Starting Pitchers are the front line of your franchise’s defense. Which 5 pitchers are the best available?
The Starting Pitcher is the most important defensive player in baseball, and it’s where players will spend a majority of their game time.
There are many star pitchers in baseball today, but only 5 can make our list of the best starting pitchers in MLB The Show 20‘s Franchise Mode.
Let’s break down why these 5 players beat out the competition.
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5. Gerrit Cole – 95 OVR
The New York Yankees picked up Gerrit Cole this offseason after his dominant time with the Houston Astros. At just 29 years old, we should see some very productive years ahead of the promising pitcher, making him a valuable asset in Franchise Mode.
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Cole has an incredibly strong arm, and it shows with his 99 Velocity and 99 Break. His other strengths include 95 K/9, 90 Stamina, and 88 H/9. Cole’s biggest weakness is his 57 HR/9.
4. Clayton Kershaw – 96 OVR
Clayton Kershaw has been with the LA Dodgers since 2008, and he’s matured into an amazing pitcher over those 12 years. The leftie makes up for his lack of explosive power with a stronger stamina, and more consistent overall numbers.
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Kershaw’s weakness is how much of his skillset is absorbed in his fielding, the least important aspect of a pitcher’s game.
With 95 Stamina, 89 Clutch, and 86 Break, though, Kershaw is still a solid choice for Franchise Mode.
3. Justin Verlander – 96 OVR
Justin Verlander may share an OVR with Clayton Kershaw, but his skillset is much stronger as a starting pitcher.
Verlander’s biggest strengths are his 99 Break, 91 Stamina, and 91 K/9, but he also is very consistent across his pitching skills. He also has an incredibly strong arm for fielding in the rare situations it comes up.
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While Verlander is 37 years old, he’s still a valuable asset for Franchise Mode as one of the top 3 starting pitchers.
2. Max Scherzer – 99 OVR
Max Scherzer began pitching in the MLB in 2008, and he’s been one of the best in the league ever since.
Scherzer’s biggest strengths are his 99 K/9, 93 Stamina, and 91 H/9. He perhaps has the strongest fundamentals in the game, and will always deliver for his team.
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A consistent veteran with an incredible knack for striking out batters and running deep in games, Scherzer is a lethal weapon on the mound in Franchise Mode.
1. Jacob deGrom – 99 OVR
At just 31 years old, Jacob deGrom is absolute firework of a talent in the Starting Pitcher position that you can expect to see at the top level for years to come.
deGrom’s biggest strengths are his absolute cannon of an arm reaching 97 MPH for both of his fastballs, and an engine that doesn’t stop. With 98 Velocity, 93 Stamina, and 92 K/9, you can put all your faith in deGrom to wear out any batting lineup in the league.
While deGrom and Scherzer share 99 OVR, deGrom is without a doubt the best starting pitcher for MLB The Show 20’s Franchise Mode with his dominant velocity on top of his diverse skillset.
