Which teams have the top potential postseason rotations?

4:09 AM UTC

Which starting rotation is poised to dominate October?

That's the sort of question that we will spend the next several weeks pondering as each day draws us closer to the return of postseason baseball.

We saw just last year how a stalwart rotation can carry a team to postseason glory. Dodgers starting pitchers combined for a 2.68 ERA in 17 games while capturing the franchise's second consecutive World Series championship. That's the lowest ERA by a starting rotation in a single postseason among teams to play more than 10 playoff games since the 2023 Phillies (2.19 ERA).

Here's a look at the top potential postseason rotations as October looms, factoring in injury concerns and overall performance.

All stats below are through play on Thursday.

1. Dodgers

Ideal top 4: LH , RH , RH , LH
Key depth: RH , RH , LH , LH , RH

If we had compiled these rankings last week, there's a pretty good chance the Dodgers would have occupied the top spot then, too. Now, after acquiring Skubal -- the two-time defending AL Cy Young Award winner -- in a Deadline blockbuster, there is no question that L.A. touts the best potential postseason rotation. There are a number of injury concerns here -- namely, no one's exactly sure when Ohtani will pitch again amid an ailing left knee -- but there's also plenty of depth to compensate for potential absences. You can never have too much pitching, and this is an embarrassment of riches.

2. Phillies

Ideal top 4: LH , RH , LH , RH
Key depth: RH

The Phillies did not acquire a starting pitcher at the Deadline despite an acute need at the back of their rotation. But as president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski reasoned, "if we can make it to the postseason, our starting rotation is in really solid shape." That's because Wheeler (2.49 ERA) has returned from season-ending thoracic outlet decompression surgery with gusto, and Sánchez (2.61 ERA) is a top-tier ace. Luzardo also put an uneven start behind him to make his first All-Star team. Wheeler, Sánchez and Luzardo own three of the 15 best strikeout rates in baseball, among pitchers to throw 100 innings this season. Remember, Sánchez and Luzardo nearly toppled the Dodgers themselves -- without Wheeler -- last fall.

3. Yankees

Ideal top 4: RH , LH , RH , LH
Key depth: LH , RH

Pick a pitching metric, any pitching metric, and this rotation is bound to rank highly. The Yankees' rotation has the third-lowest ERA in the Majors (3.48), second-lowest FIP (3.57) and fourth-lowest batting average against (.225). Keep in mind that this unit has dealt with a number of key injuries and looks to be getting fully healthy at the opportune time. Cole did not make his season debut until Memorial Day Weekend, and Fried has been limited to just 13 starts due to an elbow injury. Rodón, meanwhile, is set to begin a rehab assignment on Saturday. Oh, and consider us excited to see what Schlittler has in store for an October encore after an eight-inning clinic in the decisive game of the AL Wild Card Series against the Red Sox last fall.

4. Red Sox

Ideal top 4: RH , LH , LH , LH
Key depth: LH

Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow remodeled his club in the offseason with a pointed emphasis on pitching and defense. And while a number of factors have powered Boston's midseason surge, starting pitching is at the forefront. The rotation has a 3.34 ERA since June 25 -- fifth lowest in baseball -- and the Red Sox are an MLB-best 31-5 since that date. Gray and Suarez, the two marquee offseason additions, have plenty of postseason experience. The real wild card here is , who is in the infancy of a throwing program that leaves the door open to a potential return later this season as he mends a rotator cuff injury. That would add a jolt of star power just in time for October.

5. Brewers

Ideal top 4: RH , LH , RH , RH
Key depth: LH , RH

This one is simple: No one wants to face The Miz, and for good reason. He's the most dominant pitcher in the Majors, lapping the field with a 1.63 ERA, a .145 batting average against and a 40.6% strikeout rate. The flame-throwing righty looked sharp in his first taste of the postseason last fall, pitching to a 1.50 ERA across 12 innings in three appearances.

The Brewers made a strong push for Skubal at the Deadline, and a Misiorowski-Skubal pairing would have certainly vaulted them to the top of this list. Even still, there are high-quality options behind Misiorowski. Harrison, a breakout lefty, is a legitimate No. 2 option, with a 2.84 ERA and a 31.1% strikeout rate that ranks fifth highest among pitchers to throw at least 80 innings. Henderson might be even better, with a 32.3% strikeout rate and a 2.70 ERA through 10 starts.

6. Rays

Ideal top 4: RH , RH , LH , RH
Key depth: RH , LH

The AL-best Rays owe much of their success to their rotation, which owns the fourth-lowest ERA (3.55) in MLB. It's possible that Martinez (2.65 ERA in 22 starts) has been the best signing of the offseason, earning an All-Star nod after inking a one-year deal in February. Although he's currently sidelined with a minor back injury, McClanahan has put together a strong campaign after two-and-a-half-years on the sideline. Rasmussen is the best of the bunch, a legitimate No. 1 option with pinpoint command and a vexing three-fastball mix. If the Rays can work their magic and figure out how to fix Peralta, a Deadline acquisition who started three playoff games for the Brewers last season, then this group will become all the more formidable.

7. Cubs

Ideal top 4: LH , RH , RH , LH
Key depth: RH , RH , RH , LH , LH

Chicago entered the lead-up to the Deadline with a firm goal: It desperately needed to patch together a starting rotation ravaged by injuries. After a frenzied few days, Chicago is flush with options. Gausman hasn't been his best this year, but he was sharp last fall for the pennant-winning Blue Jays; Holmes, meanwhile, was off to a great start before fracturing his fibula in mid-May. As far as the holdovers go, don't overlook Imanaga: the left-hander has pitched to a 2.06 ERA over his last 10 starts.

In an ideal world, a healthy Ben Brown would factor into Chicago's postseason rotation in some capacity. The 26-year-old has been on the shelf since late June with a neck injury and is slowly ramping up the intensity of his throwing program. He had a 1.85 ERA through 20 games (eight starts) and had seized a rotation spot in the weeks before his injury.

8. Padres

Ideal top 4: RH , LH , RH , RH
Key depth: RH , RH , RH

Here's another team that re-made its rotation with a flurry of Deadline action. Would you expect anything less from general manager A.J. Preller? Gone are the days of surrounding King with a slew of bulk relievers and bullpen games. Even though Mize's Padres debut did not go according to plan -- he allowed eight runs in 3 1/3 innings -- he's a playoff-caliber starting pitcher. The same goes for Ray, a former Cy Young Award winner still chugging along in his age-34 season. There could be more help on the way, too. Pivetta, sidelined since April with right elbow inflammation, is working his way back -- though he's taking a few extra days of rest after experiencing tightness in his right elbow during his first outing.

9. Guardians

Ideal top 4: RH , LH , RH , LH
Key depth: LH , RH

Cleveland has an underrated 1-2 punch atop its rotation, beginning with Williams. The way he is pitching these days, no one would want to face him in a postseason game. Williams has recorded 55 strikeouts across his last five starts, the most by any pitcher in a five-start span since Shohei Ohtani in 2022. His 32.3% strikeout rate is third highest among qualified pitchers, behind only Misiorowski and Toronto's Dylan Cease. Messick, an All-Star as a rookie, has allowed one earned run in each of his last five starts, lowering his season ERA to 2.57. On top of that, the addition of Griffin -- another All-Star southpaw -- in a Deadline deal should give manager Stephen Vogt more flexibility come October.

10. Mariners

Ideal top 4: RH , RH , RH , RH
Key depth: RH , LH

Seattle (56-60) is still in the hunt for a postseason berth, both in the AL Wild Card race and in the AL West. If they manage to sneak into the field, the Mariners have the pitching staff to make some noise, just as they did last season. Much of the intrigue here surrounds Kade Anderson, the No. 5 prospect in baseball, per MLB Pipeline, who has a 1.20 ERA with 119 strikeouts in 82 1/3 innings with Double-A Arkansas. When Anderson eventually reaches the Majors, he won't pitch out of the bullpen. So, might Seattle summon Anderson around Sept. 1, when rosters expand? It would certainly bolster an already-strong unit.

11. Braves

Ideal top 4: LH , RH , RH , RH
Key depth: RH , LH

Sale has to count for something, right? The left-hander continues to defy Father Time in his age-37 season, which could wind up as one of the best years of his career. He's 12-6 with a 2.08 ERA -- third best among qualified starters -- and 143 strikeouts in 117 innings. Most importantly, he's been the anchor for a rotation that has been decimated by injury. While the unit has pitched well overall, there's not another pitcher you'd feel comfortable handing the ball to in October. The organization's failure to land a frontline starting pitcher could come back to haunt them in a few months.

12. Marlins

Ideal top 4: RH , RH , RH , RH
Key depth: RH , RH

We had a slew of choices here -- the Pirates, Rangers and Astros were other contenders -- but this ultimately came down to which ace we preferred on the mound in a big game. We went with Alcantara, who leads the Majors with 156 2/3 innings pitched and has lowered his ERA to 3.68 with consecutive scoreless starts. The 6-foot-8 Pérez has a 2.30 ERA since coming off the IL in late June, sixth lowest among qualified starters in that span. Meyer is on the shelf with a neck strain, but the former No. 3 overall pick was in the middle of a breakout season that earned him his first career All-Star nod. When healthy, that's a pretty solid top three.