Have questions? My “office hours” are on Twitch 10:00 am – 12:00 pm ET Monday – Friday + the aforementioned stream of The List.
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: None
Injured Pitchers Added To The List: Tarik Skubal (14), Dylan Cease (26), Matthew Boyd (57),
Automatic Bump/Fall For Pitchers In The Top 60: (-3 Spots)
Tier 1 – Luke, We’ve Got Company
1. Paul Skenes (PIT) – He’s SP #1 unless he fails against the Dodgers and/or Marlins
2. Jacob Misiorowski (MIL) – The SP #1 spot is his if he continues his dominance. But the injury risk! We’re already in June and there’s less time left for injury risks to rear their head.
3. Cristopher Sánchez (PHI) – He’s been too dang good to hold him back.
4. Chris Sale (ATL) – Sale is still dope and makes us feel dope.
5. Cam Schlittler (NYY) – Same with Cam. Velocity returned, by the way. Y’ALL CAN STOP PANICKING NOW.
Tier 2 – The Aces
6. Chase Burns (CIN) – Once Burns gives us a secondary that’s legit, I’ll buy that he’s worth a top tier spot.
7. Jacob deGrom (TEX) – He’s the same guy you want him to be.
8. Shohei Ohtani (LAD) – Ohtani isn’t going to have a sub 5.0 hit/9 forever, you know.
9. Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LAD) – HE’S. THROWING. HIGH. FOUR-SEAMERS. Their hiLoc is up 20% points and guess what? Its SwStr has doubled to over 15%. FINALLY.
10. Zack Wheeler (PHI) – It’s Wheeler with slightly less authority.
11. Joe Ryan (MIN) – His fastball velo is up, the secondaries are stellar, and this is the best version of Ryan we’ve ever seen. Sometimes, you just need an injury scare.
12. Bryan Woo (SEA) – When you see an elevated ERA and a 1.00 WHIP, you should know it won’t last. He was excellent (again) until a Careful, Icarus in the seventh, y’all.
13. Gerrit Cole (NYY) – His start against Cleveland was humbling. The command was terrible, the stuff was good, and he’s fortunate to escape without more damage. I expect positive adjustments to be made.
Tier 3 – You’re Dope But Not Dope. Yet.
14. Tarik Skubal (DET) – HE’S BACK. WE THINK. The expectation is this weekend and you know the rules. Oh come on Nick. The rules exist for a reason.
15. Nathan Eovaldi (TEX) – He’s the gate-keeper of the AGA tier.
16. Kyle Harrison (MIL) – Harrison may get his Aces Gonna Ace tag this week in Vegas, of all places.
17. Kevin Gausman (TOR) – Yes, he’s the guy you think of.
18. Nolan McLean (NYM) – McLean’s lack of whiffability on his sweeper + lagging development of his arsenal depth is a little concerning. I don’t want him relying so heavily on sinkers every game.
19. Logan Gilbert (SEA) – Gilbert is a premium Cherry Bomb who I hope demands his AGA tag back.
20. Gavin Williams (CLE) – Gavin’s high strike rates are keeping him on the path for Tier 2, but it may take a moment. His lean into sinkers over four-seamers worked once against the Pinstripes, but will it work a second time?
21. Payton Tolle (BOS) – As much as I love Tolle and his elite fastballs, I don’t think he has the command to pull off the Ras Pack in full, making me hope he can find the feel for at least one secondary 25-30% a game.
22. Drew Rasmussen (TBR) – Speaking of the Ras Pack, he’s the one who Drew it up. It’s in good hands.
23. Braxton Ashcraft (PIT) – He had his chance for an AGA tag and The Great Gate of his arsenal was ultimately the culprit against Hotlanta – they shellacked his high Empty Velocity four-seamer. That’s fine, let’s be happy he doesn’t have to face Atlanta all the time.
Tier 4 – Far Sweeter Than Sour
24. Dylan Cease (TOR) – It’s a Still ILL for Cease, even with a limited time on the IL and a solid Triple-A start. He’s a Cherry Bomb, anyway.
25. Jesús Luzardo (PHI) – While it’s possible they have such good stretches I can’t refuse an AGA tag, Luzardo and Rodón both carry flaws in their arsenal that create lower floors than the rest of the Top 25.
26. Carlos Rodón (NYY) – For Luzardo, it’s the hittable four-seamer. Rodón’s fault is strike rate and inconsistent sliders and changeups. Still great, just not as reliable as others.
27. Bryce Miller (SEA) – He’s on the up-and-up with absurd stuff and a better feel for his full arsenal than previous seasons in a wonderful home park. How can you not be hyped?
28. Jared Jones (PIT) – Speaking of bonkers stuff, Jones sat 99 mph in both of his first two starts, and flexed a four-pitch mix. He’s Strider if Strider were Strider.
29. Max Meyer (MIA) – Meyer’s sliders are elite, the four-seamer is still killing it, and he’s only had one stumble across his fantastic stretch.
Tier 5 – Fine, You Need Some Innings
30. Logan Webb (SFG) – Logan pulled the CobbWebbs off in his Still ILL (yes, I also groaned as I typed that) and I’m inclined to believe he’s closer to his 2025 self.
31. Shane McClanahan (TBR) – We just saw a rare poor outing with McShane’s arsenal and I don’t believe it’ll continue.
32. Parker Messick (CLE) – Messick is solid. A perfectly cromulent Holly.
33. Connelly Early (BOS) – I’m still waiting for Early to get me amped with an outing that displays all the weapons at his disposal near their peak before I push him up further. Until then, he’s a solid regular play.
34. Landen Roupp (SFG) – Roupp had a scare with his back, and responded with a solid effort over the weekend. We’re all good.
35. George Kirby (SEA) – It was weird to pull Kirby down here, and yet, the fella hasn’t adapted well. When he does, I’ll bring him back up the ranks.
36. Shota Imanaga (CHC) – I’m still a believer in Imanaga. His four-seamer and splitter are still legit, the former returning to its 92+ mph and both offerings dominating last time out, while the rare sweeper and sinker let him down.
37. Ranger Suarez (BOS) – Suarez has been fantastic since allowing 4 ER in three of his first four games. He’s in rhythm against RHB and that can mean a glorious stretch is ahead of us.
Tier 6 – I Feel Like The Guy With Too Many Limes
38. Will Warren (NYY) – Warren is fine. Don’t expect the 30% strikeout rate and you’ll get some duds here and there due to the lack of support in his sweeper and changeup, but he gets his outs and a fair number of Wins.
39. Ryan Weathers (NYY) – The HRs are painful, but the strikeouts are not. He’s Luzardo-lite.
40. Michael Soroka (ARI) – Soroka’s command is fantastic, even if he got away with a little bit last time out. Keep riding this one.
41. Emerson Hancock (SEA) – Despite all my preaching of doom and gloom, Hancock has continued to help your teams. Don’t big brain it.
42. Troy Melton (DET) – He hasn’t fanned batters plenty, but he’s churned outs easily based on incredible command for someone with as little MLB experience as he does. Mix that with above-average stuff, and Melton profiles out as a legit Holly who could be more.
Tier 7 – Everyone Who Sees This Wants It Ranked Differently
43. Freddy Peralta (NYM) – He’s a right-handed Robbie Ray in normal times, with a little less strikeout ability.
44. Framber Valdez (DET) – The curveball is getting better. I’m as big of a Valdez denier as you’ll find and even I know he’ll have his stretch that will make you forget all the pain.
45. Emmet Sheehan (LAD) – Ignore his latest outing as he was pulled early for tossing nearly 50 pitches in four outs. Stupid Nick Madrigal fourteen pitch at-bats…That said, I have to push him down due to more uncertainty of his ability given all the back-and-forth we’ve experienced this year.
46. Nick Lodolo (CIN) – He’s finding his groove with more strikes regularly, though he had to pay for a few too many mistakes in the zone last time out. I’m inclined to keep going with it.
47. Michael King (SDP) – He’s the King without his crown right now. It’s frustrating and I hate enduring this Cherry Bomb nature.
48. José Soriano (LAA) – It’s hard not to look at Soriano’s career and see his volatility of 2025, an outlier month of excellence and four-seamer control, then back to his old volatility since. I want to believe. His sinker velocity also dipped under 96 mph and that’s troublesome.
49. Sonny Gray (BOS) – It was Gray recently, and it’ll be Sonny again soon. Don’t worry.
50. Kyle Bradish (BAL) – Bradish’s curveball has been the hero lately, and suddenly it disappeared with the slider taking stage. It almost worked, save for one terrible slider for HR, as I got deja vu of his outing in Tampa Bay. Once he has both, it’ll be bliss.
Tier 8 – These Could Be Holds All Year
51. Roki Sasaki (LAD) – I want to be clear: This is the cliff. I’m still skeptical in many of these arms below, and I also recognize that the risk/reward value proposition is in your favor to chase regardless of what I’d wager the outcome to be. With Sasaki, he’s been his peak self in his last four games, returning more whiffs than ever via a harder and better vert four-seamer, vastly improved slider command, and a harder splitter that does more to LHB. And one forkball per game. Sure. That’s enough for me to hold given his pedigree, even if one bad outing could bring the whole thing crumbling down.
52. Ryne Nelson (ARI) – I just wish the strikeouts could come back. Those secondaries should do more, dangit!
53. Noah Cameron (KCR) – You might have read my write-up of Cameron this morning for the SP Roundup and it should be no surprise I’m down to grab him everywhere. His command is back to its 2025 form.
54. Griffin Jax (TBR) – The stuff is so good and it’s only a matter of time before the Rays push him comfortably past 70 pitches. It’s only been a couple of starts so far, y’all.
55. Ben Brown (CHC) – Brown’s sinker is far better to RHB than I expected, with clear outlier results that are sure to come down. He still fails to get whiffs on both heaters and it’s unreasonable to expect him to continue boasting a sub 6.0 hit/9 and a laughable 4% HR/FB rate. Those two marks alone are the biggest changes from last season and while I believe he is obviously better than last year with the sinker at his hip, he’s not this good. Oh how I wish he were.
56. Christian Scott (NYM) – There’s more to untap with his cutter and sweeper, but he’s trending in the right direction each start. He’s an arm that just needs reps and I imagine he’ll be drafted everywhere next year.
57. Matthew Boyd (CHC) – It seems as though he’s returning this weekend and after the Still ILL, you should get a potential Holly among your ranks.
58. Justin Wrobleski (LAD) – WroboCop has upped his velocity and started incorporating more of his secondaries, making me more enthused than at any point in the season prior.
Tier 9 – WHAT DO I DO WITH YOU
59. Robbie Ray (SFG) – His four-seamer is back to being upstairs with a legit feel for his changeup. Now it’s on the slider. Come on, do something.
60. Reid Detmers (LAA) – Detmers just took down the Dodgers and you don’t understand why he’s not higher. Because he was lucky on his four-seamer and his secondaries were not good. Just like we were down on Detmers after his no-hitter, y’all.
61. Gage Jump (ATH) – Jump’s fastball is doing work at 96 mph. His secondaries…are not. There’s promise, absolutely, but I can’t get all excited without knowing they can step up when needed. Oh, and the whole Sacré Verde + Vegas thing doesn’t help.
62. Spencer Arrighetti (HOU) – I’ve been a bit surprised watching Arrighetti lean heavily on just his four-seamer and curveball, and it finally caught up to him. I think he’ll make an adjustment, but I can’t raise him until I see it.
63. Spencer Strider (ATL) – Strider’s four-seamer is sub 95 mph now and failed to return a single whiff last time out. He’s like Charles Barkley at the concrete court in Space Jam.
64. Cade Cavalli (WSH) – It’s still just a really good curveball that can take down weaker teams. I need something else to truly get amped. Isn’t he just like Ben Brown but with worse luck? Kinda, yeah. A little worse sinker, a better attack to LHB/RHB, but yeah, similar.
65. Trey Yesavage (TOR) – Oh boy. He’s not feeling it at all. I wonder what would happen if he went the ole Gallen approach of putting everything as low as possible. With his absurdly steep arm angle, his four-seamer, slider, splitter would look no different down there, you know?
66. Taj Bradley (MIN) – So, uh, you’re not totally regressing to your 2025 self, right?
67. MacKenzie Gore (TEX) – Gore has all the potential and I just want him to get traded another time. The Rangers had their chance, let someone else get in there! It’s possible he makes one simple change that makes doctors hate him and he becomes the stud he’s destined to be. For now, I’d grab legit value on the wire if it’s out there.
68. Shane Drohan (MIL) – Drohan has me intrigued with a solid arsenal in Milwaukee. I’m not sure how much time he’ll get in the rotation, but give him one more spin now that the Brewers let him throw over 80 pitches.
Tier 10 – Okay, This Is Fine
69. Merrill Kelly (ARI) – He just got lit up, though the changeup command is still very much there. He’s a solid Toby.
70. Bryce Elder (ATL) – Elder fell down in Fenway, and has gotten up in his last two. Nothing spectacular, but enough to keep us dreaming.
71. Michael Wacha (KCR) – It’s been two straight duds for Wacha and I still think his changeup, slider, and fastball are good enough to be a Toby.
72. Casey Mize (DET) – He’s returning from the IL this week and if the slider is the great glue pitch from before, I’ll be all over him.
73. Andrew Abbott (CIN) – I’m not seeing a stellar version of Abbott, and yet, he’s producing. We’re back to “How is he doing this?!” Abbott.
74. Walbert Ureña (LAA) – Ureña has shockingly been good. Not incredible, but not bad. Just, good.
75. Dustin May (STL) – He’s figured out his attack to LHB, now we wait for the sweeper to earn the whiffs it’s destined to earn to RHB.
76. Nick Martinez (TBR) – Martinez had hit his wall. Is the book out? He deserves one mulligan, no?
77. Foster Griffin (WSH) – Yep, he’s a Toby. Don’t push it.
78. Seth Lugo (KCR) – The kitchen-sink can work and if you need six frames, he’s a solid option.
79. Stephen Kolek (KCR) – Kolek may deserve more love. I hope he gives me no choice and I suggest giving it a spin. He could be off your teams next week.
Tier 11 – What Will They Become?
80. Tatsuya Imai (HOU) – Imai has come through lately, but it sure feels weird. That slider and fastball combo isn’t anything special, and we haven’t seen the sinker/change do a whole lot so far. At least they returned in his last start, eh?
81. Sandy Alcantara (MIA) – Despite taking down the Rays, I still can’t endorse Alcantara. Why? Because the changeup isn’t great, and the whole approach is nothing like what it is when he thrives. He’s as HIPSTER as ever – you can’t be that without the good stuff here and there.
82. Zebby Matthews (MIN) – Zebby is still struggling with command, not control. That is, he can find the zone, but it’s too much so instead of nailing the quadrants, let alone the edges and corners. I don’t buy the ceiling, but recognize that his strike throwing with some whiffability can come through on a given night.
83. Shane Baz (BAL) – I don’t see enough gains from Baz to endorse him. The curve is landing down more regularly, but it also allowed three hits in the lower third of the zone. He’s not overwhelming batters.
84. Trevor Rogers (BAL) – Rogers is showing hints of the absurd 2025 stud and I’m curious if he’s turning the corner with 94 mph four-seamers upstairs, deftly spotted changeups down, and sweepers in the middle. Then again, I saw that earlier in the year and look where that got us.
85. Edward Cabrera (CHC) – You just saw that Still ILL. I could put ECab up higher just for his upside to go 6+ frames. I could also just place him down here and never deal with the anxiety of rostering him, like a true HIPSTER.
86. Connor Prielipp (MIN) – Prielipp and Chandler fall under the same category of “you will be legit in time, but probably not this time.”
87. Bubba Chandler (PIT) – But wait, that last start! It was the same. His command is terrible and he got fortunate. Seriously, it wasn’t what we’ve been waiting for.
88. Kumar Rocker (TEX) – Rocker is Dancing With The Disco and that may be enough. It’s awfully weird to watch it work.
89. Davis Martin (CHW) – It sure feels like Martin has turned into a pumpkin, and now he gets Hotlanata. I could be wrong about this one, and yet, I don’t want to wait until the following start to find out.
90. Trevor McDonald (SFG) – His slider feel has abandoned him and it’s been more of a struggle than expected. Throw in a possible demotion when Tyler Mahle returns, and there’s too much uncertainly for me to bank on this working out.
91. David Sandlin (CHW) – That debut was fun. The hard heater with solid secondaries works, but sadly he hasn’t held onto that command since. It’s just been two blegh outings, though. There’s hope.
Tier 12 – Arms To Consider This Week
92. Peter Lambert (HOU) – I could see myself moving him into Tier 10 given his pitch separation last start, but then again, he didn’t land the four-seamer ideally upstairs. But he gets the Angels this week. That’s why he’s at the top of this tier!
93. Matthew Liberatore (STL) – Libby doesn’t wield his arsenal super well. Until I see a precise SWATCH, I can’t do it.
94. J.T. Ginn (ATH) – Ginn would be higher if he didn’t have to endure the likes of Vegas this week and then…Vegas next week.
95. Jake Bennett (BOS) – He’s back! Please be the SWATCH we saw in your debut, not the…whatever that was in your second game.
96. Grayson Rodriguez (LAA) – That didn’t go well last week, but the four-seamer is still good enough that he could be productive if the secondaries came through.
97. Braxton Garrett (MIA) – He’s expected to return from Triple-A and I’m willing to hit the reset button. I’m not picking him up, of course, just able to forget.
98. Trey Gibson (BAL) – He got the pearl tonight and this ranking was prior to seeing the final line of 4.2 IP, 3 ER, and…zero strikeouts. Yeaaaah, this is probably not going to work out.
99. Brandon Young (BAL) – His four-seamer can tie the whole room together upstairs, creating a boring 5+ inning start of 2/3 ER and a decent WHIP. That’s not for me, but the chance is there.
100. Hunter Dobbins (STL) – Dobbins did well in extended relief over the weekend and could replicate it as a proper starter against the Mets. There isn’t anything particularly special in the arsenal, but it could be deep enough to go six.
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
Eduardo Rodriguez (ARI) – There’s not reason to go after Erod unless he’s getting a strong matchup.
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.
Martín Pérez (ATL) – Hey. You. Why are you doing this to yourself. He was DFA’d, you know. And he came back! For six shutout frames! Very true. And who knows how much longer that will go on for?
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.
Brayan Bello (BOS) – He’s in the minors now. I wonder if he’ll have an opener.
Colin Rea (CHC) – It’s @COL this week and not worth the hold.
Jameson Taillon (CHC) – As much as I want to believe greener pastures are ahead, we can’t take the risk right now.
Javier Assad (CHC) – Maybe he wins the role in time and it would be super boring.
Jordan Wicks (CHC) – I’m super curious how he performs now that he’s getting the call. Let’s wait and see. Update: Welp, it was nothing.
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.
Tanner Bibee (CLE) – Why are you putting yourself through the volatility?
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.
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.
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?
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?
Jack Kochanowicz (LAA) – I saw some terrible command from Jackie K. this weekend and I don’t like his schedule ahead. He was one of the last arms removed from The List.
Eric Lauer (LAD) – He’s on the West Coast now and is still failing to miss bats with his four-seamer.
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) – He’s starting in Pérez’s spot. For now. No thanks.
Tyler Phillips (MIA) – He’s kinda interesting…? Let’s see how he performs in another start.
Brandon Sproat (MIL) – As much as I believe it’ll get better as the season goes on, sub 40% strikes on his cutter last time was a perfect representation of Sproat’s inability to take the next step forward.
Brandon Woodruff (MIL) – Maybe he returns this week? Who knows. I hope he’s alright.
Coleman Crow (MIL) – Crow had another shot and it was what you’d expect from a 91 mph RHP who relies too much on spin.
Robert Gasser (MIL) – I can see a world where I add him in the near future, and I want Gasser to have a good matchup or two ahead of him after boasting the skills we want to see.
Bailey Ober (MIN) – He’snow 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.
Marco Raya (MIN) – There’s a chance he gets a start this week and he’s barely stretched out enough. At the very best, it’s a wait-and-see for Raya and his 96 mph heater.
Mike Paredes (MIN) – This ain’t it.
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?!
Sean Manaea (NYM) – The Mets are giving Manaea an opener and I don’t want to chase him and his sub-90 mph velocity.
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.
Adrian Houser (SFG) – A 15-teamer Toby when he proves he can handle weak opponents. I wonder if he gets bounced for McDonald…
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…?
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.
Ian Seymour (TBR) – The Rays should be starting Seymour, and not as an opener.
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 just got demolished by the Twins. Can’t go for that.
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.
Jake Irvin (WSN) – He’s had a good start or two and I’m not ready to believe he’s going to soar for the next few weeks.
Miles Mikolas (WSN) – You actually CTRL-F’d Mikolas?!
Good luck, everyone!
| Rank | Pitcher | Team | Badges | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul SkenesT1 | PIT | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 2 | Jacob Misiorowski | MIL | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | - |
| 3 | Cristopher Sánchez | PHI | Aces Gonna Ace Quality Starts | +2 |
| 4 | Chris Sale | ATL | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | -1 |
| 5 | Cam Schlittler | NYY | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | -1 |
| 6 | Chase BurnsT2 | CIN | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 7 | Jacob deGrom | TEX | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | - |
| 8 | Shohei Ohtani | LAD | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 9 | Yoshinobu Yamamoto | LAD | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | +1 |
| 10 | Zack Wheeler | PHI | Aces Gonna Ace Ratio Focused | +1 |
| 11 | Joe Ryan | MIN | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | +1 |
| 12 | Bryan Woo | SEA | Aces Gonna Ace Ratio Focused | -3 |
| 13 | Gerrit Cole | NYY | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | - |
| 14 | Tarik SkubalT3 | DET | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +UR |
| 15 | Nathan Eovaldi | TEX | Holly Quality Starts Injury Risk | -1 |
| 16 | Kyle Harrison | MIL | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | - |
| 17 | Kevin Gausman | TOR | Holly Quality Starts | -2 |
| 18 | Nolan McLean | NYM | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | - |
| 19 | Logan Gilbert | SEA | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | - |
| 20 | Gavin Williams | CLE | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | - |
| 21 | Payton Tolle | BOS | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +5 |
| 22 | Drew Rasmussen | TB | Holly Ratio Focused | +1 |
| 23 | Braxton Ashcraft | PIT | Holly Ratio Focused | -6 |
| 24 | Dylan CeaseT4 | TOR | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +UR |
| 25 | Jesús Luzardo | PHI | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -4 |
| 26 | Carlos Rodón | NYY | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | -4 |
| 27 | Bryce Miller | SEA | Cherry Bomb Injury Risk | +3 |
| 28 | Jared Jones | PIT | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +1 |
| 29 | Max Meyer | MIA | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +5 |
| 30 | Logan WebbT5 | SF | Holly Quality Starts Injury Risk | +6 |
| 31 | Shane McClanahan | TB | Holly Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | -6 |
| 32 | Parker Messick | CLE | Holly Quality Starts | -8 |
| 33 | Connelly Early | BOS | Holly Ratio Focused | -2 |
| 34 | Landen Roupp | SF | Holly Quality Starts | -2 |
| 35 | George Kirby | SEA | Holly Quality Starts Injury Risk | -8 |
| 36 | Shota Imanaga | CHC | Holly Strikeout Upside | -8 |
| 37 | Ranger Suarez | BOS | Holly Quality Starts | +19 |
| 38 | Will WarrenT6 | NYY | Holly Wins Bonus | -3 |
| 39 | Ryan Weathers | NYY | Holly Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | -6 |
| 40 | Michael Soroka | ARI | Holly Strikeout Upside | +3 |
| 41 | Emerson Hancock | SEA | Holly Quality Starts | +4 |
| 42 | Troy Melton | DET | Holly Wins Bonus Ratio Focused Injury Risk | +6 |
| 43 | Freddy PeraltaT7 | NYM | Cherry Bomb Wins Bonus | -1 |
| 44 | Framber Valdez | DET | Cherry Bomb Quality Starts | +2 |
| 45 | Emmet Sheehan | LAD | Cherry Bomb Quality Starts Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | -1 |
| 46 | Nick Lodolo | CIN | Cherry Bomb Injury Risk | -7 |
| 47 | Michael King | SD | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -10 |
| 48 | José Soriano | LAA | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -10 |
| 49 | Sonny Gray | BOS | Cherry Bomb | -9 |
| 50 | Kyle Bradish | BAL | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -9 |
| 51 | Roki SasakiT8 | LAD | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | +14 |
| 52 | Ryne Nelson | ARI | Toby Ratio Focused | +1 |
| 53 | Noah Cameron | KC | Toby Quality Starts | +17 |
| 54 | Griffin Jax | TB | Frizzle Rotation Spot Bonus | +14 |
| 55 | Ben Brown | CHC | Frizzle | +12 |
| 56 | Christian Scott | NYM | Toby Strikeout Upside | +6 |
| 57 | Matthew Boyd | CHC | Toby Quality Starts Injury Risk | +UR |
| 58 | Justin Wrobleski | LAD | Toby Wins Bonus Team Context Effect | +6 |
| 59 | Robbie RayT9 | SF | Hipster Strikeout Upside | +2 |
| 60 | Reid Detmers | LAA | Hipster Strikeout Upside | -2 |
| 61 | Gage Jump | ATH | Frizzle Team Context Effect | +21 |
| 62 | Spencer Arrighetti | HOU | Hipster Strikeout Upside | -2 |
| 63 | Spencer Strider | ATL | Hipster Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | -16 |
| 64 | Cade Cavalli | WSH | Hipster Strikeout Upside | +5 |
| 65 | Trey Yesavage | TOR | Hipster Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | -15 |
| 66 | Taj Bradley | MIN | Hipster Strikeout Upside | -7 |
| 67 | MacKenzie Gore | TEX | Hipster Strikeout Upside | -10 |
| 68 | Shane Drohan | MIL | Frizzle Rotation Spot Bonus | -2 |
| 69 | Merrill KellyT10 | ARI | Toby Quality Starts Stash Option | -15 |
| 70 | Bryce Elder | ATL | Toby Quality Starts | -15 |
| 71 | Michael Wacha | KC | Toby Quality Starts | -20 |
| 72 | Casey Mize | DET | Toby Quality Starts Injury Risk | +UR |
| 73 | Andrew Abbott | CIN | Toby Quality Starts | -2 |
| 74 | Walbert Ureña | LAA | Toby Ratio Focused | -2 |
| 75 | Dustin May | STL | Toby Quality Starts | - |
| 76 | Nick Martinez | TB | Toby Wins Bonus | -24 |
| 77 | Foster Griffin | WSH | Toby Quality Starts | +1 |
| 78 | Seth Lugo | KC | Toby Quality Starts | -4 |
| 79 | Stephen Kolek | KC | Toby Quality Starts | +UR |
| 80 | Tatsuya ImaiT11 | HOU | Streaming Option Rotation Spot Bonus | +16 |
| 81 | Sandy Alcantara | MIA | Hipster Quality Starts | -2 |
| 82 | Zebby Matthews | MIN | Hipster Strikeout Upside | -2 |
| 83 | Shane Baz | BAL | Hipster Quality Starts | +3 |
| 84 | Trevor Rogers | BAL | Hipster Quality Starts | +5 |
| 85 | Edward Cabrera | CHC | Hipster Quality Starts | +UR |
| 86 | Bubba Chandler | PIT | Hipster Strikeout Upside | -2 |
| 87 | Connor Prielipp | MIN | Toby Strikeout Upside | -11 |
| 88 | Kumar Rocker | TEX | Streaming Option Ratio Focused | +12 |
| 89 | Davis Martin | CWS | Vargas Rule Quality Starts | -40 |
| 90 | Trevor McDonald | SF | Toby Ratio Focused | -17 |
| 91 | David Sandlin | CWS | Hipster Rotation Spot Bonus | -28 |
| 92 | Peter LambertT12 | HOU | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | -2 |
| 93 | Matthew Liberatore | STL | Toby Streaming Option Quality Starts | -16 |
| 94 | J.T. Ginn | ATH | Streaming Option Quality Starts | -1 |
| 95 | Jake Bennett | BOS | Streaming Option Rotation Spot Bonus | +UR |
| 96 | Grayson Rodriguez | LAA | Hipster Strikeout Upside | -15 |
| 97 | Braxton Garrett | MIA | Streaming Option Rotation Spot Bonus | - |
| 98 | Trey Gibson | BAL | Streaming Option Rotation Spot Bonus | +UR |
| 99 | Brandon Young | BAL | Streaming Option Ratio Focused | +UR |
| 100 | Hunter Dobbins | STL | Streaming Option Rotation Spot Bonus | +UR |
Labels Legend
Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter/X; @justinparadis.bsky.social on BlueSky)
