Ober didn't fade much. I think the numbers back up that he is a really solid #2.Varland may be a starter at some point during the season, but I don't expect that will be right away.
Starting 5 are likely to be Ober, Ryan, DeSclafani, Lopez and Paddack. With the exception of Lopez, that's not exactly a stellar starting staff. Ober and Ryan have both had their moments, but they both seemed to fade as the season wore on last year. DeSclafani and Paddack, who knows what to expect out of them? Simeon Woods Richardson had a good outing today, even though he only threw 17 pitches. They're building him up, so maybe he could be a starting option somewhere down the road this year.
SWR velocity was WAY up. They changed his arm slot and may have added 2-3 Mph. That could be a game changer.
With a weak central, they can see how the first 3 months go and make a big trade if necessary.