MLB: The 25 most valuable pitchers of 2019
By Bill Felber
25. Marcus Stroman, Toronto Blue Jays/New York Mets, $11.789 million value; $7.4 million salary
Stroman’s status is based largely on his 126 OPS+, 18th best among starters. He ranked 26th in innings with 184.1, but just 43rd in strikeouts with 159.
24. Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants, $11.881 million value; $12 million salary.
With 207.2 innings on the mound, Bumgarner was baseball’s ninth most-used pitcher. His 203 strikeouts ranked 22nd, but his 107 ERA+ stood only 50th among the group of 89. He counted 189 strikeouts, good for 27th overall.
23. Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers, $12.061 million value; $31 million salary
Kershaw’s rank is compromised by his workload. With 178.1 innings on the mound in 2019, he ranked just 35th. Kershaw’s strength lay in his 137 ERA+, ranking 17th in the group.
22. Walker Buehler, Los Angeles Dodgers, $12.131 million value; $570,000 salary
Buehler’s ranking is probably one of the bigger surprises, but his numbers uniformly verify his status in the lower reaches of the top 25. With 182.1 innings of work, he ranked just 31st. He registered 219 strikeouts, a total that stood 19th. His 127 ERA+ was 26th, solidifying his final position of 22nd.
21. Jose Berrios, Minnesota Twins, $12.223 million value; $620,000 salary
Berrios’ 200.1 innings ranked 15th among all pitchers. He ranks only 21st overall due to his 124 ERA+, good for just 29th on the list. Berrios’s 195 strikeouts ranked 25th overall.