%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20viewBox%3D%220%200%201251.7%20200%22%20style%3D%22enable-background%3Anew%200%200%201251.7%20200%3B%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cstyle%20type%3D%22text%2Fcss%22%3E%0A%09.st0%7Bfill%3A%23231F20%3B%7D%0A%09.st1%7Bfill%3A%23092341%3B%7D%0A%09.st2%7Bfill%3A%23BD022B%3B%7D%0A%09.st3%7Bfill%3A%23FFFFFF%3B%7D%0A%09.st4%7Bfill%3A%23F7931E%3B%7D%0A%09.st5%7Bopacity%3A0.25%3B%7D%0A%09.st6%7Bopacity%3A0.15%3B%7D%0A%3C%2Fstyle%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Template%22%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3Cg%20id%3D%22Layer_2%22%3E%0A%09%3Cg%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M607.5%2C68.5c-33.9%2C0-53.4%2C10.7-58.8%2C32.1h45.1c0.2-7.9%2C4.7-11.8%2C13.5-11.8c8.8%2C0%2C13.2%2C3.9%2C13.2%2C11.8v2.5%0A%09%09%09c-6.2%2C2.9-16.1%2C5-29.8%2C6.1c-13.7%2C1.2-23.6%2C3.2-29.7%2C6c-9.6%2C4.4-14.4%2C11.8-14.4%2C22.1c0%2C18.2%2C17.5%2C27.4%2C52.6%2C27.4%0A%09%09%09c8.1%2C0%2C15.2-1.4%2C21.3-4.3v3.4h43v-53.5C663.5%2C82.4%2C644.8%2C68.5%2C607.5%2C68.5z%20M620.5%2C135.9c0%2C5.9-4.5%2C8.9-13.4%2C8.9%0A%09%09%09c-9%2C0-13.4-3-13.4-8.9c0-3.3%2C1.8-5.8%2C5.4-7.5c2.2-1.1%2C5.8-1.9%2C10.7-2.4c4.9-0.6%2C8.5-1.3%2C10.7-2.4V135.9z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M742.9%2C68.5c-11.6%2C0-20.4%2C1.3-26.4%2C4v-3.2h-43v94.4h43v-60.9c0-9.6%2C3.8-14.4%2C11.3-14.4%0A%09%09%09c7.6%2C0%2C11.3%2C4.8%2C11.3%2C14.3v61h43v-57.1C782.1%2C81.2%2C769%2C68.5%2C742.9%2C68.5z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M864.6%2C72.7c-6.1-2.9-13-4.3-20.6-4.3c-35.6%2C0-53.5%2C14.7-53.5%2C44.2v7.8c0%2C29.4%2C17.8%2C44.1%2C53.5%2C44.1%0A%09%09%09c7.7%2C0%2C14.6-1.3%2C20.6-4v5.1c0%2C9.4-3.7%2C14.1-11.1%2C14.1c-7.4%2C0-11.2-3.1-11.4-9.2h-50c3%2C19.6%2C23.4%2C29.5%2C61.2%2C29.5%0A%09%09%09c36.2%2C0%2C54.3-14.7%2C54.3-44.2V69.3h-43V72.7z%20M864.6%2C130.2c0%2C9.5-3.8%2C14.3-11.3%2C14.3c-7.6%2C0-11.3-4.8-11.3-14.3V103%0A%09%09%09c0-9.5%2C3.8-14.3%2C11.3-14.3c7.6%2C0%2C11.3%2C4.8%2C11.3%2C14.3V130.2z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M978.6%2C68.5c-41.8%2C0-62.7%2C14.7-62.7%2C44.2v7.7c0%2C29.5%2C20.9%2C44.2%2C62.7%2C44.2c41.8%2C0%2C62.7-14.7%2C62.7-44.2v-7.7%0A%09%09%09C1041.3%2C83.2%2C1020.4%2C68.5%2C978.6%2C68.5z%20M990%2C130.1c0%2C9.5-3.8%2C14.3-11.3%2C14.3c-7.6%2C0-11.3-4.8-11.3-14.3v-27.3%0A%09%09%09c0-9.5%2C3.8-14.3%2C11.3-14.3c7.6%2C0%2C11.3%2C4.8%2C11.3%2C14.3V130.1z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M1115.4%2C130.2c0%2C9.5-3.8%2C14.3-11.3%2C14.3s-11.3-4.7-11.3-14.2v-61h-43v57.1c0%2C25.5%2C13.1%2C38.2%2C39.2%2C38.2%0A%09%09%09c11.6%2C0%2C20.4-1.3%2C26.4-4v3.2h43V69.3h-43V130.2z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22st2%22%20points%3D%221230.7%2C69.3%201230.7%2C43.4%201187.7%2C43.4%201187.7%2C69.3%201166.7%2C69.3%201166.7%2C95.1%201187.7%2C95.1%201187.7%2C163.7%20%0A%09%09%091230.7%2C163.7%201230.7%2C95.1%201251.7%2C95.1%201251.7%2C69.3%20%09%09%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M512.6%2C70.1c-9.1%2C6-20.2%2C11.1-32%2C15.3c-2.7%2C0.9-5.4%2C1.8-8.2%2C2.7c-2.7%2C0.8-5.4%2C1.6-8.2%2C2.4%0A%09%09%09c-1%2C0.3-2.1%2C0.6-3.1%2C0.8c-7.7%2C2-15.7%2C3.6-23.5%2C4.7c-2.8%2C0.4-5.5%2C0.6-8.2%2C0.9v66.9h43v-60.9c0-9.6%2C3.8-14.4%2C11.4-14.4%0A%09%09%09c7.5%2C0%2C11.3%2C4.8%2C11.3%2C14.3v61h43v-57.1C538.1%2C86.2%2C529.5%2C74.1%2C512.6%2C70.1z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st2%22%20d%3D%22M459.1%2C49.8c1.7-0.4%2C3.4-0.9%2C5.1-1.4c2.7-0.8%2C5.5-1.6%2C8.2-2.4v-2.5v-5.1V13.6V5.3V0h-43v14.2v8.6v20.7v5.3V55%0A%09%09%09c2.7-0.3%2C5.4-0.6%2C8.2-1C444.9%2C53%2C452.1%2C51.5%2C459.1%2C49.8z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%09%3Cg%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M69.6%2C68.5c-11.6%2C0-20.4%2C1.3-26.4%2C4V0h-43v163.7h43v-60.9c0-9.6%2C3.8-14.4%2C11.4-14.4c7.5%2C0%2C11.3%2C4.8%2C11.3%2C14.3%0A%09%09%09v61h43v-57.1C108.9%2C81.2%2C95.8%2C68.5%2C69.6%2C68.5z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M178.3%2C68.5c-33.9%2C0-53.4%2C10.7-58.8%2C32.1h45.1c0.2-7.9%2C4.7-11.8%2C13.5-11.8c8.8%2C0%2C13.2%2C3.9%2C13.2%2C11.8v2.5%0A%09%09%09c-6.2%2C2.9-16.1%2C5-29.8%2C6.1c-13.7%2C1.2-23.6%2C3.2-29.7%2C6c-9.6%2C4.4-14.4%2C11.8-14.4%2C22.1c0%2C18.2%2C17.5%2C27.4%2C52.6%2C27.4%0A%09%09%09c8.1%2C0%2C15.2-1.4%2C21.3-4.3v3.4h43v-53.5C234.3%2C82.4%2C215.6%2C68.5%2C178.3%2C68.5z%20M191.3%2C135.9c0%2C5.9-4.5%2C8.9-13.4%2C8.9s-13.4-3-13.4-8.9%0A%09%09%09c0-3.3%2C1.8-5.8%2C5.4-7.5c2.2-1.1%2C5.8-1.9%2C10.7-2.4c4.9-0.6%2C8.5-1.3%2C10.7-2.4V135.9z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Crect%20x%3D%22244.3%22%20y%3D%220%22%20class%3D%22st3%22%20width%3D%2243%22%20height%3D%22163.7%22%2F%3E%0A%09%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st3%22%20d%3D%22M418.8%2C97.5c-1.4%2C0.1-2.7%2C0.1-4%2C0.1c-34.3%2C0-45-13.7-47.9-25.2c-0.3-1.3-0.5-2.5-0.7-3.8%0A%09%09%09c-2.5-0.1-5.1-0.2-7.8-0.2c-41.8%2C0-62.7%2C14.7-62.7%2C44.2v7.7c0%2C29.5%2C20.9%2C44.2%2C62.7%2C44.2s62.7-14.7%2C62.7-44.2v-7.7%0A%09%09%09C421%2C107.1%2C420.3%2C102%2C418.8%2C97.5z%20M369.7%2C130.1c0%2C9.5-3.8%2C14.3-11.3%2C14.3c-7.6%2C0-11.3-4.8-11.3-14.3v-27.3%0A%09%09%09c0-9.5%2C3.8-14.3%2C11.3-14.3c7.6%2C0%2C11.3%2C4.8%2C11.3%2C14.3V130.1z%22%2F%3E%0A%09%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20class%3D%22st4%22%20d%3D%22M527%2C31.8L527%2C31.8c-3.9-15.5-23.5-20-46.4-18.9v24.6c8.9-0.5%2C15.7%2C0%2C19.8%2C1c-3.5%2C3.1-10.3%2C7.4-19.8%2C11.6%0A%09%09c-2.5%2C1.1-5.2%2C2.2-8.2%2C3.3c-2.6%2C1-5.3%2C1.9-8.2%2C2.8c-3.5%2C1.1-7.2%2C2.2-11.2%2C3.2c-5.5%2C1.4-10.6%2C2.4-15.4%2C3.2c-2.9%2C0.5-5.6%2C0.9-8.2%2C1.2%0A%09%09c-2.9%2C0.3-5.6%2C0.6-8.2%2C0.7c-8.9%2C0.5-15.7%2C0-19.8-1c3.5-3.1%2C10.3-7.4%2C19.8-11.6V25.5c-27.6%2C10.2-51.2%2C25.9-46.4%2C44.9%0A%09%09c3.5%2C14%2C19.9%2C19.1%2C40%2C19.1c2.1%2C0%2C4.3-0.2%2C6.5-0.3c2.7-0.1%2C5.4-0.3%2C8.2-0.6c2.7-0.3%2C5.4-0.6%2C8.2-1c7.2-1.1%2C14.5-2.5%2C21.5-4.3%0A%09%09c1.7-0.4%2C3.4-0.9%2C5.1-1.4c2.7-0.8%2C5.5-1.6%2C8.2-2.4c2.8-0.9%2C5.5-1.8%2C8.2-2.8C508.2%2C66.5%2C531.8%2C50.7%2C527%2C31.8z%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
The Los Angeles Angels have one of the best pitchers in baseball, Shohei Ohtani, heading their staff in 2023. How does Ohtani compare to the other aces of the AL West?
Ranking the AL West's aces heading into the 2023 season.
5) RHP Paul Blackburn - Oakland Athletics
Paul Blackburn came out of nowhere and was a first-time all-star in 2022. The reason he was an all-star was because he pitched for the Athletics and they needed a representative, but Blackburn had a solid season overall before being shut down with an injury after making 21 starts.
Blackburn had a 4.28 ERA in 111.1 innings pitched. With how poor Oakland's pitching staff is, Blackburn was one of their better arms.
Cole Irvin was Oakland's best pitcher in 2022 but he was just traded to the Orioles leaving Blackburn as the unquestioned ace. He is not ace material and is undoubtedly the worst ace in this division.