Here's how the Orioles rotation stacks up against the AL East in 2025

Opening Day is almost here and it's time for the final positional rankings of the spring - the starting rotations. In recent weeks, the teams at the top of the division have been dealt a number of injuries, which has closed the gap between them and the teams down below.

1. New York Yankees

The Yankees lost their ace Gerrit Cole to Tommy John surgery but still boast the best rotation in the division on the shoulders of Carlos Rodon and Max Fried. Fried, the two-time All-Star, signed an 8-year $218 million contract with New York this offseason. While his initial signing was to strengthen the reigning AL Champions' rotation he may have become their saving grace following the injury to Cole.

The Yankees' depth is challenged by the loss of Cole but behind Rodon and Fried the Yankees will roll out Marcus Stroman, Will Warren, and Carlos Carrasco. While on the older side of the league, Carrasco can still be a serviceable arm in a major league rotation. Stroman, while not as dominant as he was with the Blue Jays, is still one of the better arms in the division and rounds out the best rotation amongst the five. The group should get better when Clarke Schmidt returns from injury.

2. Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox lost Nick Pivetta over the winter but brought in a new left-handed ace from the Chicago White Sox in Garrett Crochet. If this sounds like deja vu, it's because 8 years ago the Red Sox did something very similar, acquiring fellow left-handed ace Chris Sale from those same White Sox. Crochet vaults this rotation into the second spot of the division. Crochet was not the only big-name arm to head to Boston over the winter, as Walker Buehler is making the trip from Los Angeles.

Tanner Houck and Richard Fitts will fall in line behind Crochet. Houck was an All-Star in 2024 while being the best arm for the Red Sox in that season. Houck finished 2024 with a 3.12 ERA which was a major improvement from his first full season as a starter in 2023. Expect the 1-2 punch of Crochet and Houck to be one of the best in the American League. Fitts is an intriguing young arm and looks like a breakout candidate for 2025. Righty Quinn Priester was recently optioned to Triple-A, leaving the fifth spot in the rotation up for grabs.

3. Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays brought in Max Scherzer to bolster their rotation which is already well-rounded with José Berríos and Kevin Gausman at the top. Gausman and Berríos are both former Cy-Young award candidates and while they did not have the season that they had hoped in 2024, the pair are capable of returning to their top form in 2025. Berríos has been the most stable pitcher the past two seasons, posting ERAs of 3.65 in 2023 and 3.60 in 2024. If Scherzer returns to his bulldog form following his injury-riddled stint in Texas, the Blue Jays staff could be one of the more dangerous in the American League.

The Blue Jays rotation is rounded out by Chris Bassitt and Bowden Francis, both on opposite ends of their careers. Bassitt is 36 and will be entering his ninth full season in Major League Baseball, while Francis is 28. 2025 will only be his third full year with the Blue Jays. The pair will round out the depth nicely with Bassitt being a traditional innings eater and Francis being projected to reach 150 innings pitched, via Fangraphs.

4. Baltimore Orioles

The Baltimore Orioles have taken the biggest hit due to their lack of an ace. This offseason Corbin Burnes left for Arizona and the Orioles responded by adding Charlie Morton, Tomoyuki Sugano, and most recently Kyle Gibson. That is not the only disappointing news for the Orioles as Grayson Rodriguez will begin the season on the injured list. Morton is not the same pitcher as he used to be but will go out every fifth day and give it everything that he has, while Sugano is one of the most decorated Japanese pitchers, will join the club and look to be the spark in the staff.

Zach Eflin and Dean Kremer are also returning to the rotation and are two of the most stable arms on the staff. With the injury to Rodriguez, Cade Povich will be the arm to replace him for the early portion of the season. Kyle Bradish is slated to return in the second half and gaining him will give the Orioles another one of their best arms back for the final stretch. The Orioles rotation does not inspire much confidence at the moment but backed by the young lineup and a strong bullpen the Orioles will stay strong contenders in the East.

5. Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays lost their ace Shane McClanahan to a triceps injury for the foreseeable future. While his loss does not drop them in the rankings it does not help their case to move up. The Rays boast the least experienced staff in the division. Ryan Pepiot will take his place on Opening Day and while he had a strong 2024 he was not to the level of a frontline starter. Taj Bradley and Shane Baz are the other pair of young arms the Rays will roll out to begin the season. Both have a high ceiling and Baz made 14 starts last season holding a 3.06 ERA. Bradley made 25 starts in 2024 but he struggled to keep the ball in the yard, surrendering 22 home runs last season.

The pair of veterans that will round out the Rays staff include Drew Rasmussen and Zack Littell. Rasmussen was primarily a reliever in 2024 but has started games throughout his career and will make the jump back to the rotation. Littell started in 29 games for the Rays and held a 3.63 ERA last year. He'll look to break the 150-inning threshold for a second season running. The Rays' success depends on the health of their young pitchers, with a history of nagging injuries they will have a hard time depending on them when they need it most.