Skubal's Elbow Surgery Blows Up the Pitcher Pecking Order and Ohtani's Taking Over

Tarik Skubal was sitting pretty at the top of the starting pitcher rankings. Then his left elbow had other plans. The Tigers ace is going under the knife to remove loose bodies, and his return timeline is still up in the air. It's a gut punch for Detroit, for Skubal's impending free agency push heading into the offseason, and for the entire AL Cy Young conversation. The guy was a heavy favorite to win his third straight award. Now he's done for nobody knows how long.

So who steps into the void at number one? Nobody smaller than Shohei Ohtani.

Ohtani Is Doing Something Unforgettable on the Mound

Here's the wild part: Ohtani's bat has been pedestrian by his standards (a .814 OPS), but his arm? He's pitching like a man possessed. Through six starts, he's got an MLB-best 0.97 ERA. He hasn't allowed more than two earned runs or five hits in a single game. Opponents are hitting .160 against him with a .489 OPS. The guy is genuinely in the Cy Young conversation now, chasing one of the few achievements his career has somehow missed.

There's one catch, though. The Dodgers are only 2-4 in his starts. They scored five total runs across those losses, including a gut-punch Tuesday down in Houston. Even when you're unhittable, you need run support.

The Yankees Are Stacked, and the Rest of Baseball Knows It

Cam Schlittler went from postseason unknown (with one October gem against Boston) to legitimate ace. The 25-year-old has won seven of eight starts for New York. He's tied for the AL lead with five wins and sits first with a 1.52 ERA, a 282 ERA+, a 1.75 FIP and a 0.87 WHIP. The kicker? He does it mostly throwing fastballs, just overpowering hitters with pure stuff.

Max Fried rounds out the Yankees' dominance at number five. Despite leading baseball with 52 2/3 innings pitched, he's quietly been one of the toughest outs in the league. Opponents are batting .176 against him with just a .231 slugging percentage. He's put together four scoreless starts of six innings or more and is now 23-6 with a 2.76 ERA in his first 40 outings as a Yankee.

The Rest of the Elite

Chris Sale is reminding everyone why he's headed to Cooperstown. Since landing with Atlanta in 2024, he's gone 31-9 with a 2.42 ERA and a 171 ERA+ from ages 35-37. That's Hall of Famer stuff. Cristopher Sánchez has been the Phillies' lifeline, matching his elite 2025 form with 60 strikeouts and a 2.42 ERA. And Paul Skenes, despite those two brutal outings on Opening Day and April 30, still sits in the top six after posting a 0.95 ERA over a five-start stretch.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.