Ranking the pitching staffs of all 12 MLB playoff teams: Yankees rotation looks unbeatable

Starter and bullpen roles get shaken up during the playoffs, but the players remain the same

Sep 28, 2026 at 12:00 pm ET • 6 min read

The 2026 Major League Baseball playoffs begin Tuesday with four Game 1s in the Wild Card Series. It's a 12-team field, and each league's top two division winners get a bye to the divisional round. That means eight teams in the first round before the final four join the fun. As we head to the most fun month of baseball on the calendar, which teams are set to have the best pitching?

Let's rank 'em!

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Kate Feldman

Here are the 12 playoff pitching staffs, ranked: 

12. Houston Astros

Hunter Brown is a frontline guy and Peter Lambert has settled in as a decent starter while Josh Hader is back among the best closers in baseball. The bullpen is actually pretty solid, but this bunch of a whole leaves a lot to be desired. As a team, the Astros ranked 24th in ERA this season at 4.45. Put it this way: After Brown, the playoff rotation is Lambert and Hayden Wesneski. 

11. Chicago White Sox

The rotation is scary in that it could end up costing the White Sox a series. Sean Burke could do very well and it's possible Anthony Kay has a gem or two left in him. Davis Martin has been good at times, too. Then there's Erick Fedde. Even if you look through rose-colored glasses here, it's a bad playoff rotation. The bullpen, though, is very good. Thanks to the emergence of Grant Taylor and Hagen Smith as reliable late arms, Bryan Hudson, Jordan Hicks and Sean Newcomb are supporting cast in a strong relief corps.

10. Chicago Cubs

It's always possible the Cubs find a good formula with the rotation and bullpen, but overall, this has been a subpar pitching staff for most of the season, and the bullpen has had major meltdown issues with nearly anyone they've tried in the late innings. What could the good formula be? Maybe something with David Peterson, Clay Holmes, Matthew Boyd and Kevin Gausman in the rotation while starters-by-trade beef up the bullpen in front of Daniel Palencia, Ryan Zeferjahn and Ryan Rolison. Does this all sound promising?

9. Cleveland Guardians

The Guardians ranked eighth in team ERA, but this isn't a stellar group like they've had at times in recent years. Parker Messick has the look of a possible playoff ace and Gavin Williams is a strikeout beast, but Messick has no playoff experience and Williams is very inconsistent. Tanner Bibee is the third starter and Foster Griffin has been terrible since his acquisition at the trade deadline. All-Star closer Cade Smith is a stud in the bullpen, but the bridge to the ninth isn't as sturdy as it has been for this ballclub. 

8. Philadelphia Phillies

On paper, the Phillies have the best rotation in the playoffs. If you got the best versions of Christopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo, Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola, that's a stellar bunch. The context behind the situation is a bit more dire. Luzardo is hurt, Sánchez posted a 5.12 ERA in September, Wheeler has a 4.43 ERA since the All-Star break and Nola was roughed up on his last two starts, including a short-rest disaster on Saturday. The upside is high, of course, and the back-end of the bullpen has the power arms of Jhoan Duran and José Alvarado, but things could go south here.

7. Atlanta Braves

How real is this run from Tyler Mahle? After posting a 5.13 ERA in 18 starts with the Giants, he had the look of an ace for the Braves with a 1.28 ERA in his first eight starts. He coughed up five runs on six hits in five innings last time out, though. Gulp. There's no need to worry about Chris Sale at the top, but the Braves sure need Mahle to be the guy he was for those eight starts as their No. 2. Lefty Martín Pérez is a fine No. 3. Can Raisel Iglesias hold down the ninth? Did Robert Suarez return from injury strong enough to trust in the eighth? Didier Fuentes and Dylan Lee are quality relievers. The Braves really could have one of the best staffs in the playoffs, but things behind Sale could also fall apart. Is it a house of cards?

6. San Diego Padres

The Casey Mize trade has been a disaster so far and now he's on the injured list. The good news is that Nick Pivetta is back. Along with Michael King, that gives the Padres two possible frontline starters and then they can roll with the dice with Robbie Ray third, while Walker Buehler is a viable fourth playoff starter. The bullpen is one of the best in baseball with the best back-end duo there is. Adrián Morejon is the best fireman in baseball and Mason Miller is the best closer. 

5. Tampa Bay Rays

Have the Rays fixed Freddy Peralta? He had a 5.33 ERA through 26 starts this season, but he's pitched to a 0.79 ERA in his last six. He could help form a nice three-headed monster with Drew Rasmussen and Nick Martinez while they wait (hope) for Shane McClanahan to return in time for the ALCS. Bryan Baker has made himself into one of the best closers in baseball and there are a lot of interesting pieces for the Rays to deploy in other relief spots.

4. Boston Red Sox

Only the Yankees and Brewers had a better team ERA than the Red Sox this season. Things shake out nicely for the playoffs, too. Sonny Gray is an ace, while Payton Tolle, Ranger Suárez and either Brayan Bello or Jake Bennett can fill out the playoff rotation. Aroldis Chapman is having quite the second act as an elite closer two years after it looked like his career was winding down. Garrett Whitlock and Tyron Guerrero are quality setup men, too. 

3. Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers got healthy in the rotation last season in time to ride four stud starters to the World Series. Thanks to the recent returns of Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell, in addition to Yoshinobu Yamamoto and the newly acquired Tarik Skubal, might the formula be repeating itself? It's possible. The bullpen could be a mess, but there's plenty of talent there with Tanner Scott, Evan Phillips and Edwin Díaz at the back. 

2. Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers sit second in baseball in team ERA. Jacob Misiorowski has been the best pitcher in baseball this season and sure has the look of a playoff ace. Logan Henderson is a stellar No. 2 as well. The bullpen is deep and outstanding with Trevor Megill and Abner Uribe holding down the late innings. Who will emerge as the third and fourth starters after Kyle Harrison fell apart, though? Perhaps Robert Gasser and a bit of a bullpen game with someone like Dustin May or Chad Patrick being used for bulk? The Brewers are loaded, but the Harrison situation looms large, as it leaves a hole in the rotation.

1. New York Yankees

The Yankees had the best team ERA in baseball this season and it wasn't even close (3.24; second place came in at 3.51). They boast the likely AL Cy Young winner Cam Schlittler, along with possible postseason aces Max Fried, Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón. During their last few appearances in the playoffs, the Yankees have had bullpen issues, but this time around, David Bednar has been a reliable closer, with Paul Blackburn and Brent Headrick performing beautifully in setup roles. This is a top-shelf pitching staff.