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It’s time for regular updates to THE LIST, where I rank the best 100 starting pitchers in baseball every week.
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 (Wins, not QS). 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.
Before we begin, here is the Top 100 List table without scrolling for those with PL Pro:
Per usual, I’ve taken all of our injured compatriots and thrown them into a separate table. 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 their value on your IL or bench.
It’s so hard to determine where injured arms should go, so I elected to merge the in-season List with the pre-draft rankings into one table that outlines the general area where they’d be ranked when at full strength.
I also get many questions about stashing minor league SPs and it’s not my best strength. I spend a ton of energy on SPs currently inside rotations that it’s difficult to stay on top of the budding minor league arms. That said, I have a very loose SP stash list, that is all about “If this guy were up right now, would he be an auto-add or a spec-add?”, with a sprinkle of favoring their ETA.
Treat it s a bonus table, not a proclamation of the future. It’s just a general idea and I’m sure I’m missing someone or may have one or two guys flipped in time. I have highlighted in green the guys I think who will be up before the ASB and make a solid impact:
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 HAVE MOVED IL ARMS OFF THE LIST. It’s the reason why a lot of arms have gone up.
- 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.
Injured Pitchers Removed From The List: Matthew Boyd (57)
Injured Pitchers Added To The List: Hunter Brown (19)
Automatic Bump/Fall For Pitchers In The Top 60: (None)
Tier 1 – Luke, We’ve Got Company
1. Jacob Misiorowski (MIL) – I really struggled with this one. He’s been so good, but who will be better for the next 3-4 months? The tie-breaker was awesome-factor and Jay Mis makes you feel dope.
2. Paul Skenes (PIT) – Skenes woke up this week and had a fantastic outing against the Marlins. He still has a sub 1.00 WHIP and sub 3.00 ERA, you know.
3. Cristopher Sánchez (PHI) – We saw a crack in the armor with two HRs this weekend. Yes, every pitcher is going to allow some longballs this year.
4. Chris Sale (ATL) – Even when it doesn’t go his way, he’s still pitching incredibly well.
5. Cam Schlittler (NYY) – His Ras Pack is elite, and he doesn’t require pinpoint command to produce every start.
Tier 2 – The Aces
6. Chase Burns (CIN) – Burns has quietly been one of the most consistent starters in all of baseball.
7. Jacob deGrom (TEX) – I wish his four-seamer could return whiffs like it used to. Fortunately, the slider is as good as ever.
8. Shohei Ohtani (LAD) – Ohtani would be in the top tier if we could expect similar innings.
9. Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LAD) – Same goes for Yamamoto. HE’S THROWING HIGH FOUR-SEAMERS AND GETTING WHIFFS.
10. Zack Wheeler (PHI) – Wheeler doesn’t overwhelm with his four-seamer and sinker in quite the same fashion as he did during his peak, but hot dang is it impressive to see him pitch at this high of a level fresh off TOS.
11. Joe Ryan (MIN) – Ryan is pitching his best baseball at 93/94 mph and fantastic breakers.
Tier 3 – You’re Dope But Not Dope. Yet.
12. Tarik Skubal (DET) – His return from the IL was tepid in standard Still ILL fashion, though his velocity was right where he left it. Absolutely bonkers given he returned weeks, if not months, sooner than expected.
13. Bryan Woo (SEA) – Woo’s AGA tag has been stripped due to his problem with the longball. I do not expect it to continue, though I have to be proactive about it.
14. Gerrit Cole (NYY) – Cole’s command has been missing in three of his four starts since coming off the IL.
15. Logan Webb (SFG) – It has been a joy to watch Webb return to his former glory since recovering from injury. Three straight 7+ IP starts with a glistening ERA is a wonderful sight.
16. Drew Rasmussen (TBR) – Rasmussen obliterated the Red Sox in the Trop, but I don’t want to overeact with the Dodgers ahead. The Sawx are one of the worst teams in the majors against RHP, after all.
17. Kyle Harrison (MIL) – A disaster in Vegas, then a recovery, though his command was not what we saw during the first two months of the year. His heater landed low often and the changeup feel has disappeared lately. I’m a believer, but I need to see him lock back into place before coronating him into Tier 2.
18. Logan Gilbert (SEA) – I simply don’t trust Gilbert to have the same ability each and every night. He doesn’t locate his full arsenal with consistency, and it opens the door for worse ratios and fewer strikeouts than the stuff suggests.
19. Hunter Brown (HOU) – I’m thrilled to see Brown return this week, who has been stretched out to 70+ pitches as he’s 95-97 on his fastballs.
20. Max Meyer (MIA) – Meyer’s increased four-seamer vert has led him on a stud stretch across the last two months, though his last game suddenly produced its lowest vert since before his gains. I’m expecting it to jump back up, and he could get his coronation day next week.
21. Bryce Miller (SEA) – We’ve seen a brand new Miller this season, with improved velocity and a far better array of weapons than ever before. With each start, it feels more and more as if he’s destined to get the AGA label.
Tier 4 – Far Sweeter Than Sour
22. Dylan Cease (TOR) – He’s the premium Cherry Bomb and that demolition of the Red Sox was such a glorious return to the bump.
23. Nathan Eovaldi (TEX) – Eovaldi has struggled more than expected, even though his arsenal is similar to his 2025 form, as far as I can tell. He gets a small ding in the ranks as it’s highly unlikely he avoids the IL again this season.
24. Kevin Gausman (TOR) – He is what he is. I’m glad his splitter and four-seamer worked this weekend, but who knows about next time.
25. Jesús Luzardo (PHI) – Same with Luzardo. Look, it’s the Cherry Bomb tier, alright?
26. Carlos Rodón (NYY) – Hey Rodón, can you please have a game with all three of your pitches working together?
27. Gavin Williams (CLE) – It’s the same situation of far higher strike rates as we wait for him to nail down a specific pitch-mix that works for him indefinitely.
28. Payton Tolle (BOS) – Tolle is running with a four-seamer-led Ras Pack, and I’m not sure we’re see a leap into AGA territory until he finds more options than his four-seamer.
29. Nolan McLean (NYM) – This is the rough patch for McLean that he’s sure to recover from in due time. Right now, it’s too much emphasis on his sinker, without the best feel for his sweeper or confidence in the rest of his arsenal.
30. Braxton Ashcraft (PIT) – Ashcraft is still leaning on his breakers – great! – though the lack of advancement in his fastballs has me wondering what his ceiling will be.
31. Shota Imanaga (CHC) – Imanaga looked prime for a rebound last week and performed well IN COORS. His four-seamer and splitter are still top-notch.
32. Jared Jones (PIT) – We’re getting through the initial schedule gauntlet and Jones’ stuff is still elite.
Tier 5 – Fine, You Need Some Innings
33. Shane McClanahan (TBR) – McShane has disappointed lately, though his latest was a product of getting Singled Out more degrading ability.
34. Emmet Sheehan (LAD) – I’m glad we’re past Sheehan’s short outing and saw him return strikeouts with 95 mph velocity.
35. Ranger Suarez (BOS) – Suarez is looking like a solid Holly moving forward. Don’t overthink it.
36. Sonny Gray (BOS) – He’s an arm you close your eyes and send him out there.
37. Nick Lodolo (CIN) – Lodolo is finally flexing command for all his pitches: his fastballs, curveball, and changeup. This could be fun.
38. Michael Soroka (ARI) – Even though Soroka’s cutter is still a little wonky, his fastballs and curveball are getting the job done consistently.
39. George Kirby (SEA) – I can see the light with Kirby, but each time out, he chooses a different direction. The stuff is there, will he find the right approach?
40. Parker Messick (CLE) – Messick is a little strange. He moved away from his cutter, has thrown more sinkers than expected, and has distanced himself from the stellar SWATCH life of old. Still a solid play, but a bit more wobbly than before.
41. Landen Roupp (SFG) – The command is solid, and I generally expect him to perform well on the field, when he’s not distracted with other things, of course.
42. Will Warren (NYY) – I wish Warren’s secondaries were able to step up when his four-seamer can’t putaway batters (35% foul balls on Sunday). It’s the biggest flaw in his game and it prevents him from ascending The List.
Tier 6 – Why Aren’t You Dope
43. Freddy Peralta (NYM) – Peralta’s four-seamer velocity flew back up to 95 mph after the scare of 92/93 mph. He also produced only his second game with a 1.00 WHIP or better all year. Then why isn’t he higher? Because how can I trust him to repeat that?
44. Framber Valdez (DET) – Valdez is still searching for the curveball to return. It should, but we haven’t seen it yet.
45. Connelly Early (BOS) – The long-term of Early is one of a legit SP #2/3. However, there is still polish left to add, and I’m souring on the notion that he should be kept above others who are producing better at this moment.
46. José Soriano (LAA) – If you treat Soriano like a slightly better version of his 2025 self, you’ll be happy. The first month of the season was excellent, but that rhythm is long gone.
47. Michael King (SDP) – Speaking of rhythm, King has lost his. We see this from pitchers with cross-body mechanics, and they generally get it back in time. Once he does, expect the 25-30% strikeout rate to join him.
48. Kyle Bradish (BAL) – Bradish needs both his curveball and slider to pitch at his peak. He’s had both at separate times and I expect him to click in due time. If you need more help in this moment (as is with so many in this tier!), I’m okay moving on.
49. Ryan Weathers (NYY) – The least sticky stat of all is HR rate. Given Weathers’ horrid luck with the longball recently (nearly half his season-long HR total has come in the last three outings), it would be unwise to expect his struggles to last for long.
50. Emerson Hancock (SEA) – Hancock has completely changed his approach throughout the year, going from a surprise vert four-seamer arm to a true sinkerballer. I can’t say I love it, and I worry his time as a Holly is coming to a close.
Tier 7 – Everyone Who Sees This Wants It Ranked Differently
51. Reid Detmers (LAA) – That’s two straight stellar games from Detmers, but I can’t quite buy in as the slider isn’t landing where he wants it to – backfoot to RHB. It found all the strikes last time out, but erratically around the zone and I question its legitimacy.
52. Griffin Jax (TBR) – Reports came out that Jax has been dealing with a blister and the Rays are pitching him conservatively to hopefully keep it from worsening. Well, it hasn’t affected his performance lately, though it may be a reason why his fantastic four-seamer and cutter have been barely touched.
53. Justin Wrobleski (LAD) – Wrobo Cop had a rough outing, both in the books and physically. The good news? He’s at 95+ mph still.
54. Robbie Ray (SFG) – Ray has been lost as of late, but fortunately he’s back to throwing high heaters and his changeup precision is pulling him along. The last element is his returning strikes on his slider, and all we can do is hope it’s not far away.
55. Gage Jump (ATH) – Despite all the signs that Jump was a volatile arm, he’s produced sparkling strike rates across his first four starts, even including an outing in Vegas. I wish Sacré Verde wasn’t his home park, and I also wish his changeup and breakers were further along in their development. However, that four-seamer is getting it done upstairs and if the strikes flow, let’s go.
56. Ben Brown (CHC) – Brown’s sinker to RHB has continued to be effective, while the four-seamer is awfully precarious to LHB. He’s survived thus far, but don’t hold on too tight – Low-whiff fastballs mixed + an elite curveball is a package that carries few these days.
57. Sandy Alcantara (MIA) – He’s gone at least seven frames in each of his last three. Despite my skepticism that he’s improved vastly over the last few weeks, he’s more enticing than those in Tier 8 and below.
Tier 8 – These Could Be Holds All Year
58. Dustin May (STL) – May has been a QS rock since his first two starts of the year. The last piece is finding sweeper whiffs, which would turn him into a legit Holly.
59. Merrill Kelly (ARI) – Kelly’s changeup feel is great and makes him a clear Toby you’re holding in most formats.
60. Edward Cabrera (CHC) – There’s more volatility than ideal with Cabrera, but he should be a decent Win play for the Cubs when his changeup is cooking.
61. Casey Mize (DET) – Mize is returning this week and his rehab start flexed the same legit slider that got me excited earlier in the year. Expect him to be limited around 70 pitches in his Still ILL outing.
62. Foster Griffin (WSH) – Griffin is a textbook Toby.
63. Davis Martin (CHW) – Martin proved me wrong after I saw a downturn and thought it would be the end of his stellar run. He performed well against Atlanta and is back on the menu.
64. Sean Manaea (NYM) – I was impressed by Manaea’s start over the weekend against Atlanta. His four-seamer is comfortably back to 91/92 mph, and he nailed it up-and-away with ease to their RHB, while keeping the sweeper down for a proper BSB. I’d take a shot in hopes for something more than a Toby.
65. Stephen Kolek (KCR) – Kolek doesn’t come with electric stuff, but it’s a deep mix with the ability to earn strikes with all of them. That allows him to go 6+ frames often.
66. Noah Cameron (KCR) – I was disappointed with Cameron’s last outing and I think it’s best to consider him a Toby than on the verge of replicating last year’s excellence.
67. Walbert Ureña (LAA) – Ureña has shockingly been great. Nothing outstanding, but a remarkably high floor, even with his fastballs and sweeper stepping up when his signature changeup let him down.
68. Andrew Abbott (CIN) – Abbott is making us scratch our heads again with nearly eight weeks of productive outings at his back despite questionable execution. It’s a standard Vargas Rule.
69. Ryne Nelson (ARI) – Oh Ryne. I overlooked your few strikeouts as the schedule was too wonderful, but after it fell apart against the Marlins, I can’t argue with a pitcher who hasn’t eclipsed three strikeouts in five outings.
Tier 9 – WHAT DO I DO WITH YOU
70. Roki Sasaki (LAD) – I was afraid of Sasaki’s varied paths to success, suggesting that he couldn’t consistently execute one. However, the results were there and I ranked him in Tier 7, hoping he found a tweak to help him return consistent strikes. Sadly, the slider command and four-seamer vert disappeared, and the dam eventually broke after a few solid frames. I’m not sure what comes next.
71. Bubba Chandler (PIT) – Chandler has his most promising outing of the season. No, it wasn’t a game of four-seamers dotting the edges. Instead, it was a large reduction of its usage in favor of sliders. I want more Dancing With The Disco Bubba. I hope we get it.
72. Spencer Arrighetti (HOU) – I was optimistic that the Pasta Pirate was going to embrace his deep arsenal instead of relying heavily on four-seamers and curveballs. He gave it a quick shot, failed to find his sweeper, and reverted to the two-pitch combo. I can’t elevate him up the ranks until he does more.
73. Kodai Senga (NYM) – It’s confirmed. Senga will be starting for the Mets on Tuesday with Christian Scott on the IL. Who knows what we’ll get, but at this point on The List, I’ll take the mystery box of Senga vs. the rest.
74. Troy Melton (DET) – Melton was scratched from today’s start and it’s unclear if he’s hitting the IL or not. I pre-emptively moved him down here to quantify the risk-reward added by the IL chance, though some of you may feel this way about Melton regardless of the news. Personally, I believe Melton’s arsenal speaks to more whiffs and plenty of success going deep into games, though it’s still waiting to be seen.
75. MacKenzie Gore (TEX) – Gore took a small step forward in his start against the Twins and I’ll move him up once I feel confident he’s found his form.
76. Cade Cavalli (WSH) – Cavalli is Ben Brown with a worse sinker.
77. Tanner Bibee (CLE) – Crumpler highlighted Bibee’s shocking success across the last month, focusing on his affinity for sinkers over four-seamers. It has worked well for Bibee, though I question if it’s a recipe for continued success. Each outing still feels like a coin flip.
78. Trey Yesavage (TOR) – So, uh, when do we expect Yesavage to stop walking the farm?
79. Taj Bradley (MIN) – Bradley doesn’t have the command he had in April and I worry we will see it too infrequently to make him worthwhile of a hold on your squads.
Tier 10 – Okay, This Is Fine
80. Javier Assad (CHC) – Assad is a solid streaming option when he gets the right opponent, like Rockie Road this week.
81. Peter Lambert (HOU) – The Astros let Lambert go deep into games, and with a four-pitch mix, he should be a decent Toby.
82. Nick Martinez (TBR) – His low strikeout rate keeps him away from my rosters, though it’s possible his changeup keeps his Vargas Rule alive for a little longer.
83. Bryce Elder (ATL) – Elder’s command was horrible over the weekend and the clock may be close to midnight.
84. Shane Baz (BAL) – As much as I want to find them, I can’t make out any significant changes to Baz that suggest he’s removed from his low floor, limited ceiling self.
85. Trevor Rogers (BAL) – Last start gave us the good version of Rogers: 93/94 mph upstairs + excellent changeups down. Please do more of that.
86. Michael Wacha (KCR) – The first two months and change were excellent from Wacha, but he’s had a recent string of disappointments. It won’t last forever, but it may not be the best time to hold.
87. Seth Lugo (KCR) – We’re unsure when we’ll see Lugo next after a scary moment saw a comebacker strike him in the back of his head. I hope he’s alright.
88. Eduardo Rodriguez (ARI) – When he gets a decent matchup, Erod is a fine add. The Angels are up next, that’s a stream worthy of a 15-teamer, if not 12-team QS leagues.
Tier 11 – What Will They Become?
89. Robert Gasser (MIL) – I wish his last outing wasn’t in Vegas. Gasser is an intriguing arm and I wish I could discern more from that game – it’s unwise to dive into the data of such distorted parks. Keep an eye on him. Hopefully his fastballs are more impressive than we previously thought.
90. Tatsuya Imai (HOU) – Imai got bamboozled by the Royals on Friday. It doesn’t mean he’s not capable of producing as he had multiple times since his return from the IL, but that floor is terrifying.
91. Zebby Matthews (MIN) – His poor command in the zone creates far too much damage. He’s his 2025-self with worse stuff.
92. Connor Prielipp (MIN) – I’ve been wishcasting Prielipp’s changeup feel and I’m still waiting for it to appear. Meanwhile, he’s been unable to spot the backfoot slider to RHB nearly as well as his initial starts.
93. Ian Seymour (TBR) – The Rays look like they intend Seymour to be fully stretched out moving forward (finally!). The next step is to pitch better than the high changeups and spotty breakers.
94. Tyler Phillips (MIA) – Phillips carries 95 mph velocity and better stuff than I initially thought. I’m curious how this plays out in his next outing, and we may be able to swoop in after for a streamer or two.
Tier 12 – Arms To Consider This Week
95. Kumar Rocker (TEX) – As long as he goes 60% sliders and cutters, I’m okay with Rocker. I really don’t like those fastballs.
96. J.T. Ginn (ATH) – If Ginn didn’t have to deal with Sacré Verde so often, I’d consider him a solid Toby.
97. Matthew Liberatore (STL) – The best facet of Liberatore is his situation. The Cardinals let him go six innings often, and he’s well supported by the home park and his defense.
98. Martín Pérez (ATL) – Pérez has performed well above his head this season, but who am I to say this Vargas Rule won’t continue?
99. Brandon Young (BAL) – If you’re looking for 5+ IP of 3 ER or fewer, you’ve found your guy. Don’t expect excellence.
100. Eric Lauer (LAD) – Oh Lauer. I sure hope you can return four-seamer whiffs with regularity again.
Wait. You forgot [THIS PITCHER]!
You should be able to find them below, but there are rare times that I removed a pitcher from The List and their name somehow got lost in the shuffle. If there is a super-obvious name that is somehow missing, you better believe it was in error. Simply let me know if I goofed, and I’ll make a swift update.
The following pitchers are sorted not by rank, but by team. I have written a small note on every arm who is currently inside a rotation – if they are not in a rotation, they are ineligible for The List.
Honorable Mentions
Zac Gallen (ARI) – Gallen has not been worth your time.
Aaron Civale (ATH) – When is the last time you’ve actually been able to trust Civale? I did after his three starts and got burned. Do we have to update the sign? Zero days…
Jack Perkins (ATH) – With Sacré Verde (and now Vegas?!) in his life, Perkins’ uphill battle for fantasy relevancy is even harder.
Jacob Lopez (ATH) – I’m not in on Lopez until I see a fun K/BB game from him. Update: Now in the minors.
Jeffrey Springs (ATH) – We haven’t seen a four-seamer worthy of Sunshine and Rainbows for three starts. He lost a ton of vert, y’all.
Kade Morris (ATH) – He’s getting a shot and maybe I should have added him to The List, but then again, he throws 93/94 mph from the right side without impressive strikeout rates, and calls Sacré Verde his home.
Luis Severino (ATH) – I’m not a fan of Sevy at home in Sacré Verde and his away starts aren’t so incredible.
Mason Barnett (ATH) – How much is he actually starting? Do we care?
Didier Fuentes (ATL) – We saw him for one start, then he went back to the minors as Ritchie swooped in. Now he’s in the pen. I wonder when we’ll get the Fuentes experience again.
Grant Holmes (ATL) – He’s not going long and he hasn’t broken the Huascar Rule. Not worth it.
JR Ritchie (ATL) – He’s back in the rotation and I have such little interest.
Spencer Strider (ATL) – Strider has been shut down for a while after throwing sub-90 mph fastballs last start.
Chris Bassitt (BAL) – Maybe this is too low for an arm who has a shot to six frames for a winning team, but then again, Bassitt is so boring.
Trey Gibson (BAL) – There is far too much left to polish.
Brayan Bello (BOS) – He’s in the minors now. I wonder if he’ll have an opener.
Jake Bennett (BOS) – We may find ourselves interested in Bennett soon enough. He has the makeup of a solid SWATCH in time.
Colin Rea (CHC) – It’s @COL this week and not worth the hold.
Matthew Boyd (CHC) – He now has a shoulder injury just before he was to return from his knee injury. Sigh.
Erick Fedde (CHW) – Oh, we’re back with the White Sox again? What’s your agenda?!
Brady Singer (CIN) – He gave us a VPQS against a poor Marlins crew. Ehhhhhhh.
Chris Paddack (CIN) – I’m not seeing a good enough version of Paddack to justify rostering him in Cincy.
Rhett Lowder (CIN) – Lowder has moments with great command of fastballs, sliders, and changeups. I’ll let you know when they pop up.
Joey Cantillo (CLE) – You considered Cantillo for strikeouts and now he’s not even giving you many of those.
Slade Cecconi (CLE) – I’m waiting for Cecconi to produce a string of starts to force me to consider him again.
Jose Quintana (COL) – He’s in Colorado now, and has the rare moments of being a solid streamer when on the road. Rare.
Kyle Freeland (COL) – Same ole, same ole.
Michael Lorenzen (COL) – You can’t do anything, even with all of your strength.
Ryan Feltner (COL) – Why.
Sean Sullivan (COL) – He got the pearl and it’s absolutely not what you want.
Tanner Gordon (COL) – You know better.
Tomoyuki Sugano (COL) – I’m just happy he gets regular starts. There’s a touch of value on the road
Zach Agnos (COL) – Who are you and why did you need to know what I thought about Agnos? I’m Agnos-tic. THAT’S NOT WHAT THAT MEANS.
Anthony Kay (CWS) – He had a good run and hit a wall. I wasn’t a believer during the hot stretch and I’m definitely not now.
David Sandlin (CWS) – He’s back in the minors.
Joe Rock (CWS) – He’s not a proper starting option.
Sean Burke (CWS) – The four-seamer is cool, the matchups and secondary consistency is not.
Brant Hurter (DET) – Hurter is the bulk arm for maybe another start or two before Troy Melton returns. I’d much rather stash Melton instead.
Jack Flaherty (DET) – We see stretches of strikeout excellence, but it’s rare to see it with decent ratios during those high points, regardless of the valley he often lives in.
Justin Verlander (DET) – Is he actually returning this week? Really? I kinda imagined this was, you know, it.
Keider Montero (DET) – Montero doesn’t do enough to justify a 12-teamer roster spot.
Ty Madden (DET) – He’s stepping in after a brief IL stint and I have no interest in his approach.
Jason Alexander (HOU) – He was shellacked by the Rangers and already carried a low ceiling.
Kai-Wei Teng (HOU) – Naaaaaah. The breakers can be cool, but it’s really not it, let alone the major question of his length.
Lance McCullers Jr. (HOU) – There’s always a chance he has one of those fun games, but hot dang, the floor is so rough.
Mike Burrows (HOU) – The command simply isn’t there yet.
Luinder Avila (KC) – How long will he even go in this rotation?
Mitch Spence (KC) – Oh snap, he’s a thing again! A THING thing? Nah, just a thing. Dang.
Cole Ragans (KCR) – Is he returning? Let’s treat him like a Still ILL if he does.
Alek Manoah (LAA) – Oh dear. Please don’t.
Caden Dana (LAA) – Will he establish himself as a Toby at some point?
Grayson Rodriguez (LAA) – Grayson was removed from his outing with a back injury.
Sam Aldegheri (LAA) – He doesn’t pack enough of a punch to be a proper SWATCH.
Braxton Garrett (MIA) – I thought we’d get Garrett soon. Guess not.
Eury Pérez (MIA) – Why must pitchers get injured when they finally break through the wall? Because of the glass that shatters in the process. I feel like there’s something profound in there.
Janson Junk (MIA) – Junk, you rascal. Once I feel confident he can command his stuff well, I’ll add him.
Ryan Gusto (MIA) – There may be something of interest here, but let’s wait and see.
Brandon Sproat (MIL) – I cannot believe he had his best start in ages whilst in Vegas. IN VEGAS! Sadly, the skills weren’t what we wanted them to be.
Brandon Woodruff (MIL) – Maybe he returns this week? Who knows. I hope he’s alright.
Shane Drohan (MIL) – His fastballs + slider aren’t as overpowering as I’d want them to be for an arm with an unclear leash moving forward.
Bailey Ober (MIN) – He’s now on the IL with elbow inflammation.
Kendry Rojas (MIN) – There may be times he gets the pearl, but don’t expect a whole lot of frames. He’s not a proper starter.
Mike Paredes (MIN) – This ain’t it.
Christian Scott (NYM) – Scott was placed on the IL with a hip impingement earlier on Monday.
David Peterson (NYM) – He’s a Toby at best. I don’t trust him.
Jonah Tong (NYM) – Sent back down to the minors. Sigh.
Kodai Senga (NYM) – I gave him an honest try. Rockie Road should be better. It wasn’t. How can we hold him after that?!
Tobias Myers (NYM) – He’s not stretched out. I don’t expect the Mets to use him outside the pen or anything above 50 pitches a game.
Aaron Nola (PHI) – Nola’s velocity fell down again and he didn’t have his fastball command. I cannot suggest this.
Andrew Painter (PHI) – He just ain’t it. It’s sad, I know.
Taijuan Walker (PHI) – He’s still here and it’s kinda wild – even without his cutter leading the way in the spring despite it carrying him last season. Update: He gone.
Carmen Mlodzinski (PIT) – He’s been able to produce five frames of decency, allowing him to accrue a ton of Wins, but this isn’t meant to last. Update: Now on the restricted list and likely not starting again due to Jared’s return.
Mitch Keller (PIT) – It’s a tough matchup ahead and Keller is back to his old form of not being effective.
Germán Márquez (SDP) – He has those days with a good curve and I’m happy for him. I can’t risk it on a given day.
Griffin Canning (SDP) – The four-seamer we saw in his season debut has dwindled since. I’m not seeing enough to pull me in.
Lucas Giolito (SDP) – I know, how COULD I?! Because he sat 90.4 mph, that’s why. I was intrigued last year when he was around 93/94 mph. In no way can I possibly endorse this if the stuff isn’t there.
Matt Waldron (SDP) – Don’t Trust A Knuckleballer.
Randy Vásquez (SDP) – I wish he were getting the whiffs we saw in early April, but alas, he’s a 15-team Toby these days.
Walker Buehler (SDP) – I’m not buying that the Padres fixed him.
Luis Castillo (SEA) – I don’t care if he just had the best slider he’s had all year, he’s not going to get a ton of innings in his current role and his slider is unlikely to perform this well again.
Trevor McDonald (SF) – McDonald is a sinkerballer with an elite slider, but the sinker isn’t landing low and the slider can’t find strikes.
Adrian Houser (SFG) – A 15-teamer Toby when he proves he can handle weak opponents.
Tyler Mahle (SFG) – I wonder if McDonald will keep his job over Mahle when he returns from the IL.
Andre Pallante (STL) – Hopefully the cut four-seamer is jamming LHB and the sinker/slider does the trick…?
Hunter Dobbins (STL) – The Cardinals gave it a shot, and who knows when they give him another one.
Kyle Leahy (STL) – I wanted to keep him on The List, but I don’t see the value proposition being in your favor yet. His 7.2 feet of extension and 90 mph cutter are fun, but the command is not. I can see him blossoming in May/June.
Michael McGreevy (STL) – It’s just too blegh. A groundball arm with few strikeouts who has recently had the cold shoulder from Koufax.
Jesse Scholtens (TBR) – There just isn’t enough upside here.
Mason Englert (TBR) – He doesn’t do enough to justify a roster spot.
Steven Matz (TBR) – He hasn’t been sharp since returning from the IL.
Jack Leiter (TEX) – He’s hurt your teams in 75% of his starts this season. It’s not worth your time.
Grant Rogers (TOR) – I don’t see a reason to grab Rogers for now, but it is his Centre, so who really knows.
Max Scherzer (TOR) – I can see Scherzer actually performing well in his next start or two, but he hasn’t proven it yet.
Patrick Corbin (TOR) – No, this is not the time to restart your PC. You can’t make that joke everytime. YES I CAN.
Simeon Woods Richardson (TOR) – SWR was a wild card entering the year and it sure is wild how wrong this has gone. We may see him get some starts now that he’s with the Jays and y’all know you shouldn’t do that.
Spencer Miles (TOR) – He’s being used a follower in the place of Lauer and it’s not worth your time.
Zack Littell (WSH) – I know he has his moments, but I don’t trust his Dancing With The Disco approach.
Andrew Alvarez (WSN) – I’m not seeing enough to chase this.
Miles Mikolas (WSN) – You actually CTRL-F’d Mikolas?!
Good luck, everyone!
| Rank | Pitcher | Team | Badges | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jacob MisiorowskiT1 | MIL | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +1 |
| 2 | Paul Skenes | PIT | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | -1 |
| 3 | Cristopher Sánchez | PHI | Aces Gonna Ace Quality Starts | - |
| 4 | Chris Sale | ATL | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 5 | Cam Schlittler | NYY | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 6 | Chase BurnsT2 | CIN | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 7 | Jacob deGrom | TEX | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 8 | Shohei Ohtani | LAD | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 9 | Yoshinobu Yamamoto | LAD | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | - |
| 10 | Zack Wheeler | PHI | Aces Gonna Ace Ratio Focused | - |
| 11 | Joe Ryan | MIN | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 12 | Tarik SkubalT3 | DET | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +2 |
| 13 | Bryan Woo | SEA | Ace Potential Ratio Focused | -1 |
| 14 | Gerrit Cole | NYY | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | -1 |
| 15 | Logan Webb | SF | Ace Potential Quality Starts | +15 |
| 16 | Drew Rasmussen | TB | Ace Potential Ratio Focused | +6 |
| 17 | Kyle Harrison | MIL | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | -1 |
| 18 | Logan Gilbert | SEA | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +1 |
| 19 | Hunter Brown | HOU | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +UR |
| 20 | Max Meyer | MIA | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +9 |
| 21 | Bryce Miller | SEA | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +6 |
| 22 | Dylan CeaseT4 | TOR | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +2 |
| 23 | Nathan Eovaldi | TEX | Holly Quality Starts Injury Risk | -8 |
| 24 | Kevin Gausman | TOR | Holly Quality Starts | -7 |
| 25 | Jesús Luzardo | PHI | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | - |
| 26 | Carlos Rodón | NYY | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | - |
| 27 | Gavin Williams | CLE | Holly Strikeout Upside | -7 |
| 28 | Payton Tolle | BOS | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -7 |
| 29 | Nolan McLean | NYM | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -11 |
| 30 | Braxton Ashcraft | PIT | Holly Ratio Focused | -7 |
| 31 | Shota Imanaga | CHC | Ace Potential Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +5 |
| 32 | Jared Jones | PIT | Ace Potential Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | -4 |
| 33 | Shane McClanahanT5 | TB | Holly Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | -2 |
| 34 | Emmet Sheehan | LAD | Holly Strikeout Upside | +11 |
| 35 | Ranger Suarez | BOS | Holly Quality Starts | +2 |
| 36 | Sonny Gray | BOS | Holly | +13 |
| 37 | Nick Lodolo | CIN | Holly | +9 |
| 38 | Michael Soroka | ARI | Holly Strikeout Upside | +2 |
| 39 | George Kirby | SEA | Holly Quality Starts | -4 |
| 40 | Parker Messick | CLE | Holly Quality Starts | -8 |
| 41 | Landen Roupp | SF | Holly Quality Starts | -7 |
| 42 | Will Warren | NYY | Holly Wins Bonus | -4 |
| 43 | Freddy PeraltaT6 | NYM | Cherry Bomb Wins Bonus | - |
| 44 | Framber Valdez | DET | Cherry Bomb Quality Starts | - |
| 45 | Connelly Early | BOS | Cherry Bomb Quality Starts | -12 |
| 46 | José Soriano | LAA | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +2 |
| 47 | Michael King | SD | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | - |
| 48 | Kyle Bradish | BAL | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +2 |
| 49 | Ryan Weathers | NYY | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | -10 |
| 50 | Emerson Hancock | SEA | Cherry Bomb Quality Starts | -9 |
| 51 | Reid DetmersT7 | LAA | Hipster Strikeout Upside | +9 |
| 52 | Griffin Jax | TB | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | +2 |
| 53 | Justin Wrobleski | LAD | Frizzle Wins Bonus Team Context Effect | +5 |
| 54 | Robbie Ray | SF | Hipster Strikeout Upside | +5 |
| 55 | Gage Jump | ATH | Frizzle Strikeout Upside Team Context Effect | +6 |
| 56 | Ben Brown | CHC | Hipster Frizzle Strikeout Upside | -1 |
| 57 | Sandy Alcantara | MIA | Hipster Quality Starts | +24 |
| 58 | Dustin MayT8 | STL | Toby Quality Starts | +17 |
| 59 | Merrill Kelly | ARI | Toby Quality Starts Stash Option | +10 |
| 60 | Edward Cabrera | CHC | Toby Quality Starts | +25 |
| 61 | Casey Mize | DET | Toby Quality Starts Injury Risk | +11 |
| 62 | Foster Griffin | WSH | Toby Quality Starts | +15 |
| 63 | Davis Martin | CWS | Toby Quality Starts | +26 |
| 64 | Sean Manaea | NYM | Toby Rotation Spot Bonus | +UR |
| 65 | Stephen Kolek | KC | Toby Quality Starts | +14 |
| 66 | Noah Cameron | KC | Toby Quality Starts | -13 |
| 67 | Walbert Ureña | LAA | Toby Ratio Focused | +7 |
| 68 | Andrew Abbott | CIN | Toby Quality Starts | +5 |
| 69 | Ryne Nelson | ARI | Toby Ratio Focused | -17 |
| 70 | Roki SasakiT9 | LAD | Hipster Strikeout Upside | -19 |
| 71 | Bubba Chandler | PIT | Hipster Strikeout Upside | +15 |
| 72 | Spencer Arrighetti | HOU | Hipster Strikeout Upside | -10 |
| 73 | Kodai Senga | NYM | Hipster Rotation Spot Bonus Injury Risk | +UR |
| 74 | Troy Melton | DET | Hipster Ratio Focused Injury Risk | -32 |
| 75 | MacKenzie Gore | TEX | Hipster Strikeout Upside | -8 |
| 76 | Cade Cavalli | WSH | Hipster Strikeout Upside | -12 |
| 77 | Tanner Bibee | CLE | Hipster Quality Starts | +UR |
| 78 | Trey Yesavage | TOR | Hipster Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | -13 |
| 79 | Taj Bradley | MIN | Hipster Strikeout Upside | -13 |
| 80 | Javier AssadT10 | CHC | Toby Wins Bonus | +UR |
| 81 | Peter Lambert | HOU | Toby Wins Bonus | +11 |
| 82 | Nick Martinez | TB | Toby Quality Starts | -6 |
| 83 | Bryce Elder | ATL | Toby Quality Starts | -13 |
| 84 | Shane Baz | BAL | Hipster Quality Starts | -1 |
| 85 | Trevor Rogers | BAL | Hipster Quality Starts | -1 |
| 86 | Michael Wacha | KC | Toby Quality Starts | -15 |
| 87 | Seth Lugo | KC | Toby Quality Starts | -9 |
| 88 | Eduardo Rodriguez | ARI | Streaming Option Quality Starts | +UR |
| 89 | Robert GasserT11 | MIL | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | +UR |
| 90 | Tatsuya Imai | HOU | Hipster Strikeout Upside | -10 |
| 91 | Zebby Matthews | MIN | Hipster Strikeout Upside | -9 |
| 92 | Connor Prielipp | MIN | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | -5 |
| 93 | Ian Seymour | TB | Streaming Option Ratio Focused | +UR |
| 94 | Tyler Phillips | MIA | Frizzle Rotation Spot Bonus | +UR |
| 95 | Kumar RockerT12 | TEX | Frizzle Ratio Focused | -7 |
| 96 | J.T. Ginn | ATH | Streaming Option Quality Starts | -2 |
| 97 | Matthew Liberatore | STL | Streaming Option Quality Starts | -4 |
| 98 | Martín Pérez | ATL | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | +UR |
| 99 | Brandon Young | BAL | Streaming Option Ratio Focused | - |
| 100 | Eric Lauer | LAD | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | +UR |
Labels Legend
Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter/X; @justinparadis.bsky.social on BlueSky)
