5 Arms That Have Impressed So Far In 2025

How can you not be romantic about the unsung hero?

Tyler Mahle - Texas Rangers

Mahle is on a money year and is hungry for that next contract. I know it is only June 6, but this has been Mahle’s best season to date. The 31-year-old is attacking lineups with a 4-pitch mix consisting of a Four Seamer (49.9%), Split Finger (28.2%), Slider (11.1%), and a Cutter (10.8%) and has been generating positive results. Mahle is generating a 19.4 Whiff% or more on all four of these pitches. What a nightmare of an at-bat.

Texas is relying on Mahle big time as Eovaldi just hit the injured list, and Jacob deGrom is a ticking time bomb. The crazy thing is Mahle’s BB% is up this year, standing at 9.2%, his highest since 2020. I keep seeing the industry saying to fade Mahle in fantasy, but I think this man is on a mission to get paid this offseason.

2025 - 2.3 WAR | 71.1 IP | 13 GS | 6 W | 2.02 ERA | 1.07 WHIP | 53 K | 4.54 SIERA

Carlos Rodón - New York Yankees

Rodón has been lights out this year for the Yankees. Even for a “New York” guy, I feel he is not getting the media attention he deserves, probably because the focus has been on teammate Max Fried, who has been disgusting so far in 2025.

Rodón is looking like he did in 2021-2022, the main reason the Yankees went out and offered him a six-year, $162 million contract. Look for Rodón to continue dominating, as when he is healthy, he is gas!

2025 - 2.5 WAR | 79.2 IP | 13 GS | 8 W | 2.49 ERA | 0.93 WHIP | 98 K | 3.08 SIERA

Nick Pivetta - San Diego Padres

What a signing by the Padres! Nick Pivetta leads the team in ERA and Wins. Not to mention, he is one out behind Cease for the most innings pitched on the team. Imagine if Michael King’s injury turns out to be worse than reported? It doesn’t look that way, but San Diego would be in a real pinch if that were the case.

There have been Dylan Cease trade rumors fluttering around, and if the Padres do decide to move Cease at the deadline, Pivetta would be the #2 in the rotation, assuming Michael King returns healthy sooner rather than later. San Diego got a steal with this free agency signing. I can’t say the contract the offered Pivetta is going to be a smash hit, but 4 years/$55M is a steal for the results Pivetta has delivered. He is 32 years old, so the back end of the contract might be a little sketchy. That being said, this man is earning every dollar of that contract so far in 2025.

2025 - 1.6 WAR | 68.1 IP | 12 GS | 6 W | 3.16 ERA | 1.02 WHIP | 76 K | 3.30 SIERA

Kris Bubic - Kansas City Royals

Did anyone have Kris Bubic as the best pitcher on the Royals entering 2025? The answer is no. Not only has Bubic been the best pitcher on Kansas City, but he has the best ERA in all of baseball with a 1.43.

Bubic uses a 5-pitch mix consisting of a Four Seamer (38.9%), Sweeper (20.9%), Changeup (20.7%), Slider (13.9%), and a Sinker (5.6%). He is generating a 30 Whiff% with three of these pitches and has been lethal to opposing lineups.

If the Royals don’t extend him this offseason, they will lose him. He is going to become a very rich man in 2027 as he will still be on the right side of 30 and an unrestricted free agent!

Griffin Canning - New York Mets

David Stearns. David Stearns. David Stearns.

No, the President of Baseball Operations of the New York Mets is not the direct reason why Griffin Canning is having so much success with the Mets, but it doesn’t hurt. The pitching whisperer seems to be getting the best out of the former Angel. The 29-year-old is having the best season of his career to date, pitching to a 2.90 ERA in 2025. He has never finished a season lower than a 3.99. Coincidence?

Let’s be honest, without this emergence out of Canning, the Mets’ rotation looks a lot more suspect. I am not saying New York’s rotation is not good, I am saying that without Canning, that is not as deep. I understand that Clay Holmes, Kodai Senga, Tylor Megill, and David Peterson have all had productive seasons so far in 2025. Not to mention the fact that Sean Manaea & Frankie Montas are both rehabbing injuries and will be back soon. That being said, it just doesn’t have the look or feel of a World Series-winning rotation.

2025 - 1.4 WAR | 59 IP | 12 GS | 6 W | 2.90 ERA | 1.32 WHIP | 57 K | 4.02 SIERA

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