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: Spencer Strider (14), Hunter Greene (15), George Kirby (,
- Removed: Cole Ragans (5), Aaron Nola (27), Seth Lugo (29), Bryce Miller (45), Reese Olson (53)
- Net Change Inside Top 60: (+2)
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 – He allowed 5 ER and we don’t care.
2. Zack Wheeler – Wheeler has a 32% strikeout rate this year, averaging eight strikeouts per start. You can get volume and strikeout ability!
3. Paul Skenes – The strikeouts are flowing, things are cool.
4. Jacob deGrom – deGrom had enough of his April and has consistently sat 97+ mph since.
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.
5. Max Fried – He doesn’t get enough strikeouts to be in Tier 1, but a 1.11 ERA thus far is pretty good. I think.
6. Yoshinobu Yamamoto – I still love the expanded arsenal that grants more consistency start-to-start when he doesn’t allow grand slams.
7. Garrett Crochet – The worries I’ve had about Crochet’s dramatic drop in extension haven’t appeared in the box scores and that’s great. I’d personally still sell for a stud hitter, but that’s just me. Make the lateral move to get out of harm’s way of a red flag.
8. Michael King – King’s elite offerings across the board are a joy to watch.
9. Joe Ryan – Ryan has a stud four-seamer and it’s pretty bonkers how he succeeds without much supporting it.
10. Bryan Woo – Same with Woo, but throw in a better sinker off it + less track record.
11. Logan Webb – Webb has found the right balance of sinkers, cutters, sweepers, changeups, and four-seamers. It’s legit.
12. Nathan Eovaldi – Welcome to the AGA team. Your curveball has become such a weapon this year.
13. Chris Sale – Sale’s slider has returned in a major way and even without the changeup cooking, he’s a must-start every day.
Tier 3 – We Expect Success Every Night
They have to earn the AGA tag but are just a few starts away from it.
14. Spencer Strider – I’m playing it safe this time around – let’s wait two starts (at least) before crowning former AGA arms inside the Top 2 tiers. No, I’m not concerned by the sim game’s 94/95 mph velocity. That’s a sim game.
15. Hunter Greene – Greene’s success has been a product of a harder heater & a newfound ability to return 70% strikes with his slider. I have a slight worry that the latter will take a step back now that his rhythm has been interrupted.
16. Pablo López – He’s apparently throwing a Kick Change now?! I just wish he didn’t have to rely so much on fastballs over the plate.
17. Hunter Brown – The fastball is 96 mph and I see him as a hard-throwing Bassitt. That’s awesome, but without an overwhelming pitch, I worry he’s not actually an ace, despite how good he has been thus far.
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.
18. Carlos Rodón – There will always be a little bit of wonkiness as his command sways within outings, but the overall package is so much better with the sinker and changeup included.
19. Dylan Cease – Cease has found his mechanics and that’s a lovely thing. Maybe now he’ll add that cutter…Hahahaha. Never.
20. Robbie Ray – Since he’s rugged opening outings, Ray has a 2.32 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 27% strikeout rate across his last five starts. What changed? What we expected would change: Ray stopped leaning so heavily on four-seamers and brought back more sliders, changeups, and curveballs. Trust the process, y’all.
21. Freddy Peralta – Peralta is the Cherry Bomb he’s always been.
22. Jesús Luzardo – Luzardo has done all the things I wanted him to do over the off-season: stop throwing the slider so much (added a sweeper to replace it), throw more fastballs inside to LHB, and lean on the changeup away to RHB. That slowball was pristine last time out.
23. Framber Valdez – Valdez is a Cherry Bomb you place in the lineup and don’t check too often. He’ll have all the highs and lows across the year and you’re better off not putting yourself through it.
24. Spencer Schwellenbach – He hasn’t gotten the whiffs we’ve expected, though the four-seamer is still a better offering than what it was last year. He also won’t allow a grand slam to ruin a 7 IP workhorse outing in the future.
25. Jack Flaherty – Flaherty’s curve and slider are still excellent and he nearly had six pristine frames against a hot Jays crew if it weren’t for a late two-run shot.
26. MacKenzie Gore – He’s so good and so frustrating. But so good.
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. Cristopher Sánchez – We’re not fully out of the woods with Sánchez’s walk rate increasing since the forearm not-injury injury + the changeup whiffs missing as of late. As long as he’s still starting, we carry on without thought. May be a time to sell if the injury is overlooked completely…?
28. George Kirby – He’s returning from the IL (woot!) and I consider him a Holly, not an ace (what strikeouts will we get?). Hopefully he demands the crown within a month.
29. Corbin Burnes – Burnes survived against the Dodgers and that’s awesome. Now do it again…? Hopefully those secondary whiffs are still around.
30. Kris Bubic – Bubic’s four-seamer has been brilliant while his changeup has held a near 70% loLoc. He’s in such a good rhythm.
A QUICK NOTE ABOUT THE LIST
This week I had to fundamentally change how I approached the rankings. It’s the typical time of the season when the exciting arms from earlier in the season are either becoming real (Luzardo, Eovaldi, Pfaadt, etc.) or are looking like a HIPSTER (Meyer, Hicks, May, Roupp, etc.). In addition, prospect and injured arms aren’t ready as reinforcements to replace quality arms on the IL, which drains the depth of the landscape to make typical Toby types a bit more appealing than usual.
That means the ranks of pitchers from 30-50 are a bit more aggressive than I’d normally place them. As always, the conversation should never be “This guy is too high/low because of past results.” It should be “This guy should be closer to these guys because of this skill/attribute, etc.” This List is forward thinking as much as possible.
That’s all. I’m legit surprised by many ranks this week, too.
Thanks for reading this, here’s 20% of PL Pro Yearly as a token of my thanks: IREADTHENOTES.
Tier 6 – 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.
31. Kodai Senga – Senga has a good feel for his three main pitches + I like seeing him dip into a large array of rare offerings, too. He’s not the same guy as before without higher velocity, but the cutter and ghost fork are still great.
32. Bailey Ober – I don’t have a ton of faith in his cutter and slider this year, but the changeup is killer and he gets the four-seamer up properly to LHB.
33. Sonny Gray – Sonny has been more Gray as of late, though I consider him an arm you start and endure the rough patches.
34. Drew Rasmussen – He finally returned six full frames as his cutter and pair of heaters were doing everything you want them to. He’s legit and I expect him to rise over the weeks.
35. Matthew Boyd – Boyd is a solid six-inning arm who strikes out more than most with his long leash. I also expect his slider to improve in time, in which he’ll really turn on the Jets like a depressed NYC football fan.
36. Nick Pivetta – I’m a bit worried about Pivetta’s HR rates rising as the weather gets warmer, but he’s still far better than many.
37. Brandon Pfaadt – Of course, he endured The List Curse this past week. Just one outing doesn’t overwrite the improvements he’s made.
Tier 7 – 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.
38. Lucas Giolito – Hey y’all, if you’re confused about this ranking, please click Giolito’s name and read my very detailed thoughts inside the Game Log (scroll down to game log, click on any row to expand –> read my SP Roundup blurb). In short, Giolito’s last outing wasn’t as polished as the previous, but his gains in velocity (now 94 mph) and 88/89 mph slider outline a far better pitcher. When there are so few pitchers out there capable of going six frames with good ratios and 25%+ strikeout rates, I’m going to value Giolito’s underlying ability more than the result of HRs ruining a day. It’s a three pitch mix we’ve seen work many times to be legit 12-teamer arms. If you disagree, I get it! Right now, there isn’t a ton of a sample to pull from. I see success ahead, personally.
39. Clay Holmes – We’ve seen some of the volatility from The Adobe that I’ve feared and I’m gripping the rails for my life. He’s fine, right?
40. Nick Lodolo – Lodolo is pitching right now and I haven’t looked at the results against the Pirates. Regardless, Lodolo should be a sturdy arm with good fastballs in the zone, an increased lean on changeups to RHB, and a whiff-heavy curve.
41. Michael Wacha – Wacha is productive with one of the best changeups around + a rare skill to avoid the heart of the plate while still earning strikes. It’s not a sexy ceiling, but he’s awfully consistent.
42. Ryan Pepiot – Oh Pepiot. I’ve taken into account a bit of today’s game and he feels like a man who wears flannel all day while sipping PBR. The most frustrating HIPSTER of the year, arguably, as I’m still encouraging you to hold. The talent is just too good.
43. Zac Gallen – Hey Gallen, I’m not sure what you’re going to give us moving forward. Y’all might be done with this, and that’s cool with me, but I elected not to have him in Tier 10 simply because we’ve seen him adapt and right the ship many times in his day.
44. Matthew Liberatore – I was sad to see him dip under 94 mph in his last outing, but he’s been a reliable Holly, even without an overwhelming electric pitch.
45. David Peterson – His extension is still great and I dig the overall package. He is what he is and could be better if the change and slider (and now curve?) are getting consistent whiffs.
46. Ranger Suárez – I dig his command at the moment and see him as a solid QS/Win arm. This could fade quickly throughout the season, though.
47. Griffin Canning – The ultimate Vargas Rule. I was awfully tempted to put him in Tier 9 to slot him with the others, but after taking down the Sneks, Cubs, and Yankees, I had to give him some more credit. I’m not happy to tell you I don’t believe Canning will be this effective with his changeup and slider in the future, but that’s not to say he hasn’t pitched at a higher level thus far. It’s just unsustainable to carry that precision for weeks on end.
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.
48. Jackson Jobe – Jobe stumbled for a moment and has since tinkered with his approach to sling a pair of good starts in a row. He’s figuring things out and while the massive strikeout rate may take considerable time to arrive, I dig that he’s capable of fine-tuning an approach, unlike many young arms who lack the baseline command (or wide enough arsenal) to do so.
49. Luis Castillo – Is this too high? I’m not sure. He just had success against the Yankees even if there was a bit of stress during it, based on improvement on his slider movement and fantastic paint against RHB. It does still feel as though Castillo’s 2025 is filled with steep gradients.
50. Gavin Williams – It’s the same thing as you already know. The four-seamer is elite. The curve and sweeper can return strikes or bottom out. We’re seeing a few extra cutters making appearances and I’ll keep the faith that Williams will find a reliable #2 pitch for strikes across the season.
51. Ryan Weathers – Weathers showcased his spring’s velocity bump in his season debut against the Cubs, though I’m a little worried the heater will weaken across more starts. Here’s the hoping the change and sweeper can act as true complements to the four-seamer.
Tier 9 – The Borderline Hollys
These are Holly arms and I can see how all of them can take the leap across the next month…or fall down the ranks quickly.
52. Merrill Kelly – Kelly did exactly what he was supposed to do against Rockie Road. He’s unlikely to boast anywhere near the same strikeout rate moving forward, making him a borderline Holly.
53. Andrew Abbott – He’s up to 93 mph on the four-seamer (91/92 mph prior), though I still wonder if it’s enough. The changeup and curve are a bit in-and-out, making Abbott a borderline HIPSTER who we’re going to roll with at the moment.
54. Tyler Mahle – Mahle used to live and die by his four-seamer, but at 92 mph, he’s needing more from his secondaries to get through outings. It has gone well thus far, but this has Vargas Rule written all over it.
55. Zach Eflin – Eflin just got trounced by the Nationals despite actually pitching pretty well..? Sure, two HRs were terrible pitches, but he located so many curves and cutters beautifully. I don’t think he’s much different than the low-end. Holly we were hoping to draft
Tier 10 – 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?
56. Tanner Bibee – Where are the whiffs? At least he’s using the cutter more, but hot dang, we haven’t seen Bibee kick into gear once this season. He’s looking like the biggest bust of the Top 30, excluding injuries, and yet, he still wears the TIARA. We could forget all about his early struggles in a heartbeat.
57. Sandy Alcantara – Alcantara, maybe you are just too dang hittable. Or maybe your command is still a bit off after enduring TJS. At the very least, he’s throwing harder and embracing a wider arsenal.
58. Landen Roupp – I’m happy we saw more changeups from Roupp in his last outing, while the sinker was able to do work on a day the curve wasn’t earning whiffs. He’s a work in progress, while strikeouts are sure to explode here and there.
59. Zebby Matthews – Did you watch this one? His first frame was absurd with three strikeouts in a row. Then he had a rougher second for a run, followed by three walks (he was squeezed!) to load the bases, in which all four came in to score. He’s not a high-walk arm, but we have seen Zebby suddenly struggle with command in the past. His three-pitch mix is a legit one that speaks to production in the bigs in time, but maybe it’ll take a little longer than we like for it to happen. For now, I’m still holding and hoping he turns it around across the next few weeks.
60. Shane Baz – Baz. Oh Baz. I wouldn’t be shocked if the Rays sent him to Triple-A to hit the reset button. I don’t quite understand why he’s suddenly so hittable (velocity and movement are there!) and it could be as simple as tipping. I’m not sure, but what I will say is if Baz holds this velocity, he’s going to figure it out one way or another. His control and stuff are too legit.
61. Tylor Megill – Megill’s command has disappeared over the last few weeks, but that doesn’t mean it can’t come back. Look for the slider to get strikes down with four-seamers up. If it returns, we’re golden.
62. Grant Holmes – Why does REB have to have such a rough schedule ahead of him? He needs more time to figure out the curveball, or maybe the cutter is the correct answer all along? Regardless, he’s improved his four-seamer and the slider is legit, he just needs that one extra pitch to get over the hump for good.
Tier 11 – 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.
63. Jack Leiter – Leiter was fortunate to face an all-RHB lineup, allowing him to focus on a majority of sliders down-and-away. He still has to work on placing his entire arsenal appropriately around the zone to squeeze the AGA potential out of him. In due time, I hope.
64. Shane Smith – The three-pitch mix is great, though there’s still polish to add across the board. I worry he’s a bit of a trap at the moment with the Mariners ahead and regression expected to hit in the near future. He’s not this good, but could be with more innings as a starter under his belt.
65. Will Warren – The Warren vs. Schmidt battle is an interesting one. Warren’s arsenal is more complete with legit whiffability.
66. Clarke Schmidt – While Schmidt has his approach set and has a longer track record of production with less volatility. At least both have a long leash inside the Yankee rotation.
67. Cade Horton – I dig the expanse of his repertoire since entering the bigs and the cut-fastball with his breaker should be a good mix to keep balls in the yard. There’s a great schedule ahead and with Imanaga still weeks away, Horton’s job is safe. Lots of Wins can come his way in the short term.
68. Gunnar Hoglund – I dig the high vert four-seamer paired with a legit changeup, but does he have a good enough breaker or four-seamer precision to make this work outside of streaming opportunities?
69. Hayden Birdsong – Why do y’all love him so much? Sure, pick him up and see how things go against the Royals, but he needed 65 pitches to get through three frames and he’s still struggling massively with his command. Yes, the kick change is cool. Yes, he added vert on his four-seamer. He still can’t work an at-bat the way he wants to. It may take a few starts to find six frames, if even five.
Tier 12 – 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.
70. Jameson Taillon – Taillon has found a groove with his four-seamer, cutter, and curve to LHB + sweeper destruction vs. RHB in a great situation.
71. Nick Martinez – Martinez’s wide arsenal allows him to be a contender for six frames on any given night.
72. Michael Soroka – Soroka’s breaking ball has excellent two-plane movement and I hope to see the fastballs + changeup control the zone better over time to set up the whiffable hook. In the meantime, he may be someone to be careful with.
73. José Soriano – Soriano has a ton of potential with upper-90s velocity and a CSW-happy curve. He’s still working out the kinks to locate consistently and where is that dang slider to RHB?
74. Tomoyuki Sugano – The four-seamer feel disappeared in his last start, but I like Sugano as a guy who can find strikeouts to LHB with his splitter out of nowhere. A decent floor here while pitching for a team that should win more games.
75. Chris Paddack – Paddack’s results have been night-and-day since his 9 ER disaster to kick off the year. His arsenal should play perfectly with the LHB-heavy Guardians as his biggest weakness comes from his poor breakers…against RHB.
76. Tony Gonsolin – He’s not that great? The four-seamer gets pummeled, relying on the splitter and slider to do enough work to grant an opportunity for a Win.
Tier 13 – I Need A Purpose
These arms could return a fantastic start and you’re desperate to chase something more than a boring streamer. You want to risk it all to get the next big thing.
77. AJ Smith-Shawver – Some may love him, but AJSS has benefitted massively from a fantastic schedule. His splitter is as strange as anything and paired with a meh curve and poorly placed heater that doesn’t do enough, this has disaster written all over it once he has to face teams tougher than Natty Light.
78. Logan Henderson – I like Henderson’s four-seamer + changeup, and I think of him as a slightly worse Gunnar Hoglund. Is there enough to squeeze out of the breakers?
79. Kevin Gausman – SNIP SNAP SNIP SNAP. I just don’t want to deal with this HIPSTER.
80. Jake Irvin – Irvin’s curveball feel is looking great and his velocity is around 92 mph. This may be the time to jump back in with the Giants up next.
81. Dustin May – I’m not seeing enough growth from May to suggest he’s worth holding past this week’s start against the Sneks. That’s a clear bench, sadly.
82. Luis L. Ortiz – Ortiz’s schedule is rough up ahead, though he’s displaying a ton of whiffs every time out. If only we could bank on him replicating location start-to-start (or inning-to-inning…).
83. Noah Cameron – Cameron has a spot in the Royals’ rotation with both Ragans and Lugo on the shelf. Sadly, he’s sitting 90 mph these days (not 94+ mph) and that has me awfully concerned. If he get back to 92/93 mph, that may be enough to let his secondaries thrive.
84. Max Meyer – Meyer has put us through the wringer and now gets the Cubs. I’m sitting this out until he forces us to take notice.
85. Taj Bradley – You don’t know what he’s going to give you on a given night. He has no idea, either.
Tier 14 – WannabeTobys
I like their matchups and they could be productive for a week before we let them go back to the wire.
86. Brady Singer – He’s not getting the whiffs of old on his slider, but at least it’s Pittsburgh and you could be holding past this one.
87. Chris Bassitt – If Bassitt can get his curveball locked and loaded, he could become the Holly we all miss.
88. José Berríos – He’s The Great Undulator. Accept the terms or get out.
89. Bowden Francis – Francis’ four-seamer is effective but needs help from the secondaries to ensure he can get through six. It’s a coin flip if they’ll do enough on a given night.
90. Luis Severino – I like the cutter helping more than usual. I don’t like how much he has to squeeze out of everything to get through outings.
91. Walker Buehler – Buehler is returning from the IL and with the Mets and Orioles up next, he’s likely a bench…if you have to pick him up at all, of course.
Tier 15 – Double-Bubbles
I like their matchups and they could be productive for a week before we let them go back to the wire.
92. Mitch Keller – The Pirates as a crew get to stroll down the Reds Carpet this week and Keller can take advantage of that.
93. Andrew Heaney – Same with Heaney. He rebounded from his poor performances to feature solid command last time, too.
94. Colin Rea – Rea isn’t done receiving gifts of a fantastic schedule after enduring a few tough offenses earlier in his tenure. We ride it until the tough times come.
95. Ben Brown – Same with Brown, he doesn’t have the pitch mix to return value outside of mediocre offenses.
96. Justin Verlander – Verlander just sat 91 mph and has a “slight pec issue” yet isn’t hitting the IL…? I dunno, it’s Natty Light up next and Melvin said he’s making that start, so I guess he won’t be sitting 91 mph. Hopefully.
97. Ronel Blanco – He’s meh and gets the Mariners in Houston. I’m not a huge fan of that, but I recognize he can get a Win.
98. Aaron Civale – Civale is returning! And it could be on Sunday against the Pirates after one more rehab start on Tuesday. Not a fan of that Still ILL, but you may find a Toby in here.
99. Lance McCullers Jr. – Yes, he’s not pitching up to his potential and it’s Seattle down south. We know his strikeout ability is in there, though.
100. Bailey Falter – After holding 7.2 feet of extension, Falter just went 7.6 feet, good for 100th percentile of all SP. And now he gets to walk down the Reds Carpet. There’s a chance this is the good one.
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!
Ryne Nelson (ARI) – He’s back in the rotation with Eduardo on the IL. I love the four-seamer stuff, but the location? Not so much. He really needs a reliable #2 (and #3 for that matter) + the Dodgers are this week. Feel free to stash for his two-step next week that begins with the Pirates and Nationals, though (the latter if Eduardo isn’t back in time).
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.
Jeffrey Springs (ATH) – Sometimes, the sunshine and rainbows are the friends we made along the way. And the ones we removed from our lives.
JP Sears (ATH) – Sears is a week-to-week arm if there’s a great matchup and nothing better.
Osvaldo Bido (ATH) – Same goes for Bido.
Bryce Elder (ATL) – I guess he’s getting starts, but hot dang is it not fun.
Brandon Young (BAL) – He entered the rotation and did little to impress. Now he’s out of it and we wait.
Cade Povich (BAL) – I loved his last start and I hope it means he can nail down his four-seamer and curveball command moving forward. We’re not at the point of rostering Povich through tough matchups yet.
Charlie Morton (BAL) – Morton is out of the rotation.
Chayce McDermott (BAL) – He’s interesting but it’s far too soon to expect a polished version. He needs more reps.
Dean Kremer (BAL) – He’s flexed strikeouts at times and then they disappear randomly. Far too risky.
Kyle Gibson (BAL) – Gibson’s time in the rotation has gone just as expected.
Brayan Bello (BOS) – Y’all know you can’t trust Bello at the moment and unlike others who aren’t performing well, you don’t have a high peak to score when he gets it together.
Hunter Dobbins (BOS) – The third Hunter enters the Red Sox rotation for Buehler and doesn’t have enough electricity. Too little to risk the Shag Rug.
Sean Newcomb (BOS) – Annnnd he’s in the bullpen. Even if he comes out of it, we stay away.
Tanner Houck (BOS) – Placed on the IL and not on my injured table because, well, you know. He honestly may just need to turn it off and back on again.
Bryse Wilson (CWS) – You’re always here. Somewhere else, but always here.
Davis Martin (CWS) – The kick change! It’s a thing! And not as elite as the name makes it sound!
Jonathan Cannon (CWS) – This has moments of being cool and then failing to locate the very next inning.
Sean Burke (CWS) – His fastball velocity is still down and he’s working on putting it all together again.
Ben Lively (CLE) – He’s barely a 15-teamer Toby who can pull off a stream with the right matchup.
Logan Allen (CLE) – You’re seeing some decent results from Allen but the arsenal doesn’t speak to viability.
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 (dominated in his Triple-A game over the week with three walks) and you shouldn’t call it a fluke when he does.
Rhett Lowder (CIN) – Hurt and we’ll take a look when he returns.
Slade Cecconi (CLE) – He had an impressive return to the rotation in his Guardians debut and now would get a rough schedule if he’s sticking. Let’s not go for this.
Antonio Senzatela (COL) – Senz-A does what Senz-A does.
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. 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
Ryan Feltner (COL) – Broooo
Tanner Gordon (COL) – Oh hey, another Colorado pitcher, this time with two first names. DOUBLE WHAMMY.
Casey Mize (DET) – There’s a chance Mize returns this week and he’d be around the top of the Toby tier.
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.
AJ Blubaugh (HOU) – He had a spot start and I wasn’t too impressed by what we saw. I don’t believe we need to be stashing him.
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.
Ryan Gusto (HOU) – He’ll get the Rays in what looks to be his last start in the rotation and we can’t trust that he’ll have his best fastball and enough in his secondaries to make it worthwhile.
Luinder Avila (KCR) – He throws 95 mph cut-four-seamers with a big curve, the latter of which needs to be on for him to provide any value. I worry about the fastball a bit, but if he can spot it and surprise batters inside the zone for weak outs, then he could be a sneaky play. The ceiling isn’t high enough to grab him now as we don’t start arms for MLB debuts.
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) – If Anderson were getting a decent matchup, he’d be on The List. Sadly, it’s the Dodgers and you don’t have to hold him through it.
Yusei Kikuchi (LAA) – Kikuchi had a good outing and I still have zero confidence in him. There are better plays to make.
Ben Casparius (LAD) – Annnnd he’s back to the pen. I hate it. LET THE MAN START.
Bobby Miller (LAD) – He didn’t have a good slider or cutter in his return, going fastball and curve mostly and it hurt him in the end. We wait until he returns again and hopefully with a better slider.
Clayton Kershaw (LAD) – We got a TATIAGA sighting this weekend and it was the classic feeling of “Don’t meet your heroes.” Here’s to hoping that changes in time.
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.
Landon Knack (LAD) – He could get us a cheap Win, but Roberts has pulled him one out shy of completing the fifth before. Sigh.
Cal Quantrill (MIA) – He’s getting the second game of the year for the Marlins. Yup. It’s possible the splitter is cooking…?
Edward Cabrera (MIA) – He could be back on The List soon. He’ll get the White Sox and I’m still waiting for a start where he actually executes what he’s trying to do. One day.
Eury Pérez (MIA) – He tossed a single frame in his first rehab start with two strikeouts and 98 mph velocity. Y’all should consider stashing in your IL spots soon if you still can.
Valente Bellozo (MIA) – I’ll give props that Bellozo is pitching better than he has in the past, but there’s still a long distance for him to climb before becoming fantasy relevant.
Aaron Ashby (MIL) – Hurt and we’ll take a look when he returns.
Brandon Woodruff (MIL) – We initially thought Woodruff was returning this past weekend, until he rolled his ankle and now he don’t know when he’ll return. Fun.
Chad Patrick (MIL) – His four-seamer can earn whiffs and we’ve seen a start or two with supreme cutters, but even if both are cooking together, it’s not a lock for production.
DL Hall (MIL) – Hurt and we’ll take a look when he returns.
Jacob Misiorowski (MIL) – I’m 100% down to stash Les Mis. I’m impressed by Misiorowski’s ability to get his four-seamer in the zone across his last few Triple-A games and when promoted, he’s in the first Frizzle tier on The List. Here’s to hoping the walk rates aren’t stupid high.
Jose Quintana (MIL) – I was just about to confirm Quintana on The List until it came out that he has a “cranky arm”. Nope, don’t like that. He could start Friday or he could spend time on the IL.
Quinn Priester (MIL) – Priester is getting his shot and I’m not seeing enough to hold onto him for the moment.
Tobias Myers (MIL) – Optioned to the minors. Bummer.
David Festa (MIN) – He’s back in the minors with the return of PabLó. The command is still an issue and I don’t think he’s worth a stash.
Simeon Woods Richardson (MIN) – He’s off the minors with Zebby taking his place. My loud CAPS in these notes actually worked, YOU’RE WELCOME.
Blade Tidwell (NYM) – The Mets had a doubleheader and gave Tidwell the call as the extra man for the day. Tidwell’s four-seamer comes with legit vert and mid-to-upper 90s velocity, though the secondaries weren’t at their best on the adrenaline-fueled day. I’d spec add him in the future if he looks to be entering a secure place in the rotation.
Ryan Yarbrough (NYY) – I won’t count out a possible Win against Texas if everything goes right. That’s the best I’ve got.
Andrew Painter (PHI) – He won’t be up for a few weeks with some Triple-A games under his belt, likely around the start of June. He’ll be in the 60s at that time.
Mick Abel (PHI) – Boy was that MLB debut impressive. 97 mph fastballs with a legit power slider at 89/90 mph and breaker in the mid-80s. Watching Abel actually execute a gameplan (put the heater inside, keep the slider away, elevate the fastball, etc.) was a joy and to see that ability merged with velocity and a long 80+ pitch leash on a winning team is quite rare. Add him everywhere whenever he returns to stick, even if the fastball settles down to 95/96 mph and the walks creep in a touch.
Taijuan Walker (PHI) – He’s out of the rotation now that Suárez is back. You gave it your all, Walker.
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.
Carmen Mlodzinski (PIT) – There was a moment he could make it work. Sadly, he’s not a guy to believe it’ll work for 5+ frames.
Emerson Hancock (SEA) – I’m glad he’s had a moment of decency on the bump. Definitely not a believer, sadly.
Jhonathan Díaz (SEA) – He could be making a start this week with the battered Mariners doing whatever they can to find innings. He’s not a dude.
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.
Jordan Hicks (SFG) – Hicks has been sent the bullpen and it’s the right move. They should have given the spot to Kyle Harrison though…
Kyle Harrison (SFG) – His four-seamer is up three ticks to 96 mph and coming in stupid flat at 1.9 HAVAA with nearly seven feet of extension. That’s all you need to know about Harrison’s growth since last year to be demanding him inside the rotation. He hasn’t even pitched since May 13th, which came with just one frame…
Andre Pallante (STL) – The stuff is…eh. I’d rather not.
Erick Fedde (STL) – We can’t rely on him for the moment. Maybe he’ll return later.
Miles Mikolas (STL) – His four-seamer was one of the worst pitches in baseball last year and is now two ticks slower.
Steven Matz (STL) – He’s back to the bullpen. Womp womp.
Kyle Hart (SDP) – Optioned to the minors for now.
Randy Vásquez (SDP) – I don’t dig his overall approach. There’s nothing to speaks to production in 12-teamers.
Stephen Kolek (SDP) – He’s stepping in for a moment and he’s not a 12-teamer streamer you want to chase.
Zack Littell (TBR) – Is he going to be long for the rotation? Does it matter?
Patrick Corbin (TEX) – Corbin hath returned and no, he’s not a new man you can trust.
Easton Lucas (TOR) – We saw one good outing with his four-seamer upstairs and the other two showcasesd how little else he has, in addition to the pitch’s inconsistency.
Eric Lauer (TOR) – You really can’t do this.
José Ureña (TOR) – He tossed two innings in his last “start”. Yay.
Spencer Turnbull (TOR) – He signed with the Jays and he could get a shot at some point. That’s not to say he’ll be just as good as he was during that lovely early run with the Phillies, but let’s keep an eye on it. Not an auto-add to The List when he gets a chance in the rotation.
Brad Lord (WSN) – Soroka is back, which means Lord has returned to the pen.
Mitchell Parker (WSN) – I kinda dig his potential, but y’all see the downside clear as day.
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 | Jacob deGrom | TEX | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | - |
| 5 | Max FriedT2 | NYY | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | +1 |
| 6 | Yoshinobu Yamamoto | LAD | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | +1 |
| 7 | Garrett Crochet | BOS | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | +1 |
| 8 | Michael King | SD | Aces Gonna Ace Quality Starts | +1 |
| 9 | Joe Ryan | MIN | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | +1 |
| 10 | Bryan Woo | SEA | Aces Gonna Ace Ratio Focused Injury Risk | +1 |
| 11 | Logan Webb | SF | Aces Gonna Ace Quality Starts | +1 |
| 12 | Nathan Eovaldi | TEX | Aces Gonna Ace Quality Starts | +3 |
| 13 | Chris Sale | ATL | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +1 |
| 14 | Spencer StriderT3 | ATL | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +UR |
| 15 | Hunter Greene | CIN | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +UR |
| 16 | Pablo López | MIN | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | -3 |
| 17 | Hunter Brown | HOU | Ace Potential Wins Bonus | -1 |
| 18 | Carlos RodónT4 | NYY | Cherry Bomb Wins Bonus | - |
| 19 | Dylan Cease | TOR | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | - |
| 20 | Robbie Ray | SF | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +1 |
| 21 | Freddy Peralta | NYM | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -1 |
| 22 | Jesús Luzardo | PHI | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | - |
| 23 | Framber Valdez | DET | Cherry Bomb Quality Starts | +3 |
| 24 | Spencer Schwellenbach | ATL | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -7 |
| 25 | Jack Flaherty | DET | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -1 |
| 26 | MacKenzie Gore | TEX | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -3 |
| 27 | Cristopher SánchezT5 | PHI | Holly Wins Bonus Injury Risk | +3 |
| 28 | George Kirby | SEA | Holly Quality Starts Injury Risk | +UR |
| 29 | Corbin Burnes | ARI | Holly Quality Starts | -4 |
| 30 | Kris Bubic | KC | Holly Strikeout Upside | +12 |
| 31 | Kodai SengaT6 | NYM | Holly Strikeout Upside | +2 |
| 32 | Bailey Ober | MIN | Holly Quality Starts | -4 |
| 33 | Sonny Gray | BOS | Holly Strikeout Upside | -2 |
| 34 | Drew Rasmussen | TB | Cherry Bomb Ratio Focused | +12 |
| 35 | Matthew Boyd | CHC | Holly Quality Starts | +6 |
| 36 | Nick Pivetta | SD | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +2 |
| 37 | Brandon Pfaadt | ARI | Holly Quality Starts | -5 |
| 38 | Lucas GiolitoT7 | SD | Holly Quality Starts Injury Risk | -3 |
| 39 | Clay Holmes | NYM | Holly Strikeout Upside | -3 |
| 40 | Nick Lodolo | CIN | Holly Strikeout Upside | - |
| 41 | Michael Wacha | KC | Toby Quality Starts | +12 |
| 42 | Ryan Pepiot | TB | Hipster Strikeout Upside | -5 |
| 43 | Zac Gallen | ARI | Holly Quality Starts | -9 |
| 44 | Matthew Liberatore | STL | Toby Strikeout Upside | +6 |
| 45 | David Peterson | NYM | Toby Wins Bonus | +7 |
| 46 | Ranger Suarez | BOS | Toby Wins Bonus | +3 |
| 47 | Griffin Canning | SD | Vargas Rule Wins Bonus | +4 |
| 48 | Jackson JobeT8 | DET | Frizzle Wins Bonus | +18 |
| 49 | Luis Castillo | SEA | Hipster Quality Starts | +5 |
| 50 | Gavin Williams | CLE | Hipster Quality Starts | +5 |
| 51 | Ryan Weathers | NYY | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | +5 |
| 52 | Merrill KellyT9 | ARI | Toby Quality Starts | +10 |
| 53 | Andrew Abbott | CIN | Vargas Rule Strikeout Upside | +38 |
| 54 | Tyler Mahle | SF | Vargas Rule Wins Bonus | +19 |
| 55 | Zach Eflin | BAL | Toby Wins Bonus | -8 |
| 56 | Tanner BibeeT10 | CLE | Hipster Quality Starts | -13 |
| 57 | Sandy Alcantara | MIA | Hipster Ratio Focused | -13 |
| 58 | Landen Roupp | SF | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | +2 |
| 59 | Zebby Matthews | MIN | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | +UR |
| 60 | Shane Baz | BAL | Hipster Strikeout Upside | -21 |
| 61 | Tylor Megill | NYM | Hipster Strikeout Upside | -3 |
| 62 | Grant Holmes | ATL | Hipster Wins Bonus | -5 |
| 63 | Jack LeiterT11 | TEX | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | +6 |
| 64 | Shane Smith | CWS | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | -5 |
| 65 | Will Warren | NYY | Frizzle Wins Bonus | +5 |
| 66 | Clarke Schmidt | NYY | Frizzle Wins Bonus | +12 |
| 67 | Cade Horton | CHC | Frizzle Rotation Spot Bonus | - |
| 68 | Gunnar Hoglund | Frizzle Rotation Spot Bonus | - | |
| 69 | Hayden Birdsong | SF | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | +UR |
| 70 | Jameson TaillonT12 | CHC | Toby Quality Starts | +9 |
| 71 | Nick Martinez | TB | Toby Quality Starts | +12 |
| 72 | Michael Soroka | ARI | Toby Quality Starts | +15 |
| 73 | José Soriano | LAA | Toby Quality Starts | +11 |
| 74 | Tomoyuki Sugano | COL | Toby Quality Starts | -11 |
| 75 | Chris Paddack | MIA | Toby Quality Starts | +UR |
| 76 | Tony Gonsolin | SD | Toby Wins Bonus | -15 |
| 77 | AJ Smith-ShawverT13 | ATL | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | -2 |
| 78 | Logan Henderson | MIL | Frizzle Rotation Spot Bonus | +UR |
| 79 | Kevin Gausman | TOR | Hipster Quality Starts | -14 |
| 80 | Jake Irvin | WSH | Frizzle Quality Starts | +12 |
| 81 | Dustin May | STL | Frizzle Ratio Focused | -17 |
| 82 | Luis L. Ortiz | CLE | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | -6 |
| 83 | Noah Cameron | KC | Frizzle Rotation Spot Bonus | +UR |
| 84 | Max Meyer | MIA | Frizzle Stash Option | -12 |
| 85 | Taj Bradley | MIN | Hipster Strikeout Upside | -11 |
| 86 | Brady SingerT14 | CIN | Toby Quality Starts | -1 |
| 87 | Chris Bassitt | BAL | Toby Quality Starts | -6 |
| 88 | José Berríos | TOR | Toby Wins Bonus | - |
| 89 | Bowden Francis | TOR | Toby Quality Starts | -9 |
| 90 | Luis Severino | Toby Streaming Option Quality Starts | +6 | |
| 91 | Walker Buehler | SD | Toby Wins Bonus | +UR |
| 92 | Mitch KellerT15 | PIT | Streaming Option Quality Starts | +UR |
| 93 | Andrew Heaney | Streaming Option Strikeout Upside | +UR | |
| 94 | Colin Rea | CHC | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | -1 |
| 95 | Ben Brown | CHC | Streaming Option Strikeout Upside | -1 |
| 96 | Justin Verlander | DET | Streaming Option Wins Bonus Injury Risk | -19 |
| 97 | Ronel Blanco | HOU | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | -26 |
| 98 | Aaron Civale | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | +UR | |
| 99 | Lance McCullers Jr. | HOU | Streaming Option Strikeout Upside | -10 |
| 100 | Bailey Falter | KC | Streaming Option Quality Starts | +UR |
Labels Legend
Photo by Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)
