Houston Astros Have Best Top Two Starters in Entire American League

The Houston Astros have the best one-two punch in the American League.

Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Every sport has its equalizer that can carry a team through a championship run.

In basketball, an offense that gets hot from behind the 3-point line can beat a better team in the playoffs. In football the phrase "defense wins championships" exists for a reason. Similarly, in hockey, a red-hot goaltender can almost single-handedly carry their franchise in a short series.

And in baseball, premium pitching is the king of all difference makers in October.

That's good news for the Houston Astros, who have the best one-two punch at the top of their rotation in the American League.

Framber Valdez is one of the game's best lefties, using his sinker, curveball and changeup trifecta to frustrate Major League hitters.

He's spent his entire seven-year career with the Astros, performing like a premium starter for each of the last four seasons.

He's coming off a career-best 4.5 bWAR campaign with a 15-7 record and 2.91 ERA.

As things stand today, Valdez is in a contract year, giving him further incentive to put his best foot forward in 2025.

Then there is 26-year-old right hander Hunter Brown, who would be the no doubt Opening Day starter for several Major League teams.

Browns' four-seamer hits in the mid-to-upper 90's, serving as the foundation for his six-pitch arsenal.

He took a leap in 2024, finishing with a 3.49 ERA with 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings and a 2.6 bWAR. If he can get his walks down, his 2025 ERA could get below 3.00 and put him further up the list when it comes to who is the American League's best pitcher.

Detroit Tigers ace and reigning AL Cy Young winner, Tarik Skubal, is still the best right now. The No. 2 in their rotation, Jack Flaherty, is rock solid, but doesn't have the premium upside of either Valdez or Brown.

In the very near future Skubal could pair with American League Rookie of the Year contender Jackson Jobe to form the AL's best one-two punch, but Jobe needs to become a proven big league commodity first.

The New York Yankees were also in this conversation until ace Gerrit Cole suffered an injury that will require season-ending Tommy John surgery.

Boston Red Sox ace Garret Crochet and Kansas City Royals pitcher Cole Ragans are both as good as it gets when it comes to top-of-the-rotation lefties, but the Red Sox and Royals both have much bigger drops offs in the No. 2 spot than Houston.

Now that Cole is out for the year, no one in the AL has a one-two punch like Valdez and Brown.

The Astros' rotation could be their differentiator come playoff time, and their one-two punch at the top of their rotation is their biggest advantage against everyone in the AL, especially the injury-ravaged Yankees.

If Houston exceeds expectations this season, there's a good chance both Valdez and Brown are in the AL Cy Young conversation.

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