Burns, Martinez lead five breakout-starter picks

All five carry ERAs of 3.27 or lower

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Aug 251 min read

Chase Burns, Nick Martinez, Cade Cavalli, Sean Burke and Troy Melton make up Greg and @Plesac19’s top breakout starters Via @MLBNetwork on X

What happened: Cade Cavalli, Sean Burke and Troy Melton join Chase Burns and Nick Martinez in the five-man 2026 selection. Burns and Martinez were activated as All-Stars on July 13.

Why it matters: The group spans ages 23 to 36, covering both young arrivals and veteran reinvention. Four have surpassed 131 innings, giving the assessment a substantial late-season sample.

By the numbers: Burns is 14-2 with a 2.47 ERA and 151 strikeouts; Martinez is 13-4 with a 2.93 ERA; Cavalli is 11-5 with a 3.22 ERA and 162 strikeouts; Burke has a 3.27 ERA and 158 strikeouts; Melton is 7-2 with a group-low 1.60 ERA.

What to watch: Their remaining starts will test whether the gains hold through September as clubs arrange their final rotations.

Sources

@MLBNetwork 2026-08-25T03:43:38.941005+00:00

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