Chris Tillman – Baltimore Orioles
Much like the White Sox, the Orioles have exceeded expectations thus far in 2016, and Tillman is a big reason why. The Orioles, a team with sluggers like Chris Davis, Manny Machado, Adam Jones, and Mark Trumbo, are hanging their hats on pitching.
Tillman’s emergence as the O’s ace is maybe not too surprising, as he’s had solid seasons in the past, but this year he’s reached a different level. His 2.61 ERA is fourth in the American League and his 2.88 FIP is fifth. At 6-1 through his first nine starts, Tillman is also blowing his career averages for strikeouts and home runs per nine innings out of the water.
And Tillman is getting better as the season progresses. After Wednesday’s victory against the Seattle Mariners, the right-hander has six straight quality starts and a 1.83 ERA in that span.
Next: A career renaissance in the Bay Area