Welcome to The List, where I rank the Top 100 SP for Fantasy Baseball every single Monday of the year. Tuesday this week because my flight was canceled and pushed to Monday this week. Yay!
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: Max Fried (22)
- Removed: Max Scherzer (35)
- Net Change Inside Top 60: (–)
- 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 – After allowing seven runs early last week, I thought he would be displaced…until Sunday’s effort. WELL ALRIGHT THEN.
2. Tyler Glasnow – He’s still racking up the strikeouts on a winning club.
3. Tarik Skubal – You nearly took the first spot, Skubal. YOU WERE RIGHT THERE.
4. Chris Sale – Sale has continued to be stupid consistent. Thanks buddy.
5. Paul Skenes – Skenes is Skenes and we expect no wrong.
6. Jack Flaherty – I made some huge moves this week that I think were “about dang time” to do. Flaherty is in a better situation in Los Angeles and doing exactly the same thing he’s done all year. His elite strikeout rate + high Win chance forces him into the Top Tier.
7. Blake Snell – This is stupid quick to put Snell this high and I kinda hate that I’m doing it. AND ALSO, Snell has been as good as any pitcher I’ve seen all year. His new curveball feel is unreal and I can’t deny that he has arrived. I think you’d be hard-pressed to find fantasy managers who believe Snell isn’t a stud ROS after his recent showing.
8. Dylan Cease – I waited one more game for Cease to get his AGA tag and after stepping up in his fourth straight dominant outing, I can’t deny him any longer. Yes, I still have my concerns about his volatility, but I was wrong to weigh that potential downfall over his clear rhythm that has him returning elite strikeout rates akin to his peak season. Please don’t make me regret this, Cease.
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. George Kirby – I thought I’d have him in the top tier, but the strikeouts aren’t there. All of Tier 1 are elite strikeout arms.
10. Corbin Burnes – Burnes’ cutter isn’t the pitch of old. And that’s alright, as long as the ERA/WHIP are still intact, opening up to many Wins along the way. Super safe, just not overwhelmingly dope.
11. Logan Gilbert – I absolutely love Gilbert’s four-seamer and slider combo these days. If only the cutter or splitter stepped up, he could become a legit Tier 1 guy.
12. Cole Ragans – His velocity has dipped lately, which he tells me is a product of lower-half mechanics, not arm fatigue. I’m a believer that he’ll figure it out over time, while he’s still producing even at 94/95 mph.
13. Aaron Nola – The curveball is still legit as anything while I love his revamped fastball approach this year.
14. Luis Castillo – Castillo’s slider velocity is a weird thing. His floor is still high with an overpowering fastball, but can you please get back to 87/88 mph on the slider? You’re so much better with that pitch.
15. Hunter Greene – I struggled here. Greene got his AGA tag this week as he’s been unreal with extra vert on the four-seamer and a slider that’s properly returning whiffs. We’ve seen volatility across his career, though, and Cin City may bring the HR/9 drop back to career norms. I sure hope it doesn’t.
16. Michael King – King is a six-inning rock with 25%+ strikeout ability. Let it ride.
17. Shota Imanaga – The sweeper is helping out as his four-seamer has lost iVB from 19″ to 17″. Still great and IM AN AGA n all, just not at the elite level.
18. Joe Ryan – He’s had a touch of bumps in the road, but still has a sub 1.00 WHIP with a 27%+ strikeout rate on a winning club.
Tier 3 – The Firecrackers
We can all see how these pitchers become aces, though they still have questions to answer before then.
19. Bailey Ober – I was really tempted to put Ober into the second tier and maybe I should have. I get a sense his recent matchups have been pushing him over the edge and that he’s not really a 25%+ strikeout arm, but I could be absolutely wrong about that. Feel free to slot him up there.
20. Gerrit Cole – I believe Cole will regain AGA in time, but he won’t get there until his slider cooks once again. The four-seamer/cutter/curve ain’t the guy you remember.
21. Taj Bradley – Bradley was right there until his last outing. If he’s still 65%+ strikes with splitters and four-seamers, I’m sure he’ll get that AGA tag in no time.
22. Max Fried – His return from the IL went terribly. So it goes, he’ll be better moving forward. Give me three starts of your normal self and we’re good to go.
23. Robbie Ray – His second start was terrible, while his third was pure bliss. I’m not sure what we get moving forward, but hot dang the good Ray is SO GOOD. Deserving of Tier 1 if that’s what we regularly see.
24. Pablo López – The sweeper and change are working better and we’re taking steps forward. I haven’t seen that start yet that truly depicts the stud from 2023 quite yet, but we may get it this week.
25. Grayson Rodriguez – I’ve made an error overlooking Grayson the last month. He’s been flirting with that ace level but not quite sealing the deal with his secondaries. The WHIP is hurting, the command is a bit shaky, and I’ll hold him off from the second tier until we see that proper transition.
26. Luis Gil – Gil’s slider has become the main focus as of late, which I’m all here for – it means he’s earning strikes with something other than his four-seamer. If the changeup joins the party, too, then we’re getting the ace that was promised.
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 question if this is the right tier for Lugo. I’m placing him here as a sub-25 % strikeout arm who shouldn’t be that week-winning arm, but every so often has a start of 7+ innings that makes you thrilled. It’s awfully nice having such a deep arsenal.
28. Ronel Blanco – I don’t think we appreciate Blanco’s slider enough. It’s a fantastic foundation that has allowed his four-seamer and changeup to play off each other in their own sandbox. The slider shows eventually to say “Alright, what’ the problem here?” What a league-winning SP he’s been for many. That’s not a real thing. YOU’RE NOT A REAL THING.
29. Sonny Gray – Not an ace, just really dang good, you know? Lovely to him get his breakers back with well-spotted cut-fastballs gloveside.
30. Justin Steele – Finally. Steele rebounded this week and I’m hoping it’s a dependable launching pad for the next two months.
31. Nathan Eovaldi – Eovaldi is cooking with the splitter. He’s got this.
32. Carlos Rodón – Rodón just sat 96/97 mph on his heater while spouting legit secondaries. HE’S FEELIN’ IT.
33. Freddy Peralta – I’m worried about Peralta turning into Professor Chaos and I’m not lowering him quite yet. Let’s see if his chaotic nature tightens up this week.
34. Garrett Crochet – Uggggggh, I messed up weighing the chance he would be so heavily limited, thinking “Okay, next start will be fine” over and over again. I’m happy he was pushed to 70 pitches last week and I think this week is when we get a proper sense of what to expect over the next two months. It really would be cruel just to start him four frames each outing moving forward. I’m leaving him here for now with such haze surrounding Crochet with clear Tier 1 upside. In addition, now that he didn’t move during the deadline, his value drops further with a much lower Win chance.
Tier 5 -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. Logan Webb – Webb is what he is – a solid volume guy.
36. Zac Gallen – This was a really hard tier to rank and I mostly let it go untouched. Gallen is a bit spooky to me as of late, though it’s mostly the same stuff of old – four-seamers, curves, and changeups low in the zone. I thought I’d be lowering him more, but the SP landscape didn’t make for a clear move.
37. Kutter Crawford – Crawford just allowed 12 HRs in three starts. I’ll bet the regression comes, even if the schedule ain’t pretty.
38. Jake Irvin – Irvin’s four-seamer and curve are settling into place well. I’m not perturbed by his last outing as he’s squeezing the most out of that four-seamer and still has the curve as a foundation.
39. Brayan Bello – I love the three-pitch mix Bello offers, with some decent four-seamers appearing here and there, too. I believe his last outing was part of a second-half run we’ll reflect on in October.
40. Nick Pivetta – He’s getting strikeouts n all, but without the cutter, the clunkers are still on the table. I’m a bit worried we are entering true Cherry Bomb territory with Pivetta and I don’t want to be confirmed this week. Hold….HOLD….!!
41. Framber Valdez – Four runs in the first, then bliss from Valdez against the Pirates. It’s almost like he summed up his entire essence in just one start.
42. Yusei Kikuchi – Kikuchi moved to the Astros and instantly returned a double-digit strikeout game. The curve is shelved, the slider and change are down, and I’m excited to watch what’s next.
43. Gavin Williams – What is this. The results haven’t been amazing. The skills are real, though. Williams has the makings of a reliable starter and is embracing the slider/cutter now with his four-seamer as a strong foundation. I’m buying this.
44. Zach Eflin – Eflin’s move to Baltimore is a plus and we just saw him locked in with his arsenal. I may regret this aggressive move based on a lack of strikeouts, but I think he’s safer than Tier 5 without the floors of Tier 7.
Tier 6 – 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.
45. Tanner Bibee – Is he okay? Bibee didn’t hit the IL, but apparently his shoulder has been barking all season. FUN.
46. Bryan Woo – Woo actually tossed 90 pitches in one game. I. KNOW. I haven’t a clue if he’s actually healthy now or will actually be able to go that deep into games consistently, but it’s a first step and that’s a lovely thing.
47. Bryce Miller – The curveball that got me excited didn’t return in his last outing. Yes, it is a shame, thanks for noticing.
48. Spencer Schwellenbach – Mr. Crescendo has been fantastic by limiting his four-seamer and leaning into his secondaries. He still carries the Shag Rug, though, and I’m looking forward to the second half. Please keep it going.
49. River Ryan – Ryan’s third outing wasn’t nearly as good as the second one, though the stuff is still very much legit. We’re still figuring out where to stand with River and his upcoming start against the Pirates is sure to illuminate. I’m leaning “He’s legit, don’t you dare drop him” at the moment.
50. Shane Baz – Baz’s curveball wasn’t as big of a help as I expected it to be in his last outing, but that’s because the slider was legit. We just need one superb breaking ball to show up during a start and I hope that trend continues.
51. Nestor Cortes – Cortes kicks off a mini-tier of guys that can go six frames often and generally help, moreso than the boring Toby guys in Tier 7. With his lovely schedule ahead, Cortes slides above the others.
52. Cristopher Sánchez – His changeup is still legit, he just gets a bit too much of the plate with everything at times. Yes, it is awfully frustrating.
53. Tanner Houck – Houck has been going through the gauntlet of offenses and he hasn’t stepped up to the task. Sadly, it doesn’t get much easier for the Sawx ahead. Just get your splitter back…
54. Nick Lodolo – Lodolo, are you sure that you’re okay? As long as the four-seamer and curve are spotted well, he should be a steady source of strikeouts without much damage.
55. Kevin Gausman – I want to believe in your splitter. I really do.
56. Hunter Brown – Hunter shows up with a different approach each game and I just don’t know what we’re going to get. Did you notice what his plan of attack was last game? Four-seamers and breakers? Nah, arm-side sinkers. DIDN’T EXPECT THAT, DID YA. He makes me plenty nervous.
Tier 7 – 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.
57. Jeffrey Springs – Springs was 1-2 ticks down during his MLB debut, a time we often see guys amped. He could just need more time, but that loss of velocity may be a factor given his four-seamer was already a weakness. He’ll need to squeeze even more out of that changeup to resemble anything close to the ceiling we saw in 2023.
58. Clayton Kershaw – This isn’t TATIAGA. At least he’s on a winning club and can go six frames in 60 pitches. The command is really off from previous seasons.
59. Chris Bassitt – He’s Bassitt. He goes six frames decently well with absurd consistency.
60. Brady Singer – Singer has had a ridiculously good season, but hasn’t changed what he does – sinkers and sliders. We just saw a display of volatility and I’m not convinced he’ll come close to keeping his sub 3.00 ERA down the final two months.
61. Tyler Anderson – The changeup is still unreal and his cutter + four-seamer each have their moments to make Anderson a proper Toby.
62. Mitch Keller – Keller has made it work with a ton of strikes across five different pitches and even if the WHIP is hard to swallow, he’s a reliable volume arm.
63. Ben Lively – Lively is a Vargas Rule that absolutely refuses to end. It’s awesome.
64. Tobias Myers – You have to appreciate Myers’ elite iVB on his soft four-seamer mixed with a tremendous changeup and array of secondaries. If only I believed he could command them well…
65. Sean Manaea – Manaea just went fourteen shutout frames with twenty-one strikeouts. So why is he so low? Because we don’t get those stats starting today. Manaea isn’t that guy and I’m not buying that he’s a sinker/sweeper arm with an elite SwStr rate.
Tier 8 – 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.
66. Edward Cabrera – After looking like an extended IL stint was coming with a knee injury, Cabrera made his next start and dominated. I sure hope he can continue throwing strikes – that’s literally all he has to do when he starts. His stuff is that good.
67. David Festa – I’m a believer in what I saw Monday evening from Festa, though I wonder if it’s what I’ll always see from the rookie. His four-seamer is a strong foundation + the slider & change are excellent complements.
68. Hayden Birdsong – Alright Birdsong, show me that you can constantly throw your curveball for strikes. PLEASE show that to me.
69. MacKenzie Gore – His velocity is down two ticks and the feel for his full arsenal comes and goes. I just want the man to click back into place. He might not again until 2025, sadly.
70. Tyler Mahle – He’s making his return from TJS this week and I’m not sure what we’ll get. His four-seamer has had a depressed iVB in rehab, but he was pitching in the PCL. Might as well make a spec add and see how it goes.
71. Spencer Arrighetti – Arighetti has had some flashy starts, which we know is in there when he’s able to locate his heaters and secondaries over the plate. I still can’t quite believe he’s made an everlasting tweak to outline a breakout second half and it’s Fenway this week. Good luck.
72. Andrew Abbott – I don’t know, Abbott is weird. At least he gets the Marlins this week and that’s a clear start. The four-seamer can overwhelm at times + a breaker shows up to help out. He isn’t a sustainable arm in my view, sadly.
73. Eduardo Rodriguez – Erod has been gone for ages and we should see him return to the bump this week. It’s a Still ILL and I hope the changeup can return all the whiffs.
74. DJ Herz – He’s a prototypical Cherry Bomb. The four-seamer can succeed over the plate and truly flourishes when Herz has his changeup landing underneath. Sadly, it’s a 50/50 chance that’s the Herz we’ll see.
Tier 9 – 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
75. Michael Wacha – The changeup is in a good place and he’s allowed to six frames.
76. Gavin Stone – The strikeouts aren’t what you want but at least he’s finding the sixth often for the Dodgers.
77. Andrew Heaney – I dig Heaney’s improved slider, but he hasn’t executed well over the last few weeks (Gasp).
78. Kyle Gibson – He’s a Toby based on his sweeper and changeup. A volume arm for a decent QS/Win chance.
79. Erick Fedde – Fedde is making a play for Spider-Man this year and is sure to be happy to pitch for St. Louis these days.
80. Marcus Stroman – I struggle to determine if Stroman deserves a consistent roster spot. If you need Wins, you need to, but the WHIP and strikeouts are not what you want them to be.
Tier 10 – Fine, You Need Some Streams & Other Randos
Here are your streaming options for the week. Have fun y’all and don’t hold em too tightly, okay? It’s still risky.
81. José Soriano – When Soriano can land sinkers for strikes, everything is cool. The Nationals this week should be what you’re looking for.
82. Martín Pérez – We could see Pérez jump into Tier 9 in the near future as he may be piling up the Wins for the Padres. Enjoy the Marlins this week…if Musgrove doesn’t return and oust him (or would Randy lose his spot instead?).
83. Michael Lorenzen – He’s a proper Toby and gets the Cardinals. Sure, that’s fine.
84. Matt Waldron – Waldron had some lovely knucklers last time out and now gets the Marlins (probably). We love that.
85. Will Warren – With Monday’s rainout, Warren gets the call for Tuesday’s double-header against the Angels. It’s just a one-time deal but he’s worth the spot start for your fantasy leagues.
86. Jameson Taillon – The Mariners are on the horizon and Taillon can easily take advantage of the matchup.
87. Jose Quintana – Quintana is commanding with a legit Neckbeard approach and the CrySox + Jays are next. Sweet.
88. JP Sears – Sears has exploded in a good way across the last few weeks and now gets the Angels. Then again, he is a proper Cherry Bomb, so who knows if that four-seamer will be located upstairs once again.
89. Mitchell Parker – He’s a Toby getting the Angels this week and that works. Please have one of your splitter, curve, or slider working this time, k thx.
90. Griffin Canning – Canning does what he does decently well – avoid the heart of the plate with heaters and rely on secondaries instead. He does get a little too much of the plate with those breakers at times, though.
91. Randy Vásquez – If Vásquez isn’t getting replaced by Musgrove this week, he’ll get a start against the Pirates and that’s a pretty fun thing.
92. Joey Estes – He’ll square up against the CrySox and that’s fine. Nothing to circle and chase, but fine.
Tier 11 – The Names Without The Good Games
You recognize these guys and it may be hard to remove them from your squads, but I’m not enjoying their weeks ahead + the ceiling isn’t worth the hold.
93. James Paxton – He still carries a decent Win chance and gets the Nationals ahead. Sure, I guess.
94. Charlie Morton – Morton is still a HIPSTER and I’m not sure I trust him against the Brewers. He just has that curveball.
95. Brandon Pfaadt – I don’t know y’all, do what you want with Pfaadt. I still see an arm needing one more pitch to put it all together and I don’t like his chances in Cleveland.
96. Simeon Woods Richardson – He’s disappointed for a pair of starts and has to endure the Guardians this week. Not a fun time.
97. José Berríos – I’ve been out on Berríos for a bit, but maybe the Athletics are worthwhile for those in QS leagues.
98. Aaron Civale – The cutter and curve combo isn’t where we want it to be. I’m still waiting for a legit start from Civale to make me convinced, and that could be a date at home hosting the Reds.
99. Kyle Harrison – If you insist on rostering Harrison for the strikeout potential, you do you. I personally see the same volatile and detrimental arm we saw last year, but I understand if you want to take the dart throw.
100. Max Meyer – Meyer’s slider is great. The rest is not. I’m open to the idea that Meyer will take a step forward inside his arsenal over time and it could start with the Reds this week when he faces them in Miami.
Honorable Mentions
I want to make sure we’re on the same page about every pitcher slated to start for the week ahead. 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) – He didn’t pitch so poorly in the short time we saw him before the rain interrupted his outing, but it’s the Phillies up next. No thanks.
Ryne Nelson (ARI) – I’m glad he adjusted to have a productive start last week. However, he’s not worth the stash through the Phillies. He’s still missing a strong #2 pitch.
Yilber Diaz (ARI) – Demoted to the minors last Monday afternoon.
Bryce Elder (ATL) – I actually dig Elder’s new velocity and overall step forward, but it’s Milwaukee + Coors this week. I don’t love it and feel better chasing something else.
Grant Holmes (ATL) – I really dug the first start, was frustrated by the second, and now he’s out of the rotation with Elder taking ReyLó’s spot. Womp womp. Keep an eye on him if he gets another opportunity.
Dean Kremer (BAL) – You never know what he’ll have on a given night.
Trevor Rogers (BAL) – I’m waiting for Rogers to look like a different man before believing the change of scenery can save his season.
Javier Assad (CHC) – I can see how Assad could become a reliable arm once again. He’s not there yet. Almost.
Kyle Hendricks (CHC) – He just had a solid outing and yet I’m not interested.
Chris Flexen (CHW) – There are days that he’s FLEXEN AT THE BEACH and it sure wasn’t his last outing.
Davis Martin (CHW) – This ain’t it y’all.
Jonathan Cannon (CHW) – He’s an interesting dart throw if you’re chasing a QS.
Ky Bush (CHW) – This wasn’t a fun MLB debut with a poor heater and not enough in the secondaries to make up for it.
Carson Spiers (CIN) – Spiers isn’t bad, just not doing enough to endure him against the Brewers.
Nick Martinez (CIN) – He nearly made The List with the Marlins up next – being limited to just 70 pitches was the ultimate decider. We shouldn’t expect more than five frames.
Alex Cobb (CLE) – Is he actually returning this week? Is it worth the Still ILL in his first start of the season? I’d wait before jumping in – Cobb isn’t a massive impact in 12-teamers.
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. We’re not there yet.
Logan Allen (CLE) – He’s back from the minors for now and I don’t have any interest in starting him against the Diamondbacks.
Austin Gomber (COL) – COL story, bro.
Cal Quantrill (COL) – COL story, bro.
Kyle Freeland (COL) – COL story, bro.
Ryan Feltner (COL) – COL story, bro.
Tanner Gordon (COL) – COL story, bro.
Brant Hurter (DET) – Let’s wait and see.
Bryan Sammons (DET) – A southpaw who could turn into a Toby someday.
Keider Montero (DET) – He does get the Mariners and Giants and I wouldn’t be shocked if one of the two starts helps your squads. Just a little too questionable to put on The List this week.
Kenta Maeda (DET) – Why chase Maeda? The ceiling is too low to justify the floor.
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.
Alec Marsh (KCR) – Demoted to the minors.
Carson Fulmer (LAA) – Pitched stupid well…against the Mariners. Now gets the Yankees and I don’t think he’s actually good enough to hold through it. He’ll be back.
Davis Daniel (LAA) – He’ll get the Yankees up next, though a weekend start against the Nationals isn’t the worst thing out there. Not worth it for a spot on The List, though.
Justin Wrobleski (LAD) – Demoted to the minors with the acquisition of Jack Flaherty.
Kyle Tyler (MIA) – Tyler ain’t it y’all.
Roddery Muñoz (MIA) – Sent down to the minors. Womp womp.
Valente Ballozo (MIA) – He’s had some moments…? Don’t.
Colin Rea (MIL) – He’s a Werewolf without a high enough ceiling.
Frankie Montas (MIL) – Are you desperately chasing a Quality Start? Knock yourself out.
Joe Ross (MIL) – He’s been moved to the bullpen.
Louie Varland (MIN) – He’s expected to be the extra man for the double-header later this week. Not worth the gamble.
David Peterson (NYM) – I just don’t believe in his approach enough. I want to be convinced!
Luis Severino (NYM) – The four-seamer velocity fell and the hint of a 96/97 mph four-seamers with solid cutters disappeared in his last outing. Coors is next and that’s a clear pass.
Paul Blackburn (NYM) – He may turn into a worthy streaming option again. Coors this week isn’t that.
Tylor Megill (NYM) – Demoted to the minors.
Mitch Spence (OAK) – He’s not the worst stream there, but not a needle-pushing arm and the Jays aren’t the start that elevates him into The List.
Osvaldo Bido (OAK) – His solid outings are a major surprise to me – I’m not a believer at all.
Ross Stripling (OAK) – You can ignore him for now.
Kolby Allard (PHI) – I don’t expect him to last long in the rotation.
Tyler Phillips (PHI) – All regression arrived in one start and now it’s the Dodgers.
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.
Luis L. Ortiz (PIT) – Despite enduring Samulski’s inevitable wrath during the OTC Podcast, Ortiz doesn’t demand rostership with the Padres up ahead. But he’s been great! I need to hold a guy like him! Nah y’all. There are so many low-rostered arms with good matchups every week. Ortiz doesn’t push the needle enough.
Joe Musgrove (SDP) – He could be returning to the rotation this week without a rehab start, though it’ll likely be on a limited pitch count. I suggest leaving him in the IL spot until after that Still ILL outing, whenever it happens.
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 – at this point, I’m sure he needs a rehab start or two before then.
Andre Pallante (STL) – With the acquisition of Erick Fedde, does Pallante still have a rotation spot in St. Louis?
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.
Ryan Pepiot (TBR) – He isn’t confirmed to return this week, but if he does make a start against the Orioles, I’d prefer to leave him in my IL slot for that one. It’s a clear Still ILL.
Tyler Alexander (TBR) – The Rays need a starter if Pepiot isn’t ready. Who would he face? The Orioles. Oh.
Zack Littell (TBR) – He gets the Orioles this week and you don’t need to stash him past that.
Cody Bradford (TEX) – I wonder if that magic can return. Probably not for his start against the Yankees this week…
José Ureña (TEX) – Remember kids, If you roster José, Ureña boatload of trouble.
Jake Bloss (TOR) – Acquired by the Jays in the Kikuchi and promptly sent to the minors.
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…? But the cutter is gone. WHY IS THE CUTTER ALWAYS GONE?!
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 Strikeout Upside | - |
| 5 | Paul Skenes | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 6 | Jack Flaherty | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | +7 |
| 7 | Blake Snell | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | +19 |
| 8 | Dylan Cease | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | +12 |
| 9 | George KirbyT2 | Aces Gonna Ace Quality Starts | -1 |
| 10 | Corbin Burnes | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | -3 |
| 11 | Logan Gilbert | Aces Gonna Ace Quality Starts | +6 |
| 12 | Cole Ragans | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | -2 |
| 13 | Aaron Nola | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | -4 |
| 14 | Luis Castillo | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 15 | Hunter Greene | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | +10 |
| 16 | Michael King | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 17 | Shota Imanaga | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | -2 |
| 18 | Joe Ryan | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 19 | Bailey OberT3 | Ace Potential Quality Starts | +3 |
| 20 | Gerrit Cole | Ace Potential Wins Bonus Injury Risk | -9 |
| 21 | Taj Bradley | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | - |
| 22 | Max Fried | Ace Potential Wins Bonus Injury Risk | +UR |
| 23 | Robbie Ray | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | - |
| 24 | Pablo López | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | - |
| 25 | Grayson Rodriguez | Ace Potential Wins Bonus | -13 |
| 26 | Luis Gil | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +6 |
| 27 | Seth LugoT4 | Holly Quality Starts | - |
| 28 | Ronel Blanco | Holly Ratio Focused | +1 |
| 29 | Sonny Gray | Holly Wins Bonus | +1 |
| 30 | Justin Steele | Holly Quality Starts | -11 |
| 31 | Nathan Eovaldi | Holly Quality Starts | -3 |
| 32 | Carlos Rodón | Holly Wins Bonus | -1 |
| 33 | Freddy Peralta | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | - |
| 34 | Garrett Crochet | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | -28 |
| 35 | Logan WebbT5 | Holly Quality Starts | +6 |
| 36 | Zac Gallen | Holly Quality Starts Injury Risk | -2 |
| 37 | Kutter Crawford | Holly Strikeout Upside | -1 |
| 38 | Jake Irvin | Holly Ratio Focused | -1 |
| 39 | Brayan Bello | Holly Quality Starts | +7 |
| 40 | Nick Pivetta | Holly Strikeout Upside | - |
| 41 | Framber Valdez | Holly Quality Starts | +1 |
| 42 | Yusei Kikuchi | Holly Strikeout Upside | +14 |
| 43 | Gavin Williams | Holly Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +2 |
| 44 | Zach Eflin | Holly Quality Starts | +14 |
| 45 | Tanner BibeeT6 | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | -6 |
| 46 | Bryan Woo | Cherry Bomb Ratio Focused Injury Risk | +9 |
| 47 | Bryce Miller | Cherry Bomb Ratio Focused | -3 |
| 48 | Spencer Schwellenbach | Spice Girl Team Context Effect | +4 |
| 49 | River Ryan | Spice Girl Rotation Spot Bonus | +2 |
| 50 | Shane Baz | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | - |
| 51 | Nestor Cortes | Cherry Bomb Wins Bonus | +8 |
| 52 | Cristopher Sánchez | Cherry Bomb Quality Starts | -5 |
| 53 | Tanner Houck | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -15 |
| 54 | Nick Lodolo | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | -6 |
| 55 | Kevin Gausman | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -6 |
| 56 | Hunter Brown | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -2 |
| 57 | Jeffrey SpringsT7 | Toby Ratio Focused | -4 |
| 58 | Clayton Kershaw | Toby Wins Bonus Injury Risk | -15 |
| 59 | Chris Bassitt | Toby Quality Starts | +1 |
| 60 | Brady Singer | Toby Strikeout Upside | +2 |
| 61 | Tyler Anderson | Toby Quality Starts | +2 |
| 62 | Mitch Keller | Toby Quality Starts | +2 |
| 63 | Ben Lively | Toby Ratio Focused | +2 |
| 64 | Tobias Myers | Toby Ratio Focused | +4 |
| 65 | Sean Manaea | Toby Wins Bonus | +16 |
| 66 | Edward CabreraT8 | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +5 |
| 67 | David Festa | Spice Girl Strikeout Upside | +6 |
| 68 | Hayden Birdsong | Spice Girl Strikeout Upside | +UR |
| 69 | MacKenzie Gore | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -12 |
| 70 | Tyler Mahle | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +UR |
| 71 | Spencer Arrighetti | Cherry Bomb Streaming Option Strikeout Upside | +1 |
| 72 | Andrew Abbott | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -2 |
| 73 | Eduardo Rodriguez | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +UR |
| 74 | DJ Herz | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +9 |
| 75 | Michael WachaT9 | Toby Ratio Focused | - |
| 76 | Gavin Stone | Toby Team Context Effect | -15 |
| 77 | Andrew Heaney | Toby Strikeout Upside | -10 |
| 78 | Kyle Gibson | Toby Quality Starts | - |
| 79 | Erick Fedde | Toby Quality Starts | - |
| 80 | Marcus Stroman | Toby Quality Starts | -14 |
| 81 | José SorianoT10 | Streaming Option Strikeout Upside | +UR |
| 82 | Martín Pérez | Streaming Option Quality Starts | +UR |
| 83 | Michael Lorenzen | Streaming Option Quality Starts | +UR |
| 84 | Matt Waldron | Streaming Option Ratio Focused | +5 |
| 85 | Will Warren | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | +UR |
| 86 | Jameson Taillon | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | +4 |
| 87 | Jose Quintana | Streaming Option Quality Starts | +UR |
| 88 | JP Sears | Streaming Option Strikeout Upside | +UR |
| 89 | Mitchell Parker | Streaming Option Quality Starts | -1 |
| 90 | Griffin Canning | Streaming Option Strikeout Upside | -4 |
| 91 | Randy Vásquez | Streaming Option Ratio Focused | +6 |
| 92 | Joey Estes | Streaming Option Quality Starts | +UR |
| 93 | James PaxtonT11 | Streaming Option Team Context Effect | -2 |
| 94 | Charlie Morton | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | -1 |
| 95 | Brandon Pfaadt | Streaming Option Quality Starts | -21 |
| 96 | Simeon Woods Richardson | Streaming Option Ratio Focused | -27 |
| 97 | José Berríos | Streaming Option Quality Starts | -2 |
| 98 | Aaron Civale | Streaming Option Quality Starts | -6 |
| 99 | Kyle Harrison | Streaming Option Strikeout Upside | -15 |
| 100 | Max Meyer | Streaming Option Quality Starts | +UR |
Labels Legend
I’ve updated the tags for 2024, now allowing myself to tag a player in one of 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)
Musgrove made one rehab start, 43 pitches in Single-A on Sunday, but should still be fairly limited (and Padres are talking six-man with a heavy schedule coming up so both Perez and Vasquez potentially could stick). As for Pallante, he’s temporarily holding his rotation spot with Lynn on the shelf.
Nick- absolutely love what you do and the value you provide…But you are too low on Hunter Brown!! Dude has a QS in 12 of his last 14 starts dating back to mid May. I think he belongs in the top 30, maybe top 35! Thoughts?
Drew Rasmussen will not be a top 40 starter when he returns, the Rays plan to use him as a reliever for the rest of the season.
Waldron needs more love. He’s consistent and goes deep in games and hardly ever blows up.
You broke Ragans and you must pay for this.