The American and National League Championship Series (although the Los Angeles Dodgers are up 7-0 in the third inning at time of writing with a chance to close the series) are still going on, but 26 of 30 MLB teams are sitting at home hoping to have the opportunity to get that far next season. With that, let’s take a look at the best upcoming free agents that are starting pitchers.
Starting pitchers with player or team options are not included. A few examples are Chris Sale (team option - $12.5 million), Madison Bumgarner (team option - $12 million), and Gio Gonzalez (team option - $12 million).
To see the best Free Agent outfielders, click here.
To see the best free agent infielders, click here.
Yu Darvish
Darvish has won both of his postseason starts so far this year only further solidifying that he likely will be the most sought-after free agent starting pitcher. The 31-year-old was traded at the July trade deadline from the Texas Rangers to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He started 31 regular season games for both teams finishing with a 3.86 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 209 strikeouts in 186.2 innings. Staying healthy was a huge plus for Darvish after he started 22 games in 2014, missed the entire 2015 season with Tommy John surgery, and started 17 games in 2016. In his five seasons, he has a career 3.42 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and has struck out 11 batters per nine innings.
Jake Arrieta
Arrieta’s 3.53 ERA during the regular season was his highest since 2013, but he has only given up one earned run in 10.2 postseason innings albeit with five walks in both starts. This year, the 2015 National League Cy Young also went 14-10 in 30 starts for the Chicago Cubs with a 1.22 WHIP and 163 strikeouts in 168.1 innings.
While still a very good pitcher, he was flat out dominant in 2015. That season, the 31-year-old went 22-6 with a 1.77 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, and struck out 236 hitters in 229 innings.
Lance Lynn
Lynn had a solid 2017 season after missing the previous year due to Tommy John surgery. In 33 starts with the St. Louis Cardinals, he went 11-8 with a 3.43 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and had 153 strikeouts in 186.1 innings.
He improved as the season went along as well. Before the All-Star break he had a 3.61 ERA and gave up 20 home runs, and after he had a 3.21 ERA while only giving up seven long balls. The 30-year-old was one of the better National League pitchers in 2014 and 2015 as he had a 2.87 ERA in 64 starts.
Alex Cobb
Cobb missed the entire 2015 season and much of 2016 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. It was important for the 30-year-old to have a strong 2017 as he was getting ready to enter free agency, and he was able to do so. In 29 starts with the Tampa Bay Rays, Cobb went 12-10 with a 3.66 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and had 128 strikeouts in 179.1 innings. For much of the season he looked like the top of the rotation starter that he was for the Rays in the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
C. C. Sabathia
Sabathia looked like his career was nearing the finish line as he had a 4.81 ERA in 69 starts from 2013-15 for the New York Yankees. He has now posted two straight seasons with a sub-four ERA. The 37-year-old started 27 games in the regular season in 2017 and went 14-5 with a 3.69 ERA and 1.27 WHIP while striking out 120 batters in 148.2 innings. That was his lowest ERA and WHIP since 2012. He has continued to pitch well in this year’s postseason. Sabathia has started three games and gave up four earned runs in 15.2 innings while striking out 19.
Other notable free agents: John Lackey, Andrew Cashner, Jason Vargas, Jaime Garcia, Tyler Chatwood, Jhouyls Chacin
