Overpowering ace once again sits atop Starting Pitcher Power Rankings

4:18 AM UTC

There's a familiar face atop our latest Starting Pitcher Power Rankings.

That shouldn't come as much of a surprise. This particular right-handed hurler has overwhelmed hitters all season long, and he's made quite a bit of history with his triple-digit heat.

Here are the seventh Starting Pitcher Power Rankings of the season, as voted on by a panel of MLB.com experts.

All stats are through Tuesday unless otherwise noted.

1. , Brewers (Last poll: 1)

What more is there to say about The Miz? Every time he takes the mound, he tests the limits of what is possible. In his last start on June 26 against the Cubs, Misiorowski threw a 105.5 mph heater to Pete Crow-Armstrong, which is tied for the third-fastest pitch in the pitch-tracking era (since 2008). Misiorowski leads qualified starting pitchers in nearly every category -- whether that be his 1.45 ERA, 2.11 expected ERA, .143 batting average against or 38.8% strikeout rate. Oh, of course, he throws faster than anyone, too. His 100.3 mph average fastball velocity paces all starting pitchers.

2. , Phillies (2)

Sánchez doesn't quite have Misiorowski's heat, but he does have a pitch that is just as valuable. Sánchez's signature changeup has recorded a +18 run value this season; that's tied with Misiorowski's four-seamer as the most valuable pitch in baseball. That certainly matches the eye test: The opposition is hitting just .142 with a 45.9% whiff rate against Sánchez's changeup in 2026. It's a large part of why the lanky left-hander has the second-best ERA (2.00) and FIP (2.31) in the Majors, after tossing seven scoreless innings against the Pirates on Tuesday. He's also thrown the most innings (117) of any pitcher in baseball.

3. , Braves (10)

Sale surges into the top three in our rankings after just cracking the list last go-around, and for good reason. The left-hander is authoring a brilliant age-37 season with the fourth best ERA (2.10) and third best FIP (2.55) among qualified starting pitchers. His 194 ERA+ -- which essentially means that his ERA is 94% better than the MLB average -- would be his highest mark since 2018. For the most part, Sale is using the same formula that he did back then, relying on a low three-quarters arm slot, funky delivery and classic fastball/slider combo to baffle hitters.

4. , Yankees (3)

Schlittler had a rare off night in his last start Tuesday, allowing a career-high six earned runs and four home runs against the resurgent Tigers. But make no mistake, the 25-year-old is still having a brilliant campaign -- one that has him as the frontrunner for the AL Cy Young Award. He owns the lowest ERA in the American League (2.08) while ranking in the top 10 in strikeout-minus-walk rate (24.6%) and batting average against (.203). At six-foot-six, Schlittler overpowers hitters with a three-fastball mix, using either his four-seamer, cutter or sinker 91% of the time.

5. , Dodgers (4)

Ohtani has turned things around at the plate after a slow start; he's been the best hitter in baseball over the last six weeks. He's been every bit as good on the mound, too. Ohtani's 1.58 ERA is the second lowest in baseball among pitchers to throw at least 70 innings this season. That's a 258 ERA+, or an ERA that is 158% better than the MLB average. He's keeping the ball on the ground, limiting hard contact and generating plenty of swing-and-miss. That's a pretty flawless formula, and it sure is working for the two-way phenom.

6. , Reds (6)

The Reds are on the verge of getting their ace back, with right-hander Hunter Greene nearing a return from elbow surgery. In Greene's absence, a co-ace emerged: Burns, the No. 2 pick in the 2024 Draft, has taken a star turn. According to Baseball Reference, he is the third-most valuable pitcher in baseball, with his 4.0 bWAR trailing only Sánchez (5.7) and Misiorowski (4.5). Through 16 starts, Burns owns a 2.36 ERA and a 185 ERA+, while his 30.5% strikeout rate is fifth highest among qualified starting pitchers. He does things his own way, too. In an era where starting pitchers are embracing diverse pitch arsenals, Burns relies almost exclusively on his fastball/slider combo.

7. , Rays (7)

No AL starting pitcher is more difficult to hit than Rasmussen, whose .190 batting average against is the second lowest among all qualified starters. He doesn't walk anyone, either, with a 4.5% walk rate that ranks in the 98th percentile of MLB. Put those two together, and it's easy to see why Rasmussen has a 2.45 ERA and 0.87 WHIP through 16 starts. In June, the veteran righty pitched to a 0.82 ERA in 33 innings; in that stretch, only the Giants' Logan Webb had a lower ERA, among qualified starting pitchers. Rasmussen is a pretty safe bet to make his second consecutive All-Star Game later this month.

8. , Phillies (8)

Last August, in the wake of Wheeler's diagnosis of venous thoracic outlet syndrome, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said that his ace would come back "and be the Zack Wheeler of old." Remarkably, it has played out exactly like that. Entering Wednesday night's start against the Pirates, Wheeler's 2.03 ERA is fourth best among pitchers to throw at least 70 innings this season. He is 8-1 in 12 starts, weaponizing his versatile six-pitch mix to pick hitters apart -- the opposition is batting just .175 against Wheeler, the lowest of any starting pitcher not named Misiorowski or Ohtani.

9. , Giants (not ranked)

Webb is the first of two pitchers to join the rankings, and he does so on the back of a remarkable in-season turnaround. Webb allowed six runs to the Padres on May 5 -- inflating his ERA to 5.06 -- then landed on the IL soon after with knee bursitis. He returned on May 29 and has been a completely different pitcher, resembling the player who has finished in the top six in NL Cy Young Award voting in each of the last three seasons. Webb has allowed four runs in six starts since being activated. That's a 0.85 ERA, which is the second lowest in the Majors in that span. Only Misiorowski (0.77) has fared better.

10. , Marlins (not ranked)

Meyer's inclusion in these rankings is deserved, and also a long time coming. Meyer -- the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 Draft -- entered this year with a 5.29 ERA in 25 career Major League starts. In his age-27 season, and coming off a labrum tear in his right hip, Meyer is finally breaking out. He's 9-0 with a 2.60 ERA and a 3.30 FIP in 17 starts, relying on two elite breaking balls -- a sweeper and a slider -- which combine for 45% of his pitches.

In a rotation beset by injury, Meyer has emerged as a steady force. Pitcher wins are a flawed stat, but there's probably something to be said for this: Among the 123 pitchers to make at least 11 starts this season, Meyer remains the only one without a loss.

Others receiving votes: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Dodgers), Paul Skenes (Pirates), Dylan Cease (Blue Jays), Ranger Suárez (Red Sox), Jacob deGrom (Rangers), Sonny Gray (Red Sox), Kyle Harrison (Brewers), Parker Messick (Guardians), Logan Gilbert (Mariners), Braxton Ashcraft (Pirates), Davis Martin (White Sox)

Voters: Jason Catania, Theo DeRosa, Jared Greenspan, Brent Maguire, Manny Randhawa, Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru, Andrew Simon