikeouts (250) and opponents’ batting average (.192). He also pitched a no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays on May 7, 2011. Verlander is considered one of the best pitchers in baseball right now, and some people even consider him to be the best pitcher of all time.
Max Scherzer
Max Scherzer is a right-handed pitcher for the Washington Nationals. He is a 3-time Cy Young Award winner and a 7-time All-Star. He led the league in strikeouts in 2015, 2016, and 2017. He is considered one of the best pitchers in baseball right now.
Washington Nationals
Max Scherzer, who plays for the Washington Nationals, is considered one the best pitchers in baseball right now. He has an electric fastball and sharp breaking pitches that often fool hitters. His record this season is 15-6 with a 2.53 ERA and he’s struck out 252 batters in just 201 innings pitched.
3-time Cy Young Award Winner
Max Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, is widely considered to be the best pitcher in baseball right now. He’s known for his precision and his ability to rack up strikeouts. In fact, he’s one of only four pitchers to ever record 300 strikeouts in a season.
Scherzer grew up in Missouri and was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2006. He made his Major League debut with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2008 and was traded to the Detroit Tigers in 2009. He’s been with the Washington Nationals since 2015.
In addition to his three Cy Young Awards, Scherzer has also been named an All-Star seven times and won the National League strikeout title five times.
Gerrit Cole
Gerrit Cole is an American professional baseball pitcher for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball (MLB). Cole was drafted by the Yankees in the first round of the 2008 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut in 2013 with the Pittsburgh Pirates, with whom he played for seven seasons. Cole was traded to the Houston Astros in 2019, and helped the team win the 2019 World Series.
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees have a new ace in Gerrit Cole. Cole was signed by the Yankees this offseason to a record 9-year, $324 million contract. Cole is coming off a season in which he went 20-5 with a 2.50 ERA and an MLB-leading 259 strikeouts. He finished second in Cy Young voting.
Cole is the10th-highest paid player in baseball and will make $36 million per year. His average annual salary is the highest ever for a pitcher, surpassing Justin Verlander ($33 million). Cole’s contract also includes a full no-trade clause and a opt-out clause after the fifth year.
The Yankees are betting big on Cole as they look to return to the World Series for the first time since 2009. They haven’t won a title since 1998 but with Cole fronting their rotation, they have one of the best chances in recent memory.
2019 AL Cy Young Award Winner
The 2019 American League Cy Young Award was presented to Gerrit Cole of the Houston Astros on November 14, 2019. Cole received 29 of 30 first-place votes (of the ballots cast) from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA), while Justin Verlander of the Astros received the other first-place vote. It was the second time Cole had won the award, having also been honored in 2015 while a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Cole led Major League Baseball (MLB) in several pitching categories in 2019, including strikeouts (326), wins (20), earned run average (2.50), and walks and hits per innings pitched (WHIP; 0.89). He also set an MLB record for most strikeouts in a single season by a pitcher who predominately worked as a starter. Cole’s 20 wins were tied for second-most among all pitchers in 2019, behind only teammates Zack Greinke and Justin Verlander, who each had 21 wins. By winning the Cy Young Award, Cole became only the sixth pitcher in MLB history to win multiple Cy Young Awards in both the American League and National League.
