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 this as 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:
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: Shohei Ohtani (10)
Injured Pitchers Added To The List: Ranger Suarez (42)
Automatic Bump/Fall For Pitchers In The Top 60: (None)
Tier 1 – How Is He Still Doing This
1. Jacob Misiorowski (MIL) –I considered moving him down due to his fatigue and questionable innings remaining but…nah.
2. Tarik Skubal (DET) – He’s looking like Skubal. And that’s awesome.
3. Chris Sale (ATL) – He’s not letting up. It’s kinda bonkers he’s still so dang good after all this time.
4. Cam Schlittler (NYY) – He was a bit bruised by the Dodgers, but it’s not enough to move him down. Super high floor.
5. Zack Wheeler (PHI) – Wheeler looks like Wheeler. It’s pretty dang cool.
6. Joe Ryan (MIN) – I don’t think people appreciate Ryan enough. He’s pitching the best baseball of his career for over a month now.
7. Paul Skenes (PIT) – The velocity didn’t fall further and his command is great. He’s still really good, y’all.
8. Chase Burns (CIN) – He just signed a contract extension with the Reds and his 52% strike four-seamer game is not his future.
Tier 2 – The Other Aces
9. Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LAD) – A complete game is a great way to still keep your inning total up despite fewer starts than your peers. He still has a lower strikeout rate, though. But over more innings! Per start. Not for the year. Oh. Right.
10. Cristopher Sánchez (PHI) – Not only has it been a hitpocolypse lately, but the ASB didn’t do much to calm our fears.
11. Jacob deGrom (TEX) – deGrom was pushed back and not placed on the IL. Wonderful news.
12. Drew Rasmussen (TBR) – He was knocked around and it was a clear One Night Bland. Nothing to fear.
13. Logan Gilbert (SEA) – He’s pumping all the elite fastballs he can. Don’t expect it to stop.
14. Hunter Greene (CIN) – Coronation Day awaits after still looking great in Coors.
15. Dylan Cease (TOR) –I’m not sure I’m able to award an AGA to Cease since his resume is filled with highs and lows. History is destined to be repeated. And yet, you’re starting him every time.
16. Jesús Luzardo (PHI) – Maybe I should be considering Luzardo for the AGA tag after pitching like a stud after his first five starts.
Tier 3 – You’re Dope But Not Dope. Yet.
17. Bryan Woo (SEA) – Woo should be in the higher tier. I’m waiting for him to dominate against a good team on the road so I can put that conversation to bed.
18. Gerrit Cole (NYY) – I LOVED what we got from Cole last start. He’s really starting to look like the guy again and if he can take down the Pirates with ease, he may get the AGA again.
19. Nolan McLean (NYM) – The arsenal is coming together with each start and I really hope he throws more curveballs, especially to RHB. It’s a digusting pitch.
20. Logan Webb (SFG) – Webb was victim to a Careful, Icarus. He’s on the right path for the second half.
21. Braxton Ashcraft (PIT) – He keeps getting close to the second tier, then can’t quite get over the hump. As long as he keeps pumping curves and sliders for strikes, all is well.
Tier 4 – Far Sweeter Than Sour
22. Bryce Miller (SEA) – I’m not saying he’s going to be terrible and that he’s absolutely going to miss time, but 95.1 mph last start is another drop in velo from his 97+ mph and it’s hard to ignore. Remember, he has a bone spur in his elbow and never got surgery.
23. Gavin Williams (CLE) – Every year, there’s that pitcher you feel like should be a Top 10/15 guy but never quite strings together the starts his talent suggests. It feels like a matter of time from Gavin.
24. Payton Tolle (BOS) –I still dislike the “cutter” (it’s a slider) that goes in and out for him, but the four-seamer generally gets it done. I’m just waiting for him to take that real next step.
25. Sonny Gray (BOS) – It’s still Sonny out, but his velocity dropped a tick and his sweeper feel was off, leading to plenty of walks. This may be the highest rank he gets.
26. Kevin Gausman (TOR) –It’s been a bit rough lately, sure, but he’s still Gausman.
27. George Kirby (SEA) –He had a start of nailing the sweeper, then he followed it up with a good outing to LHB, but away sweepers in the zone + backdoor sinkers to RHB. I DON’T GET IT.
28. Troy Melton (DET) – Boy I was tempted to raise him higher, but the sample size is still small enough to favor seasoned arms with stronger floors.
29. Sean Burke (CHW) – Same with Burke. His run feels a little less believable than Melton’s, but it’s been HOT.
30. Justin Wrobleski (LAD) –The four-seamer velocity and command is there, the slider is cooking, and the strikeouts have risen in a big way over the last month. The Dodgers are leaning on their mega-arms for the playoffs, allowing Wrobleski to soak all the innings in the regular season.
31. Foster Griffin (WSH) – He was given a test in Sacré Verde and while it was a fair number of hits and only two strikeouts, he still helped your team. There’s no way you’re benching him now.
Tier 5 – Everyone Who Sees This Wants It Ranked Differently
32. Eury Pérez (MIA) – Pérez is starting to come alive in the way we dreamed he would last winter. The secondaries are earning strikes while the four-seamer is elite.
33. Logan Henderson (MIL) – I adore Henderson when he pitches, but I can’t ignore getting pulled for a forearm cramp, even if all the reports are positive. He missed significant time with a forearm injury, after all.
34. Jared Jones (PIT) – That’s two starts of Jones blasting four-seamers far more than anything else and leaving with a strong stat line. We’re climbing each week he does it.
35. Griffin Jax (TBR) – Ignore his weekend start against the Red Sox, that was a circus. His stuff is unreal and even if he’s limited a little more than others, I want him everywhere. If Jax were locked for 90+ pitches, I’d consider him in Tier 3.
36. Kyle Bradish (BAL) –Bradish’s slider and curveball are the key to everything. I’m not thrilled to see him go sub-50% strikes with the pair in his last start, though he’s had both plenty over the last month. I’m wagering he’ll have them in the second half and massively help your fantasy teams.
Tier 6 – You’re Generally Safe. Ish.
37. Nathan Eovaldi (TEX) – Eovaldi has allowed at least 3 ER in all but one of his last ten games. Wait, seriously?! It’s bananas. The HRs are going to come down, they have to.
38. Shane McClanahan (TBR) – He was up to 97 mph, then fell to 95 mph and the pitch evaded him for a full frame. I imagine he’ll correct it shortly.
39. Parker Messick (CLE) –He’s still a solid play you should generally slot into your lineup. I’m just sad it’s back down to 94 mph + he hasn’t been as rock solid with his command.
40. Shota Imanaga (CHC) – I was told there would be more HRs. I was also told he’d continue to sit around 92 mph, not 90/91 mph. Touché.
41. Ranger Suarez (BOS) – He’s expected back this week and while it may be a Still ILL, he should get back on the horse quickly.
42. Sandy Alcantara (MIA) – Alcantara is churning Quality Starts just in time for the trade deadline. I wonder where he’ll end up.
43. Jake Bennett (BOS) – He’s been a premium SWATCH thus far and I hope it continues despite a lack of breakers to support his fastball + changeup approach.
44. Trevor Rogers (BAL) – Rogers is pumping 94+ mph heaters up with secondaries down. He hasn’t looked better all year.
Tier 7 – This Should Be More
45. Emmet Sheehan (LAD) –Sheehan’s shallow numbers aren’t pretty, but the skills sure are. Trust the positive regression for the second half with a great three-pitch mix destined for a 25-30% strikeout rate and solid ratios. Note: I moved him down into here despite not pitching as the Tier 6 arms looked great and Sheehan fits more with these pitchers.
46. Framber Valdez (DET) –Valdez has a reputation for major performance swings during the season, and it has been a product of his curveball success for the last few years. We just saw him cruise with the hook in his last start, moreso than any start this year save for his first. It could be a sign of what’s to come.
47. Joey Cantillo (CLE) – The curveball focus and uptick in velocity is still here. We’re riding with this until the strikes disappear.
48. Reid Detmers (LAA) – His slider is cooking and that’s all that matters with Detmers.
49. Landen Roupp (SFG) – He bounced back and he’s well-versed with front hip sinkers.
Tier 8 – WHAT DO I DO WITH YOU
50. Hunter Brown (HOU) – The four-seamer (and now sinker, too!) is scaring us with terrible strike rates. Without this foundation, he’s nothing like the guy from 2025.
51. Gage Jump (ATH) – The potential is very much there, but the home park is going to continue holding him back.
52. Ryan Weathers (NYY) –Weathers is Luzardo-lite. He’ll get the strikeouts and the ratios should come with it.
53. Michael King (SDP) – King didn’t have his best changeup, but the breakers stepped up. I’m waiting for that start to get us really amped for him again.
54. MacKenzie Gore (TEX) – Gore filled the zone with four-seamers to RHB and sliders to LHB, while the rest of his arsenal took a vacation. It’s not quite the approach we’re looking for, but the potential is still there.
55. Cade Cavalli (WSH) – The velocity went up to 97 mph and the cutter was a useful strike pitch. As long as he’s not 96 mph with few cutters.
56. Will Warren (NYY) – Warren’s win chance is great, and even if I’m skeptical of his arsenal, it’s hard to send him to the wire. I hope the changeup and sweeper take a step up soon.
57. Freddy Peralta (NYM) – It’s been rough as anything. Peralta hasn’t looked terribly off from previous years, though, and we’ve seen him go on some ridiculous heaters in the past. He’ll likely be on a new squad at the deadline, too, which could jumpstart a fantastic run.
58. Emerson Hancock (SEA) – We’re unclear when he’ll go next after reaching for a comebacker with his pitch hand, and even when he does, his lower arm angle doesn’t inspire confidence.
59. Robbie Ray (SFG) – Why is he still throwing more sinkers than four-seamers to RHB? The four-seamer is his best pitch AND IT’S PERFORMING BETTER.
Tier 9 – It’s Something. It’s A Toby.
60. Peter Lambert (HOU) – He’s a legit Toby and could find himself upgraded to Tier 7 soon if he can keep the strikeouts afloat. Well, not ten strikeouts per game, but one per inning is doable.
61. Dustin May (STL) – It hasn’t been smooth sailing lately, but the stuff is still there. I’m still buying in here.
62. Casey Mize (DET) – The slider is great. Trust in the slider.
63. Ian Seymour (TBR) – Seymour has been knocked around a little in his last two after returning 12 whiffs, but there’s still some SWATCH goodness here. Play the matchups and you’re fine.
64. Matthew Boyd (CHC) – Boyd may be moving up The List in time. I just need to see more of it.
65. Eduardo Rodriguez (ARI) – We finally saw Erod stumble last time out. He wasn’t completely chaotic, but he missed a few too many times with heaters and changeups off the corners. He’s done enough to earn a mulligan and hope he makes the tweak.
66. Nick Martinez (TBR) – Like Eduardo, it’s a glorious Vargas Rule.
67. Walbert Ureña (LAA) – The walks from his last outing are a product of a low changeup strike rate – a rarity for Ureña. He’s made it work.
68. Andrew Abbott (CIN) – Abbott does what Abbott does.
69. Michael Wacha (KCR) – He’s Wacha. You know, the dude who goes six often with a legit changeup and a kitchen sink to support it.
70. Christian Scott (NYM) – I loved the start we saw against he Phillies and boy do I hope he leans on that strong curveball a bit more.
71. Shane Baz (BAL) – Baz’s approach doesn’t quite fit with the group, but the results generally do. His curveball is legit and he’s flexing better command of it with his four-seamer, but if it weren’t for 36% four-seamer foul balls and a 70%+ two-strike rate, he would not have returned nine strikeouts. Temper your expectations.
Tier 10 – What Will They Become?
72. Roki Sasaki (LAD) – He just averaged over 100 mph. HOT DANG. Will he do it again?
73. Taj Bradley (MIN) – The poor command is still here. That’s not good.
74. Brandon Sproat (MIL) – His stuff is still great and the Brewers are continuing to give him reps. There’s a fantastic ceiling if he can replicate high heaters.
75. Jack Flaherty (DET) – Flaherty is a strikeout arm when he has both breakers landing low. They’re landing low more than usually as of late.
76. Shane Drohan (MIL) – He’s getting strikeouts, though I still question if he has a reliable arsenal or not. The sinker makes mistakes and he doesn’t feature a changeup, but the cutter and four-seamer pairing are looking solid + the breakers earned enough strikes combined.
77. Connor Prielipp (MIN) – He was sent to the IL with a blister, but is expected to return this week and I’m leaving him on here, with a little more of a drop than on Thursday since it’s still a little hazy. There’s legit potential in Prielipp, especially if he leans into the curve more and figures out the changeup.
Tier 11 – You Really Don’t Have To Do This
78. José Soriano (LAA) – Soriano had a wonderful start to the year. He’s been erratic and harmful to your team if you’ve held on past those six starts.
79. Trey Yesavage (TOR) – I have no idea how he suddenly returned so many strikes last game. I don’t think he knows. It’s still the same chaotic arm.
80. Tanner Bibee (CLE) – Flip a coin. Good luck. I don’t trust a sinker-first approach from him.
81. Jack Perkins (ATH) – Perkins has potential, though he’s a bit frustrating to roster, especially with Sacré Verde as his home park.
82. Noah Schultz (CHW) – There’s more to tap into with Schultz, who can do well with cutters jamming RHB consistently. If he unlocks whiffs with his changeup and sweeper, we’ll be talking about him all winter.
83. Shane Bieber (TOR) – The movement on his secondaries is improving back to 2025 marks. I don’t quite understand why he threw so many changeups last game, though.
Tier 12 – Arms To Consider This Week
84. Brandon Pfaadt (ARI) – His feel for the sweeper was awesome over the weekend, but are we really ready to lean back into this?
85. Zach Thornton (NYM) – We just saw him go seven fantastic innings with a cutter to RHB they struggled to put on grass. I don’t see enough to warrant hype, but it’s possible he’s a solid Toby for the Mets.
86. Luis Castillo (SEA) – It’s a revenge game against Cincinnati @TEA. That could be a productive Quality Start, though I am concerned about his poor fastball and slider command last time out.
87. Merrill Kelly (ARI) – His changeup and cutter are good enough to compete for six frames each game.
88. Davis Martin (CHW) – Martin isn’t impressing me like his first two months.
89. Reynaldo López (ATL) – He does what he does. Play the matchups and he could steal a Win or two with ease.
90. Michael McGreevy (STL) – McGreevy is quietly inducing outs with legit command. He’s not going to eclipse a 20% strikeout, though, and the regression will be brutal.
91. Dean Kremer (BAL) – Kremer has been a 15-team HIPSTER and it’s possible he’s worth a stream against the RHP-hating Red Sox.
92. Robert Gasser (MIL) – Gasser got it done on Sunday, though I wonder if he has enough in the arsenal to really stick out.
93. Colin Rea (CHC) – He’s always a good streaming option for a dub.
94. Tyler Mahle (SFG) – Mahle took advantage of Rockie Road and has a solid schedule ahead. I wonder if he can go on a decent run.
95. Eric Lauer (LAD) – Here’s a decent Win chance.
96. Janson Junk (MIA) –He returned for five decent frames and it’s possible he can take down a RHB-heavy crew against the Astros.
97. Anthony Kay (CHW) – This may be a little too low, but I’m just not seeing enough from Kay to believe in a strong outing each start.
98. Zebby Matthews (MIN) – He has a chance for QS, but the HRs are killer. He simply throws too many hittable pitches over the plate.
99. Andre Pallante (STL) – He’s lost his four-seamer command lately and the floor is hurting.
100. Kohl Drake (ARI) – He may get a start this week and who knows? Maybe he’s a fun SWATCH.
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
Jose Cabrera (ARI) – I don’t hate Cabrera, his ceiling is still too much of an unknown. His best skill is throwing strikes (so far) and I hope he keeps doing so.
Michael Soroka (ARI) – Soroka could return soon and I’ll wait for Monday to get confirmation. It’ll be a tough week to start him with a Still ILL + the Dodgers, though.
Mitch Bratt (ARI) – I’m not into this at all.
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…
J.T. Ginn (ATH) – I’m terrified of his diminished velocity + his home park is terrible.
Jacob Lopez (ATH) – I don’t believe he can pull off the four-seamer/slider exclusivity for success in the future + “Sacré Varde” is still a thing.
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.
AJ Smith-Shawver (ATL) – Whoa whoa whoa, are you actually coming back in the next week? You can spec-add if you want, I’m curious what we’ll get.
Bryce Elder (ATL) – It’s time to move on after failing to come through against the Giants. It was a, uh, time. It was a time.
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.
Hurston Waldrep (ATL) – It’s very possible we see Waldrep entering the rotation in the near future after showing up after ReyLó, but the quality was awfully blegh. I’m not throwing darts at this with a number of decent streaming options out there.
JR Ritchie (ATL) – He’s back in the rotation and I have such little interest.
Martín Pérez (ATL) – He’s on the IL with a forearm injury and not worth it when he’s starting, save for those desperate for a dub.
Owen Murphy (ATL) – The velocity dropped in his second game and I wonder when we’ll see him again. There is promise in that four-seamer.
Brandon Young (BAL) – I know it’s a quick hook after the 23 whiff game, but his follow-up sure felt like a Double Bubble.
Trey Gibson (BAL) – There is far too much left to polish.
Connelly Early (BOS) – There’s a slight chance he returns next week, and I’ll add him on Monday if he’s confirmed.
Eduardo Rivera (BOS) – He’ll be opening for Bello. Ignore this.
Patrick Sandoval (BOS) – I wonder if “The Irish Panda” has any more magic left. It was kinda interesting last time out…?
David Peterson (CHC) – He’s a Toby at best. I don’t trust him, even if he has a better defense behind him now.
Jameson Taillon (CHC) – It’s unclear if he actually returns this week, and I sure hope he does. It’ll be good to see the fella on the bump again.
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.
Nick Lodolo (CIN) – He’s on the IL again with his blister issue and it’s painful. I think he’s a strong pitcher when he’s able to string together many starts like 2025, but it’s just so hard to keep him on the field.
Rhett Lowder (CIN) – Lowder has moments with great command of fastballs, sliders, and changeups. I’ll let you know when they pop up.
Slade Cecconi (CLE) – I’m waiting for Cecconi to produce a string of starts to force me to consider him again.
Gabriel Hughes (COL) – It’s possible the Rockies give him a spot start. The Rockies. A spot start.
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.
David Sandlin (CWS) – He’s back in the minors.
Erick Fedde (CWS) – Fedde’s cutter came in HOT, then he threw just two last game. WHY?!
Justin Verlander (DET) – Is he actually returning this week? Really? I kinda imagined this was, you know, it. Update: He didn’t. And who knows when.
Keider Montero (DET) – Montero doesn’t do enough to justify a 12-teamer roster spot.
Cristian Javier (HOU) – We saw him for a brief start and he didn’t do enough to force an add.
Kai-Wei Teng (HOU) – Naaaaaah. The breakers can be cool, but it’s really not it, let alone the major question of his length.
Mike Burrows (HOU) – The command simply isn’t there yet.
Ronel Blanco (HOU) – He’s back! And I’m so curious what we get in this Still ILL.
Spencer Arrighetti (HOU) – I think we need to let the Pasta Pirate cook a little longer before we serve him a spot on our teams.
Tatsuya Imai (HOU) – He’s just too much of a wild card. I think you’re better off just not touching it.
Noah Cameron (KC) – Yeaaaah, the ceiling ain’t worth risking the floor.
Randy Dobnak (KC) – Oh snap! Just because it’s cool doesn’t mean it’s good.
Luinder Avila (KCR) – How long will he even go in this rotation?
Mitch Spence (KCR) – Oh snap, he’s a thing again! A THING thing? Nah, just a thing. Dang.
Seth Lugo (KCR) – Lugo hasn’t been a good option for a while.
Stephen Kolek (KCR) – I hope everything in his personal life is okay. I think it’s affecting him (understandably so) and I’d hold off until he looks back to normal.
Alek Manoah (LAA) – Oh dear. Please don’t.
Caden Dana (LAA) – Will he establish himself as a Toby at some point?
Grayson Rodriguez (LAA) – There’s nothing to get excited about with his four-seamer and changeup.
Ryan Johnson (LAA) – He showed up again and it was rouuuuugh. Don’t do this.
Sam Aldegheri (LAA) – He doesn’t pack enough of a punch to be a proper SWATCH.
Shohei Ohtani (LAD) – He’s indefinitely removed from the rotation as he rests up for the playoffs. Stupid knees barking like a dingus.
Braxton Garrett (MIA) – I thought we’d get Garrett soon. Guess not.
Ryan Gusto (MIA) – There may be something of interest here, but let’s wait and see.
Tyler Phillips (MIA) – As much as I want this to work out, it’s not working out.
Kyle Harrison (MIL) – I have no idea what’s going on and I just hope he’s alright. Please return ASAP.
Bailey Ober (MIN) – He’s back from the IL and still struggling to hit 90 mph.
Jack Anderson (MIN) – The Twins claimed Anderson off waivers from the Red Sox and I don’t see enough in this low 90s two-pitch arm from a high arm slot.
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.
Jonah Tong (NYM) – Sent back down to the minors. Sigh.
Kodai Senga (NYM) – I gave him an honest try. Now we wait.
Sean Manaea (NYM) – Manaea’s velocity isn’t at 92 mph and the overall arsenal is meh. Not worth the gamble.
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.
Elmer Rodríguez (NYY) – We expect Elmer to come up in Carlos Rodón’s spot and we’ve yet to see him give us a productive start across the board.
Aaron Nola (PHI) – Nola’s velocity ebbs and flows. I’ll add him again once I feel we can trust him.
Alan Rangel (PHI) – I’m curious how this goes. There’s a chance he’s a decent arm to target for a vulture Win.
Brian Keller (PHI) – He’s not it, y’all.
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.
Bubba Chandler (PIT) – I can’t believe we’re at this point. He’s not getting whiffs on his four-seamer. It’s been three months and nothing’s changed. I can’t do this.
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.
Jhony Brito (SDP) – Looks like Brito will return soon and it’s not something to jump on early.
JP Sears (SDP) – He’s been given a chance to start again and I’m not interested until he wows me.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Matthew Liberatore (STL) – His command isn’t good enough. He can be a 15-team Toby option, but nothing more.
Mason Englert (TBR) – I’m not convinced he’s the next hot thing from Tampa Bay, but I’d pay attention to his next start.
Cal Quantrill (TEX) – THE UNQUANTRILLFIABLE. Actually, we can quantify that he’s not worthwhile. Yeah, but that, you know, ruins it.
Kumar Rocker (TEX) – Show me that you can dominate with 70%+ sliders and cutters.
Tyler Alexander (TEX) – He may open for Winston Santos a game or two. As always, T-Lex has too short of a reach for your fantasy teams.
Max Scherzer (TOR) – I can see Scherzer actually performing well in his next start or two, but he hasn’t proven it yet. Update: Annnnd he’s scratched again.
Patrick Corbin (TOR) – No, this is not the time to restart your PC. You can’t make that joke everytime. YES I CAN.
Spencer Miles (TOR) – He’s being used a follower in the place of Lauer and it’s not worth your time.
Andrew Alvarez (WSN) – I’m not seeing enough to chase this. The Nats haven’t let him go five frames yet, after all.
Miles Mikolas (WSN) – You actually CTRL-F’d Mikolas?!
Zack Littell (WSN) – I know he has his moments, but I don’t trust his Dancing With The Disco approach.
Good luck, everyone!
| Rank | Pitcher | Team | Badges | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jacob MisiorowskiT1 | MIL | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | - |
| 2 | Tarik Skubal | DET | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 3 | Chris Sale | ATL | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 4 | Cam Schlittler | NYY | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 5 | Zack Wheeler | PHI | Aces Gonna Ace Ratio Focused | - |
| 6 | Joe Ryan | MIN | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 7 | Paul Skenes | PIT | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 8 | Chase Burns | CIN | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | - |
| 9 | Yoshinobu YamamotoT2 | LAD | Aces Gonna Ace Wins Bonus | - |
| 10 | Cristopher Sánchez | PHI | Aces Gonna Ace Quality Starts | +1 |
| 11 | Jacob deGrom | TEX | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | +1 |
| 12 | Drew Rasmussen | TB | Aces Gonna Ace Ratio Focused | +1 |
| 13 | Logan Gilbert | SEA | Aces Gonna Ace Strikeout Upside | +1 |
| 14 | Hunter Greene | CIN | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +5 |
| 15 | Dylan Cease | TOR | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | - |
| 16 | Jesús Luzardo | PHI | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | - |
| 17 | Bryan WooT3 | SEA | Ace Potential Ratio Focused | +3 |
| 18 | Gerrit Cole | NYY | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +5 |
| 19 | Nolan McLean | NYM | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside | +11 |
| 20 | Logan Webb | SF | Ace Potential Quality Starts | +1 |
| 21 | Bryce Miller | SEA | Ace Potential Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | -4 |
| 22 | Braxton Ashcraft | PIT | Ace Potential Ratio Focused | - |
| 23 | Gavin WilliamsT4 | CLE | Holly Strikeout Upside | +1 |
| 24 | Payton Tolle | BOS | Holly Strikeout Upside | +2 |
| 25 | Sonny Gray | BOS | Holly Strikeout Upside | +2 |
| 26 | Kevin Gausman | TOR | Holly Quality Starts | +3 |
| 27 | George Kirby | SEA | Holly Quality Starts | +1 |
| 28 | Troy Melton | DET | Holly Ratio Focused | +4 |
| 29 | Sean Burke | CHW | Holly Strikeout Upside | +4 |
| 30 | Justin Wrobleski | LAD | Holly Wins Bonus Team Context Effect | +4 |
| 31 | Foster Griffin | WSH | Holly Quality Starts | +4 |
| 32 | Eury PérezT5 | MIA | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +16 |
| 33 | Logan Henderson | MIL | Holly Ratio Focused Injury Risk | -2 |
| 34 | Jared Jones | PIT | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +UR |
| 35 | Griffin Jax | TB | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +1 |
| 36 | Kyle Bradish | BAL | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +2 |
| 37 | Nathan EovaldiT6 | TEX | Holly Quality Starts Injury Risk | -12 |
| 38 | Shane McClanahan | TB | Holly Strikeout Upside | +1 |
| 39 | Parker Messick | CLE | Holly Quality Starts | +1 |
| 40 | Shota Imanaga | CHC | Holly Strikeout Upside | +1 |
| 41 | Ranger Suarez | BOS | Holly Quality Starts Injury Risk | +UR |
| 42 | Sandy Alcantara | MIA | Holly Quality Starts | +1 |
| 43 | Jake Bennett | BOS | Holly Quality Starts | +2 |
| 44 | Trevor Rogers | BAL | Holly Quality Starts | +2 |
| 45 | Emmet SheehanT7 | LAD | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | -1 |
| 46 | Framber Valdez | DET | Cherry Bomb Quality Starts | +1 |
| 47 | Joey Cantillo | CLE | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +2 |
| 48 | Reid Detmers | LAA | Cherry Bomb Strikeout Upside | +2 |
| 49 | Landen Roupp | SF | Cherry Bomb Quality Starts | +3 |
| 50 | Hunter BrownT8 | HOU | Hipster Strikeout Upside | -8 |
| 51 | Gage Jump | ATH | Hipster Strikeout Upside Team Context Effect | - |
| 52 | Ryan Weathers | NYY | Hipster Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | +1 |
| 53 | Michael King | SD | Hipster Strikeout Upside | +1 |
| 54 | MacKenzie Gore | TEX | Hipster Strikeout Upside | +1 |
| 55 | Cade Cavalli | WSH | Hipster Strikeout Upside | +18 |
| 56 | Will Warren | NYY | Hipster Wins Bonus | - |
| 57 | Freddy Peralta | NYM | Hipster Wins Bonus | - |
| 58 | Emerson Hancock | SEA | Hipster Quality Starts | - |
| 59 | Robbie Ray | SF | Hipster Strikeout Upside | - |
| 60 | Peter LambertT9 | HOU | Toby Quality Starts | +9 |
| 61 | Dustin May | STL | Toby Quality Starts | -1 |
| 62 | Casey Mize | DET | Toby Quality Starts Injury Risk | -1 |
| 63 | Ian Seymour | TB | Toby Ratio Focused | -1 |
| 64 | Matthew Boyd | CHC | Toby Quality Starts Injury Risk | -1 |
| 65 | Eduardo Rodriguez | ARI | Toby Quality Starts | -1 |
| 66 | Nick Martinez | TB | Toby Quality Starts | - |
| 67 | Walbert Ureña | LAA | Toby Quality Starts | - |
| 68 | Andrew Abbott | CIN | Toby Quality Starts | - |
| 69 | Michael Wacha | KC | Toby Quality Starts | +1 |
| 70 | Christian Scott | NYM | Toby Strikeout Upside | +6 |
| 71 | Shane Baz | BAL | Toby Quality Starts | - |
| 72 | Roki SasakiT10 | LAD | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | +8 |
| 73 | Taj Bradley | MIN | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | -1 |
| 74 | Brandon Sproat | MIL | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | - |
| 75 | Jack Flaherty | DET | Frizzle Strikeout Upside | - |
| 76 | Shane Drohan | MIL | Frizzle Ratio Focused | +1 |
| 77 | Connor Prielipp | MIN | Frizzle Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | -12 |
| 78 | José SorianoT11 | LAA | Hipster Strikeout Upside | - |
| 79 | Trey Yesavage | TOR | Hipster Strikeout Upside Injury Risk | - |
| 80 | Tanner Bibee | CLE | Hipster Quality Starts | +1 |
| 81 | Jack Perkins | ATH | Hipster Strikeout Upside | +1 |
| 82 | Noah Schultz | CHW | Hipster Rotation Spot Bonus Injury Risk | +1 |
| 83 | Shane Bieber | TOR | Hipster | +UR |
| 84 | Brandon PfaadtT12 | ARI | Streaming Option Quality Starts | +1 |
| 85 | Zach Thornton | NYM | Streaming Option Quality Starts | -1 |
| 86 | Luis Castillo | SEA | Streaming Option | +UR |
| 87 | Merrill Kelly | ARI | Streaming Option Quality Starts | -1 |
| 88 | Davis Martin | CHW | Streaming Option Quality Starts | -1 |
| 89 | Reynaldo López | ATL | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | -1 |
| 90 | Michael McGreevy | STL | Streaming Option Ratio Focused | -1 |
| 91 | Dean Kremer | BAL | Streaming Option Quality Starts | +UR |
| 92 | Robert Gasser | MIL | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | +4 |
| 93 | Colin Rea | CHC | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | +4 |
| 94 | Tyler Mahle | SF | Streaming Option Quality Starts | +4 |
| 95 | Eric Lauer | LAD | Streaming Option Wins Bonus | +UR |
| 96 | Janson Junk | MIA | Streaming Option Ratio Focused | +3 |
| 97 | Anthony Kay | CHW | Streaming Option Ratio Focused | -3 |
| 98 | Zebby Matthews | MIN | Streaming Option Quality Starts | -7 |
| 99 | Andre Pallante | STL | Streaming Option Ratio Focused | -7 |
| 100 | Kohl Drake | ARI | 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)
