Welcome to The List, where I rank the Top 100 SP for Fantasy Baseball every single Monday of the year.
Want an earlier update to The List? Join me on Mondays at 2:00pm ET as I live-stream its creation each week!
Have questions? My “office hours” are on Playback 10:00 am – 12:00 pm ET Monday – Friday + the aforementioned stream of The List.
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:
- This is 5×5, 12-teamer, H2H format focused. It generally is the same as roto as well, but make sure you adjust accordingly.
- Before the notes and rankings, an injury table outlines where players would be relatively ranked if they were fully healthy. It’s the best way to tackle how to value players on the IL.
- If a player is on the IL or not confirmed inside the rotation, they aren’t on the List. That includes injuries and guys in the minors, but there are exceptions for players who are expected to be in the rotation but are being skipped this week.
- Second is a table of pitchers outside the Top 100 I considered. Please read this if you can’t find your guy.
- Since this is a 12-teamer, I heavily weigh upside in the back-half of the rankings. The Cherry Bomb players are likely going to underperform those labeled as a Toby across a full season, but it’s in your best interest to chase ceiling vs. floor in many cases. Pick the one that you need most in your situation, of course.
- I’ve made a decision to limit labels to just one label per player, with few exceptions for a second. It streamlines the process much better and hopefully gives you a more targeted understanding of the player.
- The notes outline oh-so-much to help your team. Please read the notes if you can instead of just scrolling to the bottom.
Let’s get to the tables. First are all of our injured compatriots. Injuries are so strange (especially in spring training) and instead of shoving them at random moments on The List, I’ve elected to throw all of them into one table here for you, the wise fantasy manager, to determine if it’s worthwhile to take the injury discount and when.
(OFS) = Out For Season. They usually went under TJS or a similar procedure.
I made a decision last year: I removed the “Preseason tiers” and changed “tiers” to “Relative Rank” as it’ll be more consistent week-to-week — Tiers change while their relative rank does not.
Please understand that “70-80” does not guarantee the player will be exactly in that range when they return. Rankings are 100% relative to the landscape and while this table reflects where they would sit in a vacuum, it’s a fluid creature. Sometimes there are oh-so-many options, sometimes I want to see them healthy and stretched out again, and others we’re starving for pitchers and they jump higher than “70-80”. It’s a loose reference point and why it’s called “relative ranking.” It’s difficult to update this week-to-week and I apologize if the ranking is different when the player actually returns from the IL. I hope it helps!
One last point about that – pitchers often need an extra week or two to ramp up once they do return to the majors. It’s why Still ILL exists and the “relative rank” you see is when those guys have shaken off their rust. Will they be back to normal in their first start or will they need a few? I have no idea! Those ranks are to show what I’d expect once they are fully back to normal.
I added something new to The List last season. It’s a small table of the prospects I’m personally excited about who would jump up The List quickly if they were confirmed in the rotation. Please don’t read too much into these, there are far better prospect analysts out there than me, and this rank will likely conflict with our weekly SP To Stash article from Rudy Ropp, though we will be conferring each week.. Still, I think this table will help you quickly stay on top of who should be on your radar.
They are ordered by my general preference/focus on those guys right now. If any of these are called up, they should be added to your 12-teamers as spec adds at the very least. Some guys aren’t here and that’s due to my own belief they aren’t as pressing as the ones below. I could be very wrong there.
Colors: Green = Worthy of a stash right now in 12-teamers.
Lastly, I heavily recommend you follow my daily SP Roundup that outlines all pitcher performances through the season, as each week’s update will reflect the comments and findings from those daily articles. If you’re unfamiliar with some of the players listed, I highly recommend that you read my 75,000+ word Top 400 Starting Pitchers from February. Many things will have changed, but the root of my perception of these players is outlined there.
Let’s get to it.
Ranking Notes
- This is your reminder to please read these notes as they’ll tell you plenty about why “someone moved up” or “why is he at #X?!”
- Seriously. Read the notes.
- I know there are going to be a ton of comments about I hate how much these rankings change each week and I’m going to get out ahead of them here.
- These rankings mostly change in the back half of The List as that’s your waiver wire. Those aren’t the players you hold onto throughout the year like your SPs 1-4, which means we’re going to be a bit more chaotic and roll with the waves more aggressively. If I see elements that suggest a pitcher could be a Top 40 arm, I’m going to move up a ton from the 80s to the 60s. Shazam, there we go.
- Pitchers in the Top 40 (or so) move less drastically than those from 40-100. Yes, I’m reiterating the last bullet point because I get comments about it each week. The back-half of the List has a ton of movement constantly due to the nature of 12-team leagues. It’s in your best interest to get value now vs. holding onto a fringe arm as a stash for 10 days while you sit them against a tough offense. Yes, this means you’ll see dramatic +15/-20 moves a lot. It’s how it works.
- As is tradition, I need to tell you about the guys who were removed and added from the Top 60, so you have context for the ranking shifts.
- Added: Zac Gallen (22), Gavin Williams (55)
- Removed: Yu Darvish (46), Nick Lodolo (50), Bryan Woo (55)
- Net Change Inside Top 60: (+1)
- Please understand how this affects movement across The List.
Tier 1 – The Remaining Aces
You know they are aces.
1. Zack Wheeler – Yep, he’s still SP #1.
2. Tyler Glasnow – He looked mortal with his old control issues in his last outing. It happens, we don’t do anything rash.
3. Tarik Skubal – He’s still cruising and it’s wonderful.
4. Chris Sale – Sale looks like peak Sale and it’s glorious.
5. Garrett Crochet – It’s hard to deny Crochet as the MLB leader in strikeouts. It’s just four-seamer cutter and it’s magnificent.
6. Corbin Burnes – Despite the strikeouts taking a step back, the Wins + ratios are everything you’d want.
7. Paul Skenes – Skenes is undeniably a stud. It’s bonkers.
8. Max Fried – Fried has settled in to being as stable of a ratio arm as you’ll find.
9. Cole Ragans – Ragans’ strikeout ability is fantastic, with a touch of polish left to ensure a solid WHIP each game.
Tier 2 – AGA With Something To Prove
They have the AGA tag, though they all have a quirk that could mean they lose it by August.
10. Joe Ryan – He just fanned ten Mariners, as he should.
11. Aaron Nola – His 2024 redemption year is going just as planned with his curveball landing perfectly at the bottom of the zone and below it.
12. Luis Castillo – A tough demotion this week as Castillo has disappointed in four of his last five. I’m not concerned for the long haul (every SP has a rough patch) and I hope this is the lowest he goes.
13. Gerrit Cole – I was wrong to assume Cole was back to normal after his first start of the year. He rebounded from the cataclysm of Grimace over the weekend, but he still needs to prove he has the full arsenal that speaks to a near 30% strikeout rate with 6+ innings consistently among elite ratios.
14. Sonny Gray – Gray stumbled and there’s nothing to be worried about/
15. Grayson Rodriguez – He’s performing well even without the best secondary feel. Imagine how good he could be if he actually spots his stuff.
16. George Kirby – The four-seamer is elevated more often and the slider is solid. We’re doing great here.
17. Logan Gilbert – Gilbert’s four-seamer and slider have been a strong foundation, though I would like to see a little more from the splitter and cutter on the regular.
18. Shota Imanaga – Imanaga isn’t overwhelming batters with his four-seamer and splitter like he did in April and May, but he’s still an arm you’re trusting each night.
19. Tanner Houck – Houck had a rough day and considering Houck’s skills don’t speak to AGA like the others here (the results have!), I have to scrutinize his stumbles a little more than the others. Here’s to hoping he’s fine.
Tier 3 – We Expect Success Every Night
They don’t have the AGA tag and could earn it before August.
20. Jack Flaherty – The breakers were great, but the fastball got clipped and that’s the way it goes. Still on the verge of AGA, this or next week.
21. Justin Steele – He’s manipulating the heater and slider effectively, though it has been more of the fastball getting the job done as of late. I can see him getting the AGA tag if he’s able to have both pitches manipulated at will.
22. Zac Gallen – His return from the IL was incredible. Both sliders and changeups were proper weapons, the curveball was low per usual, and we even saw his heater sitting 95 mph – not 92/93. I’m enforcing a “Three starts” rule of aces to get their AGA tag back when returning from injury, even if Gallen’s wasn’t as severe as others.
23. Pablo López – That’s two fantastic outings from Pablo, albeit against a pair of weak opponents. His changeup returned in the first, the sweeper the second (he told me about how comfortable he finally felt to “let it rip”), and here’s to hoping he steals the spotlight against the Astros this week. You got this.
24. Freddy Peralta – Peralta was his peak self in his last outing, boasting high heaters with both changeups and sliders for strikes. If only we could believe he’d be like this for the next three months. But he did last year! He sure did.
Tier 4 – Hard Rock Café
I don’t think they’ll get the AGA tag this year, but hot dang are they stable 6+ inning arms for all-around production.
25. Reynaldo López – Let it ride, let it ride. The four-seamer will face some regression, sure, but it’s been stellar while the slider (22% SwStr rate!) and curve (high strike rate) have been proper complements.
26. Ronel Blanco – Like Reynaldo, Blanco is sure to get worse luck in the future, but his changeup is doing a great job of keeping batters off his heater, while the slider is the great stabilizer inside the zone. His results have been like an ace, the true outcome is a solid SP #2/3.
27. Logan Webb – He gives you volume…and a questionable WHIP.
28. Bailey Ober – Ober’s cutter/slider have improved plenty this season and acted as much-needed companions to Ober’s four-seamer/changeup approach.
29. Seth Lugo – The dude is featuring a 7-8 pitch mix from two different arm slots and it’s pretty awesome to watch him perform at his peak. It’s hard to truly buy into a near 30% strikeout rate, but Lugo has been a stabilizing arm for so many this year.
30. Ranger Suárez – I know, it’s a heavy fall. Like Houck, Suárez’s run didn’t seem quite believable like the others, reliant on command more than stuff, though the groove simply kept going and felt like it would last all year. Following a pair of starts where Suárez wasn’t as sharp, it’s hard to give him the same treatment as those we expect to return at least as strikeout per inning at a similar set of ratios. Still like him n all, but let’s shift our expectations.
31. Michael King – King works his pitches on opposite sides of the plate incredibly well, making for a stable arm who carries the expectation of a Quality Start each time he steps on the mound.
Tier 5 – The Firecrackers
We can all see how these pitchers become aces, though they still have questions to answer before then.
32. Tanner Bibee – Our cover boy today has impressed me mightily as of late. After going three pitches for about year, Bibee brought his curveball back into the mix and it has been fantastic. The heavy addition of curveballs has given him the bottom of the zone once again, allowing his four-seamer to breathe upstairs, while the unruly change and slider command can survive upstairs and let the curve prevent batters from locking into one half of the zone. It’s still a bit early to say he’s a blossoming ace, but hot dang, I see it.
33. Dylan Cease – He’s still Cease at heart, but he’s featuring more starts with sliders inside the zone for strikes and I’m a fan of it. I still want him to add a cutter that would help him earn strikes when batters are keyed in on the fastball. A man can dream, you know.
34. Jared Jones – Everything is the same as it was a week ago as Jones was skipped. Then why has he fallen? Because the landscape has changed (Gallen back, Lugo, King, Cease, and Bibee up). He’s in the same tier, after all. The numbers are not what’s important, it’s the relative rank. I need y’all to understand this. PLEASE TELL ME YOU UNDERSTAND THIS.
35. Taj Bradley – His four-seamer and splitter went over 70% strikes again and it led to an eleven strikeout game. He’s starting to believe.
36. Ryan Pepiot – I’m still a huge Pepiot believer and we saw last week how easy it is for him to roll against a poor offense. The stuff is phenomenal.
37. Luis Gil – Gil got bamboozled by the Orioles, then actually had a skills regression against the Mets where his fastball was a scattershot and his change/slider failed to stay down. I see this as a small rough patch that Gil will endure, then become stronger on the other side of it. That’s generally how it works.
38. MacKenzie Gore – Speaking of rough patches, Gore is going through one now as he’s failing to have all his pitches working in a start. We could be witnessing his first bout of fatigue of the year, though I’m still going to trust the skills and believe that he’ll make the adjustments necessary to prevent him from turning into a Cherry Bomb ala Hunter Greene.
39. Bobby Miller – It’s been a terrible start to his 2024 season and you may need to bench him for at least one start before jumping back into this. His approach is simply abysmal right now. That said, he has a TIARA and his stuff is truly elite – his control isn’t terrible either, it’s really just his feel and having the right approach with his vast arsenal. He’ll get there.
Tier 6 – The Local Diner
This is the late night food that’s always there for you. Their names never change and you should get something you enjoy.
40. Cristopher Sánchez – 16 straight scoreless frames without a walk. I think he’s getting into a groove, yeah?
41. Kutter Crawford – Crawford didn’t perform as well against the Reds, sure, but he’s still a reliable arm to trust for the second half of the season.
42. Gavin Stone – He’s earning more strikeouts as of late, though I expect them to fall closer to a 20% clip as he pitches for a winning team with a great defense.
43. Nathan Eovaldi – Eovaldi does what he does. Expect six competitive frames, hopefully with some strikeouts off the splitter and cutter.
44. Max Scherzer – I’m not sure what to make of Scherzer. I’m hesitant to believe he has the same skills of yesteryear, while his health is obviously in question.
45. Jake Irvin – The curveball is cruising while the other offerings are doing what they need to do, despite their general mediocrity. What a ridiculously fun run this has been.
46. Zach Eflin – Eflin is looking more like his 2023 self as of late with his cutter and curve. Let’s hope it sticks.
47. Reese Olson – The slider is cooking while the four-seamer is staying out of the way. Now let’s hope the changeup can catch up to its peers.
Tier 7 – The Wobbly Guardrails
We’re at the edge of The Cliff where it’s heavily in your interest to grab guys who have the potential to lock themselves firmly inside the Top 40/50 SP for the season.
48. Kevin Gausman – It feels so wrong to place Gausman this low, though I don’t have much of a choice. His splitter is just not the pitch he needs it to be, accumulating to a near 30% strike rate (!) in his last outing against the Yankees. You simply can’t start him.
49. Carlos Rodón – Rodón has run into a bit more trouble as of late, though a start or two should bring him back into Tier 6. Just showcase you have your heater & slider feel back.
50. Framber Valdez – Framber’s sinker gets hit hard and the curve + change are too volatile. He’s a Cherry Bomb y’all are enduring, expecting him to climb out of the 4.11 ERA, 1.29 WHIP hole he’s put you in. But the strikeouts! Uhhhh, a sub 20% strikeout rate, too. It should be better and he has the potential to erase your fears across a month, but it’s getting harder and harder to believe it’ll come.
51. Yusei Kikuchi – I still love the four-seamer shape and seeing him throw more sliders than any other pitch had me ecstatic for the future – his only blip was a three-run shot off a decent heater. His return to form seems right around the corner.
52. Hunter Greene – I’m going to give him a little bit of a break given the whole “I booted during the first inning” and then failing to get sliders over the plate in the following start.
53. Hunter Brown – Brown continued success against the Jays today before publication, though it was a bit weird with a heavy four-seamer and sinker focus. Why is he always a bit different? Because he doesn’t have great command and is still figuring it all out. Ah. So obviously a Cherry Bomb.
54. Gavin Williams – Hey, he’s back! Feel free to treat his first start like a Still ILL, though he tossed 82 pitches in his final rehab outing with the four-seamer looking like a proper whiff pitch…without the best location (Thank you PL Pro Apps!). I’m stoked to watch him against the White Sox.
55. Bryce Miller – Miller FINALLY earned some whiffs on secondaries, tallying eight across his breaker and splitter. It’s what you want and I certainly hope it carries forward.
56. Nick Pivetta – Pivetta had a fantastic second half of 2023 and hinted at that same self prior to injury this year. However, he currently doesn’t have the same cutter and sweeper, turning him into the shaky arm of old.
57. Christian Scott – The Mets are calling him back up to the majors this week for a start before the ASB and it may be time to jump back on board. I have him at #57 right before the final bastion of Toby as Scott is worth chasing, but he’s not a lock to produce. Don’t hold on too tightly and let’s see how he performs against the Nationals.
Tier 8 – Tennis Partners
You’re down to play Tennis. You’ve always wanted to! And now you’re linked at the hip…but you don’t know if you’re actually going to enjoy playing doubles with them.
58. Chris Bassitt – Bassitt hasn’t been the greatest of arms, but he’s been stable. That’s what he does.
59. Nestor Cortes – I’m still struggling to figure out Cortes. He’s clearly someone to roster but I often feel “meh” watching him and looking into his four-seamer and cutter. He helps, but not like an ace.
60. Marcus Stroman – Stroman is a consistent QS/Win arm who needs one of his secondaries working to support his sinker on a daily basis. It happens the majority of the time and that’s cool with us.
61. José Berríos – We saw stellar Berríos. We saw bleeeeegh Berríos. Last time out, we saw 50%+ CSW curve Berríos. He is The Great Undulator and let’s hope this is the happy swing of the pendulum that lasts a month.
62. Mitch Keller – Keller’s command was better last time out and he didn’t quite fall off after a sole stumble a week ago. That’s nothing analysis. Okay fine. He goes cutters + heaters, hoping to locate them well as he struggles to rely heavily on his sweeper and curve. That makes him susceptible to punishment when he fails to spot his pitches, especially given his dead-zone four-seamer. When he’s cooking, it works well. When he’s not, watch your heads.
63. David Festa – Festa got the call and I dig his overall approach. It’s an above-average four-seamer with a good slider & change, though it’s unclear if we can trust him consistently or if he’s going to have consistent Rookie struggles of the Shag Rug. At the very least, he’s worth the shot over Tier 9 and lower – those are arms who you can afford to send to the wire in 12-teamers as you shoot for a better life.
64. Brandon Pfaadt – This could be different next week, but I’d take a shot on Pfaadt after showcasing a great curveball in his last outing. He’s been in dire need of a new secondary to complement the sweeper and this may be the ticket.
Tier 9 – Thin Blankets
It’s a mini-tier of guys who don’t warm you like the soaring upside of Tier 7, but get the job done to go six full frames without devastation. The final bastion to save you from the cold of the wire.
65. Matt Waldron – I love it when Waldron has his knuckleball working and he’s displayed the ability to get through games even when it’s not there.
66. Erick Fedde – Fedde’s command is great with a legit mix of offerings to dance around the zone. If only he played for a better team.
67. Tyler Anderson – Anderson’s changeup is legit these days and even with his last outing going poorly, Anderson is an arm few are letting go in 12-teamers.
68. Cade Povich – Povich doesn’t have the big whiff stuff, but he does have a great offense on his side, while a deep enough mix to make it through six.
69. Andrew Heaney – We just saw Heaney flex the slider he had with the Dodgers, fanning ten Baltimore hitters with the pitch down-and-gloveside and pairing it with heaters up. You never know what you’re gonna get with Heaney.
70. Andrew Abbott – Speaking of which, Abbott had a massive strikeout game only to walk six and fan just two in the following outing. Not the most fun guy to chase.
71. Brady Singer – Singer is the sinker/slider guy you’ve known for years. That means you’re going to get a lot of highs and lows.
72. Michael Wacha – Wacha’s changeup is looking back to normal, which could mean we get quiet production across 5-6 innings consistently.
73. Kyle Gibson – His sweeper is still solid and his leash is as long as any.
74. Tobias Myers – Oddly enough, Myers has been productive across five straight now. I still question the fortune, but the four-seamer shape certainly is legit, and if the changeup can be spotted appropriately, Myers could make this very real.
Tier 10 – It’s Dangerous To Go Alone
Your last bastion of safety if you don’t want to endure the world of streaming. You see them rostered and dropped across all your leagues constantly.
75. Jose Quintana – The command is back to his peak days and he faces the Nationals.
76. Jonathan Cannon – Cannon has displayed the ability to look like a Toby with his sinker, sweeper, and changeup. Sign me up for a start against the Marlins.
77. Brayan Bello – The days have been rough for Bello, who has struggled to find the feel for his changeup across the last month. Thing is, the Marlins are up next, granting a fantastic opportunity to return to form.
78. Michael Lorenzen – He’s a QS streamer and gets the Rays. That’s cool with us.
79. Albert Suárez – The Athletics are up next and Suárez could steal a win with some strikeouts.
80. Ben Lively – Lively had a hiccup before settling back into form with his heaters. Now getting the CrySox, you should feel fine with this.
81. Sean Manaea – The Nationals + Pirates make for a great two-step for Manaea.
82. Luis Severino – I still can’t get over him tossing 60%+ sinkers these days, but fine, start him against the Pirates.
83. Mitchell Parker – The Mets don’t make for the best matchup, but Parker is settling in well with his four pitches.
Tier 11 – Fine, You Need Some Streams & Other Randos
More streaming options here, but a slight drop from the previous tier.
84. Landon Knack – Knack doesn’t go long enough for me to raise him higher on The List, but his situation on the Dodgers makes him considerable against the Sneks.
85. Spencer Schwellenbach – I love the stuff Mr. Crescendo brings to the table for the winning Atlanta crew. The Phillies look like a bad matchup at face value, but without Schwarber or Harper, this may be worthwhile. Remember, his 4 ER from his last start was a product of two HRs off two mistakes.
86. Zack Littell – Littell’s slider over the zone constantly works well for him and if the splitter is on point, he’ll make easy work of the Royals – possibly Texas, too.
87. Simeon Woods Richardson – The Tigers are a decent start for SWR, who doesn’t do a whole lot to make me feel confident on a given night. It’ll be sliders over the zone with fastballs trying to avoid barrels. Don’t hold on too tightly.
88. David Peterson – He gets the Nationals (right now!) and the Pirates later in the week. I wish he had his old slider feel, but the changeup has been better and the power of Grimace is on his side.
89. Griffin Canning – The Cubs are weak at the moment and Canning’s changeup + slider make for a decent stream.
90. Carson Spiers – Spiers has come through as kitchen-sink arm and could be a boring stream against the Tigers.
91. Charlie Morton – Morton’s curve has been productive, but he’s still a Cherry Bomb streamer at heart.
92. Aaron Civale – I wish I had more faith in Civale’s curveball returning whiffs again, but he was as close as we’ve seen in his last outing. Now facing a middling Rangers crew, he could be an arm to stream here and hold indefinitely. Or a Double Bubble overnight.
93. José Soriano – He’s returning from the IL and I’m not sure we can trust him against the Athletics. That said, it was a short stint and as long as he throws strikes, he’ll produce.
94. Spencer Arrighetti – The Pasta Pirate just fanned ten batters after finally throwing a ton of strikes. I need to see more to believe he can do it regularly.
95. Jordan Hicks – Hicks gets Atlanta and I feel awfully blegh about that one. However, if he has his sweeper or splitter feel, the matchup won’t matter. Especially if the sinker finds gloves.
96. Alec Marsh – Marsh has his moments with breakers and four-seamers and has gone 5+ consistently.
97. Jon Gray – Gray has some upside with his slider, though the Padres are scarier than ideal.
98. Jameson Taillon – Taillon just fanned ten and while that’s lovely, it’s not sustainable.
99. Mitch Spence – Spence’s slider/cutter works to get outs over the plate. The Angels may oblige, while I’d rest for the Orioles.
100. Davis Daniel – He just went eight frames in shocking fashion and now gets the Athletics. Might as well give that a shot, right?
Honorable Mentions
You’re getting little blurbs on everyone else with a rotation spot this week. This is in alphabetical team order, not rank. If a pitcher has a rotation spot and is not listed here, it’s an error on my part after crafting The List and forgetting to add them here. Feel free to let me know if someone isn’t listed here and I’ll add them – it’s usually a fringe guy I removed and lapsed when ensuring they had a blurb!
Jordan Montgomery (ARI) – Let’s be real. You can’t trust JorMont right now and you’d be stashing him for a ceiling you can find off the wire already.
Ryne Nelson (ARI) – I dig his heater and there is a ceiling to hit one day. He’s a Young Gun.
Slade Cecconi (ARI) – He just earned a Gallows Pole with a better curveball, but I’m still waiting for a bit more before actually leaning into this.
Cole Irvin (BAL) – Same with Irvin.
Dean Kremer (BAL) – He could return this week and while I question his skill in the first place, I can see some wanting to chance it against the Mariners. I’d prefer to be patient here. He isn’t a slam dunk pitcher.
Josh Winckowski (BOS) – The Red Sox don’t have a true fifth starter and are looking to Winckowski as an option for about 60 pitches.
Hayden Wesneski (CHC) – The sweeper is solid, but the rest of the arsneal isn’t + he doesn’t go long in games.
Kyle Hendricks (CHC) – The curveball is back. That’s great, but it still feels wrong to test against the Angels.
Chris Flexen (CHW) – I’ve actually dug what Flexen has done lately, but he heads into Cleveland’s HR park this week. He could be valuable in a Sunday stream against the Marlins, but it’s not worth it now.
Drew Thorpe (CHW) – Thorpe showed us what his floor is when his changeup doesn’t work (nightmarish) and now displayed the plateau of decency when it’s working. He’s matchup-focused and a date in Cleveland makes me avoid for now.
Mike Clevinger (CHW) – There’s a chance the CrySox go with Clev this week instead of Jonathan Cannon and I’ll be disappointed if they do for many reasons. I’m not touching Treble Clev.
Frankie Montas (CIN) – He’s awfully pedestrian. You can do better.
Graham Ashcraft (CIN) – He’s back from the minors and will get the Yankees before Detroit. I feel cautious even against the Tigers, let alone the Yankees.
Carlos Carrasco (CLE) – He’s only of consideration if you have a dire need for six frames.
Logan Allen (CLE) – He’s an unreliable streamer.
Triston McKenzie (CLE) – He’s been demoted to Triple-A. It was time. A fun one? Not what I said.
Austin Gomber (COL) – COL story, bro.
Cal Quantrill (COL) – COL story, bro. He’s at least considerable as a streamer, though he hosts the Brewers next. Noooope.
Dakota Hudson (COL) – COL story, bro.
Kyle Freeland (COL) – COL story, bro.
Ryan Feltner (COL) – COL story, bro.
Casey Mize (DET) – I can see the fun in his four-seamer and after two starts of a 96+ mph heater, I can see some going for it @CIN. I don’t like the lack of whiff pitch outside his heater, though, and it’s too low of a floor to favor over the other options.
Kenta Maeda (DET) – Why chase Maeda? The ceiling is too low to justify the floor.
Shawn Dubin (HOU) – He’s not stretched out yet and I’d wait until we see something major before giving this a shot.
Chase Silseth (LAA) – We’re not sure if Silseth gets a start this week, but that would be a Still ILL should it happen. He’s been rough in Triple-A.
Roansy Contreras (LAA) – He’s not stretched out and the stuff isn’t what you’re looking for.
Zach Plesac (LAA) – Optioned to the minors.
James Paxton (LAD) – He just allowed 9 ER. He’s been sneaky productive, but it’s time to let go.
Kyle Tyler (MIA) – He’s getting an opportunity with all the Miami injuries and he brings far too little to the table.
Roddery Muñoz (MIA) – His command is too volatile to trust against all but the poor offenses.
Trevor Rogers (MIA) – There are hints of success here and there, but the full arsenal hasn’t come together yet.
Valente Bellozo (MIA) – He’s a cutter/slider guy who is hoping to find five boring innings on a given night. That’s not the game you want to play.
Yonny Chirinos (MIA) – He made a start and shocked us all with a legit strikeout performance, fueled by a new slider at a lower velocity and bigger break. It won’t last.
Bryse Wilson (MIL) – The Brewers are still rolling with Wilson. That doesn’t mean you have to, too.
Carlos F. Rodriguez (MIL) – It seems as though Dallas Keuchel took his place. Yeah. That guy.
Colin Rea (MIL) – There’s always a chance, but don’t hold onto that Rea of light.
Dallas Keuchel (MIL) – I still can’t believe this is a thing.
Joe Ross (MIL) – Ross may be returning this week and it’s a clear wait-and-see. You said that last week. And the week before that. Wait. And. See.
Tylor Megill (NYM) – Demoted to the minors. Womp womp.
Hogan Harris (OAK) – His heater isn’t dominating as we want it to, while the curve + change have been meh. A start against the Orioles makes this an easy avoid.
Joey Estes (OAK) – There isn’t enough water in this Estes flask.
JP Sears (OAK) – He’s too dang volatile!
Luis Medina (OAK) – He’s showcased the volatility and it’s unwise to put yourself in harm’s way.
Bailey Falter (PIT) – His extension grants a chance for success and we see it here and there. Too much of a coin flip to add to The List without pushing the needle a whole lot when it works.
Luis L. Ortiz (PIT) – After his best performance of the year, Ortiz has been put back into the pen with Martín Pérez’s return to the rotation. Womp womp.
Martín Pérez (PIT) – He’s back and could click into a Toby label soon enough. Let’s wait for him to take advantage of a streamable matchup first.
Adam Mazur (SDP) – His third start came with plenty walks, even if his precision wasn’t nearly as terrible as the line. He may get another start if Darvish needs more time, but I’d resist streaming him until we see real promise.
Randy Vasquez (SDP) – I don’t trust the command, nor the overall stuff of the arsenal. He has found his way through 5+ frames, but it’s not worthwhile to chase.
Jhonathan Díaz (SEA) – Diaz is not the guy. Do yourself a favor and leave it at that.
Blake Snell (SFG) – It’s possible Snell will return before next Monday. We’ll see, it’s a Still ILL when he does, let alone questionable for his lack of command previously.
Hayden Birdsong (SFG) – He throws about 95/96 mph and doesn’t have much else. I don’t think he’s the next big thing and too much of a risk at the moment.
Kyle Harrison (SFG) – He may return shortly after a bullpen session on Wednesday. I don’t have much interest here, even when he’s healthy.
Landen Roupp (SFG) – Roupp could see a start or two and carries too large of a Shag Rug without enough of a potential impact.
Spencer Howard (SFG) – The Giants DFA’d him on Sunday. Yup.
Andre Pallante (STL) – He’s still in the rotation and at least he had a normal pitch count this time. Not much to latch onto here, though.
Matthew Liberatore (STL) – I just wish he was given another chance to start after he dominated with his fastball and slider during a spot start last week for Wednesday’s double-header.
Miles Mikolas (STL) – I was considering Mikolas as a decent volume arm for points or QS leagues, but he just demolished any confidence we had in him. Can’t chance it.
Lance Lynn (STL) – He just doesn’t do enough anymore. Yes, even after his last two games.
Yariel Rodríguez (TOR) – Yariel just had a productive start against the Astros on Monday as I’m typing this and should get a start against the Mariners, making him someone of note…but I don’t have massive adoration for what he does + the general limitations of his pitch count.
DJ Herz (WSN) – The changeup isn’t always there + he doesn’t get to face Miami every start.
Josiah Gray (WSN) – This week could mark the return of Josiah. He had some moments before the injury and I’d be shocked if he became 12-teamer relevant right away.
Patrick Corbin (WSN) – This isn’t working out. Shocking, I know. At least he’s experimenting…?
SCROLL BACK UP AND READ THE NOTES
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| Rank | Pitcher | Badges | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zack WheelerT1 | Aces Gonna Ace Quality Starts | - |
| 2 | Tyler Glasnow | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 3 | Tarik Skubal | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 4 | Chris Sale | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | +1 |
| 5 | Garrett Crochet | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | +4 |
| 6 | Corbin Burnes | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | - |
| 7 | Paul Skenes | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | +3 |
| 8 | Max Fried | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | -1 |
| 9 | Cole Ragans | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | -1 |
| 10 | Joe RyanT2 | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | +2 |
| 11 | Aaron Nola | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | +2 |
| 12 | Luis Castillo | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | -1 |
| 13 | Gerrit Cole | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus Injury Risk | -9 |
| 14 | Sonny Gray | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | - |
| 15 | Grayson Rodriguez | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | +3 |
| 16 | George Kirby | Aces Gonna Ace Quality Starts | +3 |
| 17 | Logan Gilbert | Aces Gonna Ace Quality Starts | +3 |
| 18 | Shota Imanaga | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | -2 |
| 19 | Tanner Houck | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | -2 |
| 20 | Jack FlahertyT3 | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +1 |
| 21 | Justin Steele | Ace Potential Quality Starts | +1 |
| 22 | Zac Gallen | Ace Potential Quality Starts Injury Risk | +UR |
| 23 | Pablo López | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | - |
| 24 | Freddy Peralta | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | - |
| 25 | Reynaldo LópezT4 | Holly Team Context Effect | - |
| 26 | Ronel Blanco | Holly Team Context Effect | - |
| 27 | Logan Webb | Holly Quality Starts | - |
| 28 | Bailey Ober | Holly Quality Starts | - |
| 29 | Seth Lugo | Holly Quality Starts | +8 |
| 30 | Ranger Suárez | Holly Wins Bonus | -15 |
| 31 | Michael King | Holly Strikeout Upside | +5 |
| 32 | Tanner BibeeT5 | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +8 |
| 33 | Dylan Cease | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | - |
| 34 | Jared Jones | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | -5 |
| 35 | Taj Bradley | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +14 |
| 36 | Ryan Pepiot | Ace Potential Team Context Effect | -1 |
| 37 | Luis Gil | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | -7 |
| 38 | MacKenzie Gore | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | -6 |
| 39 | Bobby Miller | Ace Potential Team Context Effect | -8 |
| 40 | Cristopher SánchezT6 | Holly Quality Starts | +5 |
| 41 | Kutter Crawford | Holly Strikeout Upside | -3 |
| 42 | Gavin Stone | Holly Team Context Effect | +2 |
| 43 | Nathan Eovaldi | Holly Quality Starts | - |
| 44 | Max Scherzer | Holly Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | -2 |
| 45 | Jake Irvin | Holly Ratio Focused | +7 |
| 46 | Zach Eflin | Holly Quality Starts | +12 |
| 47 | Reese Olson | Holly Quality Starts | +7 |
| 48 | Kevin GausmanT7 | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -14 |
| 49 | Carlos Rodón | Cherry Bomb Wins Bonus | -10 |
| 50 | Framber Valdez | Cherry Bomb Quality Starts | -9 |
| 51 | Yusei Kikuchi | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -3 |
| 52 | Hunter Greene | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -5 |
| 53 | Hunter Brown | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +4 |
| 54 | Bryce Miller | Cherry Bomb Ratio Focused | +2 |
| 55 | Gavin Williams | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +UR |
| 56 | Nick Pivetta | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -5 |
| 57 | Christian Scott | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +UR |
| 58 | Chris BassittT8 | Toby Quality Starts | +2 |
| 59 | Nestor Cortes | Toby Wins Bonus | -6 |
| 60 | Marcus Stroman | Toby Quality Starts | -1 |
| 61 | José Berríos | Toby Quality Starts | +3 |
| 62 | Mitch Keller | Toby Strikeout Upside | +1 |
| 63 | David Festa | Spice Girl Rotation Spot Bonus | +UR |
| 64 | Brandon Pfaadt | Spice Girl Quality Starts | +27 |
| 65 | Matt WaldronT9 | Toby Ratio Focused | -3 |
| 66 | Erick Fedde | Toby Quality Starts | - |
| 67 | Tyler Anderson | Toby Quality Starts | -2 |
| 68 | Cade Povich | Toby Team Context Effect | +15 |
| 69 | Andrew Heaney | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +21 |
| 70 | Andrew Abbott | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -1 |
| 71 | Brady Singer | Cherry Bomb Quality Starts | +4 |
| 72 | Michael Wacha | Toby Ratio Focused | +13 |
| 73 | Kyle Gibson | Toby Quality Starts | +6 |
| 74 | Tobias Myers | Vargas Rule Ratio Focused | -4 |
| 75 | Jose QuintanaT10 | Streaming Option Quality Starts | +12 |
| 76 | Jonathan Cannon | Streaming Option Quality Starts | +24 |
| 77 | Brayan Bello | Streaming Option Quality Starts | -16 |
| 78 | Michael Lorenzen | Streaming Option Quality Starts | +UR |
| 79 | Albert Suárez | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | +UR |
| 80 | Ben Lively | Streaming Option Ratio Focused | +18 |
| 81 | Sean Manaea | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | +UR |
| 82 | Luis Severino | Streaming Option Quality Starts | +6 |
| 83 | Mitchell Parker | Streaming Option Quality Starts | -9 |
| 84 | Landon KnackT11 | Streaming Option Team Context Effect | +UR |
| 85 | Spencer Schwellenbach | Streaming Option Team Context Effect | -18 |
| 86 | Zack Littell | Streaming Option Ratio Focused | -5 |
| 87 | Simeon Woods Richardson | Streaming Option Ratio Focused | +10 |
| 88 | David Peterson | Streaming Option Strikeout Upside | +UR |
| 89 | Griffin Canning | Streaming Option Strikeout Upside | -17 |
| 90 | Carson Spiers | Streaming Option Ratio Focused | +6 |
| 91 | Charlie Morton | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | +1 |
| 92 | Aaron Civale | Streaming Option Quality Starts | -10 |
| 93 | José Soriano | Streaming Option Quality Starts Injury Risk | +UR |
| 94 | Spencer Arrighetti | Streaming Option Strikeout Upside | +UR |
| 95 | Jordan Hicks | Streaming Option Strikeout Upside | -17 |
| 96 | Alec Marsh | Streaming Option Ratio Focused | +UR |
| 97 | Jon Gray | Streaming Option Strikeout Upside | -13 |
| 98 | Jameson Taillon | Streaming Option Quality Starts | -18 |
| 99 | Mitch Spence | Streaming Option Ratio Focused | -5 |
| 100 | Davis Daniel | Streaming Option Ratio Focused | +UR |
Labels Legend
I’ve updated the tags for 2024, now allowing myself to tag a player in one three groups.
Overall Label
Aces Gonna Ace
Ace Potential
Holly
Toby
Cherry Bomb
Spice Girl
Vargas Rule
Streaming Option
Bonus Stat
QS Bonus
Wins Bonus
Strikeouts Bonus
Ratios Bonus
Rotation Spot Bonus
Team Context Effect
Special Tag
Stash Option
Injury Risk
Playing Time Question
A quick legend for those unfamiliar with our odd terms at Pitcher List:
Holly = Solid ratios, constant 6 IP & a 20-25% strikeout rate
Toby = Borderline arm for your 12-teamers who has a 20% or lower strikeout rate. They barely do enough.
Cherry Bomb = A volatile starting pitcher. Usually with strikeout upside and low ratio floor.
Spice Girl = Young arms who have massive ceilings or could be off your team in a few weeks.
Vargas Rule = A pitcher we’re picking up now given he’s on a roll, but we drop once he stumbles again.
Team Context Effect = Either ranked higher or lower due to team context (Coors, Tampa Bay Rays, Atlanta, Cincy, etc.)
Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter/X)