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The List 9/2: Your SP Guide For The Playoffs Based On Expected Schedules

Top 100 Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Ranks For 2025 Playoffs

Welcome to The List, where I rank the Top 100 SP for Fantasy Baseball every Monday of the year.

Want an earlier update to The List? Join me on Mondays at 2:00 pm ET as I live-stream its creation each week!

Have questions? My “office hours” are on Playback.tv 10:00 am – 12:00 pm ET Monday – Friday + the aforementioned stream of The List.

It’s that time of the year where we shift from the traditional Top 100 ranking of The List to a stupid long article outlining every single expected Starting Pitcher start and ranking them all together in one smattering that kinda makes sense and should help your team. Yes, the traditional Top 100 rankings will return for 2026.

Yeah, it’s a lot to take in, but it’s what I think is the most helpful way of talking about the final four weeks of the season and it’s what you see before you.

First thing’s first, I want to thank Josh Mockensturm for creating the individual team tables and color-coding their matchup tiers. I’ve compiled them all to make the mega tables at the end of the article, and that’s only possible because of Josh’s work.

These schedules are going to change. Seriously, even the daily streaming pitchers article I write often changes and that’s published just hours before game time. Use this article as a guide to understand the flow of rotations and move the respective pitchers around as needed when changes happen.

For each edition of The List, I have a set of rules to outline my thought process and how to best use these rankings. Please take note:

  1. This is 5×5, 12-teamer, H2H format focused. It generally is the same as roto as well, but make sure you adjust accordingly.
  2. Again, these tables are going to change. I’m trying to give a general idea of it, but injured pitchers returning, rainouts, bumped starters, callups, etc. mean the orders are all messed up. It happens, nothing I can do about it.
  3. The notes outline oh-so-much to help your team. Please read the notes if you can instead of just scrolling to the bottom.

Pretty straightforward stuff. Let’s take a look at how I’m loosely ranking these matchups for the next month (which, also, will change. These are humans, after all):

PLV Projections Team Offense Ranking (9/2 Update)

 

This year, I’ve added labels to each pitcher in their team tables, designated by their color. Here is the legend:

 

 

Now let’s jump to the expected schedules for each team starting September 2nd.

(OFF) = Team has an off-day before this start. For example, 9/5 BOS (OFF) = Team had an off day on 9/4.

 

Arizona Diamondbacks

 

 

Nabil Crismatt – We may get one more of Nabil and if the changeup is cooking, he could do well against the wounded Rangers lineup.

Zac Gallen – Gallen has surprised us as of late and may be worthwhile for the string of matchups ahead. Likely not for the Phillies and Padres at the end.

Eduardo Rodriguez – He’s a Toby to consider for the easy matchups.

Brandon Pfaadt – I’d be careful. I don’t trust the changeup/sinker approach to LHB.

Ryne Nelson – He’s been solid and the developing slider curveball could take him another step forward in September. However, PHI + LAD should give you pause at the end of the season.

Anthony DeSclafani – If he does return, I’m not interested.

 

Athletics

 

 

Luis Severino – Here’s to hoping Severino is able to take advantage of the Reds Carpet, Cardinals, and Pirates. Not my favorite Toby, but it could work.

Jeffrey Springs – It’s hard to tell when Springs will be Sunshine and Rainbows, with the earlier starts much more in his favor.

Mason Barnett – I’m not a fan of what he brings to the table.

J.T. Ginn – Maybe the command is there to take advantage of the good schedule? He just looked decent enough, but I’d prefer to test this only against the Reds.

Luis Morales – He throws hard and I wish he located the four-seamer a little better upstairs. He just exceled against the Cardinals and I’m down to stream him until it breaks.

Jack Perkins + Jacob Lopez – Both are injured arms who could find starts later in September. I’d be heavily cautious given the rules of Still ILL and the minimal time available to stretch out.

 

Atlanta

 

 

Joey Wentz – Start for Miami, drop for the Cubs, return after.

Bryce Elder – I don’t care if he just did well. You can’t.

Chris Sale – Aces gonna ace.

Cal Quantrill – Absolutely not.

Hurston Waldrep – The move away from the four-seamer has worked out, and his splitter was awesome against the Phillies, but it wasn’t there against Miami and the floor is terrifying against the Mariners and Astros. I’d prefer to wait until the Nationals before starting him, or at least after the Mariners outing.

Spencer Strider – We’re not in a position to trust Strider. Maybe at the end of the year, but you can drop at the moment.

 

Baltimore Orioles

 

 

Tyler Wells – I have zero expectations for Wells when he returns, but let’s monitor his start against the Padres and consider the three potential streams after.

Cade Povich – Povich is a surprisingly good streamer down the stretch. Just skip out for the Padres and you may get a trio of productive Toby performances after.

Dean Kremer – He’s Dean Werewolf. Good luck.

Trevor Rogers – You’re going to start him until it breaks. How unfair it is to see the gauntlet that lies in waiting.

Tomoyuki Sugano – I challenge y’all to find a more brutal schedule down the stretch. Rogers. THAT DOESN’T COUNT.

Kyle Bradish – He wasn’t as sharp in his second outing, but I’m gung-ho for his first two and likely confident enough for the Yankees after.

 

Boston Red Sox

 

 

Garrett Crochet – Aces gonna ace.

Kyle Harrison – We’re too shrouded to determine Harrison’s ability to take advantage of his start against Cleveland, but with Dustin May heading to the bullpen (for ten days, but maybe longer?), it could mean Harrison sticks in the rotation moving forward. That makes him a potential late streamer to pick up in a few weeks if all goes well.

Payton Tolle – He’s not stretched out fully yet (around 80 pitches in his MLB debut) and the secondaries need work, but hot dang do I love that four-seamer with his extension. If it’s more of the same against the Sneks, I may just start him outright.

Lucas Giolito –  Start him outside of the Yankees and you’ll be fine.

Brayan Bello – Bello has been reliable for two months now, if not more, and just had a stumble. Brush it off and keep letting him fly.

Dustin May – The Red Sox are skipping him this week and may keep it that way through the end. If he does return, it may be to take over Harrison’s spot, and there’s an outside chance at success in Tampa Bay or hosting Detroit. I sure don’t want to test it, though.

 

Chicago Cubs

 

CHANGE

 

Shota Imanaga – IM AN AGA.

Cade Horton – I guess his blister is healed after another solid start, this time in Coors. Let it ride.

Jameson Taillon – He’s a Toby and fresh to go six constantly in the final month.

Javier Assad – Assad is so boring. I guess you can stream him against the Nationals (if you must), but Koufax won’t be there every time. There’s a small chance Aaron Civale takes over in time, and you don’t want that either, unless it’s an ideal matchup in hopes for a dub.

Matthew Boyd – Now that Coors is out of the way (and velocity was good!), you should have few hesitations. Sure, maybe the Mets and it’s possible he’s getting fatigued, but don’t big-brain this.

Colin ReaHe’s served back-to-back daggers to fantasy managers, but just look at that schedule.

 

Chicago White Sox

 

 

Davis Martin – Martin is a Toby with one or two starts to circle.

Yoendrys Gómez – Gómez intrigues me and could be a final-weekend savior against the Nationals. 95 mph heaters with great shape (122 Fan4+ yesterday!) and two whiffable breakers.

Shane Smith – He’s someone to circle in mid-September.

Martín Pérez – Don’t overlook Pérez as a streamer after his wonderful display against the Yankees over the weekend. Those matchups are setting up streams on a silver platter.

Bryse Wilson – I’m willing to wager that Bryse won’t make more than two more starts. He shouldn’t be making any.

 

Cincinnati Reds

 

 

Nick Lodolo – Oh wow. This is, uh, rough. Poor Lodolo, he could honestly pull through and still produce (he pitched great against the Dodgers in his Still ILL!), but yeah. I get it.

Zack Littell – Y’all know how I feel about Littell. Sure, try it against the Cardinals, but nothing else.

Andrew Abbott – I don’t believe his last start is the end of the line for Abbott’s breakout campaign. That said, if it goes poorly against the Mets, you may not have the stomach for the Padres even if the Cardinals are the reward.

Brady Singer – Those two of those final matchups may return a pair of Wins/QS you need.

Hunter Greene – Aces gonna ace.

 

Cleveland Guardians

 

 

Slade Cecconi – I’m not a part of the Slade Brigade, but those aren’t the worst matchups.

Logan Allen – Maybe against the SlySox and Rangers…?

Gavin Williams – He’s a HIPSTER. You do you. Me? I’m frustrated and would rather stream at this point.

Tanner Bibee – I’m done trying to predict what Bibee is going to do.

John Means – I imagine the Guardians will want to give him frames before the year ends and I wouldn’t be surprised if they squeezed three starts in here, giving Williams and Bibee rest at the end of the season. Keep him in mind for a late stream.

Parker Messick – He had great command for his first two starts, then it was rough against the Sawx. He’s a Toby at the end of the day.

 

Colorado Rockies

 

 

Kyle Freeland – Don’t.

Germán Márquez – You.

McCade Brown – Dare.

Tanner Gordon – Start.

Chase Dollander – Them.

 

Detroit Tigers

 

 

Sawyer Gipson-Long – It’s possible he gets more starts, though he’s not stretched out yet (three innings in Triple-A in his last outing) and it’s the Mets + Yankees (if he gets a second outing). However, if he’s still in the rotation (likely if Paddack sticks in the bullpen), that’s a juicy matchup @MIA, with a possible continuation against Atlanta.

Casey Mize – Mize isn’t in a good spot at the moment, and now that he misses the start against Miami, I’m not too interested.

Jack Flaherty – He’s a HIPSTER who I still believe is better than the valley of late, but is too risky to be a blind hold.

Tarik Skubal – Aces gonna ace.

Charlie Morton – The strikeouts are flowing and after I originally thought he was pushed a start to get the Yankees, Paddack was removed from the rotation, giving us CHW + @MIA again. It’s time to jump in.

Chris Paddack – He’s been moved to the pen. It’s possible he returns, but for now, we’re assuming SGL gets his starts.

 

Houston Astros

 

 

Framber Valdez – He’s been rough but the curve should return and you’re rolling with him.

Jason Alexander – Circle the start against Rockie Road. Welp, that’s behind him now, I guess circle the start against the Rangers?

Cristian Javier – I’m happy he came through for us, but he’s not a must-hold through the Yankees and Jays.

Spencer Arrighetti – Boy is The Pasta Pirate fortunate to miss the Yankees and Jays. Let it ride against the Rangers and let’s see if he’s in a good enough spot for Atlanta.

Hunter Brown – Aces gonna ace.

Luis García Jr. – He just had a solid performance in his Still ILL, albeit at 91 mph and without a strong #3 pitch. Give it a shot against the Rangers and take it from there.

 

Kansas City Royals

 

 

Michael Lorenzen – Maybe there’s a QS in there. Probably not.

Ryan Bergert – I dig him and hope he’s doing enough after the Guardians game that we want to keep rolling with him. I doubt it, though.

Seth Lugo – It’s a terrible moment and I totally get moving on. I’m wagering he finds it in his next start or two. The non-curveballs should be better. But they haven’t. I KNOW. It’s tough.

Noah Cameron This might be the time to move on from Cameron. He’s being babied by the Royals and who knows how consistent his schedule will be. Throw in just one good matchup the rest of the way and you’re better off finding something else.

Michael Wacha – He’s a Toby and worthwhile for the good matchups.

Cole Ragans – Come on buddy. PLEASE COME BACK. Just one start at the end, yeah?

 

Los Angeles Angels

 

 

Mitch Farris – He’s a soft-tossing southpaw making his MLB debut and who knows. Good luck.

José Ureña – You know the line. Don’t do it.

Kyle Hendricks – You can’t be serious.

José Soriano – He’s a HIPSTER.

Yusei Kikuchi – So is he.

Los Angeles Dodgers

 

 

Clayton Kershaw – Jeez. I don’t trust the skills and will bench against Philly, but you can’t deny the rest. Will he stay healthy for the rest of the regular season?

Shohei Ohtani – Aces gonna ace. Probably.

Blake Snell – Hot. Snell. Summer.

Tyler Glasnow – Aces gonna ace. Fix those fastballs please.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto – Aces gonna ace.

Emmet Sheehan – I have him as “Solid”, though the mystery of his starts and if he’ll get skipped or moved around or WHATEVER makes it hard to classify him as a clear hold.

 

Miami Marlins

 

 

Adam Mazur – I’m not ready to jump in here, which makes his start against DET the earliest possible stream and even that is highly questionable. Does he stick in the rotation through the end?

Janson Junk – He’s on the IL and I’m not interested in grabbing Janson when he returns unless he proves himself prior to the start @TEX.

Eury Pérez – He’s not an ace without the best weapons for LHB, but you’re not benching him.

Ryan Weathers – He sat 96 mph in his rehab start on August 30th, hinting at 97 mph when he returns. Lots of whiffs (6 Ks in 2.2 IP) and solid BSB command, too. Yeaaaaah, I’m willing to break the rules of Still ILL for Weathers against the Nationals if he’s above 70 pitches in his next (and presumably final) rehab start.

Valente Bellozo – This ain’t it, chief.

Robby Snelling – I wouldn’t be shocked if Snelling makes the 9/5 start instead of Bellozo and finds himself in the rotation. I wouldn’t start him against the Phillies, but he’s a worthy spec add.

Sandy Alcantara – He’s cruised across his last four, including a major test against the Mets. I guess we’re locked in for the next three starts at minimum, yeah?

 

Milwaukee Brewers

 

 

Jose Quintana – He’s in rhythm and has just one terrible lineup to face.

Freddy Peralta – There’s no reason to bench Peralta.

Quinn Priester – I’m not the biggest Priester believer, but save for a starting against the Padres, Priester has a solid chance of producing.

Brandon Woodruff – He’s looked like an ace when not facing strong lineups. You’re not dropping him.

Jacob Misiorowski – Jay Mis went five frames and 93 pitches prior to Monday’s four-inning stint. Get ready for some phenomenal production in the next three.

 

Minnesota Twins

 

 

Simeon Woods Richardson – I have little faith in SWR and I wonder if he’s even going to return to the rotation. How dare they demote Abel…

Zebby Matthews – His in-zone command isn’t where it needs to be yet. Hopefully he takes a step forward against the SlySox to get us excited for the final two starts.

Taj Bradley – Bradley is the same chaotic arm of old. No thanks. But the scouting reports! He’s a thrower, not a pitcher. The catcher was handling that for him, while Bradley still battles himself over the batter. Doesn’t change anything.

Joe Ryan – Aces gonna ace.

Pablo López –  After the Still ILL, you’re letting him fly.

Bailey Ober – I worry about the four-seamer velocity, which is still down at just under 90 mph. No thanks.

 

New York Mets

 

 

Nolan McLean – McLean is legit, but the Shag Rug is present and that schedule is no fun.

Clay Holmes – I’m not convinced The Adobe has fixed himself to last the full rest of the way, but at least he has the Tigers up next.

Tylor Megill – Wow, just throw him into the fire, eh?

Jonah Tong – Are the Mets really just starting him once? I just can’t believe that. They need him.

David Peterson – He’s getting the strikeouts and that schedule is glorious.

Kodai Senga – Senga isn’t as pristine as you want him to be, but he’s better as of late. Play it safe against the Phils, then ride the rest of the way, skipping his final start of the year as the Mets will likely give him a rest.

Sean Manaea – I’m worried about the third-time through the lineup penalty, and the fastball/sweeper combo has been hit far more than you’d like to see. He’s a clear sit for the Phillies, so why not return to this later? You shouldn’t expect him to get the start against the Marlins (they’ll rest him).

 

New York Yankees

 

 

Max Fried – He took a step forward last start and could return to AGA-land.

Will Warren – Warren has battled his command a lot this season and I’m not sure he’ll click into place before the end. I’d play it conservatively and wait.

Carlos Rodón – Rodón isn’t at his peak, but he’s in a good enough place to trust through September.

Cam Schlittler – Cam figured it out last start and I’m excited for what’s next.

Luis Gil – The command is still in question and those matchups are rough.

 

Philadelphia Phillies

 

 

Aaron Nola – Nola was far better in his second start at 92-93 mph. Trust this.

Ranger Suárez – Suárez has gone 10+ strikeouts in back-to-back starts before two strikeouts last game but solid ratios. Good enough for me with his solid command, even with those matchups.

Cristopher Sánchez – Aces gonna ace.

Jesús Luzardo – He’s a Cherry Bomb. Good luck.

Walker Buehler – How did you get here?!

Taijuan Walker – Vargas Rule him if you must, I can’t do it. Even against the Miami? No, not a fish with a wish or a Marlin with a darlin’.

 

Pittsburgh Pirates

 

 

Carmen Mlodzinski – He’s not likely to go long and those matchups are not what you want.

Bubba Chandler – I’m not sure how he’ll be used (After Carmen? Braxton? For how long? Will he start eventually?) and I’d rather just not deal with it at all.

Braxton AshcraftI worry he won’t go long enough to be worthwhile, but if Bubba is following Mlodzinski, then there’s a chance for success post-Dodgers. A small one, at that.

Paul Skenes – Aces gonna ace.

Johan Oviedo – I’m intrigued by Oviedo’s 99th percentile extension and legit slider. If only we could believe in his command.

Mitch Keller – Sure, he’s a desperate shot for a QS and has had more strikeouts than usual in his last two starts (not sustainable), but it’s just so meh.

Mike Burrows – He’s been moved to the bullpen, but he could return to the rotation in time. Who knows. I’m not interested if he is.

 

San Diego Padres

 

 

Yu Darvish – Darvish has the ability to cruise the rest of the way and has a luscious schedule for him to take advantage of.

Nestor Cortes – Cortes dominated the Dodgers, then got ejected, and now has a glorious schedule. This should be fine.

Nick Pivetta – Aces gonna ace.

Michael King – King was shaky when he first returned and if he’s properly healthy, you’re not taking your foot off the gas pedal.

Dylan Cease – The schedule is great and the skills are better than the results. You know this and yet…he hasn’t come through. Good luck.

 

 

San Francisco Giants

 

 

Logan Webb – He’s not at his peak and gets a horrible schedule. You can’t drop him though, right?

Robbie Ray – I was relieved to see Ray flirting with 94 mph in his last start and I’m willing to give him one more start to showcase he can handle a decent schedule the rest of the way – maybe even good enough to take on the Dodgers. If it goes poorly, though, search for other options.

Carson Seymour – He throws 96+ mph but there isn’t a whole lot supporting it. The slider has promise but we need more.

Justin Verlander – Yes, he just struck out ten in five innings, but needed 121 pitches to do so. That’s not an arm at the peak of his ability, y’all, and I’m worried he’ll have a hangover effect for the start in St. Louis. That makes him a target for later in the month, not in the near future.

Carson Whisenhunt – Maybe the changeup is enough against the Cards…?

Kai-Wei Teng – He came through with his breakers in Coors and the Cardinals could be another strikeout explosion, or blow up in your face.

 

Seattle Mariners

 

 

Bryan Woo – Aces gonna ace.

George Kirby – Not an ace, but you can’t deny this…save for the Dodgers. Possibly.

Logan Gilbert – Aces gonna ace.

Bryce Miller – He was solid in the Still ILL, then a bit wonky against the Padres. It’s a strong schedule across September, fortunately, making him a hold. For now.

Luis Castillo – Start him at home, but not on the road. Let’s hope that works.

 

 

St. Louis Cardinals

 

 

Miles Mikolas – You know better than this.

Matthew Liberatore – Liberatore has been fatigued in the second half. I’d avoid this.

Michael McGreevy – Hot dang, look at that schedule! Don’t expect strikeouts, but the Wins and QS could be there with decent ratios based on the elite defense behind him.

Andre Pallante – This is not the sneaky arm you’re looking for.

Sonny Gray – It’ll be Sonny a whole lot more than Gray. But he was just Gray and has two starts against the Brewers! Okay, fine. Start him against the Giants and see how you feel, alright?

 

Tampa Bay Rays

 

 

Drew Rasmussen – He’s gone six frames in four straight outings. His skills are elite. Don’t overthink this.

Adrian Houser – Houser is still capable of six innings for QS leagues. Play the matchups and it could work out. Not my favorite streamer.

Ryan Pepiot – Go with it early, but maybe hold off against TOR and BOS at home. That’s more than half of the starts. Oh jeez. Just see how things feel and we’ll talk later.

Ian Seymour – Another southpaw with a changeup who came through in both starts last week. I’m cool with his first two matchup, but I’d move on after that.

Shane Baz – Baz sat a tick up on the heater, two on the curve, and three on the cutter in his last start. If that sticks against the Guardians, you better believe I’d be tempted to hold.

 

Texas Rangers

 

 

Jacob Latz – He’s not fully stretched out, making his final two starts the ones to circle. He’s a southpaw with a 94+ mph heater at 17-18″ of vert and a legit changeup. That works.

Jack Leiter – He just killed it, though I didn’t see a whole lot I’d classify as sustainable. I’d test this only against Miami, sadly.

Merrill Kelly – Kelly has been shockingly consistent and I’m riding this through the tough schedule.

Jacob deGrom – Aces gonna ace.

Patrick Corbin – The magic has worn off. But maybe against the Marlins…

 

Toronto Blue Jays

 

 

José Berríos – He’s The Great Undulator. Your call.

Shane Bieber – Bieber looked absurd. I’m trusting this.

Kevin Gausman – Gausman is a HIPSTER.

Max Scherzer – He’s dealing with some back pain, which has me wanting to wait until the Rays start in most scenarios.

Chris Bassitt – Bassitt has had his curveball going for two straight. The Yankees are an obvious avoid and it’s a shrug from me after that. He’s your QS/Win streamer.

Eric Lauer – Back to the bullpen. For now. I’m not interested if they put him back into the rotation.

 

Washington Nationals

 

 

Cade Cavalli – Circle the starts against the Marlins and Pirates. I’m down for those.

Mitchell Parker – Oh how I wish he can reach his potential. His last start was good! Better*. Sadly, I can’t believe it’s repeatable and a launching pad.

Jake Irvin – He hasn’t been good for ages.

Brad Lord – It’s a decent sinker but not enough to chase.

MacKenzie Gore – A shoulder injury placed him on the IL and he could return later for two starts against Atlanta. I’m not too optimistic for it (pitch count, right?) and I’d move on.

Andrew Alvarez – The Gore replacement made his MLB debut on Monday and was…fine. He’s a soft-tossing southpaw with much of a changeup but a curve & slider he gets down-and-under RHB bnats effectively. Far too risky against the Cubs, but he may be a desperate play against the Pirates.

 

 

 

The List Based On ROS Schedules

 

Phew. With all the team schedules outlined above, I went forward and made a GIANT table featuring every starter listed above, ranking them in seven different tiers to get a sense of who to target and avoid down the stretch.

Before we get to that, I need to address a few things:

  • Due to the annoying nature of predicting schedule vs. things shifting around constantly, I decided to tier them up and sort them by alphabetical order.
    • It’s just too nuanced to rank these properly at this point. What is the value of 4 starts remaining vs. 5? It depends on so much.
    • Seriously, this is near impossible at this point. For daily questions, I’ll have my daily streaming articles.
  • Let me outline the definitions of each tier:
    • Auto: You’re pretty much starting them for each outing they have ahead of them, regardless of the opponent. Maybe one or two considerations, but you’re likely still starting them.
    • Solid: You trust them against weak teams and there may be one or two games that give you some hesitation. These are the arms that are most likely already rostered in leagues and not available off the wire. There are also a few arms who are trending down and may fall into the “Gamble” tier next week.
    • Tobys and Bombs: These are possible waiver adds with a heavy swing of good and poor matchups, with a mix of your standard Toby types who you trust a little more than a streamer, your high upside/high risk Cherry Bomb types, or guys who we may like to take a spec add on and see if they can become more trusted in future weeks.
    • Early Streamer: These are streaming options for the next few starts ahead, who we’re dropping after. It’s not always perfect (like one bad matchup then becoming a streamer), but they should help you plan your weeks ahead.
    • Late Streamer: These are streaming options in future weeks to circle and be aware of if you’re looking to get ahead of other managers in your league.
    • Desperate Streamer: They have a skill that gives them a chance to come through – Long leash, strikeout upside, etc. – but shouldn’t be circled as an option in your leagues.
    • Single game Streamer: These are the guys who have maybe one start that look decent on paper, but we don’t expect to start much or has a rare game to circle.
    • Do Not Start: It’s certainly possible they pull off a good outing here and there, but you really don’t want to bet on it. Don’t do this.
  • These matchups are likely to change plenty between now and the end of the season and take the time to look into who maybe shift around and who may not (e.g. The Yankees rotation)
  • Again, please don’t hate me, this took forever.
  • I went with a screenshot instead of a table as it’s far easier to create the colored cells for opponents + I think it works better for scrolling. Sorry you can’t Ctrl+F inside it. It’s a concession I think is worth it.
    • If you’d like a searchable version, I have shared a copy of this Google Sheet inside our PL+ Discord.

 

 

Players are not ranked inside tiers. They are sorted in alphabetical order.

 

Here is the legend once again as a reminder:

 

 

(OFF) = Team has an off-day before this start. For example, 9/5 BOS (OFF) = Team has an off day on 9/4.

 

Auto-Start Tier

You’re pretty much starting them for each outing they have ahead of them, regardless of the opponent. Maybe one or two considerations, but you’re likely still starting them.

 

 

Solid Start Tier

You trust them against weak teams and there may be one or two games that give you some hesitation. These are the arms that are most likely already rostered in leagues and not available off the wire. There are also a few arms who are trending down and may fall into the “Gamble” tier next week.

 

 

Tobys and Bombs Start Tier

These are possible waiver adds with a heavy swing of good and poor matchups, with a mix of your standard Toby types who you trust a little more than a streamer, your high upside/high risk Cherry Bomb types, or guys who we may like to take a spec add on and see if they can become more trusted in future weeks.

 

 

Early Streamer Tier

These are streaming options for the next few starts ahead, who we’re dropping after. It’s not always perfect (like one bad matchup then becoming a streamer), but they should help you plan your weeks ahead.

 

 

Late Streamer Tier

These are streaming options in future weeks to circle and be aware of if you’re looking to get ahead of other managers in your league.

 

 

Desperate Streamer Tier

They have a skill that gives them a chance to come through – Long leash, strikeout upside, etc. – but shouldn’t be circled as an option in your leagues.

 

 

 

Do Not Start Tier

It’s certainly possible they pull off a good outing here and there, but you really don’t want to bet on it. Don’t do this.

 

 

Good luck everyone!

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Nick Pollack

Founder of Pitcher List. Creator of CSW, The List, and SP Roundup. Worked with MSG, FanGraphs, CBS Sports, and Washington Post. Former college pitcher, travel coach, pitching coach, and Brandeis alum. Wants every pitcher to be dope.

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