Spring Training Position Battles - Pitchers

Tyson Ross (7.71 ERA in 2017) and Chris Young (7.50 ERA) are trying to pitch their way
into what the Padres are generously calling a rotation.

ARIZONA: The D'backs are one of the few teams with no rotation questions heading into opening day. Zack Greinke is recovering from a groin injury; he's unlikely to start opening day but isn't headed for the DL. His mates will be Robbie Ray, Taijuan Walker, Patrick Corbin and Zack Godley. The closer competition includes Brad Boxberger, Archie Bradley and Yoshihisa Hirano, with no one chosen yet.

ATLANTA: The Braves will open the season with Julio Teheran, Mike Foltynewicz, Brandon McCarthy, Sean Newcomb and ... wait, really? Scott Kazmir? That can't be right. Well, it might be Matt Wisler instead. It would have been Luiz Gohara, but he tweaked an ankle this spring.

CHICAGO: The Cubs are set with Jon Lester, Yu Darvish, Jose Quintana, Kyle Hendricks and Tyler Chatwood. Eddie "Geezer" Butler and Mike Montgomery would be next in line when Chatwood goes on the DL. 

CINCINNATI: If you know what the Reds' rotation will look like, you're ahead of Cincy management. Anthony DeSclafani and Brandon Finnegan are hurt, so it's looking like Homer Bailey, Luis Castillo, Sal Romano and two of Tyler Mahle, Amir Garrett and Robert Stephenson. Isn't Jose Rijo about due for another comeback?

COLORADO: The Rockies appear to have a solid top four, with Jon Gray, Chad Bettis, German Marquez and Tyler Anderson. The fifth spot is up for grabs among Kyle Freeland, Jeff Hoffmann and Antonio Senzatela.

LOS ANGELES: Until the Dodgers decide to play musical chairs with the disabled list, the rotation is set with Clayton Kershaw, Alex Wood, Kenta Maeda, Rich Hill and Hyun-Jin Ryu. Ross Stripling and Brock Stewart are still around to fill in, and Walker Buehler might be there too.

Why the hell not, Marlins? Nobody's watching anyway.

MIAMI: Wei-Yin Chen is hurt (again), which means Jose Urena is the Marlins' opening day starter. The rest of the rotation is Dan Straily, Adam Conley and who the hell knows? Everyone else is hurt or has pitched so badly this spring that they're said to be ticketed for the minors. But SOMEONE has to be in the rotation. We assume it will be Dillon Peters or Justin Nicolino or Odrisamer Despaigne or Jarlin Garcia or maybe Charlie Hough. Keep up the good work, Jetes. Meanwhile, Brad Ziegler has the closer job for now, but we find it hard to believe he'll be there all season. Keep an eye on Drew Steckenrider or Kyle Barraclough to pick up a few of the 20 save opportunities Miami will have this year.

MILWAUKEE: Ace Jimmy Nelson is out, so it appears to be Zach Davies, Chase Anderson and Jhoulys Chacin for sure. The candidates for the other spots are Brent Suter, Wade Miley and Junior Guerra. Yovani Gallardo is a reliever now, and Brandon Woodruff appears likely to start the year in Triple-A.

NEW YORK: (Disclaimer: Mets projections subject to change as injuries mount.) Noah Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom have locked down spots, obviously. Matt Harvey, Steven Matz, Zach Wheeler, Jason Vargas, Seth Lugo, Robert Gsellman and Rafael Montero are here too. The smart money is on Harvey, Matz and Vargas pitching with a broken bone in his right hand.

PHILADELPHIA: Jake Arrieta, Aaron Nola and Vince Velasquez are locked in, and Jerad Eickhoff was until he got hurt. That means Nick Pivetta is locked in, with Ben Lively most likely to be the No. 5 guy with Mark Leiter getting hurt today. Zach Eflin and Jake Thompson are still around too, so they remain possibilities.

PITTSBURGH: Ivan Nova is starting on opening day. Welcome to the 1993-2012 Pirates! The rest of the rotation is Jameson Taillon, Chad Kuhl, Joe Musgrove and Trevor Williams. Tyler Glasnow is probably going to start the year in the minors until he can get some people out.

SAN DIEGO: Besides Miami's, here's another rotation that makes Pittsburgh's look like the 2011 Phillies'. Clayton Richard get the opening day nod and will be followed by Luis Perdomo, Dinelson Lamet and probably Bryan Mitchell, for some reason. Former San Diego legends Tyson Ross and Chris Young are in the hunt for the final spot, along with oft-injured Robbie Erlin.

Sean Doolittle loves the slow jams. 

SAN FRANCISCO: The Giants appear to be set in the rotation with Madison Bumgarner, Johnny Cueto, Jeff Samardzija, Chris Stratton and Ty Blach. But Derek Holland has pitched well this spring and might get a shot. Mark Melancon is the closer to open the year, but Sam Dyson, Tony Watson and Hunter Strickland are there if he struggles.

ST. LOUIS: The Cards appear set to open the year with Carlos Martinez, Adam Wainwright, Michael Wacha, Miles Mikolas and Luke Weaver. The closer position is a question mark, though. Luke Gregerson might have the job, but he's been hurt much of the spring. There are rumblings that Dominic Leone might take the job, but he's a former Mariner, so ... come on. Lefty Tyler Lyons might get a shot, too.

WASHINGTON: Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez and Tanner Roark are the obvious top four; the fifth spot will go to A.J. Cole, Jeremy Hellickson, Edwin Jackson or Tom "Bones" Milone. Sean Doolittle seems to be entrenched at closer, but we know how today's managers feel about southpaws pitching to more than one hitter. Ryan Madson, Brandon Kintzler, Joaquin Benoit, Koda Glover and Shawn Kelley are in the bullpen too, so the Nats have plenty of options.