Building a winning team in baseball is like creating a masterpiece on the field. Throughout MLB history, the best teams have had incredible lineups of hitters. Fans have cheered for legendary players who could knock the ball out of the park or get a hit when it counted most. Imagine if all the greatest hitters from a team’s history could come together to make the perfect lineup. That’s what we’re exploring for all 30 MLB teams, starting with an AL West squad:
Seattle Mariners
Catcher — Dan Wilson
First Baseman — Alvin Davis
Second Baseman — Bret Boone
Shortstop — Alex Rodriguez
Third Baseman — Kyle Seager
Left Fielder — Raul Ibanez
Right Fielder — Ichiro Suzuki
Center Fielder — Ken Griffey Jr.
DH — Edgar Martinez
Starting Pitcher — Randy Johnson
The Mariners are still searching for their first World Series, but at least they have a stacked all-time Starting 9. Griffey Jr., Rodriguez, Ichiro, Martinez, and Johnson are amongst the greatest players in MLB history. Griffey hit over 400 HR and won one MVP and 10 Gold Gloves en route to becoming arguably the most popular player of all time. As a 20-year-old, A-Rod led the American League in runs (141), doubles (54), and BA (.358), and hit 36 HR to finish runner-up for the MVP. Martinez became the greatest DH of all time during his 18-year career. Ichiro won the AL MVP as a rookie and eventually tallied over 2,500 hits as a Mariner despite beginning his MLB career at the age of 27. Johnson won 130 games and his first Cy Young with Seattle, and had a dominant stretch that saw him go 75-20 with a 2.86 ERA and 1,182 strikeouts in five years.
Chicago White Sox
Catcher — Carlton Fisk
First Baseman — Frank Thomas
Second Baseman — Eddie Collins
Shortstop — Luke Appling
Third Baseman — Robin Ventura
Left Fielder — Shoeless Joe Jackson
Right Fielder — Magglio Ordonez
Center Fielder — Johnny Mostil
DH — Jim Thome
Starting Pitcher — Mark Buehrle
The White Sox may only have three World Series titles dating back to 1901, but the franchise has had its share of superstars over the years. Frank Thomas won back-to-back MVPs (1993-94) and hit 448 HR for the Sox en route to a Hall of Fame career. Thome was an easy call for DH, as he slugged 134 HR in a little over three seasons with the club. Appling and Collins would form one of the best middle infields the sport has ever seen. Shoeless Joe (forgetting his faults for a moment) hit .340 with the Sox. Fisk is a Hall of Famer behind the dish, and Ventura won six Gold Gloves at the hot corner.
Cleveland Guardians
Catcher — Victor Martinez
First Baseman — Jim Thome
Second Baseman — Nap Lajoie
Shortstop — Lou Boudreau
Third Baseman — Jose Ramirez
Left Fielder — Albert Belle
Right Fielder — Manny Ramirez
Center Fielder — Tris Speaker
DH –Travis Hafner
Starting Pitcher — Bob Feller
One of baseball’s most tortured franchises in terms of winning the World Series, Cleveland has employed some of the game’s best players despite having last won it all in 1948. Lajoie was a savant at the plate, winning three Batting Titles during his Hall of Fame career. Speaker was a superstar in centerfield. In 11 years with Cleveland, Speaker hit .354 with 486 doubles (he is the all-time leader with 792). Manny Ramirez, Thome, and Belle were some of the best hitters of their generation — and Jose Ramirez fits the bill currently. Of course, Bob Feller is the only option as Cleveland’s starting pitcher. Feller won 266 games, the pitching Triple Crown, and was a key part of the ’48 World Series winning team.
Detroit Tigers
Catcher — Bill Freehan
First Baseman — Miguel Cabrera
Second Baseman — Charlie Gehringer
Shortstop — Alan Trammell
Third Baseman — George Kell
Left Fielder — Hank Greenberg
Right Fielder — Al Kaline
Center Fielder — Ty Cobb
DH — Victor Martinez
Starting Pitcher — Justin Verlander
We’ll start filling in Detroit’s All-Time Starting 9 with a pair of modern-day legends — Cabrera and Verlander. Cabrera retired after the 2023 season with a pair of MVPs as a Tiger, a .304 BA, and nearly 400 HR. Verlander won the pitching Triple Crown, Cy Young, and MVP with Detroit in 2011. Detroit’s outfield is comprised of a trio of Hall of Famers. Cobb is one of baseball’s most historic figures, Kaline was an 18-time All-Star with the club, and Greenberg won two MVPs and two World Series titles as a Tiger.
Kansas City Royals
Catcher — Salvador Perez
First Baseman — Mike Sweeney
Second Baseman — Frank White
Shortstop — Freddie Patek
Third Baseman — George Brett
Left Fielder — Alex Gordon
Right Fielder — Danny Tartabull
Center Fielder — Amos Otis
DH — Hal McRae
Starting Pitcher — Bret Saberhagen
30 years removed from his last game, Brett remains the face of the franchise. The Hall of Fame third baseman was an MVP, three-time Batting Title champ, and World Series winner with the Royals. He is undeniably the best player in franchise history. Saberhagen gets the nod on the mound as a two-time Cy Young winner and 1985 World Series MVP. White and Otis were both superb defenders throughout their careers. Perez has been a leader in KC since 2013 and is a club legend for winning the World Series (and WS MVP) in ’15.
Minnesota Twins
Catcher — Joe Mauer
First Baseman — Harmon Killebrew
Second Baseman — Rod Carew
Shortstop — Roy Smalley
Third Baseman — Gary Gaetti
Left Fielder — Jacque Jones
Right Fielder — Tony Oliva
Center Fielder — Kirby Puckett
DH — Nelson Cruz
Starting Pitcher — Bert Blyleven
Typically, you have to be pretty good to have your number retired. Mauer, Killebrew, Carew, Puckett, and Blyleven more than deserved that honor through their play with the Twins. Puckett brought two World Series to the franchise and was a 10-time All-Star before his career ended prematurely. Carew was nearly unstoppable at the plate, as he won seven Batting Titles and one MVP in 12 years as a Twin. One of the game’s early sluggers, Killebrew bashed 559 HR with the franchise during his Hall of Fame career. At catcher, Mauer was the game’s best all-around player behind the dish for the majority of his prime. The MVP in 2009, Mauer won three Batting Titles and three Gold Gloves. On the mound, Blyleven beats out Johan Santana and Jim Kaat for the starting role.
Houston Astros
Catcher — Brad Ausmus
First Baseman — Jeff Bagwell
Second Baseman — Jose Altuve
Shortstop — Carlos Correa
Third Baseman — Alex Bregman
Left Fielder — Lance Berkman
Right Fielder — George Springer
Center Fielder — Cesar Cedeno
DH — Yordan Alvarez
Starting Pitcher — Justin Verlander
The toughest decision with this Starting 9 was picking the starting second baseman. Craig Biggio is a franchise legend — a seven-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glove winner, five-time Silver Slugger — and a member of the Hall of Fame. However, Altuve is the better player. The controversial star has led Houston to two World Series wins, is hitting above .300 for his career, and has three Batting Titles and one MVP to his name. Bagwell won the 1994 NL MVP and hit 449 HR during his Hall of Fame career. Correa, Bregman, and Springer were instrumental in helping the ‘Stros win their first World Series. Alvarez (alongside Altuve and Bregman) led the charge to the 2022 WS triumph. Berkman was a five-time All-Star in Houston. Verlander secured two AL Cy Young awards and finished runner-up for a third after joining the franchise in 2017.
Los Angeles Angels
Catcher — Bengie Molina
First Baseman — Rod Carew
Second Baseman — Bobby Grich
Shortstop — Jim Fregosi
Third Baseman — Troy Glaus
Left Fielder — Garret Anderson
Right Fielder — Vladimir Guerrero
Center Fielder — Mike Trout
DH — Shohei Ohtani
Starting Pitcher — Nolan Ryan
The Angels have won just one World Series during their existence, but they certainly have enjoyed the talents of some of baseball’s all-time greats. Carew is best known for his time in Minnesota, but the Hall of Famer hit .314 and was a six-time All-Star with the Angels. Guerrero won the MVP in 2004, his first year with the club, and finished third two other times. Glaus, Anderson, and Molina were key cogs of the 2002 World Series champs (Glaus won WS MVP). Ryan as the team’s ace needs no explanation. Then, there are Trout and Ohtani — two all-time greats. Trout has won three MVPs through the 2023 season, and Ohtani established himself as an elite pitcher and hitter en route to winning two MVPs (’21, ’23) of his own with the Halos.
Oakland Athletics
Catcher –Mickey Cochrane
First Baseman — Jimmie Foxx
Second Baseman — Eddie Collins
Shortstop — Bert Campaneris
Third Baseman — Sal Bando
Left Fielder — Rickey Henderson
Right Fielder — Reggie Jackson
Center Fielder –Dwayne Murphy
DH — Mark McGwire
Starting Pitcher — Lefty Grove
A member of the World Series champs in 1989 and the MVP in 1990, Henderson needs little introduction. While in Oakland, Henderson stole 867 bases — including 100+ four times — and became a legend of the game. In his first eight years as an Athletics player, Jackson launched 253 homers, won an MVP, and won back-to-back World Series. Collins also won an MVP and was a member of five World Series teams. Foxx? All he did was hit .339 with 302 homers and win back-to-back MVPs and World Series. Before his historic tear in St. Louis, McGwire hit 363 HR and won the 1989 World Series. On the bump, Grove won five ERA Titles, two Triple Crowns, one MVP, and two World Series.
Texas Rangers
Catcher — Ivan Rodriguez
First Baseman — Rafael Palmeiro
Second Baseman — Ian Kinsler
Shortstop — Alex Rodriguez
Third Baseman — Adrian Beltre
Left Fielder — Rusty Greer
Right Fielder — Juan Gonzalez
Center Fielder — Josh Hamilton
DH — Corey Seager
Starting Pitcher — Kevin Brown
Texas’ All-Time Starting 9 is full of boppers. Palmeiro hit over 300 home runs and found himself in the MVP mix for the majority of his time as a Ranger. Beltre solidified a Hall of Fame career during his stay — hitting over .300 while playing superb defense — and brought the Rangers to within one victory of the 2011 World Series. Hamilton was a member of two AL Pennant winning teams (’10, ”11) and was the MVP in ’10 thanks to his .359 BA and 32 HR. In 13 years with the club, Gonzalez won two MVPs and slugged 372 HR. ‘Pudge’ Rodriguez was a member of 10 All-Star teams, won the 1999 MVP, and claimed 10 Gold Gloves en route to becoming one of the greatest catchers to ever live. A-Rod and Seager both have to be included, as well. In three seasons, A-Rod won MVP (and was runner-up) and hit 156 HR. Seager, in his second season in Texas, led the team to its first World Series title and won his second WS MVP.
Atlanta Braves
Catcher — Joe Torre
First Baseman — Freddie Freeman
Second Baseman — Marcus Giles
Shortstop –Rabbit Maranville
Third Baseman — Chipper Jones
Left Fielder — Ronald Acuna Jr.
Right Fielder — Hank Aaron
Center Fielder — Andruw Jones
DH –Eddie Mathews
Starting Pitcher — Greg Maddux
As one of the most storied teams in MLB history, it is no surprise to see the Braves with a loaded Starting 9. Before opting to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Freeman became a club legend in his 12 years as a Brave. The future Hall of Famer led Atlanta to the 2021 World Series, won the 2020 MVP, and was a five-time All-Star. Across the diamond, Chipper also won an MVP (1999) and World Series (1995). He also hit 468 HRs during a 19-year stay in the city. Mathews launched 493 HR as a Braves player, and he still fell way short of the franchise leader, Hank Aaron. Of course, Aaron is one of the all-time greats with 755 HR and 25 All-Star nods. On the mound, Maddux — who won three-straight Cy Youngs in Atlanta — gets the nod ahead of a handful of fellow Hall of Famers including Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Phil Niekro, and Warren Spahn.
Miami Marlins
Catcher –J.T. Realmuto
First Baseman — Jeff Conine
Second Baseman — Luis Castillo
Shortstop — Hanley Ramirez
Third Baseman — Miguel Cabrera
Left Fielder — Cliff Floyd
Right Fielder — Giancarlo Stanton
Center Fielder — Juan Pierre
DH — Gary Sheffield
Starting Pitcher — Kevin Brown
For a franchise that has only been around since 1993, the Marlins have a pretty solid history. Conine, Castillo, Sheffield, Floyd, and Brown were all members of the 1997 World Series champions. Conine and Castillo, who were also members of the ’03 WS champs, were two and three-time All-Stars, respectively, with the Marlins. Sheffield hit over 120 homers during his brief tenure and hit .320 during the ’97 postseason. In his two years with the team, Brown won 33 games with a 2.30 ERA and was the Cy Young runner-up in ’96. Stanton won the ’17 MVP while hitting 59 bombs, Ramirez hit .300 over seven seasons and won Rookie of the Year, and Cabrera established himself as one of the league’s best players as a young player. He helped guide the Marlins to their second World Series as a 20-year-old rookie.
New York Mets
Catcher — Mike Piazza
First Baseman — Keith Hernandez
Second Baseman — Edgardo Alfonzo
Shortstop — Jose Reyes
Third Baseman — David Wright
Left Fielder — Cleon Jones
Right Fielder — Darryl Strawberry
Center Fielder — Carlos Beltran
DH — Pete Alonso
Starting Pitcher — Tom Seaver
198 wins in 12 seasons will earn you a nickname like ‘The Franchise’. Seaver is a New York legend and it isn’t hard to see why. The ace won three Cy Young Awards, the 1969 World Series, and three ERA Titles as a Met. Piazza spent the bulk of his career in Queens and eventually entered the Hall of Fame as a Met — and the best hitting-catcher of all time. Wright was a seven-time All-Star during his 14-year career and endeared himself to the fanbase. Strawberry burst onto the scene as the 1983 Rookie of the Year and was one of the league’s top players three years later when the Mets won the ’86 World Series. Another icon from that team, Hernandez, posted two top-4 MVP finishes while a member of the franchise. Alonso gets the nod at DH. Through the 2023 season, the Polar Bear has hit 192 homers in a little more than four seasons.
Philadelphia Phillies
Catcher — Darren Daulton
First Baseman — Ryan Howard
Second Baseman — Chase Utley
Shortstop — Jimmy Rollins
Third Baseman — Mike Schmidt
Left Fielder — Pat Burrell
Right Fielder — Bobby Abreu
Center Fielder –Richie Ashburn
DH –Bryce Harper
Starting Pitcher — Steve Carlton
1980 and 2008 represent the two peaks of Philadelphia’s lengthy existence in MLB. The 1980 World Series winners were led by the legendary Schmidt. The icon won the MVP with 48 HR and 121 RBI, and he would go on to win the award again in ’81 and ’86. Overall, Schmidt hit 548 HR and was a 10-time Gold Glove winner with the Phillies. Ashburn won a pair of Batting Titles, but his honors pale in comparison to franchise ace Carlton. The Hall of Famer won four Cy Youngs with the Phillies — including during the ’80 season — and compiled 241 wins with the club. Howard (’06 MVP), Utley (six-time All-Star), and Rollins (’07 MVP) were the leaders of the ’08 champs. Future Hall of Famer Bryce Harper earns his spot at DH — he won the ’21 MVP and led his team to the pennant in ’22.
Washington Nationals
Catcher — Gary Carter
First Baseman — Andres Galarraga
Second Baseman — Jose Vidro
Shortstop — Trea Turner
Third Baseman — Ryan Zimmerman
Left Fielder — Tim Raines
Right Fielder — Vladimir Guerrero
Center Fielder — Andre Dawson
DH — Bryce Harper
Starting Pitcher — Max Scherzer
There is no way the Montreal Expos can be excluded from this exercise. Before relocating to Washington and becoming the Nationals, the Expos were home to some of baseball’s elite players. Before becoming a hero with the 1986 Mets, Carter developed into a star catcher with Montreal — seven-time All-Star, and MVP runner-up. A future MVP with the Cubs, Dawson won the ’77 Rookie of the Year, was MVP runner-up in ’83, and claimed six Gold Gloves. Raines spent the prime of his Hall of Fame career in Montreal. Guerrero, like Dawson, won MVP in his first year away from Montreal — but hit .324 with over 200 homers before departing. Harper claimed his first MVP as a National in ’15, and Scherzer won a pair of Cy Youngs (’16, ’17) and a World Series (’19). He just beats out Pedro Martinez for the starting role.
Chicago Cubs
Catcher — Gabby Hartnett
First Baseman — Anthony Rizzo
Second Baseman — Ryne Sandberg
Shortstop — Ernie Banks
Third Baseman — Ron Santo
Left Fielder — Billy Williams
Right Fielder — Sammy Sosa
Center Fielder — Hack Wilson
Starting Pitcher — Fergie Jenkins
Having Hall of Fame players at 3B, SS, and 2B is a pretty good place to start. Santo spent 14 years on the Northside of Chicago — earning nine trips to the All-Star Game and five Gold Gloves along the way. He also slugged 337 homers with the Cubbies. Sandberg and Banks combined to win three MVPs while playing up the middle for the Cubs. In addition to winning the ’84 MVP, Sandberg claimed nine Gold Gloves and seven Silver Sluggers. The iconic Banks, known as Mr. Cub, won back-to-back MVPs (’58, ’59) and hit 512 HR. Modern-day hero Rizzo gets the nod at first, while Sosa occupies right field. Of course, Sosa reenergized the sport between 1998-2002 when he hit an absurd 292 HR — including seasons of 66, 63, and 64, respectively.
Cincinnati Reds
Catcher — Johnny Bench
First Baseman — Joey Votto
Second Baseman — Joe Morgan
Shortstop — Barry Larkin
Third Baseman — Pete Rose
Left Fielder — George Foster
Right Fielder — Frank Robinson
Center Fielder — Vada Pinson
DH — Adam Dunn
Starting Pitcher — Bucky Walters
The Big Red Machine is regarded as one of the greatest teams in MLB history, so it should come as no surprise that a handful of players from those teams (1970-79) are represented here. Rose, the all-time hits leader, accumulated 3,358 of his record 4,256 hits with Cincinnati and won the ’73 MVP. Morgan won back-to-back MVPs in 1975-76 — and the Reds won back-to-back World Series those years, as well. Bench, a legend at catcher, also won two MVPs in the ’70s. Robinson and Votto also earned MVP honors for the Redlegs. Overall, this lineup is utterly stacked.
Milwaukee Brewers
Catcher –Ted Simmons
First Baseman — Cecil Cooper
Second Baseman — Jim Gantner
Shortstop — Robin Yount
Third Baseman — Paul Molitor
Left Fielder — Ryan Braun
Right Fielder — Christian Yelich
Center Fielder — Gorman Thomas
DH — Geoff Jenkins
Starting Pitcher — Corbin Burnes
While this all-time lineup doesn’t stack up with the best in league history, there are a few big names that starred for the Brewers. Yount and Molitor are players synonymous with the franchise. At shortstop, Yount won two MVPs during his 20-year career with Milwaukee. Molitor was a five-time All-Star and hit over .300 while manning the hot corner. In more recent times, Yelich, Braun, and Burnes have starred for the Brew Crew. Yelich put together the greatest two-year stretch in club history. After winning the MVP in 2018, Yelich was even better in ’19 — .329/.429/.671 with 44 HR and 30 SB — and likely would have repeated as MVP if not for an injury. Braun spent 14 years in the city and won one (tainted) MVP. On the mound, Burnes was named the NL Cy Young in 2021.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Catcher — Jason Kendall
First Baseman — Willie Stargell
Second Baseman — Bill Mazeroski
Shortstop — Honus Wagner
Third Baseman — Pie Traynor
Left Fielder — Barry Bonds
Right Fielder — Roberto Clemente
Center Fielder — Andrew McCutchen
DH — Ralph Kiner
Starting Pitcher — Vic Willis
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a legendary franchise despite their lack of success in recent years. Before becoming the greatest player of all time as a member of the San Francisco Giants, Bonds won two MVPs with the Pirates. Wagner was one of the game’s first superstars, as he won eight Batting Titles and recorded 3,420 career hits. Before his life ended tragically, Clemente won two World Series, one MVP, four Batting Titles, and 12 Gold Gloves. Stargell slugged 475 HR, won an MVP and two World Series during his 21-year tenure with the Buccos. Kiner? He hit an absurd 301 HR in eight seasons. Mazeroski is one of the greatest second basemen of all time, and McCutchen is a modern-day legend with the franchise.
St. Louis Cardinals
Catcher — Yadier Molina
First Baseman — Albert Pujols
Second Baseman — Rogers Hornsby
Shortstop — Ozzie Smith
Third Baseman — Ken Boyer
Left Fielder — Lou Brock
Right Fielder — Stan Musial
Center Fielder — Jim Edmonds
DH — Paul Goldschmidt
Starting Pitcher — Bob Gibson
Another team with some truly historic players is the St. Louis Cardinals. One of the hardest decisions for St. Louis’ all-time team came down to Boyer and Nolan Arenado. Boyer won the 1964 MVP and World Series during his stint with the Red Birds. He narrowly edges out Arenado who has starred for the team since joining in ’21. Pujols is the greatest player in franchise history and a future first-ballot Hall of Famer. Molina is certain to reach the HoF, as well, and is one of the all-time greats behind the plate. Brock and Hornsby hit an absurd .359 as team members, Smith developed into the greatest defensive shortstop of all-time (13 Gold Gloves), and Goldschmidt won an MVP. Stan ‘The Man’ Musial is neck-and-neck with Pujols for franchise GOAT — three MVPs, three World Series, 475 HR, .331 BA — and Gibson is undoubtedly the greatest thrower in club history. The icon won two Cy Youngs, one MVP, and two World Series MVPs.
Arizona Diamondbacks
Catcher — Miguel Montero
First Baseman — Paul Goldschmidt
Second Baseman — Ketel Marte
Shortstop — Stephen Drew
Third Baseman — Matt Williams
Left Fielder — Luis Gonzalez
Right Fielder — Justin Upton
Center Fielder — Steve Finley
DH — David Peralta
Starting Pitcher — Randy Johnson
Arizona’s All-Time Starting 9 is headlined by four members of the 2001 World Series champions. In the outfield, Finley and Gonzalez were stars for the D-Backs. Finley won two Gold Gloves patrolling the outfield, and Gonzalez bashed 224 HR, earned five All-Star nods, and had the game-winning hit in Game 7 to beat the Yankees. Williams posted a third-place finish for the 1999 NL MVP. Of course, Johnson is the star of stars. The Big Unit won four straight Cy Young Awards, the Triple Crown, four ERA Titles, and was World Series MVP with the Snakes. Goldschmidt was a perennial All-Star before being traded to St. Louis, and Marte was a key cog for the 2023 NL pennant winners.
Colorado Rockies
Catcher — Yorvit Torrealba
First Baseman — Todd Helton
Second Baseman — DJ LeMahieu
Shortstop — Troy Tulowitzki
Third Baseman — Nolan Arenado
Left Fielder — Matt Holliday
Right Fielder — Larry Walker
Center Fielder — Charlie Blackmon
DH — Vinny Castilla
Starting Pitcher — Ubaldo Jimenez
Colorado entered the league in 1993, and it hasn’t enjoyed a ton of success. With one National League pennant through its first 30 seasons, Colorado remains without a World Series title. Still, the franchise has employed some stars over the years. Helton, one of the most underrated stars of any era. He spent 17 years with the club — hitting 369 HR with a .316 BA to go along with three Gold Gloves. Walker won the ’97 MVP and had a six-year stretch in which he slashed .353/.441/.648. Holliday won the ’07 NLCS MVP and finished runner-up for the NL MVP. On the left side of the infield, Tulowitzki was a five-time All-Star and perennial MVP contender — while Arenado established himself as an all-time great at the hot corner. Arenado had four top-six MVP finishes, won eight Gold Gloves, and was a five-time All-Star in Colorado.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Catcher — Roy Campanella
First Baseman — Steve Garvey
Second Baseman — Jackie Robinson
Shortstop — Pee Wee Reese
Third Baseman — Ron Cey
Left Fielder — Zach Wheat
Right Fielder — Mookie Betts
Center Fielder — Duke Snider
DH — Mike Piazza
Starting Pitcher — Clayton Kershaw
The Dodgers are loaded with Hall of Famers, so narrowing down their roster to an All-Time Starting 9 wasn’t easy. Wheat is likely the least recognizable name on the list, but he just happens to be the franchise leader in hits, doubles, triples, and total bases. Campanella and Piazza are top-10 catchers of all-time and both deserve to start. Robinson, of course, is arguably the most important baseball player of all time — and a deserving Hall of Famer as a player. He is joined in the middle infield by Reese. Cey and Garvey combined for an MVP (Garvey), 16 All-Star appearances, and won the ’81 World Series. Betts is a legend of the current era, and Kershaw is a top-10 pitcher in history. Kershaw beats out Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale for the starting role.
San Diego Padres
Catcher — Benito Santiago
First Baseman — Adrian Gonzalez
Second Baseman — Roberto Alomar
Shortstop — Fernando Tatis Jr.
Third Baseman — Manny Machado
Left Fielder — Juan Soto
Right Fielder — Tony Gwynn
Center Fielder — Steve Finley
DH — Ken Caminiti
Starting Pitcher — Jake Peavy
Three members of the 2023 San Diego Padres — the team that famously underachieved — are represented in San Diego’s All-Time Starting 9. Despite his troubles, Tatis Jr. is incredibly talented and has put together multiple MVP-caliber seasons. Machado has two top-3 MVP finishes with the Padres and is one of the better all-around players of the past decade. Soto’s tenure hasn’t been long, but he is easily one of the best players to don the uniform. Gwynn is not only a Hall of Famer, but the face of the franchise. Gwynn won eight Batting Titles, five Gold Gloves, and seven Silver Sluggers, and was a career .338 hitter. Caminiti won the NL MVP in 1996. Peavy won the pitching Triple Crown en route to the Cy Young in 2007 and won an additional ERA Title three years earlier.
San Francisco Giants
Catcher — Buster Posey
First Baseman — Willie McCovey
Second Baseman — Jeff Kent
Shortstop — Brandon Crawford
Third Baseman — Matt Williams
Left Fielder — Barry Bonds
Right Fielder — Mel Ott
Center Fielder — Willie Mays
DH — Orlando Cepeda
Starting Pitcher — Christy Mathewson
Opposing teams would have zero chance of getting through this lineup. Bonds and Mays are two of the five greatest players of all-time. Bonds is the GOAT — a seven-time MVP, eight-time Gold Glover, the home run king with 762, and the only man in the 500/500 (SB) club…and 400/400. Mays has two MVPs of his own and finished his Hall of Fame career with 660 HR and 12 Gold Gloves. Behind the plate, Posey won an MVP and three World Series. Rounding out the outfield, Ott was a career .304 hitter with 511 dingers. McCovey, Cepeda, and Kent each won NL MVP. Mathewson was a stud on the mound — winning five ERA Titles and two Triple Crowns.
Baltimore Orioles
Catcher — Rick Dempsey
First Baseman — Eddie Murray
Second Baseman — Bobby Grich
Shortstop — Cal Ripken Jr.
Third Baseman — Brooks Robinson
Left Fielder — Brady Anderson
Right Fielder — Frank Robinson
Center Fielder — Adam Jones
DH — Harold Baines
Starting Pitcher — Jim Palmer
This Starting 9 has some of baseball’s biggest names. Brooks Robinson was an Oriole for 23 years. In that time, he won one MVP, two World Series, 16 Gold Gloves, and was an 18-time All-Star. Ripken Jr., baseball’s Iron Man, was a two-time MVP, 19-time All-Star, and finished with over 3,000 hits and 400 HR. Murray posted five straight top-5 MVP finishes in Baltimore and was a World Series champ in 1983. In six years with the club, Frank Robinson won one MVP and won two World Series. Palmer, the franchise ace, won three Cy Young Awards and three World Series during his 19-year career.
Boston Red Sox
Catcher — Carlton Fisk
First Baseman — Jimmie Foxx
Second Baseman — Dustin Pedroia
Shortstop — Nomar Garciaparra
Third Baseman — Wade Boggs
Left Fielder — Ted Williams
Right Fielder — Mookie Betts
Center Fielder — Tris Speaker
DH — David Ortiz
Starting Pitcher — Pedro Martinez
We wanted to include Manny Ramirez in Boston’s Starting 9, but it is impossible to remove either Williams or Ortiz. Williams missed three years of his prime while serving in the military — and he still finished his career with 521 HR, nearly 2,700 hits, a .344 BA, and two MVPs. Ortiz helped end the Curse of the Bambino and led Boston to three World Series. Boggs won five Batting Titles at the hot corner, Garciaparra won two of his own and hit .323 over nine seasons, and Betts won the AL MVP and World Series in 2018. The great Pedro Martinez earned the starting role over Roger Clemens. From 1998-2003, Martinez went 101-28 with a 2.26 ERA and won two Cy Young Awards — with two runner-ups and one third-place finish, as well.
New York Yankees
Catcher — Yogi Berra
First Baseman — Lou Gehrig
Second Baseman — Tony Lazzeri
Shortstop — Derek Jeter
Third Baseman — Alex Rodriguez
Left Fielder — Babe Ruth
Right Fielder — Aaron Judge
Center Fielder — Mickey Mantle
DH — Joe DiMaggio
Starting Pitcher — Whitey Ford
New York’s lineup is full of legends. Berra won a ridiculous 10 World Series as a Yankee and earned three MVP trophies behind the plate. Gehrig claimed seven World Series, two MVPs, and hit .340 with 493 HR. Mantle? Three MVPs, seven World Series, and 536 HR. DiMaggio also won three MVPs…and nine World Series. As the captain of the late 1990s dynasty, Jeter won five World Series and accumulated 3,465 career hits. After joining the Yanks at the age of 28, A-Rod won three MVPs and led New York to victory in the ’09 World Series. Judge hit an American League record 62 HR en route to the 2022 MVP. As for Ruth, the Sultan of Swat hit .349 with 659 HR after joining the Yanks.
Tampa Bay Rays
Catcher — Dioner Navarro
First Baseman — Carlos Peña
Second Baseman — Ben Zobrist
Shortstop — Wander Franco
Third Baseman — Evan Longoria
Left Fielder — Carl Crawford
Right Fielder — Steven Souza Jr.
Center Fielder — Kevin Kiermaier
DH — Greg Vaughn
Starting Pitcher — David Price
One of the weakest All-Time Starting 9’s belongs to the Tampa Bay Rays. Longoria was a perennial MVP candidate upon entering MLB with the Rays, and he earned three All-Star appearances and three Gold Gloves with the club. Peña was a bopper, launching 144 HR in four seasons with Tampa — finishing 9th for the AL MVP back-to-back years. Crawford electrified the fanbase with his speed and hitting ability. The true star of the show, however, was Price. In six-plus seasons as a Ray, Price won a Cy Young, finished runner-up for another, and won 82 games.
Toronto Blue Jays
Catcher — Ernie Whitt
First Baseman — Carlos Delgado
Second Baseman — Roberto Alomar
Shortstop — Tony Fernandez
Third Baseman — Josh Donaldson
Left Fielder — George Bell
Right Fielder — Joe Carter
Center Fielder — Devon White
DH — John Olerud
Starting Pitcher — Roy Halladay
Apologies to Jose Bautista, but we couldn’t leave off Olerud or Carter. The former hit .363 and finished third for the MVP in 1993, and was a critical player on both World Series-winning teams (1992, 1993). The latter was a five-time All-Star with the Jays and won two World Series — famously hitting a walk-off, series-winning home run in ’93. Alomar was also a member of the title-winning teams. In five years, Alomar was a five-time All-Star, posted three consecutive sixth-place MVP finishes, and hit .308. Delgado developed into one of the league’s best power hitters in the late ’90s/early-00s and is the franchise leader with 336 HR. Halladay beats out Roger Clemens for the starting role due to his tenure. Clemens was a Blue Jay for two years and won the Cy Young both years, but Halladay pitched for Toronto for 12 years — and won a Cy Young of his own to go along with 148 wins.
