MLB

MLB Postseason: Ranking the Starting Rotations

Matt Kupferle  —  @MKupferle Oct 6th, 2016
Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse the slideshow

3) Washington Nationals

Starters xFIP: 3.81 (3rd)

Starters SIERA: 3.81 (2nd)

K-BB %: 16.7% (2nd)

Projected Rotation: Max Scherzer, Tanner Roark, Gio Gonzalez and Joe Ross

Scherzer headlines a postseason rotation that is very strong, and with a healthy Stephen Strasburg, who will miss the NLDS with a strained flexor mass, this staff would have been even stronger. Scherzer finished 2016 with a 3.05 SIERA, which is his fifth consecutive season below 3.10. Scherzer ranked second among starting pitchers in strikeout rate (29.5%) and K-BB% rate (25.3%).

Roark, meanwhile, moved up into the second spot in the rotation, and he did Tanner Roark-like things all year. He sported a mediocre strikeout rate (20.1%) while walking 8.5% of hitters. His 2.83 ERA in 210 innings was fantastic, but his career-high 4.32 SIERA indicates he was getting pretty lucky.

Gonzalez and Ross round out the rotation and were mediocre in 2016. Gonzalez logged 32 starts for the Washington Nationals and recorded his highest SIERA since 2010 (3.96). Ross was a breakout candidate prior to the season, but he was hampered by injuries and limited to only 19 starts and 105 innings.

Prev Next