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Have questions? My “office hours” are on Playback 10:00 am – 12:00 pm ET Monday – Friday + I stream the creation of this article LIVE at 1:00pm ET Monday afternoons.
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.
- Since this is a 12-teamer, I heavily weigh upside in the back-half of the rankings. The HIPSTER 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 two labels 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 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.
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 John Villavicencio, though we will be conferring each week. Still, I think this table will help you quickly stay on top of who should be on your radar.
They are ordered by my general preference/focus on those guys right now. If any of these are called up, they should be added to your 12-teamers as spec adds at the very least. Some guys aren’t here and that’s due to my own belief they aren’t as pressing as the ones below. I could be very wrong there.
Colors: Green = Worthy of a stash right now in 12-teamers.
As I do my rankings, I thought it would be helpful to showcase a table of how we’re ranking offenses, granted by our PLV powered Projections (in alphabetical order by tier):
Remember, these offensive rankings are based on each offense’s Process+ so far this year and how we project their lineups moving forward. It means you’re going to see a little different offensive rankings than you may see elsewhere and there will always be some surprises. This is based on skills, not purely results!
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 reading 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.
New note: If you would like more detail about a specific pitcher, you can view all my thoughts of their previous starts on their player page. Just click their name, head to the game log, and tap on any row. You’ll see my thoughts on that start and extra pitch details.
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: Logan Gilbert, Jacob Misiorowski
- Removed: Cole Ragans (14), Kodai Senga (29), Tyler Mahle (59), Bryce Miller (60), Lance McCullers Jr. (61)
- Net Change Inside Top 601: (+3)
Please understand how this affects movement across The List.
Tier 1 – The True Aces
These pitchers are dope and make us feel dope.
1. Tarik Skubal – Uh, duh.
2. Zack Wheeler – I kinda love that his career has an end date. Go out there and give everything you have for another two-and-a-half years. For those who don’t quite understand how Wheeler does it, I did a whole breakdown during today’s List stream on Playback.tv/pitcherlist.com. (Spoiler: It’s the four-seamer and sinker pairing)
3. Paul Skenes – He’s become a threat for seven frames and I can’t believe he only has four Wins.
4. Garrett Crochet – 100mph in the ninth inning. The extension has come down, but the velocity is up and the wider arsenal masks the drop.
5. Jacob deGrom – You’re still here. Even without his best command, deGrom still produces.
6. Chris Sale – Sale has been unreal across his last eight starts. He axed the changeup and has gone BSB with four-seamers and sliders without an issue.
7. Max Fried – The Dodgers are the only blemish on Fried’s 2025 and they are few as dependable. If only he were a 30%+ strikeout arm…
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 May.
8. Yoshinobu Yamamoto – Don’t let a grand slam suddenly make you think less of the Inquisitor. Huh? He’s Y Y.
9. Logan Webb – Here’s to 200 frames of success. It’s pretty fantastic watching Webb work with a full arsenal.
10. Joe Ryan – Ryan isn’t blowing us away right now, but hot dang is he consistently good.
11. Robbie Ray – Hey Ray, what’s up with this heightened focus on the four-seamer again? Your secondaries are dope, please use them.
12. Carlos Rodón – Rodón wasn’t great against the Sawx, but he’s far from his horrific self.
Tier 3 – We Expect Success Every Night
They have to earn the AGA tag but are just a few starts away from it.
13. Hunter Brown – Brown finally showed a breaker for whiffs – a big curveball to LHB that destroyed. Give me another game or two of that and BLAMO! You’re at SP #10 in Tier 2.
14. Framber Valdez – Valdez has been on one of his patented ridiculous runs on the back of his curveball. It took him until August last year to get it going and maybe he can carry it across five months this year. Wouldn’t that be something.
15. Bryan Woo – Woo lost his AGA status due to a lack of development with his secondaries. The heaters are still great and will often do enough, but without a solid backup plan, he’s on the outside looking in,
16. MacKenzie Gore – If you’re able to take the Dodgers, fine. I’ll give you AGA. However, you need to have a better feel with the curve than you did against the Marlins over the weekend.
17. Spencer Schwellenbach – It’s absurdly strange to watch Mr. Crescendo overwhelm with his four-seamer while the secondaries are shadows of their 2024 self. The old adage is “New skills fade before old skills return,” which has me concerned we won’t get the studly 98 mph heater and his great breaking ball feel at the same time this year.
18. Jesús Luzardo – Looks like those 20 ER in two games are behind us after decimating the Cubs. Yes, it could have been tipping, but the four-seamer command was so much better.
19. Kris Bubic – Bubic endured the Yankees and we really shouldn’t punish him too much for it unless it lingers moving forward.
20. George Kirby – I love Kirby’s pitch separation against LHB and I’m curious to see what’s next when he gets a heavy dose of RHB. Can he get all his secondaries down?
Tier 4 – So Dang Close To Greatness
I trust all these pitchers to produce this season while they also have heightened nightmare potential on a given night.
21. Spencer Strider – The four-seamer went up a tick, while the slider is still around 85 mph. Rockie Road is a lovely thing and watching Grant Holmes execute the same sliders for similar results makes me doubtful this was a real change. Still, the added velocity is a great sign at the very least. Now get to 97 mph on the heater and 87 mph on the slider. Please.
22. Dylan Cease – He is who he is. A quintessential Cherry Bomb.
23. Freddy Peralta – Just like Cease, Peralta will generally help your teams as you’re forced to bottle your anxiety and hope for the best.
24. Jack Flaherty – Flaherty has had a strange stretch of games with inconsistent breakers and a four-seamer performing far better than usual. I’m willing to handwave a weird start walking down the Reds Carpet.
25. Sonny Gray – He’s either Sonny or Gray. Nothing new here.
26. Logan Gilbert – Gilbert returns from the IL today and he’ll get his AGA tag and head into the second tier if everything looks good after three outings.
Tier 5 – Ole Reliable
These are premier Holly types, but they aren’t as exciting as the ones above. You should be fine with them, there’s just a little more risk.
27. Drew Rasmussen – His heaters and cutters are still really hard to hit. The strikeouts will stay a bit down as long as the breakers are barely touched, but the ratios should be fantastic across five frames, if not six.
28. Cristopher Sánchez – I dislike how hittable the sinker is, but at least he climbed back up to 95.2 mph on the pitch, while the changeup still cleans up for a ton of whiffs.
29. Ranger Suárez – Suárez is on one of his patented hot streaks, featuring fantastic command of his arsenal. We ride this for as long as it lasts – injury was the bump in the road last year and maybe he can avoid that the rest of the way…
30. Clay Holmes – There’s nothing quite like a foundation created by The Adobe. Uhhh, there are better out there that do a whole lot more. Nothing quite like it.
Tier 6 – I Guess We’re Doing This
Some of the more controversial rankings are found here and it comes down to skills vs. results. I completely understand if you feel differently. In most cases, I’m weighing what I think their arsenal and ability dictate rather than what their results have been thus far.
31. Nick Pivetta – Pivetta still allowed a longball, but limited the damage and dominated with his four-seamer. There is a harder 91/92 mph cutter entering the mix here and there, too, and I’m a fan. I wonder if we’ll see a game where it gets major attention.
32. Ryan Pepiot – Speaking of cutters, Pepiot’s slider is looking more like one while the four-seamer and changeup are still fantastic offerings.
33. Will Warren – Are you scared of rolling with Warren? Why? He has the makings of a Michael King-esque run as he continues to nail down his secondary command – he’s already spotting his sinker away to RHB beautifully, after all.
34. Andrew Abbott – Abbott just had a CGSHO and it was awesome. It also came with some of the best overall command I’ve seen from him and here I am, still a bit perplexed as to how he’s getting so much success out of his arsenal. Welp, whatever, we keep rolling with it and hope there’s no hangover from getting pushed last week.
Tier 7 – You’re Helping. I Think. Yeah.
These are arms who are either trending in the right direction or aren’t fading enough for me to be heavily concerned about dropping them far down the list in the upcoming weeks.
35. Seth Lugo – Lugo survived the Yankees, and while the drop in rankings may be alarming, it’s more of a calibration of Lugo. I was a little too high relative to the Tier 6 arms and he belongs closer to these arms than the Tier 5 arms who have a higher strikeout ceiling or more consistent run prevention.
36. Nick Lodolo – I’ve loved watching Lodolo this season as he’s polished his arsenal in full. Yes, he allowed a grand slam in his last start (on a changeup away and off the plate!), and I don’t see it as a showcase of the future. I think we’re in agreement that past ERA and WHIP are far noisier than the skills themselves.
37. Shane Smith – It’s getting harder and harder to prevent Smith from rising up the ranks, though this may be where he stays unless he can squeeze more out of his breakers and changeup. Cool to see the curveball show up for a massive usage boost to 25%+ in his last outing and hopefully it’s a strong four-pitch mix moving forward.
38. Clarke Schmidt – Schmidt should be a solid source of Wins with a studly cutter for both sides of the plate, an excellent set of breakers, and a sinker to jam RHB.
39. Casey Mize – I was terrified of Mize’s low velocity and poor feel after returning from injury, but his last outing was incredible. His four-seamer was peak at 95/96 mph and the splitter is cooking, even with a slider that’s looking more like the cutter of his debut. I’m in.
40. Noah Cameron – Cameron had a rough outing against the Yankees (it happens) and rebounded beautifully. His heater isn’t special, but he spots it well and lets his cutter, changeup, and breakers do the work with shocking precision for a rookie.
Tier 8 – At The Edge Of The Cliff
Now that we’re past the “Hey, this is legit value I’m unlikely to drop this season”, it’s time to shift to pure upside. It’s why these rankings are more aggressive than projections or likely other rankings you’ve seen elsewhere. It’s a 12-teamer and you should be embracing the burn-and-churn of your starting pitchers.
41. Jacob Misiorowski – That debut was all kinds of awesome, save for the whole leaving the game with cramps (why was he in the sixth in the first place?!). It’s the best fastball in baseball…if he can throw it for strikes over 65% of the time. Mixed with a stupid good cutter and unhittable breaker (and two changeups that were dirty), the stuff isn’t in question. It’s just the volatility. He may ultimately be a PEAS who cannot go six innings (the Brewers are likely to baby him, too), but the ceiling is too incredible to favor those in Tier 9 above him. Deeper formats may need to lower him down the ranks, of course.
42. Shane Baz – I initially ranked Baz higher, but pulled it back as he’s yet to showcase that start where it comes together perfectly. He’s fixed the issues of May and recently flexed a new cutter in place of his horrid slider and it’s exactly what he needs. I’m excited for his next outing to see what we get.
43. Luis Castillo – Castillo has made me worried with a declining heater, an inconsistent slider, and a changeup that’s a far cry from its glory days, though he has recently upped the velocity of his heater and kept it upstairs. I worry there’s a nosedive coming on the horizon, but we ride him until we feel the descent in the pit of our stomachs.
44. Eury Pérez – How many innings is he going to get? I don’t know. It’s clear the Marlins with limit him initially, but he’s sure to find the sixth before too long. In the meantime, he needs to find his secondaries. The curve was actually located well on Sunday, but wasn’t filthy, and he couldn’t put away batters. Either the four-seamer needs to land upstairs more often and he keeps that curveball command, or he figures something out with his slider and/or changeup to prevent batters from sitting heater and fouling them off incessantly. I believe he’ll get there before too long (could even be next start!), but it’s a risk and I have zero issue with anyone wanting to push Eury further down. At the very least, his control isn’t nearly as bad as the three walks and zero strikeouts would tell you – his strike rate was over 65%.
45. Mick Abel – I see legit potential in Abel’s arsenal. It’s 96+ mph four-seamers with shockingly great command upstairs, merged with legitimate secondaries that can earn whiffs. With Nola needing more time and Painter arriving after the All-Star break, Abel has runway for consistent starts and could still be there when the logjam arrives – who knows what the state of the rotation will be by then.
Tier 9 – Fine, You Need Innings
I expect them to be rostered in your 12-teamers in the short term, but don’t feel like you have to hold them.
46. Matthew Boyd – I dig Boyd’s changeup a whole lot, but I question if the four-seamer can continue to avoid the longball and if he’ll ever have a strong #3 pitch again. The slider isn’t bad! No, but it’s not the absurd whiff pitch of old, either.
47. David Peterson – Peterson’s extension is awesome, but he’s unlikely to hold a 0.49 HR/9 moving forward. I dig what he does with a wide array of pitches and we’re not moving away from this for now.
48. Cade Horton – I really dig Horton’s cut-fastball, curveball, sweeper, and developing changeup. He’s a strike thrower with whiffability who needs to refine his fastball location a touch to take the next step. Paired with an elite defense and a powerful offense, it’s a fantastic situation for the rook who is primed for a strong second half.
49. Merrill Kelly – It’s a great team context and Kelly will continue to work the edges to put himself in position to go six strong. It’s not sexy, but it generally works (just not this weekend).
50. Chris Paddack – But he just got trounced! Yeah, I know. That was weird. Paddack didn’t pitch that poorly and I don’t believe he’s suddenly cooked. The four-seamer command and legit split-change are still there + I’m encouraged by the focus on turning his slider into a cutter.
51. Jameson Taillon – Taillon has been on such a stupid good run that I feel guilty for not putting him higher. I also have noticed his sweeper is waning a touch and a RHB-heavy lineup may mess him up.
52. Zach Eflin – Eflin is looking like the man we thought he would be in the pre-season: A solid six-inning low-end Holly for a Winning team. Yes, winning. They’re a little better now.
53. Matthew Liberatore – I was planning on lowering Liberatore a bit, but it’s a pair of great outings this week and despite some small warning signs in the arsenal, we have the luxury of starting him against questionable offenses as we hope to see corrections.
54. Michael Wacha – Wacha’s changeup is still fantastic and it’s up to the rest of his stuff to keep their head above water for success through six innings. It caps his ceiling, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a manager dropping him in a 12-teamer.
Tier 10 – Riding The Magic Bus
Here are your Frizzle arms who could be something more than what they are right now. Some of these will rise, others will disappear. Take chances, make mistakes, get messy.
55. Gavin Williams – Ugggggh. What a roller coaster this has been. First we saw a dominant four-seamer with low-strike breakers, then the cutter showed up but the four-seamer failed. And now we have everything earning strikes at the cost of extension and velocity, which makes him…blegh. Was that really a concious decision? It’s not a small shift, we’re talking over two ticks down to sub 95 mph and extension from 7.0 feet to 6.3 feet. That is just unheard of overnight and I’m perplexed. I want to give it one more week of starts before I lower him drastically for i.t
56. Lucas Giolito – Ayyyy it worked for a week! Cool, can you please do it again? I’m happy to hear you looked at your old mechanics and found problems with what you’d be doing this season, but I need to see it action to believe you can consistently command all three pitches again like I initially thought you could do.
57. Grant Holmes – No, I’m not going to dramatically raise him after fanning 15 batters. It was Rockie Road, y’all. The biggest improvement I saw in his previous outing was curveball brilliance to LHB, but the Rockies sent up a boatload of RHB who were trounced by Holmes’ slider (and Strider’s, for that matter). But hey, at least he took full advantage of an opportunity, eh?
58. Landen Roupp – It was the Dodgers this past week and I’ll give it an eye roll and move on, even if he walked the farm.
59. Hayden Birdsong – He was…fine. I’m still exactly where I was on Birdsong – I’m okay going with it but I really don’t think he’ll ever take the leap others seem to believe he’ll take. He doesn’t have the feel for location he needs.
60. Emmet Sheehan – What are we going to get from Sheehan? Is he actually starting regularly? I’m awfully curious and I had zero idea where I should actually rank him. The way I see it, those in Tier 11 and further are absurdly frustrating and this is a mystery box. If he looks great, it’s an ideal situation and he’d be an easy add in 12-teamers.
61. Ben Casparius – He’s expected to follow Ohtani tonight and I’m just glad we’re going to get more than fifty pitches for a change. If he continues to be Ohtani’s follower, I’m game. Higher win chances are a good thing.
62. David Festa – I’m skeptical that Festa can be efficient enough with his arsenal as I’m waiting for the day he can get the proper pitch separation his arsenal calls for. He’s still raw, though, and we may start seeing some run outings in the near future.
Tier 11 – They Will Drive You Up The Wall
I’m willing to bet this tier will upset people the most. I see them as HIPSTER arms who could potentially smooth out into stable arms or make you wish in August that you never drafted them. Who knows when they’ll perform at their potential?
63. Kevin Gausman – The splitter movement is back, but the overall command is not what we’ve seen in the past. It should return, right? Or is this the HIPSTER of the year?
64. Tanner Bibee – Despite having a decent outing, Bibee’s command isn’t there and I’m failing to see a consistent out pitch. He’s still wearing the TIARA but we’ve waited a long time for this tea party to end.
65. Brayan Bello – He just had the best game of the season after introducing cutters to the mix and spotting sinkers and changeups on the edges. It’s awfully encouraging…for one start. I don’t contest that the cutter won’t return, but will he be able to have the same command consistently?
66. Bailey Ober – Ober was just quoted to have hip and knee problems but he’s been pitching through them. Meanwhile, the four-seamer command isn’t great at 90 mph (down two ticks from last year) and his slider/cutter are not doing their job against RHB. I’m kinda done with this…?
67. Sawyer Gipson-Long – UGH. That’s three outings of sub 60 pitches and I’m worried about his velocity decline on Sunday. He may need a while before he’s going more than sixty pitches and keep in mind – his changeup was great for one game thus far. I hate this. The talent is there, but he needs more time, which makes him an investment for the second half and a tough call right now. I sure hope my worries are dumb and he’s stretched out further next game.
68. Sandy Alcantara – He’s pitching as I type this and I’m awfully curious to see if his four-seamer, sinker, and changeup command are returning to form. I have my doubts, but that’s the skill I’m still waiting to see – not success against a pair of poor offenses.
69. Jack Leiter – It’s tough figuring out what to do with Jack Zippo, who hasn’t fired on all cylinders since pre-blister IL stint. We know the skills are there, but can he orchestrate a full outing with all his pitches?
70. Zac Gallen – Gallen hasn’t pitched nearly as badly as the lines have been, and yet, it feels a bit mad to suggest it’ll just be fine doing the same thing over and over. If the Diamondbacks fall out of playoff contention by the ASB, I wonder if Gallen finds another home and clicks into place. Just a thought. In the meantime, he’s not the worst gamble to take, especially with his team context and long leash.
71. Griffin Canning – I messed up. Again. Canning has returned a 1.40 WHIP in all but four of his outings this year and his last outing came with horrific feel for his slider. I’m not saying he can’t have productive starts moving forward, but I regret giving in after he boasted low run totals against tough offenses.
72. José Soriano – He just fanned twleve batters on a night that featured sixteen sinker whiffs. It was a product of the best sinker command he’s had all season and unlikely to happen a second game in a row. But what if it does…
73. Dustin May – He’ll continue to have a long leash and potential for Wins with the Dodgers, though I sure wish he could command his sinker a bit better when it’s coming in under 95 mph. Oh, and spot the sweeper along the edges. And get whiffs with his cutter. That would be great.
Tier 12 – I Need A Purpose
I can see how they jump up to the other Toby tier or better in the future, but they need to do a little more to get there.
74. Kumar Rocker – Rocker has gone through a series of different approaches this year and with runway in the rotation among Tyler Mahle’s shoulder injury, I’m awfully curious if he’ll lean into the cutter once again. That was an exciting pitch and could mask poor shape on his heaters and inconsistent breaking balls.
75. Edward Cabrera – What’s up with the Marlins heavily limiting Cabrera across his last two starts? In addition, I’m annoyed to see a move back to four-seamers instead of sinkers. Sigh. It’s all right there – sinkers, sliders, changeups, and curves – and it feels like we won’t get the reality we want unless he’s sent packing at the deadline.
76. Yusei Kikuchi – Kikuchi just fanned ten batters and I’m not sure I buy him earning at least three whiffs on all four of his pitches. But hey, there are worse gambles to take, especially after he expressed returning to his former grips just over a week ago.
77. Brandon Walter – Walter has been a surprise for the Astros as a Yarbrough-type with a bit more velocity. I don’t quite like this for an extended period, but it could be surprise production for a few weeks.
78. Ben Brown – The kick-change isn’t taking steps forward and the four-seamer is still too dang hittable for my tastes, breaking the “Husacar Rule”. That curveball sure is fantastic, though.
79. Tylor Megill – Megill is once again struggling with his command and the new slider hasn’t been nearly as productive as of late.
80. Trevor Rogers – Whoa, he’s back! He’s taking Cade Povich’s spot in the rotation (hip injury) and who knows, maybe this is actually good? It wasn’t before. Yeah, I know.
81. Davis Martin – I kinda dig Martin, but I wonder how high the ceiling goes. The cutter + heater up with changeups down works for the most part, but doesn’t have the electricity of many others, and, you know, the White Sox.
Tier 13 – The Babbling Brooks
These are streaming options this week who could be off The List next week. I have them ranked above the final Toby tier as I believe you’re better off streaming than hoarding low ceiling six-inning arms.
82. Michael Soroka – He’ll get Rockie Road this week and his curve should take down their RHB with ease.
83. Clayton Kershaw – Do I think Kershaw is anything like his former self? Nah. Do I think a start against the Nationals is worthy of a start? Yeah, that’s fine. It’s a generally good schedule moving forward, too.
84. Jake Irvin – It’s Rockie Road (right now and I’m not looking at the results, sorry this is a little late!) and that’s cool with me, but please move on before he gets the Dodgers.
85. Andre Pallante – He’ll get to stroll down the Reds Carpet this week and after sitting 95/96 mph with a whiffable slider, he could take advantage.
86. Hunter Dobbins – It’s a kitchen-sink mix without anything special, but 95 mph velocity with a date in Oracle Park. That’s not as great as it used to be with Devers now in the lineup (oh wow…), but it could work.
87. Charlie Morton – He’s had a lovely little stretch since regaining a rotation spot and I can see the temptation to try it out against the Rays.
88. Mitchell Parker – He’ll get Rockie Road, which seems great until you remember he was bamboozled by the Marlins. Eh, I’m still doing it as I dig his four-seamer and extension.
Tier 14 – WannabeTobys
These guys could fill six innings for you but aren’t necessarily great for this week.
89. José Berríos – He’s The Great Undulator and I can understand those who want to ride this the whole season.
90. Quinn Priester – Priester has had a nice stretch as of late, though I’m not the biggest believer. He’s spotted his slider absurdly well, but are the cutter and sinker enough?
91. Chad Patrick – Speaking of cutters, Patrick’s has been incredible. Unfortunately, it’s the Cubs this week and it’s hard to bank on the four-seamer always being there.
92. Justin Verlander – He’s returning from the IL against the Guardians and if he’s somehow back to 94/95 mph on the four-seamer upstairs with legit sliders down, I’ll be amped.
93. Jeffrey Springs – It’s tough to have sunshine and rainbows in Sacré Verde, but Springs’ changeup has been on point.
94. Adrian Houser – Houser’s extension merged with two ticks every velocity this year has helped him push six frames consistently. Those in QS leagues may want to hold him and it could work this week against the Cardinals.
95. Erick Fedde – He’s a Toby in 15-teamers and will get the CrySox this week.
96. Mitch Keller – Keller isn’t destined to keep his super low home run rate for the rest of the year, but maybe there’s another six frames coming against the Rangers. And under 4 ER, right? Maybe.
97. Chris Bassitt – I don’t dig a start against the Sneks and Bassitt has struggled to find his curveball for a while. Still, he has a long leash and a decent Win chance.
98. Walker Buehler – Buehler was expressed how he’s finally letting his guard down and willing to accept guidance on how to fix his season. WHAT TOOK YA?! Here’s to seeing new developments @TEA this week, though I wouldn’t get my hopes up.
99. Mike Burrows – I can see Burrows being a sneaky second-half play (or 2026…) with his well commanded four-seamer up and filthy changeup down. The latter has been spotty, but the potential is there.
100. Shohei Ohtani – I know, you’re amped about Ohtani finally pitching again. I am too! We’re actually watching him live at 10:00pm ET on Playback.tv/pitcherlist as a community to celebrate it. However, acting as an opener to begin his rehab process is not great. It means he’s no longer IL-Status in Yahoo! leagues and will take a roster spot as he goes through many games of low pitch counts. I often suggest to play for now instead of months from now, but do what’s best for you. He should be a legit starter in August and September.
Honorable Mentions
Here is every pitcher who is not on The List and currently has a rotation spot. If I’m missing someone, it’s likely because I removed them from The List last week and forgot to add them here, or I meant to add them to The List and I got crossed up somewhere. Let me know if I’m missing someone, please, just understand it’s never a slight to their ability! EVERYONE SHOULD BE HERE.
Brandon Pfaadt (ARI) – The schedule is too mid for me to go after a super hittable arm like Pfaadt who doesn’t have the same approach against opposite-handed batters that he did in April.
Eduardo Rodriguez (ARI) – Erod returned and wasn’t so bad! But it’s the Jays now and that’s not fun.
Ryne Nelson (ARI) – Let’s not until it’s obvious that we should.
J.T. Ginn (ATH) – He could return this week and he’s not worthwhile to stash before the outing. Pretty interesting with increased velo at first and more sink. Keep an eye on him for deeper leagues, but definitely not in 12-teamers.
Jacob Lopez (ATH) – There’s a touch of intrigue with good extension and maybe he can make it work…when he starts. It’s unclear when that will be with Ginn possibly returning this week.
JP Sears (ATH) – Sears is a week-to-week arm if there’s a great matchup and nothing better.
Luis Severino (ATH) – He’s not worth the risk regularly, especially with his home park of Sacré Verde.
Mitch Spence (ATH) – I’m not sure how long he goes and if it’s worth your time.
Bryce Elder (ATL) – You were just so blegh against Rockie Road.
Cade Povich (BAL) – He’s on the IL with a hip injury. Bummer.
Dean Kremer (BAL) – He’s Dean Werewolf and if that’s your jam, go ahead and give it a shot.
Tomoyuki Sugano (BAL) – It’s the Yankees this week and he’s not worth holding onto over a streaming option.
Kyle Harrison (BOS) – He was traded to the Red Sox Sunday night and instantly sent to the minors. I wouldn’t consider him a major stash at the moment (I think they want to work on some things with him there) and when he does get the call, make sure it’s not in Fenway. I’m awfully curious to see if he’ll have a cutter when he does return.
Richard Fitts (BOS) – Demoted back to the minors after one horrible inning.
Aaron Civale (CHW) – The breakers are not as good as they’ve been in the past. I’ll wait until then.
Jonathan Cannon (CHW) – On the IL with a back strain and we’re not starting him when he returns.
Sean Burke (CHW) – His fastball velocity is still down and he’s working on putting it all together again.
Brady Singer (CIN) – I just can’t recommend Singer until his slider gets whiffs once again. But he threw nine cutters! And they were decent! That’s nice, Singer can’t be that guy until the slider returns.
Chase Petty (CIN) – Sent back to Triple-A after walking six batters in his second MLB outing. He’ll get over the jitters at some point and you shouldn’t call it a fluke when he does.
Nick Martinez (CIN) – He just survived and I’m realizing you’re better off playing the streaming game than holding onto Martinez. He’s more of a 15-teamer Toby than worthy of a spot in your 12-teamers.
Rhett Lowder (CIN) – Hurt and we’ll take a look when he returns.
Wade Miley (CIN) – He’s back! And only worthwhile in a perfect streaming scenario in the future. If he looks okay.
Luis L. Ortiz (CLE) – The volatility is just too much to handle. Yes, I know that it can work out on a random day. The floor is seen too often and hurts too much.
Logan Allen (CLE) – I’m not the biggest Allen fan, but it could work against the Giants this week. The addition of Devers makes this a pass.
Slade Cecconi (CLE) – It was the Reds Carpet and I’m not interested to try this again.
Antonio Senzatela (COL) – Senz-A does what Senz-A does.
Austin Gomber (COL) – His Still ILL has excellent against Atlanta, with a distinct changeup and splitter, each returning five whiffs. And he’s an honorable mention??? Uhhh, yeah. Coors + 89 mph heaters + it wasn’t that good.
Carson Palmquist (COL) – Another Rockies arm who we don’t care for in fantasy because he’s on the Rockies.
Chase Dollander (COL) – No, I didn’t want to add Dollander to the IL table. It’s Coors + the Shag Rug and he’s not as filthy as you think. The velocity is there for a rare peak moment, but the fastball isn’t as electric as other young arms and the secondaries are still in development. Maybe he’s worth a play on the road, but even that’s risky.
Germán Márquez (COL) – COL
Kyle Freeland (COL) – Story
Tanner Gordon (COL) – Brooooo. Oh hey, another Colorado pitcher, this time with two first names. DOUBLE WHAMMY.
Brant Hurter (DET) – He may be getting a start as SGL and Reese make their way back to the rotation, though haven’t they learned he works best as a follower? If that’s the case, you may steal a Win with Hurter against the CrySox this week. Pay attention.
Keider Montero (DET) – Montero’s fastball has shown some extra life in a few games this year. The slider can miss bats, too, but the overall package is too meh and comes without security in the rotation once Mize is ready to return.
Colton Gordon (HOU) – The Astros may call up Gordon for a spot start this week to help rest their arms for a long stretch of games. He’s a low-90s southpaw with a meh fastball + big sweeper and 83/84 mph change he can throw for strikes. If the control is there, it’s possible he performs against the Royals. We don’t start MLB debuts, though.
Lance McCullers Jr. (HOU) – Hit the IL with a foot sprain this afternoon. Bummer.
Ryan Gusto (HOU) – We can’t trust that he’ll have his best fastball and enough in his secondaries to make it worthwhile.
Michael Lorenzen (KCR) – Oh right, Lorenzen. You’re making a Grave Mistake without the ratios you want on most nights.
Jack Kochanowicz (LAA) – The Jack of One Trade is now the Jack of NO Trade with the sinker feel disappearing. No thanks.
Kyle Hendricks (LAA) – He’s not the worst AL-Only streamer. At least he’s able to go six.
Tyler Anderson (LAA) – Anderson’s changeup is dope. The schedule against the Yankees is not.
Bobby Miller (LAD) – Whoa, we’re getting a Bobby sighting this week! And his velocity has been down in the minors without good command or whiffs. Sigh. ONE DAY.
Justin Wrobleski (LAD) – Hey, so are you starting at all or being the bulk reliever or…? I just want to understand who you are as a starting pitcher again!
Matt Sauer (LAD) – Is he getting bulk innings again this week? Maybe and he’s not a strong arm to consider if he does.
Roki Sasaki (LAD) – He’s not on the IL table for the same reason he wasn’t on The List before he hit the IL. Sasaki doesn’t have a third pitch, his splitter doesn’t get enough strikes, and his heater is under 95 mph. He isn’t a hold for 12-teamers and his timeline to return is unknown.
Cal Quantrill (MIA) – He’s getting the second game of the year for the Marlins. Yup. It’s possible the splitter is cooking…?
Freddy Tarnok (MIA) – Remember the deal that sent Sean Murphy to Atlanta? I talked with a few scouts and they mentioned Tarnok as the actual big get of that deal. Wasn’t that ages ago? Sure was. I’m curious what he looks like now…on a completely different squad. There’s a huge reason he wasn’t kept on the Athletics, y’all.
Janson Junk (MIA) – Sure, he survived. One man’s Junk is another man’s Junk. That’s not how it goes. Nah, I’m pretty sure that’s it.
Max Meyer (MIA) – He was sent to the IL with a hip impingement and we’re not going to take interest in Meyer until he looks like the guy we saw in the spring.
Aaron Ashby (MIL) – Hurt and we’ll take a look when he returns.
Brandon Woodruff (MIL) – We’re still waiting for confirmation of Woodruff’s first start of the season. Let’s say he’s not flexing absurd metrics on his offerings, I’d like have him in the 50s or so, hoping to push him up higher when he see velocity and command improve.
Jose Quintana (MIL) – He didn’t have the pristine command we bank on when we roster Quintana.
Logan Henderson (MIL) – He’s back in Triple-A. Womp womp. Not a bad play when he gets the chance again with his four-seamer + changeup combo.
Tobias Myers (MIL) – Optioned to the minors. Bummer.
Simeon Woods Richardson (MIN) – He’s back on the squad with Zebby hitting the IL and even against the Rangers, I’d prefer to chase something else.
Ryan Yarbrough (NYY) – It was a fun Vargas Rule while it lasted, eh?
Andrew Painter (PHI) – He won’t be up until post-ASB. At least his last start was better than the previous disasters.
Taijuan Walker (PHI) – He’s in the bullpen now. FOR GOOD. Finally. Walker lone, Ranger starting.
Andrew Heaney (PIT) – He gets into a groove at times, but it’s Arizona + Padres this week.
Bailey Falter (PIT) – He had his start against the Marlins and now it’s back to the wire. Good work.
Bubba Chandler (PIT) – Is now the time to start stashing Bubba? I’d say so. It feels about two weeks away and given everything we’ve seen and read, he’ll be a Top 60ish starter with potential for much more.
Emerson Hancock (SEA) – I’m glad he’s had a moment of decency on the bump. Definitely not a believer, sadly.
Logan Evans (SEA) – He’s taking Gilbert’s spot in the rotation and there isn’t enough for us to chase at the moment. Maybe the command is better post-debut, though the stuff doesn’t seem overwhelming. Surely there are better options.
Miles Mikolas (STL) – His four-seamer was one of the worst pitches in baseball last year and is now two ticks slower.
Randy Vásquez (SDP) – I don’t dig his overall approach. There’s nothing that speaks to production in 12-teamers.
Ryan Bergert (SDP) – I kinda dig his high heater and slider combo, but it’s a tough schedule ahead.
Stephen Kolek (SDP) – He’s stepping in for a moment and he’s not a 12-teamer streamer you want to chase.
Taj Bradley (TBR) – I just can’t take his volatility any more. Maybe he belonged in the bottom tier, I’m not sure. I see him as more of a detriment than and addition to your fantasy teams.
Zack Littell (TBR) – You’re upset I left him off The List. I know. He’s heading into Fenway this week and I want none of that. Why would you stash Littell through that outing?
Jacob Latz (TEX) – He may get more time as a follower this week, but the unknown mixed with questionable command makes this something to forget for now.
Patrick Corbin (TEX) – Corbin hath returned and no, he’s not a new man you can trust, even if he hasn’t allowed more than 3 ER in a start all year.
Shawn Armstrong (TEX) – He bulk opened for 33 pitches. Maybe a piggy-back with Latz? Eovaldi could be back soon and steal it back.
Bowden Francis (TOR) – Francis’ four-seamer can get him through games, but I don’t like the rest of the arsenal enough.
Eric Lauer (TOR) – You didn’t just ctrl-F Lauer, did you?!
Spencer Turnbull (TOR) – He’s getting a chance this week though the velocity has been down and I have super low expectations.
Trevor Williams (WSN) – #NeverTrevor.
SCROLL BACK UP AND READ THE NOTES
| Rank | Pitcher | Team | Badges | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tarik SkubalT1 | DET | Aces Gonna Ace Quality Starts | - |
| 2 | Zack Wheeler | PHI | Aces Gonna Ace Quality Starts | - |
| 3 | Paul Skenes | PIT | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 4 | Garrett Crochet | BOS | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | - |
| 5 | Jacob deGrom | TEX | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | - |
| 6 | Chris Sale | ATL | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | +3 |
| 7 | Max Fried | NYY | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | -1 |
| 8 | Yoshinobu YamamotoT2 | LAD | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | -1 |
| 9 | Logan Webb | SF | Aces Gonna Ace Quality Starts | -1 |
| 10 | Joe Ryan | MIN | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 11 | Robbie Ray | SF | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 12 | Carlos Rodón | NYY | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | +1 |
| 13 | Hunter BrownT3 | HOU | Ace Potential Wins Bonus | +2 |
| 14 | Framber Valdez | DET | Ace Potential Quality Starts | +4 |
| 15 | Bryan Woo | SEA | Ace Potential Ratio Focused | -3 |
| 16 | MacKenzie Gore | TEX | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +1 |
| 17 | Spencer Schwellenbach | ATL | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +2 |
| 18 | Jesús Luzardo | PHI | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +8 |
| 19 | Kris Bubic | KC | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | -3 |
| 20 | George Kirby | SEA | Ace Potential Quality Starts Injury Risk | - |
| 21 | Spencer StriderT4 | ATL | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +4 |
| 22 | Dylan Cease | TOR | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -1 |
| 23 | Freddy Peralta | NYM | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -1 |
| 24 | Jack Flaherty | DET | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -1 |
| 25 | Sonny Gray | BOS | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -1 |
| 26 | Logan Gilbert | SEA | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +UR |
| 27 | Drew RasmussenT5 | TB | Holly Ratio Focused | - |
| 28 | Cristopher Sánchez | PHI | Holly Wins Bonus Injury Risk | - |
| 29 | Ranger Suarez | BOS | Holly Wins Bonus | +1 |
| 30 | Clay Holmes | NYM | Holly Wins Bonus | +2 |
| 31 | Nick PivettaT6 | SD | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +5 |
| 32 | Ryan Pepiot | TB | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +3 |
| 33 | Will Warren | NYY | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +4 |
| 34 | Andrew Abbott | CIN | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +4 |
| 35 | Seth LugoT7 | KC | Holly Quality Starts | -4 |
| 36 | Nick Lodolo | CIN | Holly Strikeout Upside | -3 |
| 37 | Shane Smith | CWS | Holly Strikeout Upside | +18 |
| 38 | Clarke Schmidt | NYY | Holly Wins Bonus | +4 |
| 39 | Casey Mize | DET | Holly Wins Bonus | +36 |
| 40 | Noah Cameron | KC | Holly Quality Starts | +41 |
| 41 | Jacob MisiorowskiT8 | MIL | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +UR |
| 42 | Shane Baz | BAL | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +10 |
| 43 | Luis Castillo | SEA | Cherry Bomb Quality Starts | +5 |
| 44 | Eury Pérez | MIA | Ace Potential Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | -10 |
| 45 | Mick Abel | MIN | Cherry Bomb Frizzle Strikeout Upside | +26 |
| 46 | Matthew BoydT9 | CHC | Toby Quality Starts | -7 |
| 47 | David Peterson | NYM | Toby Wins Bonus | -6 |
| 48 | Cade Horton | CHC | Toby Wins Bonus | +8 |
| 49 | Merrill Kelly | ARI | Toby Quality Starts | -6 |
| 50 | Chris Paddack | MIA | Toby Quality Starts | -6 |
| 51 | Jameson Taillon | CHC | Toby Wins Bonus | - |
| 52 | Zach Eflin | BAL | Toby Quality Starts | -2 |
| 53 | Matthew Liberatore | STL | Toby Quality Starts | +7 |
| 54 | Michael Wacha | KC | Toby Quality Starts | -1 |
| 55 | Gavin WilliamsT10 | CLE | Frizzle Quality Starts | -9 |
| 56 | Lucas Giolito | SD | Frizzle Quality Starts Injury Risk | +7 |
| 57 | Grant Holmes | ATL | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | +10 |
| 58 | Landen Roupp | SF | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | -1 |
| 59 | Hayden Birdsong | SF | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | +10 |
| 60 | Emmet Sheehan | LAD | Frizzle Team Context Effect | +UR |
| 61 | Ben Casparius | LAD | Frizzle Rotation Spot Bonus | +UR |
| 62 | David Festa | MIN | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | +8 |
| 63 | Kevin GausmanT11 | TOR | Hipster Strikeout Upside | -18 |
| 64 | Tanner Bibee | CLE | Hipster Quality Starts | -17 |
| 65 | Brayan Bello | BOS | Hipster Wins Bonus | +UR |
| 66 | Bailey Ober | MIN | Hipster Quality Starts | -17 |
| 67 | Sawyer Gipson-Long | DET | Hipster Wins Bonus Injury Risk | -13 |
| 68 | Sandy Alcantara | MIA | Hipster Ratio Focused | +8 |
| 69 | Jack Leiter | TEX | Hipster Strikeout Upside | -1 |
| 70 | Zac Gallen | ARI | Hipster Quality Starts | -4 |
| 71 | Griffin Canning | SD | Hipster Wins Bonus | -31 |
| 72 | José Soriano | LAA | Hipster Quality Starts | +17 |
| 73 | Dustin May | STL | Hipster Ratio Focused | -15 |
| 74 | Kumar RockerT12 | TEX | Frizzle | +UR |
| 75 | Edward Cabrera | CHC | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | -13 |
| 76 | Yusei Kikuchi | LAA | Frizzle | +UR |
| 77 | Brandon Walter | HOU | Frizzle | +UR |
| 78 | Ben Brown | CHC | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | +1 |
| 79 | Tylor Megill | NYM | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | -14 |
| 80 | Trevor Rogers | BAL | Frizzle | +UR |
| 81 | Davis Martin | CWS | Toby Frizzle Ratio Focused | -7 |
| 82 | Michael SorokaT13 | ARI | Streaming Option Quality Starts | -10 |
| 83 | Clayton Kershaw | SD | Streaming Option | +UR |
| 84 | Jake Irvin | WSH | Streaming Option | +UR |
| 85 | Andre Pallante | STL | Streaming Option | +UR |
| 86 | Hunter Dobbins | STL | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | +UR |
| 87 | Charlie Morton | SD | Streaming Option | +UR |
| 88 | Mitchell Parker | WSH | Streaming Option Quality Starts | -4 |
| 89 | José BerríosT14 | TOR | Toby Quality Starts | -2 |
| 90 | Quinn Priester | MIL | Toby Rotation Spot Bonus | +UR |
| 91 | Chad Patrick | MIL | Toby Ratio Focused | +3 |
| 92 | Justin Verlander | DET | Toby Quality Starts Injury Risk | +UR |
| 93 | Jeffrey Springs | Toby Quality Starts | +UR | |
| 94 | Adrian Houser | SF | Toby Quality Starts | -1 |
| 95 | Erick Fedde | CWS | Toby Quality Starts | +1 |
| 96 | Mitch Keller | PIT | Toby Quality Starts | +2 |
| 97 | Chris Bassitt | BAL | Toby Streaming Option Quality Starts | - |
| 98 | Walker Buehler | SD | Toby Quality Starts | +UR |
| 99 | Mike Burrows | HOU | Frizzle Ratio Focused | +1 |
| 100 | Shohei Ohtani | LAD | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside Stash Option | +UR |
Labels Legend
Photo by Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)
