By most accounts Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is regarded as the best pitcher of his generation. San Francisco Giants southpaw Madison Bumgarner and Washington Nationals righty Max Scherzer have posed the greatest threat to Kershaw’s crown.
There was also a one-year run posed by Chicago Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta. If examining the 2017 season in a vacuum, Kershaw and Scherzer have been the class of not only National League, but all pitchers in baseball.
The duo was at the forefront of the conversation to start for the NL in the 2017 All-Star Game. As Kershaw was hindered by home-run trouble, Scherzer seemingly began to separate himself.