The Best Pitchers in MLB Right Now
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As of the 2025 season, the best pitchers in MLB are led by the reigning Cy Young winners: Tarik Skubal, who won the 2024 AL Cy Young with a pitching Triple Crown for the Tigers, and Chris Sale, the 2024 NL Cy Young winner for the Braves. Add the electric rookie phenom Paul Skenes and durable aces like Zack Wheeler, and you have the current front line of the sport.
The reigning Cy Young winners
| Award (2024) | Pitcher | Team |
|---|---|---|
| AL Cy Young | Tarik Skubal (Triple Crown) | Tigers |
| NL Cy Young | Chris Sale | Braves |
Skubal led the AL in wins, ERA and strikeouts — the pitching Triple Crown — while Sale claimed his first Cy Young after years as one of the game’s premier strikeout artists.
The young phenom
Paul Skenes is the standout young arm, overpowering hitters with elite velocity and a deep arsenal after going first overall in the draft and winning 2024 NL Rookie of the Year. He headlines a wave of hard throwers — several among the fastest ever recorded.
What makes an elite ace
The best pitchers pair high velocity with two or more plus secondary pitches and elite command, missing bats deep into games. Command of a deep arsenal — the types of pitches in baseball — is what separates an ace from a merely good starter.
How the best are ranked
Rankings weigh ERA, strikeouts, WHIP, innings and advanced metrics like FIP and WAR, with Cy Young voting as the clearest annual consensus. Pitching is volatile — injuries and form swing lists year to year — so this list is current as of the 2025 season.
The all-time context
Today’s aces chase legends: the career strikeout record of 5,714 belongs to Nolan Ryan, and active leaders trail far behind — see our most strikeouts by a pitcher leaderboard. For more, see our baseball guides.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the best pitcher in MLB right now?+
As of the 2025 season, Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers has the strongest claim, having won the 2024 American League Cy Young Award with a pitching Triple Crown — leading the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts. Chris Sale, the 2024 National League Cy Young winner for the Atlanta Braves, is his counterpart in the NL. Rankings shift with health and form, but reigning Cy Young winners are the clearest measure of the game's best.
Who won the most recent Cy Young Awards?+
For the 2024 season, Tarik Skubal won the American League Cy Young Award, capturing the AL pitching Triple Crown for the Detroit Tigers, and Chris Sale won the National League Cy Young Award for the Atlanta Braves — Sale's first after years as one of the game's most dominant strikeout artists. The Cy Young is awarded annually to the best pitcher in each league and is the sport's top pitching honor.
What makes a pitcher an elite ace?+
An elite modern ace usually combines high velocity, two or more plus secondary pitches, and elite command, allowing them to miss bats and pitch deep into games. Metrics like ERA, strikeout rate, WHIP and innings pitched capture their value. The best also stay healthy and consistent across a full season. Command of a deep arsenal — see the [types of pitches in baseball](/types-of-pitches-in-baseball/) — separates aces from good pitchers.
Who are the top young pitchers in MLB?+
Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates is the standout young arm as of 2025, having burst onto the scene with overpowering velocity and a devastating arsenal after being the top overall draft pick, winning NL Rookie of the Year in 2024. A wave of hard-throwing young starters continues to enter the league, and several are already among the hardest throwers in the game — see the [fastest pitch in MLB history](/fastest-pitch-in-mlb-history/).
How are the best MLB pitchers ranked?+
Rankings weigh recent performance (ERA, strikeouts, WHIP, innings), advanced metrics like FIP and WAR, durability, and postseason impact, with Cy Young voting serving as the clearest annual consensus. Because pitching is volatile — injuries and mechanical changes can swing a season — lists change quickly year to year. Reigning award winners and pitchers with sustained excellence anchor most credible rankings.
Who has the most career strikeouts among active pitchers?+
Among active pitchers, the career strikeout leaders sit far behind the all-time record of 5,714 held by Nolan Ryan, but veterans like Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer rank at the top of the active list, having each amassed well over 3,000 career strikeouts. See our [most strikeouts by a pitcher](/most-strikeouts-pitcher/) leaderboard for the full all-time and active picture.
Do the best pitchers change every year?+
To a significant degree, yes. Pitching is uniquely volatile — a single injury, mechanical tweak or velocity dip can drop an ace out of the top tier, while a young arm can rocket up in one season. That's why 'best pitcher' lists are framed by the most recent full season and Cy Young voting, and why this list is current as of the 2025 season and updated as the picture changes.
Sources
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