As the MLB playoffs near, we could be looking at a National League field without a true ace
The MLB playoffs begin in just 5 weeks, and if the playoffs were to start today, the National League could be suffering from a severe lack of star power on the mound.
The names begin to roll off the tongue the last few years of dominant starters who carried their respective clubs deep into the postseason – Madison Bumgarner, Clayton Kershaw, Corey Kluber, Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester, Adam Wainwright – aces that dominated to help their team be able to make the World Series and/or win the whole thing.
This year’s MLB playoffs class from the National League could end up not featuring a single guy who is part of that elite “ace” club. Certainly, Lester could be part of the playoffs, but age has taken the luster off his “ace” label.
In fact, of the top 3 pitchers in bWAR in the National League – Aaron Nola, Max Scherzer, and Jacob deGrom, none would be in the playoffs if they started today. Of the top 10 in the National League in bWAR among pitchers, half would not make the playoffs, and only 3 would be on teams that were division winners.
While bWAR isn’t the true determination of an “ace”, many of those pitchers who would be considered an ace are not in the playoffs if the playoffs start right now. Most would put Max Scherzer, Clayton Kershaw, Jacob deGrom, and Madison Bumgarner in that class, and many would say that Aaron Nola has taken his final step to that level this year. In the National League,
The next tier of pitchers that aren’t quite “aces” but are guys you would be very happy having at the top of your rotation are the guys who seem to dot the rotations of National League representatives for the MLB playoffs this year.
Let’s take a look at those rotations: