MLB The Show 23: Best starting pitchers in Franchise

To win a baseball game you need to pick up 27 outs and to do that you need the MLB The Show 23 best starting pitchers on your roster. The starting pitcher is the most important player in any game, so having the best is a crucial part of team building.

While others may look at racking up runs, pitchers are all about limiting the opposition scoring. After all, it's no good scoring six runs yourself if the other team get seven!

These are MLB The Show 23's best starting pitchers for offline modes.

Best starting pitchers in MLB The Show 23

When it comes to building a team you shouldn't just look at OVRs. This goes for every position, but especially with pitchers. The attributes of pitchers can be confusing, but since you control a lot of what they do, some are more important than others.

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In this article, we will give you our picks for the best pitchers in franchise mode, RTTS, and every offline mode around. Pitching is about more than attributes though, and our MLB The Show 23 pitching guide can help you dominate on the mound.

Jacob deGrom (99 OVR)

Team: Texas Rangers

Age: 34

Throws: R

Injuries have hampered Jacob deGrom over the last few years, but when he's on the mound he is lights out. deGrom won back-to-back NL Cy Young awards in 2018 & 19, his last two healthy seasons, and is a career 2.52 ERA starter with nasty stuff.

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In MLB The Show 23 deGrom has 99 velocity with 87 control and 96 K/9. He's got a five-pitch arsenal that features a 99mph 4-seam fastball, a wicked slider, a curve, circle change, and a 2-seam fastball.

Shohei Ohtani (99 OVR)

Team: Los Angeles Angels

Age: 28

Throws: R

The World Baseball Classic champion is next up with his massive 99 OVR. The 2021 AL MVP racked 219 strikeouts in 28 starts last season with a 2.33 ERA. Oh, and he can hit too, but we aren't taking that into account here!

Ohtani's attributes are nuts. He's got 99 break with 90 velocity and 86 stamina. It's only lower per 9 stats than deGrom that stop him being #1. Ohtani has a 97 mph 4-seam fastball, a splitter, cutter, curveball, and slider.

Justin Verlander (98 OVR)

Team: New York Mets

Age: 40

Throws: R

Verlander may be in his 40s now but his career is still going strong. He's adjusted brilliantly to declining velocity, and wrapped up his third Cy Young award in 2022, hitting a crazy 1.75 ERA in 28 starts.

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Verlander's low 78 velocity can be a bit scary, but he's got 90 break and 89 BB/9 for excellent efficiency on the mound while his 93 stamina means he can eat up innings. His arsenal features a 95 mph 4-seam fastball, slider, classic 12-6 curveball, and a circle change.

Corbin Burnes (96 OVR)

Team: Milwaukee Brewers

Age: 28

Throws: R

Next up is Corbin Burnes, who burst onto the scene in 2020. Burnes claimed the NL Cy Young in 2021 and went over 200 innings in 2022 for the first time. He's got a career 11.7 K/9 and led the National League in strikeouts with 243 last season.

Burnes can blow hitters away with his 99 velocity and will stay on the mound forever with 90 stamina. He's another with a five-pitch arsenal, but he has no traditional 4-seam fastball. Instead he's got a cutter, sinker, slider, curveball, and circle change. Every pitch has a bit of movement on it, which is especially deadly.

Sandy Alcantara (90 OVR)

Team: Miami Marlins

Age: 27

Throws: R

This is what we mean when we say don't just look at OVR. Sandy Alcantara claimed the NL Cy Young last season. leading the Majors with 228.2 innings pitched and six complete games, but his OVR doesn't show his full quality.

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In MLB The Show 23, Alcantara has 99 velocity, 99 stamina, and 95 break. That's an incredible trio that will crush a lot of hitters. His only down-sides come in a relatively low K/9 (59) but that's really it. His pitch arsenal includes a 98 mph 4-seam fastball, a slider, sinker, 12-6 curve, and circle change.

More best starting pitchers in MLB The Show 23