Atlanta’s Best Arm Snubbed by MLB’s Starting Pitcher Rankings

The Atlanta Braves' best starter is getting overlooked by Major League Baseball

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Reynaldo López has allowed only two earned runs in his first twenty-five innings. / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The Atlanta Braves have had some things not go their way this season. 

Top starting pitcher Spencer Strider, who left the home opener complaining of elbow pain that resulted in season-ending elbow surgery, was expected to be the anchor of a rotation that was seen as potentially one of the best in baseball. 

Instead, it’s free agent signee Reynaldo López, 2-0 with a 0.72 ERA, that has put up some of the best performances of any starter in all of baseball. He‘s allowed just two earned runs in his first 25 innings (four starts) on the 2024 season, including a thirteen-inning scoreless streak that spanned two full games. 

Despite López’s dominance, however, MLB.com’s Starting Pitcher Power Rankings, updated this morning after voting from the staff of MLB.com, don’t have him represented in the top nineteen. 

And that feels like an oversight. 

It’s actually the third iteration of the rankings for this season - Spencer Strider was at the top of the list prior to Opening Day, but has been removed for obvious reasons - yet López continues to not be recognized for his dominance. 

The top ten is full of a lot of names you’d expect - Zach Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies (#1), Tyler Glasnow of the Los Angeles Dodgers (#2), and Corbin Burnes of the Baltimore Orioles (#4) - but one name that got my attention is Boston Red Sox starter Kutter Crawford, who is new to the list for this edition. 

Coming in the list at #7, MLB.com notes that he’s currently leading the majors with a 0.66 ERA. Having made five starts covering 27.1 innings, Crawford’s allowed only three runs (two earned) while striking out thirty and not yet allowing a homer. MLB.com notes that he’s not allowed more than one run in any of his five starts, including holding the Orioles and Cleveland Guardians scoreless. 

Know who is second in all of baseball in ERA behind Crawford? Reynaldo López, who has also put up two scoreless outings among his four starts and hasn't allowed more than one run in any outing this season.

And yet, no recognition. 

López didn’t even make the “others receiving votes”, which has nine names who all were mentioned by the thirteen MLB.com voters while they were compiling the rankings. 

Would you really rather have Paul Blackburn of the Oakland A’s, who has allowed seven runs in five starts, over Reynaldo López right now? What about Toronto’s Yusei Kikuchi, who also has seven runs allowed in 27.2 innings and a loss on his ledger? Seattle’s Bryce Miller has eight runs allowed (seven earned) and eleven walks with five homers already on the season, but he’s getting votes instead of López. 

Make it make sense.