Dodgers’ starting rotation is a startling second-best in majors

C.J. Wilson was the ace of the Texas Rangers’ pitching staff last season. When the Angels signed Wilson and slotted him into the No. 4 spot of their starting rotation behind Jered Weaver, Dan Haren and Ervin Santana, the debate raged as to whether the Angels might have a better rotation than the Philadelphia Phillies. The Dodgers let Hiroki Kuroda go because they could not afford him. They signed Chris Capuano and Aaron Harang, assembling a rotation perceived as Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw and four innings-eaters in Capuano, Harang, Chad Billingsley and Ted Lilly. Yet, the Dodgers boasted the best record in the majors through Friday’s games, primarily for two reasons; Matt Kemp and the starting rotation. The Angels’ rotation has been solid, second-best in the hitter-heavy American League, as ranked by earned-run average. But the Dodgers’ rotation has been spectacular, second-best in the major leagues, trailing only the Washington Nationals. The rotations of every major league team, ranked by ERA through Friday’s games, with the names of the five pitchers who have started the most games for each team:

TEAM ERA - PITCHERS Washington 2.63 - Strasburg, Gonzalez, Zimmermann, Jackson, Detwiler Dodgers 2.79 - Kershaw, Billingsley, Capuano, Harang, Lilly Philadelphia 2.93 - Halladay, Hamels, Blanton, Worley, Lee Miami 3.31 - Johnson, Nolasco, Buehrle, Zambrano, Sanchez St. Louis 3.31 - Wainwright, Lohse, Garcia, Lynn, Westbrook San Francisco 3.41 - Lincecum, Garcia, Lynn, Westbrook, Cain, Bumgarner, Zito, Vogelsong Toronto 3.45 - Romero, Morrow, Alvarez, Drabek, Hutchison Angels 3.60 - Weaver, Haren, Santana, Wilson, Williams Texas 3.62 - Lewis, Darvish, Harrison, Holland, Feliz Tampa Bay 3.63 - Shields, Price, Hellickson, Moore, Niemann San Diego 3.72 - Volquez, Richard, Bass, Luebke, Wieland Detroit 3.76 - Verlander, Porcello, Scherzer, Smyly, Fister Pittsburgh 3.84 - McDonald, Bedard, Correia, Morton, Burnett Houston 3.84 - Rodriguez, Norris, Harrell, Happ, Weiland Cubs 3.87 - Samardzija, Volstad, Maholm, Garza, Dempster Cincinnati 3.95 - Cueto, Latos, Arroyo, Bailey, Leake Seattle 3.99 - Hernandez, Vargas, Noesi, Millwood, Beavan Cleveland 4.05 - Masterson, Lowe, Jimenez, Gomez, Tomlin White Sox 4.06 - Peavy, Danks, Floyd, Humber, Sale Baltimore 4.06 - Arrieta, Hunter, Matusz, Chen, Hammel Oakland 4.15 - McCarthy, Colon, Milone, Ross, Parker Atlanta 4.19 - Hanson, Beachy, Minor, Delgado, Hudson Mets 4.35 - Santana, Dickey, Niese, Gee, Batista Arizona 4.41 - Kennedy, Cahill, Saunders, Miley, Corbin Milwaukee 4.50 - Gallardo, Greinke, Marcum, Wolf Yankees 4.89 - Sabathia, Kuroda, Hughes, Nova, Garcia Colorado 4.98 - Moyer, Nicasio, Pomeranz, Chacin, Guthrie Boston 5.23 - Lester, Buchholz, Doubront, Beckett, Bard Kansas City 5.27 - Hochevar, Chen, Sanchez, Duffy, Mendoza Minnesota 6.48 - Pavano, Blackburn, Liriano, Marquis, Hendriks