2022 MLB All Breakout Team-Pitchers

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We’ve yet to hear the pitchers that will comprise the pitching staff for the MLB all-star team but I will not keep anybody waiting for the pitching staff on the MLB All-Breakout Team.

Starters

Sandy Alcantara

Sandy Alcantara’s inclusion here might be questionable as he has been the ace of the Marlins roster for a couple of years at this point. The only way for a team’s ace to break out is for them to be so good that they reach new levels of stardom. Alcantara has done just that this year, producing an eye-popping ERA+ of 228. Alcantara leads the entire league in WAR and innings pitched while being top 10 in nearly every meaningful pitching statistic.

In plain terms, Sandy Alcantara is the best pitcher in baseball. Maybe some expected Alcantara to play this well, but nobody expected the debate around the best pitcher to be so inarguable.

Shane McClanahan

Shane McClanahan doesn’t know what the phrase sophomore slump even means.

His rookie season saw him producing a solid 3.43 ERA with a top 10 finish in the rookie of the year. Coming into this year, Rays fans were happy with McClanahan but the other Shane in the rotation was drawing more excitement.

The title of ‘Best Shane in the Tampa Bay Rays Pitching Staff’ was in limbo during spring training but an early-season injury to Shane Baz gave the title back to McClanahan. With that title secured, McClanahan has gone on to strike out 133 and leads the AL in ERA+, SIERA, xFIP, WHIP, H/9, and K/9. With numbers like those, McClanahan has the Best Shane award locked down for at least the next three months.

Tony Gonsolin

Gonsolin is another example of a guy leaping from stardom to superstardom. A well-heralded prospect in the stacked Dodgers farm system, Gonsolin dealt with shoulder issues through his first few years in the majors. Despite those injury issues, Gonsolin put up good numbers in the first few years of his career, albeit with few pitching appearances. The promise he showed in his first few years was squashed after a poor 2021 where he put up a 5.5 BB/9.

With lowered expectations coming into the season, Gonsolin has exploded. He has put up 10 wins without a single loss to his name. An undefeated pitcher at this point in the season is a very rare sight and should not be overlooked. With league-leading marks in ERA+, H/9, and WHIP, it’s safe to say that Gonsolin has rebounded.

Joe Musgrove

In any other year, Joe Musgrove would be the clear frontrunner for NL Cy Young. Clearly, this is no normal year for pitching (don’t you dare mention the change in the ball). Nevertheless, Musgrove has blossomed into the ace of a contending San Diego Padres team. The 172 ERA+ and 2.25 are pretty numbers for any pitcher but it’s a development that is a welcoming sight for a player that was stuck in the 4.00s for much of his career. The Pirates just can’t seem to stop messing these players up.

Nestor Cortes

We all remember the memes about Nestor Cortes in his 2021 season but his wacky windups have taken the Yankees to one of the best mid-season marks in MLB history. Say what you want about the mustache or the windups, but it brings results. His 3.36 FIP isn’t nearly as good as the first three dudes, but Nasty Nestor’s oBA was in the .100s for the first two months of the season. That dominant stretch gets him the last spot in the starting rotation.

Bullpen

Clay Holmes

Clay Holmes was a shutdown reliever last season but wasn’t able to get past Aroldis Chapman. This year, a well-timed injury from the Cuban Missile allowed Clay Holmes to take over the closer role. With that promotion, Holmes has become the rare reliever to enter Cy Young conversations. Relievers don’t usually deserve the award but his 0.50 ERA and 783 ERA+ give him an opportunity to win the award if McClanahan and Verlander regress. Clay Holmes is yet another case of the Pirates moving away from a talented player.

Tanner Houck

I’ve talked about Tanner Houck a lot more than I think I should’ve so I’ll keep it short. Houck sucked as a starting pitcher but his move to the bullpen has allowed him to move into the Red Sox closer role. A contender like the Red Sox employing a previously-struggling young guy to the closer role just shows how much Houck has impressed those around Boston this year.

Mike Ford

Mike Ford is a designated hitter that has bounced from team to team this season but he’s finally found a new home in Atlanta. He hasn’t played that great, in fact, he’s played pretty bad. He’s up to .162 on the season and hasn’t collected a single hit for the Braves but he has still broken through.

Now pitching for the Braves: Mike Ford pic.twitter.com/D6TTYxG6AE

— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 1, 2022

His recent relief appearance for the Braves has garnered the love of MLB fans. He let up a homer on his second at-bat but a breakthrough is a breakthrough!