Two divisions down and four to go. This week puts us at the halfway point, so let's look at the:

American League Central

Davis Martin – Chicago White Sox: Unfortunately, most of the kid arms haven't made a big dent yet. The exception (to say the least) has been Davis Martin. He's 6-1 with a 1.61 ERA, a 0.98 WHIP, and 59 strikeouts in 56 innings with only 10 walks. Underperformance is the order of the day for everyone else the past couple seasons, triggering a pitching staff rebuild. I don't know for how long, but one major piece is still there. Erick Fedde has been very inconsistent with command of his secondary pitches, but he has developed enough to make hitters take notice. Where do you go from there? Sean Burke allowed 63 walks and 23 long balls in just 131 innings last year. He's better than that, but he makes me very nervous. Back in 2024 I was perhaps the biggest booster of Noah Schultz Unfortunately, he has pitched just 34 MLB innings over the last few seasons. Maybe he finds the fountain of health? A couple of veterans, Anthony Kay and Drew Thorpe are probably next in line, but they really don't excite me. I think the gem who could solidify the rotation and make an impact is Schultz. A southpaw with very good stuff, he has the raw ability to be an impact pitcher if he can stay healthy and throw strikes.

Tanner Bibee – Cleveland Guardians: The Guardians have long been a source of decent pitching, albeit a relatively quiet source. For a longtime I waffled on Bibee, but I guess he has pretty much won me over. His once rather average stuff has improved, and, more importantly, his command of his entire repertoire has come around, too. I The Guardians seem to have a way of making adequate pitchers much better as they mature. Gavin Williams is up next. He's not repeating his gaudy numbers from 2025, but he might be headed that way. Parker Messick will work from the third slot and he is also deep into that maturing process, but I see warning flags with him. His breaking stuff is virtually unhittable, but he has to stay ahead in the count so hitters can't just sit on his fastball. It looks like Joey Cantillo and Slade Cecconi will handle the fourth and fifth spots. I like Cantillo slightly better right now, but he can be inconsistent. He's a soft-tosser, and that makes me a bit skittish. He's only 26-years-old and is dealing with health issues, but if healthy he fits. The pipeline is pretty empty after that, as I expect Cecconi will also see regular turns in Cleveland this season, but if any of the first five miss any time, the cupboard is pretty bare.

Justin Verlander – Detroit Tigers: In Detroit Tarik Skubal is the great hope for the team. He has a big arm and has upside, but he suffered a flexor tendon injury and missed the first half 2023. The good news is he is coming off back-to-back seasons of more than 190 innings. Then there's Verlander. He never seems to get older. How about a trivia question? If Verlander and closer Kenley Jansen pitch a game. How many years are we talking? Ready? Try 83! A couple years ago, the team signed Jack Flaherty and Framber Valdez, for stability, to go with Casey Mize. All three have enjoyed success but have struggled recently. What will we see for the rest of 2026? I'm inclined to look for at least some bounce-back. Keider Montero and Troy Melton are other options but not necessarily great options. Another name to mention is Jackson Jobe. He has a good slider and change-up, so maybe he breaks the trend and continues to develop, eventually locking down a spot in the rotation. I like Reese Olson, too, but he's out until next year.

Michael Wacha – Kansas City Royals: The two members of the staff I have modestly touted the past couple years are Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo. Realistically they are back-of-the-rotation options for fantasy teams, but Ragans is a potential wild card. The same might be said for fringe fantasy starter Wacha. He is usually good for a few decent innings. Kris Bubic also is in the mix. The Royals have gone after pitching in the draft over the past few years, and one or two of their top prospects could find their way to Kansas City later this summer. Where are Kendry Chourio and Michael Lombardi along the developmental timeline? Chourio is a genuine hot prospect, and Lombardi has some potential, but they are both probably at least a year away from serious help.

Taj Bradley – Minnesota Twins: Bailey Ober is having a better than expected season despite meager velocity. Even with Ober's upside, Joe Ryan might actually be the ace of the staff. He gives you solid numbers every five days. And watch out for Bradley. I love his stuff. There are a couple other names to keep in mind. Connor Prielipp is first in line and will likely collect starts, but the rotation is crowded right now. I also like a couple young guys. I think Zebby Matthews and Kendry Rojas are both ready to consistently contribute at the MLB level.

Find out which projected starters are going and when with RotoWire's Probable Pitchers page!

In notable happenings ...

Houston's Tatsuya Imai tossed a no-hitter against the Rangers. Interestingly, it was the first no-no in MLB in almost two years as fellow Japanese player Shota Imanaga was the primary hurler in a no-hitter in September, 2024. It wasn't the cleanest outing, as he walked four and needed 97 pitches to cover six innings.

Next week we'll look at the NL Central.