Ranking the AL West Starting Rotations for the 2025 MLB Season
Grant White
Host · Writer
1. Seattle Mariners
In 2024, no team had better starting pitching than the Seattle Mariners. Collectively, the M's rotation finished with the top-ranked ERA and second-most strikeouts. Matching those benchmarks should be easy work for the Mariners in 2025.
Logan Gilbert and George Kirby are two of the best in the game. Gilbert led the league in innings pitched and WHIP last season while compiling a 9.5 K/9 rate. In doing so, he was one of three Mariners' starting pitchers to end the season with a sub-0.98 WHIP and one of four pitchers with an 8.4 K/9 rate or greater.
Seattle has its entire starting rotation back for another kick at the can in 2025. While hitting remains a mystery, the Mariners' offense doesn't need to be a strength.
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5. Athletics
No longer tied to their former stomping grounds in Oakland, the Athletics embark on what's sure to be another exhausting lesson in futility.
The Athletics' rotation was one of the worst in baseball last season. They compiled the fifth-worst ERA in the majors, with the third-worst opponents' batting average and second-fewest strikeouts. While they added Luis Severino and Jeffrey Springs this offseason, those moves don't do enough to move this team up the standings.
It will be another long season for whatever Athletics fans remain. While their starting rotation might not be their biggest weakness, it isn't a strength.
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4. Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels had an offseason of change. The perennial basement dwellers retooled their starting rotation to make the Angels more competitive this season. We'll see if the upgrades amount to any substantive change, but the outlook remains guarded.
Yusei Kikuchi and Kyle Hendricks head to SoCal to level the playing field for the Angels. Kikuchi had an outstanding end to the campaign, finding his rhythm with the Houston Astros. Kyle Hendricks had more modest success but remains an innings-eater with upside.
Those two moves do little to resolve the rest of the concerns that plagued the Angels. However, if LA fans want the silver lining, Kikuchi and Hendricks are it.
3. Texas Rangers
The Texas Rangers fell flat in 2024, but their starting rotation was a big reason why. Jacob deGrom's return may be a cause for optimism, but the Rangers need to be honest about some of the challenges.
Injuries have been a limiting factor for deGrom over the past few seasons. The two-time Cy Young winner hasn't made more than 15 starts since 2019 and is now entering his age-37 season. With deGrom penciled in as the second starter in the rotation, it shows the limited depth impacting their chances of success in 2025.
Kumar Rocker is the x-factor in the Rangers' rotation. If the imposing righty can live up to the hype, the Rangers could re-kindle their postseason aspirations.
2. Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are looking to reclaim their pedestal atop the AL West. In 2025, they can rely on their starting pitching to be a strength again.
Houston overcame some of its growing pains last season, setting itself up for renewed success this year. Spencer Arrighetti and Hunter Brown will be expected to deliver, albeit while insulated by the Astros' top arms. Framber Valdez enters the campaign as the undisputed ace but could see Arrighetti and Brown challenge him for that spot.
Starting pitching will once again be a difference-maker for the Astros. If they can avoid last year's slow start, we could see them set the bar higher this season.
1. Seattle Mariners
In 2024, no team had better starting pitching than the Seattle Mariners. Collectively, the M's rotation finished with the top-ranked ERA and second-most strikeouts. Matching those benchmarks should be easy work for the Mariners in 2025.
Logan Gilbert and George Kirby are two of the best in the game. Gilbert led the league in innings pitched and WHIP last season while compiling a 9.5 K/9 rate. In doing so, he was one of three Mariners' starting pitchers to end the season with a sub-0.98 WHIP and one of four pitchers with an 8.4 K/9 rate or greater.
Seattle has its entire starting rotation back for another kick at the can in 2025. While hitting remains a mystery, the Mariners' offense doesn't need to be a strength.
Stay ahead of the game and elevate your sports betting experience with SportsGrid.
5. Athletics
No longer tied to their former stomping grounds in Oakland, the Athletics embark on what's sure to be another exhausting lesson in futility.
The Athletics' rotation was one of the worst in baseball last season. They compiled the fifth-worst ERA in the majors, with the third-worst opponents' batting average and second-fewest strikeouts. While they added Luis Severino and Jeffrey Springs this offseason, those moves don't do enough to move this team up the standings.
It will be another long season for whatever Athletics fans remain. While their starting rotation might not be their biggest weakness, it isn't a strength.
Swing for the Fences with SportsGrid’s free daily MLB Game Picks and MLB Prop Picks.
