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: Ryan Pepiot (41), Joe Musgrove (48), Merrill Kelly (51), Walker Buehler (55)
- Removed: Joe Ryan (18), Grayson Rodriguez (25), Nathan Eovaldi (31), River Ryan (49)
- 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 – Yep, still dope.
2. Tyler Glasnow – Hey, mind giving us more than four strikeouts? K thx.
3. Tarik Skubal – Yes, I know. He’s arguably SP #1. I can’t make a big change like that unless it’s a clear one at this point.
4. Chris Sale – He’s displayed no signs of slowing down.
5. Paul Skenes – There is some fear of degradation down the stretch (small velo dip against LAD) but it’s all speculation and he’s still dope right now.
6. Jack Flaherty – He’s fitting in perfectly as a member of the Dodgers. The breakers are just as legit as they were before.
7. Blake Snell – The curveball and changeup are cookin’ like a rush-hour kitchen.
8. Dylan Cease – I will always wish he had a cutter to give him a higher floor, but the slider and four-seamer are so good.
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. Logan Gilbert – His slider feel has stabilized with great separation between the four-seamer. The cutter and curve help at times, too, and if he can sustain one each start, he’s a legit stud. Ignore the weird pair of outings prior to the Mets – they were more of baseball being weird.
10. Aaron Nola – He’ll have his fluctuations n whatnot, but he is what he is. The curve is great, the fastballs are there, he’s an ace and it’s great.
11. Luis Castillo – The four-seamer is consistently upstairs and the sliders + changeups are low. It’s what you want.
12. Michael King – He’s fresh off a middling outing without his sweeper working. It happens. Still love him.
13. Bailey Ober – Welcome to the AGA crew, Ober. Sure, you’ve had some cushy matchups but you did what you were supposed to.
14. George Kirby – He just doesn’t get the strikeouts like the others. His floor is great and I just want that extra push.
15. Cole Ragans – I’m a little worried that the velocity won’t get fixed, while the cutter and slider command is still a little off. That changeup is so legit, though.
16. Hunter Greene – He just had an outing without four-seamer command after I gave him the AGA tag for having the four-seamer command. Please don’t make me regret this.
17. Corbin Burnes – Burnes’ cutter isn’t landing low like the old days and it’s destroying his strikeout rate.
18. Shota Imanaga – The sweeper has helped effectively and the four-seamer + splitter combo is still sparkling.
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.
19. Gerrit Cole – Cole was everything we wanted him to be in his last start, with sliders reminiscent of the glory days. Do it again.
20. Luis Gil – It’s hard not to love Gil’s four-seamer + slider + changeup focus, especially for a winning club. I encourage y’all not to overthink September and his workload. We really don’t know how it’ll shape up for any starter.
21. Max Fried – He’s been poor in his first two starts back from the IL and I’m not worried moving forward. Annoyed by the performances, yes, but Fried has a routine of needing a few starts to rev the engines.
22. Robbie Ray – The results were great for Ray’s last outing, but it was anxiety-riddled as he failed to execute consistently. This is a tier of guys who should be better and don’t have others breathing down their necks, but another start or two and they are down at least one tier.
23. Taj Bradley – The four-seamer strike rate came back up, but he spotted it in y-mLoc with his splitter and it wasn’t what we wanted. That’s two straight blegh outings from Bradley and here’s to hoping it’s a small stretch of turbulence.
24. Pablo López – López was fighting his mechanics throughout his last start and has reportedly made a fix during his bullpen session. Expect much better.
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. Sonny Gray – Yep, he’s Sonny. Great secondaries, a well-commanded cut-fastball, and a long leash.
26. Carlos Rodón – Rodón has found a better feel for his secondaries and he’s pitching his best baseball of the season.
27. Ronel Blanco – Blanco has allowed a ton of hard contact over his last eight starts (46% ICR overall!) and the results haven’t been as sharp. That said, I still believe in his slider and changeup inside the zone with four-seamers nibbling. He should still be a solid arm.
28. Seth Lugo – Lugo has just 26 strikeouts across his last six starts. That’s under five per game. Sure is. He’ll likely be better than that, but let’s recalibrate our interpretation of the guy.
29. Justin Steele – Steele has done well, though his last performance was more of a CrySox thing than a Justin is Dope thing.
30. Logan Webb – Webb’s sweeper came alive last time out and boy do I hope that sticks.
31. Framber Valdez – We’re in the middle of Framber is one of his ace-like grooves and I’m happy to ride this out.
32. Zach Eflin – Eflin’s move to Baltimore is already returning dividends and there’s no reason to expect Eflin doesn’t carry a strong floor.
33. Freddy Peralta – Please tell me Professor Chaos hasn’t arrived. The ceiling is too great to favor Tier 5 over Peralta.
34. Garrett Crochet – This is the toughest one. Nick, he was just crushed! He’s not going to go long into games! Yeah, I see all the same stuff. If there were no concerns for innings, he’s in Tier 1. We do not know how the White Sox will handle Crochet the rest of the way. I’m upset we didn’t get more clarity from his last start simply because he allowed four home runs (which won’t happen again) and wasn’t allowed to go long enough to test his leash. This spot felt reasonable to weigh the massive impact of his ceiling while also recognizing the floor of incessant limitations in his starts.
Tier 5 – The Firecrackers
We can all see how these pitchers become aces, though they still have questions to answer before then.
35. Yusei Kikuchi – I’m a believer in Kikuchi’s four-seamer and slider and starting for the Astros only helps Kikuchi’s Win chances.
36. Bryan Woo – Woo is healthy* and I love watching his secondaries land for strikes, allowing his four-seamers to do work upstairs.
37. Zac Gallen – Gallen…are you okay? I think you are, but the heater has been off. As long as the change and curve are still working down, he’ll be the stable Holly and borderline ace you know and love.
38. Spencer Schwellenbach – He’s a kitchen-sink arm who earns whiffs, has pulled away from throwing four-seamers, sits 96 mph, and pitches for a winning team. HE HAS IT ALL. Well, the four-seamer could be better, but you get the point. With so many arms below having major questions, I’m favoring Mr. Crescendo inside the Top 40.
39. Tanner Bibee – His shoulder is apparently barking, yet he just produced again. As long as he’s on the mound, we’re letting it fly.
40. Hunter Brown – Brown just sat 97.6 mph in his last outing. That’ll work. I have doubts that he can make that a velocity floor, but even at 96/97 mph, Brown sets himself up for success.
41. Ryan Pepiot – He’s coming off the IL this week and I may be a touch too high on Pepiot…but then again, I believe in his arsenal (elite four-seamer, changeup, and slider) and see a legit impact arm down the stretch.
42. Bryce Miller – He is terrible on the road, but I want to believe all he’s needed is dependable secondaries. He may be finding those. Finally.
43. Shane Baz – Baz had a terrible first frame against the Cardinals, then was fine after. We saw two starts of his curve and/or slider working with his heater prior, and I don’t believe that single frame puts a halt to his growth.
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.
44. Gavin Williams – His secondaries aren’t at their best quite yet, but the four-seamer floor is worthy of your squad.
45. Jeffrey Springs – The four-seamer isn’t likely to be as successful moving forward at 89/90 mph, but that changeup is legit once again. His slider? Yeah it’s fine. The cross-body release helps with deception a ton to make it all work – as long as his command is good enough, Springs will be a steady arm.
46. Kevin Gausman – The splitter isn’t back. It could still get there, but until then, he’s okay. He’ll have hiccups but generally worthy of your time.
47. Cristopher Sánchez – He’s dealt with some tough matchups and he’s still the same fella – great changeup and sinker combo that needs to not float into the zone. Expect more Wins and QS.
48. Joe Musgrove – I’m stoked to see Musgrove back on the hill this week and during that Still ILL, I hope we see a revitalized Musgrove. The ceiling is Top 30, of course.
49. Tyler Anderson – Anderson has a 28% strikeout across his last six starts, making him worthy of a Holly. That changeup is too dang good.
50. Tobias Myers – He’s been on such a good run that I have no choice. It’s an array of options + a high iVB heater + solid command around the edges. Maybe don’t start him against the Dodgers though…?
51. Merrill Kelly – His first start back was unimpressive with few whiffs, though he played the East-West game effectively across his arsenal. Here’s to hoping he takes another step forward in start #2.
52. Clayton Kershaw – Kershaw’s slider is still great and even if he’s Dancing With The Disco, we’ll take it on the Dodgers.
53. Brayan Bello – I’m likely the high man on Bello as I’m a believer in his slider + sinker + changeup combo that has undulated all year. We’re finally at a point where all three are working, paving the path for a successful August and September.
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.
54. Spencer Arrighetti – The dude has back-to-back double-digit strikeout games. The problem? I don’t trust his control. If he can continue to throw four-seamers for strikes and not be chaotic with his secondaries, he’s well worth your time. Pick him up, just don’t be shocked if he turns into a proper “Cherry bomb”.
55. Walker Buehler – Buehler gets a second chance to make a first impression on the 2024 season this week. I’m not ready to write him off completely and consider this ranking to reflect that ceiling. Remember, it’s all about the landscape and currently, there are a ton of questions.
56. Nick Pivetta – Without the cutter and lower velocity, is Pivetta okay? I have no idea and I sure hope so.
57. Zebby Matthews – I’m a fan of Zebby and you really need to take a shot on him ASAP. Seriously, right now. His absurd K/BB in the minors is fueled by elite control with a true five-pitch mix. His four-seamer flashes elite at 17″ of iVB and 95/96 mph velocity with elevated intent, while his slider rated a 5.60+ PLV in Triple-A. That ignores the cutter, curve, and changeup in the tank, too. Get and figure it out later.
58. Kutter Crawford – He’s allowed so many HRs and doesn’t have a pitch he confidently features in a given count. It’s a weird moment for Crawford and the schedule across the next two weeks is making this even harder to endure. I imagine he’ll be very worth your time by September, at the very least. It’s simply a tough moment.
59. Tanner Houck – Houck has lost his splitter feel and it’s not fun at all – it’s why he’s still down here after limiting runs in his last start. No splitter (and questionable slider too….?! 50% strike rate ain’t it) and I’m out.
60. Grant Holmes – He doesn’t have as expansive of an arsenal as Schwellenbach, but the mix is well-spotted and features plenty of whiffs. I’m here for it.
61. Edward Cabrera – I wish the slider wasn’t completely shelved, but seeing few four-seamers last time out in favor of over 50% changeups is absolute bliss. This could be the man we’ve wanted for ages.
62. Nick Lodolo – He’s not doing a whole lot to make us convinced that he’s back in full. The skills are still there in his curve, change, and four-seamer, and I’m hoping we get the results to back it up this week.
63. Jake Irvin – The four-seamer and curve can each earn whiffs, but he’s had a rough stretch as the hook isn’t dominating like it used to. Is this the end of Irvin’s 2024 breakout campaign?
64. Brady Singer – He’s the same Cherry Bomb he’s always been.
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.
65. Chris Bassitt – Set and forget Bassitt is fine. Kinda. That first inning really messed him up.
66. Nestor Cortes – It’s a great Win chance and in most cases, you’re putting up with the volatility.
67. Mitch Keller – Keller is a weird one. I don’t think he has a truly elite offering that he features enough to carry him to the finish line, but his trio of fastballs find enough outs to let him go 6+ frequently.
68. Brandon Pfaadt – We may be seeing Pfaadt finding a rhythm akin to his last October run, allowing him to find the edges and succeed without a strong third pitch…unless the whiff-heavy changeup is actually here to stay. That would be awesome.
69. Eduardo Rodriguez – Just one start removed from his IL stint, Erod should be a decent Toby for those in need of Quality Starts.
70. Sean Manaea – Manaea couldn’t take advantage of the Mariners in Seattle, but his previous outings demand this high ranking with the Marlins up ahead.
Tier 9 – 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.
71. Ryne Nelson – The four-seamer is dominating at the top of the zone and it was cool to see the slider and cutter help out well. Does he stick in the rotation as their sixth man? Does he kick out The Bear? For now, let’s just hope he crushes his next start.
72. JP Sears – He’s gone three starts now of high four-seamers returning plenty of whiffs. Maybe it’s time to start believing…
73. David Festa – Festa has the stuff to become a clear 12-teamer add with command that’s generally about the needed threshold. The Shag Rug gets in the way, though, and it may be a few more starts before we get clarity.
74. Matthew Boyd – BOYD BOYZ UNITE. You may want to take a spec add on Boyd here, just to see how he looks returning from the IL. We missed ya, fella.
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.
75. Jose Quintana – His command is where you want it to be, akin to his fantastic Vargas Rule from last year.
76. Martín Pérez – He gets solid matchups in front of a solid offense. That you San Diego. His command is where you need it to be for him to take full advantage.
77. Ben Lively – He’s been a Vargas Rule and just had a hiccup. Is this the end or will he recover?
78. Kyle Gibson – Gibson’s wide arsenal mixed with his excellent sweeper and long leash turn him into a proper Toby.
79. Erick Fedde – Fedde is pretty much another version of Gibson.
80. Marcus Stroman – You’re here for the Win chance. And that’s cool, just don’t ignore his impact of WHIP and impact on strikeouts negatively.
Tier 11 – 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.
81. José Soriano – It’s Atlanta later this week, but Soriano is pitching more consistently these days, with sinkers down and armside + curves for strikes. I dig it, even with the Cherry Bomb risk.
82. Luis Severino – Severino is sitting 96 mph with a strong sweeper. That night in Seattle wasn’t fun, though. Enjoy the Marlins. Please.
83. Hayden Birdsong – It’s all down to his control. Will his curveballs and sliders find the zone or will he have to do too much with his four-seamer? I don’t have a ton of faith in his ability, but it could go well on a given night.
84. Tyler Mahle – Chase Mahle if you like. He wasn’t that great prior to TJS + he didn’t look exceptional in his first start back. I’d personally grab a strong streaming option instead.
85. Andrew Abbott – I dunno, I liked your approach last time and you got crushed. You’re a Cherry Bomb and it’s annoying. Feel free to break Abbott down in full for me, as long as it’s about his arsenal and not just the surface-level results/ERA stats. What I see watching him is a guy who doesn’t have anything elite and doesn’t quite have a consistent approach, but can execute two-strike four-seamers upstairs well.
Tier 12 – Fine, You Need Some Streams & Other Randos
More streaming options here, but a slight drop from the previous tier.
86. Will Warren – He’s returning to cover a spot-start against the ChiSox and I know he just stumbled last week in a horrible way, but he’s better than that.
87. Michael Wacha – The changeup is solid, but not that amazing to favor Wacha as a strong stream in Cin City.
88. José Berríos – His curve and locations were far better last time out against the Athletics, let’s hope it’s more of the same against the Angels.
89. Jordan Montgomery – This is it, JorMont. It’s Rockie Road and if you can’t handle this, you may not have a rotation spot. They gave him so much money, though. But if Ryne is killing it, how can they justify Monty over Ryne? Fair enough.
90. Albert Suárez – He just came through twice and hosts the Red Sox up next. That seems fine, but the floor is awfully low.
91. Nick Martinez – I love that NickMart is back in the rotation and has been exceptional in his last two starts. He also hosts the Royals next and that’s awfully scary.
92. David Peterson – I’m glad it’s the Athletics up next and if he executes the BSB once again, he’ll come through.
93. Tyler Phillips – He’s been poor since those two 0 ER outings, but at least it’s the Marlins now.
94. Cody Bradford – Bradford is showing some promise with his four-seamer, but has to deal with the Twins. I’m curious if he becomes something by taking down the tough offense.
95. Gavin Stone – Stone isn’t doing a whole lot and has to deal with the Brewers. I’d rather not. It’s too meh, but fine, a Win chance.
96. Paul Blackburn – It’s the Athletics up next and that could be six frames of REVENGE.
97. Bowden Francis – I’m not a major believer in his last outing of success against the Orioles (a four-seamer that should have been hit more, inconsistent curves and splitters…) but he gets the Angels next and he could make his way through that one.
98. Charlie Morton – He’s as volatile as it gets. Good luck.
99. Osvaldo Bido – Bido has shockingly come through (mostly) and taken advantage of his opportunity in the Athletics rotation, despite facing some tough offenses. I heavily question his command, though, and the floor is awfully scary against a heating up Giants squad.
100. Trevor Rogers – Rogers’ move to the Orioles is an interesting one and a date with the mediocre Nationals make me consider Rogers as an interesting upside play at #100. Maybe this is the start it all comes together….
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!
Bryce Elder (ATL) – I actually dig Elder’s new velocity and overall step forward, but he’s out of the rotation with Holmes in his spot for now.
Dean Kremer (BAL) – You never know what he’ll have on a given night.
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.
Jameson Taillon (CHC) – Heads to Cleveland and that’s too risky for the week.
Chris Flexen (CHW) – There are days that he’s FLEXEN AT THE BEACH and I need to see him getting a sunburn before I believe it.
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) – Let’s wait for a start from Bush that suggests there’s something legit before adding him to squads.
Carson Spiers (CIN) – Spiers isn’t bad, just not doing enough to roster right now.
Alex Cobb (CLE) – He returned and didn’t have his splitter cooking. We need that splitty or we’re out.
Austin Gomber (COL) – COL story, bro.
Bradley Blalock (COL) – COL story, bro.
Kyle Freeland (COL) – COL story, bro.
Tanner Gordon (COL) – COL story, bro.
Brant Hurter (DET) – Let’s wait and see. Oh, right, he already pitched. Narrator: It’s not what you want.
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) – So, uh, how you doing Verlander? Gonna return any time soon?
Michael Lorenzen (KCR) – He’s a low-ceiling streamer and heads to Cin City.
Carson Fulmer (LAA) – Has the secondaries to be a decent streamer. One of the last ones cut as he gets the Jays this week.
Davis Daniel (LAA) – At least he has the leash to go six if everything is cooking…?
Griffin Canning (LAA) – Canning is too dang hittable y’all.
Max Meyer (MIA) – The slider is all Meyer has and it’s not elite enough to carry the full arsenal + the low Marlins win chance.
Roddery Muñoz (MIA) – Sent down to the minors. Womp womp.
Valente Bellozo (MIA) – He’s had some moments…? Don’t.
Xzavion Curry (MIA) – He’s on Miami now?! Huh. Welp, see ya later.
Aaron Civale (MIL) – I really miss the days of Civale getting good pitch separation. I don’t like his start against Cleveland.
Colin Rea (MIL) – He’s been on an incredible run, but it’s the Dodgers next. He’s not that good.
DL Hall (MIL) –
Frankie Montas (MIL) – Are you desperately chasing a Quality Start? Knock yourself out.
Louie Varland (MIN) – He’ll get another start after the Doubleheader and it’ll be between him and Zebby Matthews to fill in for Joe Ryan moving forward.
Simeon Woods Richardson (MIN) – Feels weird removing him after having a great start, I know. Thing is, he gets @TEX this week and it’s not a start I’d recommend. I don’t consider SWR a guy to stash through a bench in a 12-teamer. Stream that spot instead.
Joey Estes (OAK) – It’s the Mets this week. No thanks, I’m good.
Mitch Spence (OAK) – He’s not the worst stream there, but not a needle-pushing arm. Only consider for desperate times or against the worst offenses.
Ross Stripling (OAK) – You can ignore him for now.
Kolby Allard (PHI) – I don’t expect him to last long in the rotation. Narrator: He gone.
Kyle Tyler (PHI) – Tyler was DFA’d and added by the Phillies. Go figure.
Taijuan Walker (PHI) – He’s returning from the IL and he wasn’t a helpful arm when healthy, let alone in a Still ILL.
Bailey Falter (PIT) – I really considered adding Falter against the Mariners, but it’s not in Seattle. I’m starting to realize that’s a major reason for their incredible strikeout numbers…It’s a decent stream but not as good as the other options. A near miss this week.
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.
Marco Gonzales (PIT) – Marco needs to show us he’s a worthy streamer first before we go after it.
Matt Waldron (SDP) – Don’t Trust A Knuckleballer. In Coors too*
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. If you’re stashing him, I’d consider other options. There’s only so much time left.
Kyle Harrison (SFG) – He’s too much of a Cherry Bomb and gets Atlanta.
Andre Pallante (STL) – He’s the fifth man with Lynn on the IL and is only worth against poor offenses.
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.
Drew Rasmussen (TBR) – It doesn’t look like the Rays are going to use him as a proper starter. Get excited for 2025 instead.
Zack Littell (TBR) – He gets the Orioles this week and you don’t need to stash him past that.
Andrew Heaney (TEX) – The last few weeks haven’t been great and I’d rather not go for it against the Twins. Not a terrible dart throw, though.
Gerson Garabito (TEX) – He’s not really starting, right? Has to be an opener. If he is starting, obviously you don’t start him.
José Ureña (TEX) – Remember kids, If you roster José, Ureña boatload of trouble.
Nathan Eovaldi (TEX) – Apparently he’s being pushed to this weekend but I don’t expect that to happen at all. It’s an oblique strain, y’all. He’ll need more rest than that.
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?). It’s just not that great.
DJ Herz (WSN) – He’s too volatile and gets the Orioles.
MacKenzie Gore (WSN) – He’s REALLY too volatile and gets the Phillies. Seriously, down to 94/95 mph?! You were sitting 97 mph in April and May. Poor fella.
Mitchell Parker (WSN) – He’s not worth the hold through a start against the Phillies.
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 | Blake Snell | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 8 | Dylan Cease | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 9 | Logan GilbertT2 | Aces Gonna Ace Quality Starts | +2 |
| 10 | Aaron Nola | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | +3 |
| 11 | Luis Castillo | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | +3 |
| 12 | Michael King | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | +4 |
| 13 | Bailey Ober | Aces Gonna Ace Quality Starts | +6 |
| 14 | George Kirby | Aces Gonna Ace Quality Starts | -5 |
| 15 | Cole Ragans | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | -3 |
| 16 | Hunter Greene | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | -1 |
| 17 | Corbin Burnes | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | -7 |
| 18 | Shota Imanaga | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | -1 |
| 19 | Gerrit ColeT3 | Ace Potential Wins Bonus Injury Risk | +1 |
| 20 | Luis Gil | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +6 |
| 21 | Max Fried | Ace Potential Wins Bonus | +1 |
| 22 | Robbie Ray | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +1 |
| 23 | Taj Bradley | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | -2 |
| 24 | Pablo López | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | - |
| 25 | Sonny GrayT4 | Holly Wins Bonus | +4 |
| 26 | Carlos Rodón | Holly Wins Bonus | +6 |
| 27 | Ronel Blanco | Holly Wins Bonus | +1 |
| 28 | Seth Lugo | Holly Quality Starts | -1 |
| 29 | Justin Steele | Holly Quality Starts | +1 |
| 30 | Logan Webb | Holly Quality Starts | +5 |
| 31 | Framber Valdez | Holly Quality Starts | +10 |
| 32 | Zach Eflin | Holly Quality Starts | +12 |
| 33 | Freddy Peralta | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | - |
| 34 | Garrett Crochet | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | - |
| 35 | Yusei KikuchiT5 | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +7 |
| 36 | Bryan Woo | Ace Potential Ratio Focused Injury Risk | +10 |
| 37 | Zac Gallen | Ace Potential Quality Starts | -1 |
| 38 | Spencer Schwellenbach | Ace Potential Team Context Effect | +10 |
| 39 | Tanner Bibee | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +6 |
| 40 | Hunter Brown | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +16 |
| 41 | Ryan Pepiot | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +UR |
| 42 | Bryce Miller | Ace Potential Ratio Focused | +5 |
| 43 | Shane Baz | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +7 |
| 44 | Gavin WilliamsT6 | Holly Strikeout Upside | -1 |
| 45 | Jeffrey Springs | Holly Ratio Focused | +12 |
| 46 | Kevin Gausman | Holly Strikeout Upside | +9 |
| 47 | Cristopher Sánchez | Holly Quality Starts | +5 |
| 48 | Joe Musgrove | Holly Ratio Focused | +UR |
| 49 | Tyler Anderson | Holly Quality Starts | +12 |
| 50 | Tobias Myers | Holly Ratio Focused | +14 |
| 51 | Merrill Kelly | Holly Wins Bonus Injury Risk | +UR |
| 52 | Clayton Kershaw | Holly Wins Bonus Injury Risk | +6 |
| 53 | Brayan Bello | Holly Quality Starts | -14 |
| 54 | Spencer ArrighettiT7 | Spice Girl Strikeout Upside | +17 |
| 55 | Walker Buehler | Cherry Bomb Ratio Focused | +UR |
| 56 | Nick Pivetta | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -16 |
| 57 | Zebby Matthews | Spice Girl Strikeout Upside | +UR |
| 58 | Kutter Crawford | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -21 |
| 59 | Tanner Houck | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -6 |
| 60 | Grant Holmes | Spice Girl Team Context Effect | +UR |
| 61 | Edward Cabrera | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +5 |
| 62 | Nick Lodolo | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -8 |
| 63 | Jake Irvin | Cherry Bomb Ratio Focused | -25 |
| 64 | Brady Singer | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -4 |
| 65 | Chris BassittT8 | Toby Quality Starts | -6 |
| 66 | Nestor Cortes | Toby Wins Bonus | -15 |
| 67 | Mitch Keller | Toby Quality Starts | -5 |
| 68 | Brandon Pfaadt | Toby Quality Starts | +27 |
| 69 | Eduardo Rodriguez | Toby Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +4 |
| 70 | Sean Manaea | Toby Wins Bonus | -5 |
| 71 | Ryne NelsonT9 | Spice Girl Ratio Focused | +UR |
| 72 | JP Sears | Spice Girl Strikeout Upside | +16 |
| 73 | David Festa | Spice Girl Strikeout Upside | -6 |
| 74 | Matthew Boyd | Spice Girl Injury Risk | +UR |
| 75 | Jose QuintanaT10 | Toby Quality Starts | +12 |
| 76 | Martín Pérez | Toby Quality Starts | +6 |
| 77 | Ben Lively | Toby Ratio Focused | -14 |
| 78 | Kyle Gibson | Toby Quality Starts | - |
| 79 | Erick Fedde | Toby Quality Starts | - |
| 80 | Marcus Stroman | Toby Quality Starts | - |
| 81 | José SorianoT11 | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | - |
| 82 | Luis Severino | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +UR |
| 83 | Hayden Birdsong | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -15 |
| 84 | Tyler Mahle | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | -14 |
| 85 | Andrew Abbott | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -13 |
| 86 | Will WarrenT12 | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | -1 |
| 87 | Michael Wacha | Streaming Option Ratio Focused | -12 |
| 88 | José Berríos | Streaming Option Quality Starts | +9 |
| 89 | Jordan Montgomery | Streaming Option Quality Starts | +UR |
| 90 | Albert Suarez | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | +UR |
| 91 | Nick Martinez | Streaming Option Strikeout Upside | +UR |
| 92 | David Peterson | Streaming Option Strikeout Upside | +UR |
| 93 | Tyler Phillips | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | +UR |
| 94 | Cody Bradford | Streaming Option Quality Starts | +UR |
| 95 | Gavin Stone | Streaming Option Team Context Effect | -19 |
| 96 | Paul Blackburn | Streaming Option Quality Starts | +UR |
| 97 | Bowden Francis | Streaming Option Strikeout Upside | +UR |
| 98 | Charlie Morton | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | -4 |
| 99 | Osvaldo Bido | Streaming Option Ratio Focused | +UR |
| 100 | Trevor Rogers | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | +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 John Cordes/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter/X)
After the 2nd inning I thought we might to readjust our expectations for Pablo Lopez. But then he gives me more hope. This guy.