My sincere apologies for all the delays this week. It’s been a busy two weeks for me with awkward travel and I’ve just finished catching up on everything. Here’s to regularly scheduled podcasts, articles, and livestreams moving forward!
-Nick
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, which can include non-prospects demoted mid-season. 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: Jeffrey Springs (53)
- Removed: Kodai Senga (35), Reynaldo López (36), Ranger Suárez (60)
- Net Change Inside Top 60: (+2)
- Please understand how this affects movement across The List.
Tier 1 – The High-Fivers
These aces make you want to high-five every person you see.
1. Zack Wheeler – He’s so dang consistent.
2. Tyler Glasnow – Maybe Skubal takes over, maybe not. No reason to move on from Glasnow at the moment.
3. Tarik Skubal – He’s been incredible and I sure hope it lasts.
4. Chris Sale – Sale’s command is as good as I’ve ever seen it.
5. Paul Skenes – He’s dope and makes us feel dope.
6. Garrett Crochet – July has been a month of frustration for Crochet managers. Once we’re past the trade deadline, I think the White Sox will have Crochet back to normal, or pitching for another team.
7. Corbin Burnes – The strikeouts aren’t there without his old cutter, but the ratios and Wins are as sturdy as any arm out there.
8. George Kirby – The new approach that leans on slider and breakers has done wonders for Kirby. A 25-30% strikeout rate across hefty volume is very much in the cards.
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.
9. Aaron Nola – His curve is the hook you have framed in your bedroom.
10. Cole Ragans – The velocity is down a touch and he hasn’t locked down the slider and cutter yet. Still think he’s fantastic, just not quite there.
11. Gerrit Cole – It’s strange seeing Cole move away from the slider and favor the cutter more. It’s a great pitch, but that slider was a major nullifier and its disappearance is felt. I bet we’re going to see a hot stretch from Cole in the near future that will return him to his former glory. This rank reflects that expectation + understandable chance he doesn’t get there.
12. Grayson Rodriguez – The stuff is too good + he’s improving his approach constantly.
13. Jack Flaherty – He’s likely on the move and will retain his breaking ball feel for a ballclub that presents a higher Win chance.
14. Luis Castillo – The four-seamer floor is still there while I imagine the slower slider will shift toward its older, harder self in the near future.
15. Shota Imanaga – The sweeper has returned to help stave off the small degradation of his heater (down two inches of iVB, but still well above average).
16. Michael King – He’s in a fantastic rhythm and racking up the strikeouts while going 6+ consistently. This is the King that was promised.
17. Logan Gilbert – The slider and fastball are a fantastic foundation, while the cutter or splitter help out consistently. Until one of the latter pair becomes a regular weapon, Gilbert will likely stick in Tier 2.
18. Joe Ryan – Ryan’s results haven’t been as strong lately, but the heaters & friends are still strong offerings. He’ll rebound.
19. Justin Steele – I probably should have Steele at #27 or #28, but I promised I wouldn’t do so unless he underwhelms in Cin City, where he would lose his AGA tag. Don’t be surprised if the move is made next week. I still expect his four-seamer and slider combination to continuously aid fantasy managers, though.
Tier 3 – We Expect Success Every Night
This is a weird one. They aren’t quite at AGA level yet, but they all have been that guy for you this year (for the most part). Maybe they force their way into Tier 2 at some point.
20. Dylan Cease – It’s difficult to resist the AGA tag (and placing him around 18 or so!), but we’ve seen the ebbs and flows from Cease in the past. From this very day moving forward, we don’t get his last three starts of bliss, and likely a handful of 5+ ER games.
21. Taj Bradley – He has the best ERA in baseball since starting on Tampa Bay’s Pride Day. And yet, I can’t shake the feeling that his lack of precision puts his future performance in question. I totally get it if you want him inside your Top 15, he certainly has pitched like that so far and his four-seamer/splitter approach is a step above last year’s chaos.
22. Bailey Ober – After disaster struck during opening weekend, Ober has returned a near 3.15 ERA and sub 1.00 WHIP. Yep.
23. Robbie Ray – I may be shooting myself in the foot here, but anyone who watched his first start against the Dodgers knows how unreal Ray looked. True BSB approach with few misses over the plate, a larger emphasis on a curve that was disgusting, and a harder slider that creates three distinctive velocity bands. Give me two more and he’s an AGA.
24. Pablo López – López has been far better across the last month, regaining the feel for his sweeper, attacking the zone with four-seamers, and earning strikes with the changeup. I’m still a touch worried about his hittability, but it’s hard to deny that he’s looking more like his 2023 self than at any other point this year.
25. Hunter Greene – I’m a bit shocked Greene has put up such an effective season despite changing very little about what he does. He’s cut his home-run rate in half and all we can do is hope it sticks across the final two months.
26. Blake Snell – Three starts, three games of brilliance. “Second Half Snell” has been lost tongue-in-cheek across the fantasy landscape for three seasons, but it’s looking like a fourth is ready for us. Give me another one and you may have an AGA tag. It’s just that convincing.
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.
27. Seth Lugo – I don’t think he carries the electricity needed to be a true AGA and that’s alright. He’s still super reliable and we love him for it.
28. Nathan Eovaldi – The splitter is great and the velocity is holding, for the most part.
29. Ronel Blanco – Even when the results aren’t ideal, he still puts up excellent whiff and CSW marks. That slider foundation is concrete.
30. Sonny Gray – Sonny has been struggling a bit lately and while I think he’ll recover, I question if he’ll have the same overwhelming success as his peers in Tier 2.
31. Carlos Rodón – I’m a believer in Rodón’s recent embrace of secondaries to pair with his four-seamer.
Tier 5 – The Firecrackers
We can all see how these pitchers become aces, though they still have questions to answer before then.
32. Luis Gil – He has a real test against the Phillies Monday night and it could vault him in Tier 3. Let’s see if the slider and changeup earn effective strikes.
33. Freddy Peralta – Professor Chaos is here for a moment, but that can change on a dime. What does that mean? It means Peralta’s command is wonky at the moment but he could go on a tear as soon as tomorrow.
34. Zac Gallen – We cool Gallen? I considered lowering him after his last start and the roundup I wrote and I’m willing to wait one more start. Please get the four-seamer back in line.
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.
35. Max Scherzer – Here I was, spouting skepticism and Scherzer dominated with impeccable control. It was glorious, y’all.
36. Kutter Crawford – Two starts tallied eight home runs. That has to come down, right?
37. Jake Irvin – Irvin showed something new – he used his elite extension to dominate upstairs with four-seamers, landing his curveballs low for strikes. It’s the most believable version of Irvin so far.
38. Tanner Houck – It’s a mighty drop and I regret not removing the AGA label last week and beginning the descent. He’s not locked in with his splitter and I didn’t want to punish him into the 50s for struggles in Coors and the Yankees, but he’s not at the level of Tier 5 and above at the moment.
39. Tanner Bibee – I’m worried the command still is a problem that hasn’t been fixed and yet, he needs just one of his change, slider, or curve to work on a given day.
40. Nick Pivetta – He’s not as rough as he has been in tough matchups. I think. Pretty sure. The sweeper should be a bigger weapon in the final two months.
41. Logan Webb – The changeup has been hit more lately and used less. It’s weird.
42. Framber Valdez – We saw him struggle against the Mariners, then obliterate the Dodgers. Yep, totally makes sense.
43. Clayton Kershaw – He returned from the IL and looked…fine. I wouldn’t expect the world from him, but you’re safe starting him. It should be productive and a step above Tier 8 arms.
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.
44. Bryce Miller – I sincerely hope the new curveball will be embraced more than ten times in his next start. Lots of promise as a proper secondary pitch.
45. Gavin Williams – He was great save for one poor cutter that went over the fence. The return of sliders and cutters is a huge plus.
46. Brayan Bello – The whole arsenal is here and ready to thrive. Two tough matchups are behind him and I’m looking forward to what the second half brings.
47. Cristopher Sánchez – He’s a bit turbulent start-to-start, but an expectation of six frames for a winning team is welcome on any fantasy squad.
48. Nick Lodolo – The fastball feel is returning and I’m looking forward to Lodolo getting back into rhythm across August.
49. Kevin Gausman – He finally earned more than five splitter whiffs! Sadly, it took over 110 total pitches thrown to get there. I’m still cautious about slotting Gausman regularly into my lineups.
50. Shane Baz – I’ve been tepid on Baz’s slider, which makes me thrilled to see him lean into his curveball instead. The heater is still elite, and a 5.50 PLV curve is exactly what we need – it’s the mark the pitch set in his last outing.
51. River Ryan – Ryan looked amazing against the Astros, but he’s just two starts into his MLB career. The skills point to legit and looking at how hard the quality falls after this their makes me inclined to chance it with Ryan more than most.
52. Spencer Schwellenbach – Spencer finally looked like the guy he’s supposed to be, even improving his four-seamer massively by greatly improving the pitch’s attack angle to elite HAVAA levels. Paired with a focus on his slider and reduction in heaters, he had a breakout start that could signal a legit stretch ahead.
53. Jeffrey Springs – He’s returning from TJS this week and I’m a little cautious. He’s been about two ticks down in Triple-A (82 pitches in his final rehab start) and I’m curious how much the Rays will limit him.
54. Hunter Brown – Brown changes his approach constantly between starts and it’s hard to tell what we’ll get on a given night. I’m glad it’s generally worked since the ghastly outing in Kansas City, and we’re going to ride it until Brown falls off…if he ever does.
55. Bryan Woo – I wish I were raising Woo, but he left his last game early with a hamstring injury – the same one that put him on the IL earlier in the year. He’s supposed to make his next start, but we’re all growing tired of waiting for Woo to go 90 pitches without fear.
56. Yusei Kikuchi – I love Kikuchi’s four-seamer and slider. I hate the lapses of command that get him punished. He’s a PEAS and it’s awfully frustrating.
57. MacKenzie Gore – Gore is just like Kikuchi: A PEAS who could have a breakout second half, or frustrate managers incessantly.
Tier 8 – 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.
58. Zach Eflin – He’s on a new squad and while the Win chance does go up with Baltimore, he’s the same Eflin of decency and not the one squeezing everything out of his repertoire akin to 2023.
59. Nestor Cortes – I’m not sure what to make of Cortes (will he get traded?!) and for now, we start him in all but tough matchups, expecting a Win and a handful of strikeouts.
60. Chris Bassitt – Don’t overthink Bassitt. Just start the man and be happy with the decency.
61. Gavin Stone – You’re here for Wins and Stone will provide them regularly with about a 20% strikeout rate. That’s a Toby, alright.
62. Brady Singer – It’s weird having Singer here, but he’s been that guy you’ve held onto and can’t quite let go of. I don’t think he’ll continue his current hot stretch given it’s the same approach we’ve seen for years, but for now, we hold and ride it out.
63. Tyler Anderson – His changeups is legit and it creates a great foundation to take advantage of most teams.
64. Mitch Keller – Keller has been a textbook Toby, even down to the questionable 1.21 WHIP. We ride with it, but don’t love the feeling of starting him. Anxiety is a real thing.
65. Ben Lively – He just took down the Phillies and we have to Vargas Rule this one to the end.
66. Marcus Stroman – He’s fine. The secondaries are generally there and the Win chance is strong. Just don’t take risks you don’t have to take, like Fenway.
67. Andrew Heaney – The slider has improved and don’t let his last start against the Jays deter you from a start against St. Louis.
68. Tobias Myers – The Brewers limited him to just 75 pitches in his last start, but he’s able to pull off the Neckbeard approach well enough to make it at least five if not six with his array of weapons.
69. Simeon Woods Richardson – I’ve underestimated SWR as a Vargas Rule and rectified that with a spot as a proper Toby this week. Don’t let us down.
Tier 9 – The Glitter In The Grass
Here are the shiny toys you may want to gravitate toward instead of settling for an SP who doesn’t carry a whole lot of upside.
70. Andrew Abbott – No, I don’t trust Abbott. I really don’t see why we should trust Abbott. And yet, he’s been productive and sometimes I just shrug and move on.
71. Edward Cabrera – The arsenal is legit, the only question is consistency. The Rays are next and I’m a fan of taking the chance and taking it from there. Just throw more sliders dangit.
72. Spencer Arrighetti – He’s had a pair of successful starts back-to-back (yes, I’m including that Dodgers start) and if the Pasta Pirate can continue to pump strikes with all of his pitches, success will follow. He has the stuff to be inside the Top 60, at least.
73. David Festa – We haven’t seen much of Festa, but his return to the majors was gorgeous. I’m not sure what to make of the Mets’ offense, but I’d give this a spin and hope the momentum continues. It’s a strong elevated four-seamer with a changeup and slider down and in town.
Tier 10 – 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.
74. Brandon Pfaadt – Pfaadt is a strange one to me and I’m just sticking him in this tier, recognizing that he often Finds A Way despite not having a strong option outside of his sweeper on most nights.
75. Michael Wacha – The changeup should be a solid enough foundation for Wacha as a Toby.
76. Drew Thorpe – Same for Thorpe, who just got bamboozled on four-seamers. I’m not going to hold it against him for now, especially with his cutter and slider looking great and my optimism that the demolition off his fastball will make him question using it so often.
77. Luis L. Ortiz – The cutter has turned the man into an effective strike machine and that’s good enough for the Toby tag.
78. Kyle Gibson – The sweeper and changeup disappeared last time out, but are generally there, allowing Gibson to frolic across six frames.
79. Erick Fedde – He’s a Cardinal now, opening the door for more Wins with his solid command and varied arsenal.
80. Luis Severino – Severino is pumping 97 mph and leaning into cutters. THIS IS THE SEVERINO I’VE WANTED TO SEE. I only question if that was a one-time thing or a legit shift for the second half.
81. Sean Manaea – He’s fine. The slider is improved and he can make it through 5-6 innings often, sadly without much electricity.
Tier 11 – They Had A Bunch Of Hits
The New Kids on the Block who could stick around and be something special…or off your team next week.
82. Justin Wrobleski – His four-seamer is missing bats and he’s sticking in the Dodgers rotation…for now. As long as he pairs it with a secondary in the zone, he’ll be a sneaky streamer.
83. DJ Herz – Herz has now had three head-turning starts mixed across a sea of mediocrity. Who knows when he’ll strike next (and how does that fastball earn so many whiffs?!).
84. Kyle Harrison – Yes, he just fanned double-digit batters against the Rockies. I saw it too. He is also inconsistent and is a tough play against decent lineups. The fastball beats up weaker teams and not the majority of squads.
85. Ryne Nelson – His four-seamer shape has induced plenty of outs in the upper third, but he failed to locate it last time out. Hopefully he gets back in the groove moving forward, and figures out a second pitch he can lean on.
Tier 12 – Fine, You Need Some Streams & Other Randos
More streaming options here, but a slight drop from the previous tier.
86. Griffin Canning – It’s Rockie Road ahead and they are rough.
87. Jordan Montgomery – Two starts incoming for The Bear, let’s hope his command is reminiscent of his October run.
88. Mitchell Parker – He has two decent matchups and generally has enough in the tank to be competitive. Nothing I’d be circling, though.
89. Matt Waldron – He’s a gamble each night, hoping the knuckleball does enough to prevent him from turning to his lackluster backup offerings.
90. Jameson Taillon – The ceiling is limited with Taillon and this week’s matchups aren’t swaying me to snatch him off the wire. That said, he could be changing teams and may still retain value for those in need of volume.
91. James Paxton – He’s starting for Boston and gets the Mariners. That should warrant a start…right? Who knows.
92. Aaron Civale – The curve is lacking and I don’t like trusting Civale until that breaker is cooking.
93. Charlie Morton – He’s as volatile as it comes. Good luck.
94. Tylor Megill – He’s back! I’m not a major believer, but Megill could whip out the cutter with high heaters on a given night and make you fist pump.
95. José Berríos – I’m skeptical of Berríos’ last outing of dominance as he induced 52% ICR across seven frames. Not great.
96. Tyler Phillips – He get went the distance and did so with highly suspect pitches over the plate. At least it’s a decent Win chance and he could steal another Win this week.
97. Randy Vásquez – Vásquez unsurprisingly got a rude awakening against the Orioles, but he could rebound against the lovely gift that is Rockie Road later this week.
98. Davis Daniel – Like Vásquez, Daniel has a matchup with Rockie Road and despite my lack of affinity toward Davis, that is an intriguing stream. The Rockies are not a good offense.
99. Alec Marsh – I’m assuming Marsh is still in the rotation this week even with the Lorenzen trade, making for a decent stream against the White Sox, and possibly the Tigers after that.
100. Carson Fulmer – He’ll get Rockie Road and he has enough in the arsenal to get through at least five frames of production.
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!
Slade Cecconi (ARI) – Could be returning to the rotation this week…or the Diamondbacks use that spot with a new starter from the deadline. I’m not chasing this if it’s Slade against the Pirates
Yilber Diaz (ARI) – Demoted to the minors Monday afternoon.
Bryce Elder (ATL) – It’s possible he takes full advantage of this rotation spot, but I need to see more first.
Darius Vines / Dylan Dodd / Grant Holmes (ATL) – Atlanta has a start to make up as they find a replacement for Fried and López and you shouldn’t touch their short-term option.
Albert Suárez (BAL) – He’s not doing enough and it’s frustrating to roster.
Cade Povich (BAL) – Demoted to the minors, not sure when he’ll return yet. If it’s this week, he’s not the worst stream against the Jays. I’d consider him in a pinch and overall prefer to wait a start to make sure he has his bearings. I also wonder if the Orioles push for a second SP before the deadline.
Dean Kremer (BAL) – You never know what he’ll have on a given night.
Cooper Criswell (BOS) – He had a great outing and how been replaced. That’s Baseball, Suzyn.
Quinn Priester (BOS) – The Red Sox just traded for him and there isn’t a spot in the rotation with Paxton added as well. I don’t have the highest hopes
Javier Assad (CHC) – I can see how Assad could become a reliable arm once again. He’s not there yet.
Kyle Hendricks (CHC) – The curveball is back. That’s great, but it didn’t save him.
Chris Flexen (CHW) – There are days that he’s FLEXEN AT THE BEACH and it sure wasn’t his last outing.
Jonathan Cannon (CHW) – He’s an interesting dart throw if you’re chasing a QS.
Carson Spiers (CIN) – Spiers is returning from the IL and I need to see him look comfortable first.
Frankie Montas (CIN) – Are you desperately chasing a Quality Start? Knock yourself out.
Carlos Carrasco (CLE) – He’s only of consideration if you have a dire need for six frames.
Joey Cantillo (CLE) – He made his MLB debut and still has polish left to add to be a solid Toby. The Orioles are next and now we wait.
Austin Gomber (COL) – COL story, bro.
Cal Quantrill (COL) – COL story, bro.
Kyle Freeland (COL) – COL story, bro.
Noah Davis (COL) – COL story, bro.
Ryan Feltner (COL) – COL story, bro.
Joey Wentz (DET) – We may see some Wentz, we may see some Alex Faedo, we may see some more Kenta Maeda, we’ll likely see some tough days in Detroit. GIVE US JOBE. Hey, I’m with you, but sadly the Tigers are making sure he progresses through Triple-A first. Let’s wait for that promotion before we get amped.
Keider Montero (DET) – I’m not loving the stuff enough to stream Montero at the moment.
Kenta Maeda (DET) – Why chase Maeda? The ceiling is too low to justify the floor.
Jake Bloss (HOU) – Maybe he deserves a chance against the Pirates and Rays this week, maybe he doesn’t get it after the Astros acquire someone at the deadline. We don’t have to chase this right now.
Justin Verlander (HOU) – Maybe he’s back? You should leave him in the IL-spot if he happens to make his return this week and I wouldn’t overturn the laws of Still ILL.
Michael Lorenzen (KCR) – He’s now on the Royals and we’re not clear on his role with the team. It could be long relief, it could be replacing Alec Marsh, who knows. I’d take it easy this week until we know more, and even then, the ceiling isn’t high enough.
José Soriano (LAA) – He’s just too volatile and the ceiling isn’t high enough. I’m out.
Landon Knack (LAD) – The Dodgers could keep Knack in the rotation and oust Wrobleski (or oust both if they acquire a starter at the deadline). It looks like Knack is out at the moment, which is sad considering how he’s finally stretched out and ready to produce.
Kyle Tyler (MIA) – Tyler ain’t it y’all.
Max Meyer (MIA) – We saw Meyer return to the bigs and it was lackluster. Now it’s Atlanta and I don’t expect much better.
Roddery Muñoz (MIA) – Sent down to the minors. Womp womp.
Trevor Rogers (MIA) – There are hints of success here and there, but the full arsenal hasn’t come together yet.
Colin Rea (MIL) – He’s a Werewolf without a high enough ceiling.
Joe Ross (MIL) – Whoa, he’s actually returning this week! A clear Still ILL, of course. I’m curious how he looks.
David Peterson (NYM) – I just don’t believe in his approach enough. I want to be convinced!
Jose Quintana (NYM) – His command isn’t terrible, but he’s not doing enough for me to trust him against the Twins. Maybe the Angels though…
JP Sears (OAK) – He’s also too dang volatile!
Mitch Spence (OAK) – He’ll get the Dodgers and that ain’t it. Once he gets decent matchups again, he’s not the worst stream there, but not a needle-pushing arm.
Osvaldo Bido (OAK) – Really?! Him?!
Paul Blackburn (OAK) – He may turn into a worthy streaming option again. At some point.
Ross Stripling (OAK) – You can ignore him for now.
Kolby Allard (PHI) – I don’t expect him to last long in the rotation.
Marco Gonzales (PIT) – Marco needs to show us he’s a worthy streamer first before we go after it.
Bailey Falter (PIT) – Falter is back! Just two days left before being dealt to the Rays…but seriously, Falter has his moments and be on the lookout for a decent run with a good matchup at some point in August.
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.
Yu Darvish (SDP) – He’s been absent with a personal matter for weeks and I hope everything is alright. We’re in the dark as to when he returns – for now, it’s a four-man rotation in San Diego and we should expect an SP addition before the deadline.
Alex Cobb (SFG) – He would have returned sooner, but he now has a blister forming. He could return on Sunday, which is a clear Still ILL for an arm hoping to be a Toby. Expect Birdsong to return if Cobb can’t make it.
Jordan Hicks (SFG) – He’s in the bullpen now.
Hayden Birdsong (SFG) – It’s not fair to have Birdsong demoted again, but the Giants have two days of rest this week and expect Cobb back on Sunday. Birdsong could make a start if Snell is traded (or Cobb isn’t ready), in which case I’d give him a shot, hoping the secondaries can get things done in the zone again.
Andre Pallante (STL) – With the acquisition of Erick Fedde, does Pallante still have a rotation spot in St. Louis?
Lance Lynn (STL) – If you get Two L’s, you’re gonna get a third. Most of the time.
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. But he just did well against Atlanta! Ehhhh, still don’t want to chance it.
Tyler Alexander (TBR) – The Rays need a starter as Eflin was dealt last week and I guess it’ll be some innings of T-Lex. Yay.
Zack Littell (TBR) – He gets the Astros this week and you don’t need to stash him past that.
Jon Gray (TEX) – Gray gets the Red Sox…if he doesn’t hit the IL with a groin injury.
Bowden Francis (TOR) – We need to see an overwhelming start from Francis before going after this.
Yariel Rodríguez (TOR) – I think some of y’all would have wanted me to put Yariel on The List but I don’t think there’s enough there. He’s still limited to about 80 pitches and his fastballs/slider is pretty basic (that four-seamer has cut-action that is unbelievably good at limiting ICR…but will that stick?). You can do better.
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 | - |
| 5 | Paul Skenes | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 6 | Garrett Crochet | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 7 | Corbin Burnes | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | - |
| 8 | George Kirby | Aces Gonna Ace Quality Starts | +1 |
| 9 | Aaron NolaT2 | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | +2 |
| 10 | Cole Ragans | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | -2 |
| 11 | Gerrit Cole | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus Injury Risk | -1 |
| 12 | Grayson Rodriguez | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | - |
| 13 | Jack Flaherty | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 14 | Luis Castillo | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 15 | Shota Imanaga | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 16 | Michael King | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | +5 |
| 17 | Logan Gilbert | Aces Gonna Ace Quality Starts | - |
| 18 | Joe Ryan | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | -2 |
| 19 | Justin Steele | Aces Gonna Ace Quality Starts | - |
| 20 | Dylan CeaseT3 | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +4 |
| 21 | Taj Bradley | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +2 |
| 22 | Bailey Ober | Holly Quality Starts | +4 |
| 23 | Robbie Ray | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +16 |
| 24 | Pablo López | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +1 |
| 25 | Hunter Greene | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +8 |
| 26 | Blake Snell | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +6 |
| 27 | Seth LugoT4 | Holly Quality Starts | -5 |
| 28 | Nathan Eovaldi | Holly Quality Starts | - |
| 29 | Ronel Blanco | Holly Ratio Focused | -2 |
| 30 | Sonny Gray | Holly Wins Bonus | -12 |
| 31 | Carlos Rodón | Holly Wins Bonus | +9 |
| 32 | Luis GilT5 | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | -1 |
| 33 | Freddy Peralta | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | -3 |
| 34 | Zac Gallen | Ace Potential Quality Starts Injury Risk | - |
| 35 | Max ScherzerT6 | Holly Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +18 |
| 36 | Kutter Crawford | Holly Strikeout Upside | -7 |
| 37 | Jake Irvin | Holly Ratio Focused | +11 |
| 38 | Tanner Houck | Holly Strikeout Upside | -18 |
| 39 | Tanner Bibee | Holly Strikeout Upside | +4 |
| 40 | Nick Pivetta | Holly Strikeout Upside | -3 |
| 41 | Logan Webb | Holly Quality Starts | -3 |
| 42 | Framber Valdez | Holly Quality Starts | +7 |
| 43 | Clayton Kershaw | Holly Wins Bonus Injury Risk | -1 |
| 44 | Bryce MillerT7 | Cherry Bomb Ratio Focused | - |
| 45 | Gavin Williams | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +10 |
| 46 | Brayan Bello | Cherry Bomb Quality Starts | - |
| 47 | Cristopher Sánchez | Cherry Bomb Quality Starts | -2 |
| 48 | Nick Lodolo | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +2 |
| 49 | Kevin Gausman | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +3 |
| 50 | Shane Baz | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +6 |
| 51 | River Ryan | Spice Girl Rotation Spot Bonus | +20 |
| 52 | Spencer Schwellenbach | Spice Girl Team Context Effect | +21 |
| 53 | Jeffrey Springs | Cherry Bomb Ratio Focused Injury Risk | +UR |
| 54 | Hunter Brown | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | - |
| 55 | Bryan Woo | Cherry Bomb Ratio Focused Injury Risk | -8 |
| 56 | Yusei Kikuchi | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -15 |
| 57 | MacKenzie Gore | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -6 |
| 58 | Zach EflinT8 | Toby Quality Starts | -1 |
| 59 | Nestor Cortes | Toby Wins Bonus | -1 |
| 60 | Chris Bassitt | Toby Quality Starts | -1 |
| 61 | Gavin Stone | Toby Team Context Effect | - |
| 62 | Brady Singer | Toby Strikeout Upside | - |
| 63 | Tyler Anderson | Toby Quality Starts | +1 |
| 64 | Mitch Keller | Toby Quality Starts | +4 |
| 65 | Ben Lively | Toby Ratio Focused | +25 |
| 66 | Marcus Stroman | Toby Quality Starts | -3 |
| 67 | Andrew Heaney | Toby Strikeout Upside | -2 |
| 68 | Tobias Myers | Toby Ratio Focused | +6 |
| 69 | Simeon Woods Richardson | Toby Streaming Option Ratio Focused | +UR |
| 70 | Andrew AbbottT9 | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +5 |
| 71 | Edward Cabrera | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +6 |
| 72 | Spencer Arrighetti | Cherry Bomb Streaming Option Strikeout Upside | +12 |
| 73 | David Festa | Spice Girl Strikeout Upside | +UR |
| 74 | Brandon PfaadtT10 | Toby Quality Starts | -7 |
| 75 | Michael Wacha | Toby Ratio Focused | -6 |
| 76 | Drew Thorpe | Toby Quality Starts | -10 |
| 77 | Luis L. Ortiz | Toby Ratio Focused | -5 |
| 78 | Kyle Gibson | Toby Quality Starts | +2 |
| 79 | Erick Fedde | Toby Quality Starts | +2 |
| 80 | Luis Severino | Toby Streaming Option Quality Starts | +16 |
| 81 | Sean Manaea | Toby Wins Bonus | +1 |
| 82 | Justin WrobleskiT11 | Cherry Bomb Team Context Effect | +UR |
| 83 | DJ Herz | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +UR |
| 84 | Kyle Harrison | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +UR |
| 85 | Ryne Nelson | Cherry Bomb Ratio Focused | -9 |
| 86 | Griffin CanningT12 | Streaming Option Strikeout Upside | +2 |
| 87 | Jordan Montgomery | Streaming Option Team Context Effect | +UR |
| 88 | Mitchell Parker | Streaming Option Quality Starts | +4 |
| 89 | Matt Waldron | Streaming Option Ratio Focused | -11 |
| 90 | Jameson Taillon | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | -7 |
| 91 | James Paxton | Streaming Option Team Context Effect | +UR |
| 92 | Aaron Civale | Streaming Option Quality Starts | -1 |
| 93 | Charlie Morton | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | +1 |
| 94 | Tylor Megill | Streaming Option Quality Starts | +UR |
| 95 | José Berríos | Streaming Option Quality Starts | -6 |
| 96 | Tyler Phillips | Streaming Option Team Context Effect | +UR |
| 97 | Randy Vásquez | Streaming Option Ratio Focused | -4 |
| 98 | Davis Daniel | Streaming Option Ratio Focused | +UR |
| 99 | Alec Marsh | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | +UR |
| 100 | Carson Fulmer | Streaming Option Ratio Focused | -1 |
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:
AGA = Aces gonna ace. My way of saying “This guy is dope in fantasy baseball and you trust him regardless of opponent moving forward.”
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 Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter/X)
Move the brodie Snell up to #5 for the price of, on the house. NO HITTER BAYBEEEEEEE