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. 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. (Spring edition: I have a few hypothetical rotation arms on The List who will be off the ranks if they leave camp out of the rotation).
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:
With this update of The List coming the day of Opening Night, I’ve taken all of our injured compatriots and thrown them into a separate table. Injuries are so strange (especially in spring training) and instead of shoving them at random moments on The List, I’ve elected to throw all of them into one table here for you, the wise fantasy manager, to determine if they are worthwhile to stash on your teams or not.
Injured Pitchers Who Will Be Considered When Healthy
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:
Nick’s Loose Minor League SPs to Consider Stashing
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: Tatsuya Imai (45)
Injured Pitchers Added To The List: None
Automatic Bump/Fall For Pitchers In The Top 60: (+1 Spots)
Tier 1 – The True Aces
1. Garrett Crochet – Aces gonna ace.
2. Paul Skenes – Him too.
3. Tarik Skubal – Obviously. Velocity is slightly down with extension, but nothing to worry about. And yes, still #3. Nothing dramatic to change my preseason view. Yet.
Tier 2 – AGA With Something To Prove
4. Bryan Woo – He’s Wheeler 2.0 and I know I said that last time BUT IT’S TRUE. He’s so consistent.
5. Yoshinobu Yamamoto – He’s great, just not the same volume ceiling as Woo.
6. Cristopher Sánchez – We just saw him express the WHIP downside that I was worried about. That’s just a fluke…But his velocity is 94.5 mph, like 2024. JUST A FLUKE. He still has his sinker drop gains.
7. Max Fried – Velocity came back in his last outing. All good here.
8. Shohei Ohtani – Yep. He’s dope and makes us feel dope.
9. Jacob deGrom – deGrom’s knee is apparently not an issue…? Please don’t be an issue.
10. Logan Gilbert – Gilbert is messing around with cutters and a non-splitter changeup, which is fun to see, but for a guy that doesn’t have a track record of commanding his arsenal, it’s tough to imagine him learning those new additions quickly.
11. Chris Sale – After a terrible frame or two, he rebounded, even when Koufax wasn’t kind.
12. Cole Ragans – He’s apparently making his next start despite taking the liner to the hand. Can’t do anything until we know more. Seems like a non-issue for now…?
13. Tyler Glasnow – The slider still isn’t the golden glue, and yet, he’s a fantasy stud.
14. Joe Ryan – Ryan’s velocity is sitting 92/93 mph, not the 94 mph of 2025 and we may have to accept that it won’t climb back up. And yet, he’s still dope. Watch me correct this next week when he’s sitting 93.5 mph.
Tier 3 – So Dang Close To Greatness
15. Cam Schlittler – He was right at the finish line for an AGA tag, and despite collecting 21 whiffs, I cannot grant the tag on a poor ratio night. Next target date is against the Red Sox on the 23rd.
16. Nolan McLean – He’s one away from the AGA tag if he can take down the Dodgers. Good luck. Keep in mind, Citi Field has been generating ridiculous lateral movement for sweepers and/or sinkers, and McLean’s stuff may normalize as we get deeper into the season.
17. Freddy Peralta – I removed the AGA tag, not because he hasn’t been good, he just hasn’t been an SP #1. And that’s okay.
18. George Kirby – Same with Kirby. He’s the king of the Holly and I have this internal debate every season. I’ve taken into account the first few frames of Monday’s game as well, which looked smooth and came with the same embrace for inside sinkers to RHB that I saw last start. I’M SO HAPPY.
19. Shota Imanaga – Imanaga’s four-seamer has been 92 mph all year (not 90/91) and his stuff has been top of the line on our player cards. IM AN AGA. Yes, Shota. Soon.
20. Trevor Rogers – Rogers has done nothing but showcase that last year wasn’t a total fluke. This is likely where he sits for the year, though. Not quite an ace, but always a steady Holly.
21. Jacob Misiorowski – I initially had him lower due to injury risk and overall inefficiency, though he’s been able to cruise through lineups for all the strikeouts and fewer baserunners than expected.
Tier 4 – Quality Volume Most Of The Time
22. Nathan Eovaldi – After a pair of poor outings, it looks like the ship has corrected its course.
23. Kevin Gausman – He is who he is. He’ll have more strikeouts and more Win potential than Rasmussen, but there will be more ratio volatility along the way.
24. Drew Rasmussen – It’s fun to see seven strikeouts after waiting over a week for him to pitch after his paternity leave. Don’t expect 25%+ strikeouts, but there’s no reason to believe he’ll have a poor ERA or WHIP.
25. Jesús Luzardo – Oh look, it’s the volitle Luzardo of old. And that’s okay. The season should bring its ups and downs, but he’s still better than his Miami self. Just not quite as absurdly good as 2025 (outside of those starts).
26. Logan Webb – Hiiiiiii. I had to do something. This isn’t to say that Webb can’t return to the 23-25% strikeout arm in time, but he’s getting hit far more than before and the Giants’ defense isn’t doing him any favors. It’s hard to hold my ground to put Webb in the Top 15 when there are so many overwhelmingly dominant arms out there, even if they won’t go seven frames as often as Webb.
27. Kyle Bradish – Bradish isn’t bad, he’s just not soaring like the end of last year. I expected him to pick off where he left off and I hope he’ll get back there soon. The stamina is sure to improve by May.
28. Framber Valdez – For those who haven’t rostered Valdez before, welcome to the Framber experience. It’s going to be glorious and tragic all season.
29. Eury Pérez – My initial ranking expected more command growth by now from Pérez. That isn’t to say he can’t quickly find the feel for his secondaries and locate his heater upstairs, but time is ticking with every start. When will it click?
30. Sandy Alcantara – He was classic Sandy for two starts…against the CrySox and Reds Carpet. The Tigers messed him up in a game where his secondaries were inconsistent, and he’s made it clear that his 2025 floor hasn’t left.
Tier 5 – I Like You And I Hate That
31. Dylan Cease – After a stud start, you’ll be upset I ranked him so low. Then he has a dud and you want nothing to do with him. I don’t see a reason to believe this season will be out of the ordinary.
32. MacKenzie Gore – Gore is in a much better situation in Texas, but the question remains: Will he be able to carry his success through the second half? Gore was stellar in the opening months of 2025, after all. There’s an argument that the team morale in D.C. was a major factor, and I hope the veteran presence in Texas will keep him afloat.
33. Chase Burns – I was ready to thrust him higher until Burns gave us his first poor outing in a long time. Nothing to truly worry about, though I can’t change his ranking much now, can I?
34. Kris Bubic – Bubic looked like the guy we loved last year. It was the CrySox, though, and if he can prove it’s more to do with the feel for his arsenal, then I’ll move him higher.
35. Robbie Ray – Ray is going to give you 90+ pitches with a strong fastball and a different slider that is working well. The WHIP will fluctuate with his oscillating control.
36. Bubba Chandler – I’m shocked how many questions I got about Bubba Chandler today. Do I drop him for X? What?! NO. Bubba was getting his feet under him for two games, then had a better outing against the Cubs where he wasn’t as wild with his heater and his secondaries found far more strikes, and now he gets three straight excellent matchups. And you want to get rid of him NOW?! This is what we’ve been waiting for! Buy low!
37. Brandon Woodruff – He’s unlikely to push 90+ pitches often, but he’s an efficient arm and a lot like his 2025 self thus far.
38. Shane McClanahan – I disliked what I saw last week, but it was a product of a 43% strike rate on his changeup – a rarity for McShane. Consider him a SWATCH with more velocity than most.
39. Michael King – King hasn’t had a start that reminds me of his dominant 2024 self yet. I know it’s in there and I see it come out for a few innings during his outings, and I’m just waiting for one of those games that convinces me it’ll be here often.
Tier 5.5 – The Pitcher List Hall Of Famers
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Tier 6 – The Banisters Before The Cliff
40. Sonny Gray – He’s Sonny most of the time with a bit of Gray appearing here and there. Don’t try to decipher it, just close your eyes and let it ride.
41. Gavin Williams – To repeat what I said about Williams in the SP Roundup: You’re going to like it, and you’re not gonna like it. Who knows what his mechanics will let him do on a given night, but he’s helpful overall.
42. Ryne Nelson – I’m a big believer in Nelson for his elite four-seamer that continues to get him through outings despite secondaries that have come and go in the past. That said, he’s flexed a new focus of cutters/curves for LHB and sliders for RHB that I think may be the best approach he’s had. That slider is legit on paper. Give him time to polish the approach and it could pay huge dividends.
43. Connelly Early – It hasn’t been the dominance you thought you were getting. I know. Give the kid a moment and time to pitch in warm weather. He’s a wide-arsenal southpaw with good velocity and five pitches that held an above-average PLV last year. Five.
44. José Soriano – I look super dumb for my low rank of Soriano in the preseason, eh? He’s been absurd to kick off the season and even if all the warning signs are there – a five-star HOTEL with 100% LOB, a 3.0 hits-per-nine, and just one HR allowed + overperformance in two-strikes + a massive jump in four-seamer strike rate that is unlikely to last – how could I possibly tell you not to ride this out for as long it goes? He does throw super hard and features a great curveball. It’s the inconsistent command + highly suspect Angels’ defense for the #1 groundballer that has me stressed for the next five months.
45. Shane Baz – We just had a start of Baz losing the feel for his four-seamer and that’s simply not the guy you’re going to get in the heavy majority of outings.
Tier 7 – Just Good Enough
46. Edward Cabrera – He’s leaned more on four-seamers than sinkers and I’m skeptical that it’s the right play for the year. He slashed his walks massively in 2025 once he switched to favor the sinker. At any rate, he’s pitched in terrible weather and I don’t think we’ve gotten a fair look at ECab yet.
47. Aaron Nola – He’s a Holly, doing the things he normally does (even with a few more sinkers inside than usual!). I may be lower on him in future weeks, but I’m not taking him out of my lineups for now.
48. Parker Messick – Messick has been challenged in his early weeks and he’s passed every test. His four-seamer/change BSB command is stellar, even for a SWATCH. I don’t see him as a fluke.
49. Emmet Sheehan – After all my concern for Sheehan, he not only hit 96 mph, but averaged above 95 mph and held it in his start over the weekend. Phew. WE’RE BACK.
50. Randy Vásquez – He pitched in frigid Boston, where his velocity gains disappeared, then proved he still had it with his recent outing in San Diego. I love the wide pitch mix at 96 mph, with a solid change, cutter, and breaker.
51. Andrew Painter – Painter is an above-average pitcher. He’d be a Toby if not for a 96 mph fastball that allows his breakers to excel when he locates decently well. No, he’s not set to be the next stud of Studtown with this arsenal, but he should be a hold all year for a winning Phillies club.
Tier 8 – Is There More Or Is This It?
52. Emerson Hancock – After watching more Hancock, I’m buying what he’s selling…for the most part. The sinker command is still a problem, despite its fantastic ride, but his four-seamer command upstairs is stellar with his new arm angle, allowing for a flat attack that leaves LHB flummoxed. The sweeper to RHB and cutters as a stabilizer to both LHB and RHB works for me.
53. Braxton Ashcraft – Is this a low ranking? I’m not sure where to put him. On one hand, he’s done well and I’d keep riding it stops, but on the other, I question if his command and overall package match the results. His fastballs are not exceptional despite the 96 mph velocity, and his curve/slider feel are average at best. Ashcraft has also struggled with stamina, failing to go six innings for most of his career. That said, this is the first real chance he’s had to be a regular starter and it could be a launching pad.
54. Ryan Weathers – I loved seeing Weathers pull back on his max-effort four-seamers, throwing a little slower to finetune the precision across his arsenal.
55. Kyle Harrison – Harrison took a fastball to the knee – I’m not kidding – and so far it looks like he’s okay. I dig the super flat 94 mph heater that lives upstairs, and if he can find a way to throw 30% changeups to RHB with a 65% strike rate, he’ll be a fantastic arm. That’s a major IF, though, and I’m not confident the curve can step in if the changeup doesn’t develop enough.
56. Nick Pivetta – So, uh, is he okay? I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do with him. There’s no word of an IL stint for now, so I can’t remove him, but I have to rank him in a spot that feels right. So here we are, in Tier 8 where you’d like to roster all of these guys, but it’s not the end of the world if you they leave your team. If he were normal and healthy, he’s right around 20-25.
57. Joey Cantillo – Cantillo is sure to continue finding whiffs with his changeup, though I worry it’ll be at the cost of batters fastball-hunting, which can be awfully easy to do with his questionable four-seamer command. For now, he’s been too good to move on from.
58. Mick Abel – We saw a terrible game in relief, a season debut start in the snow, and one somewhat normal game (sub 50 degrees) where Abel could showcase his excellent fastball upstairs often. He’s one of those arms I expect to be favored entering 2027 drafts as he’s sure to benefit from the reps he gets this year on the mound.
59. Noah Schultz – Whoa, it’s our first major call-up of the year! We follow the PILOT rule here, but I highly recommend picking him up and hoping he flashes young Chris Sale. I wish this 96 mph southpaw had a changeup…
60. Jeffrey Springs – It’s been all sunshine and rainbows for Springs thus far and he can thank passive LHB for not swinging at his poor sliders over the plate in 0-0 counts + two extra inches of vert on his four-seamer. I’m hesitant to roll with him blindly in his home park of Sacré Verde, but the short-term schedule looks too good to pass up right now.
Tier 9 – Fine, You Need Some Innings
61. Andrew Abbott – He’s better than this. We’ve seen Abbott have these moments and while in the past I’ve seen them as “Yep, that’s who he actually is,” I’m not so quick to do so while witnessing an improved four-seamer that has carried over from last year + worse overall command than we usually see. I’d love to stick with him where I can, though I cannot promise it’ll get better overnight.
62. Noah Cameron – Cameron is your quintessential Toby. Not quite electric enough to make you feel good for rostering him (especially after sitting 90/91 mph on a rainy Kansas City night), but his command is above average and should make him competitive in most ball games.
63. Merrill Kelly – It’s a Still ILL this week for Kelly against Baltimore, and I hope he breaks conformity by dominating and getting us back on board right away.
64. Ranger Suarez – Phew. He did a great job against the Cardinals and that feels lovely, though the schedule isn’t superb up ahead and it wasn’t the best version we’ve seen of Suarez. Still, a little bit of confidence can go a long way.
65. Steven Matz – It’s such a good two-step ahead for Matz and he’s executed the SWATCH lifestyle with ease in Tampa Bay. Kinda wild.
66. Kodai Senga – Oh hey, Senga. Are you hurt again? I truly hope you’re not, but that wasn’t pretty over the weekend. At all. Please be okay. If he comes out with guns ablazing next start, he’s shooting back up the ranks.
67. Michael Wacha – It’s pretty wild, but Wacha has been phenomenal out of the gate. He’s had some great matchups, sure, but we’re getting near SP #70 and having a pitcher take advantage of his schedule is money.
68. Will Warren – Warren hasn’t been super impressive and reverted to the sinker/four-seamer arm that makes me frustrated (where’s the dope sweeper and changeup?!), but he can still churn out 5/6 productive frames and compete for a Win each time he’s on the bump. That’s a borderline Toby.
Tier 10 – “Take Chances, Make Mistakes, Get Messy!”
69. Taj Bradley – Yes, the strikeouts are there. He also missed with so many splitters up and way out of the zone. I just can’t throw away years of Bradley being a volatile arm for a few outings of better command, especially when he just walked four batters.
70. Landen Roupp – He’s close. I just need to see one or two more outings of Roupp locating his four-pitch mix and I’ll believe it. I don’t like the floor when he’s failing with his sinker or curve.
71. Janson Junk – Junk’s command hasn’t been what it was last season, making his improved four-seamer far less effective than you’d think given its great Fan4+ numbers (95+ velocity, flat attack angle, elite vert, solid extension). I hope we see a game of strikeouts galore to get me back on the hype train. That said, he isn’t terrible without those strikeouts, just not someone I want every time out there.
72. Jack Leiter – Leiter doesn’t know where it’s going and it prevents him from executing a gameplan, despite a wide arsenal of legit stuff. It’s maddening. He’s the modern poster child of a HIPSTER.
73. Spencer Arrighetti – Oh snap, it’s the Pasta Pirate! He returns from the IL this week to get Rockie Road and I’m not treating it like a typical Still ILL given 82 pitches and six frames in his final Triple-A tuneup. That’s the same as Colorado away from Coors, right?
74. Justin Wrobleski – I love seeing Wrobo Cop in the rotation and he’ll get the wounded Mets crew this week, but I haven’t seen him flex a wide arsenal yet (mostly just four-seamer/slider) and the velocity hasn’t been too great. I’d prefer to wait and see.
75. Max Meyer – His gyro slider and sweeper are elite, the command + fastballs are not. I don’t love chasing it at the moment.
76. Michael Soroka – We’ve seen far more strikeouts than expected from Soroka, all thanks to a fantastic feel for his curveball. Is that enough? Will it always be there? The new cutter hasn’t made much of an impact thus far.
Tier 11 – You Could Do Worse For Now
77. Reynaldo López – He hasn’t let you down yet, but he’s throwing softer than 2024 with the same problems – a low strike rate on anything but his middling heater. That doesn’t include his last start, where the slider was able to help more than usual. I wish I could believe it would be there every time out.
78. Seth Lugo – Lugo’s curveball hasn’t found its missing velocity, but the results have been there. I sure hope we can ride this Vargas Rule for a while.
79. Eduardo Rodriguez – Speaking of a Vargas Rule, Eduardo has been fantastic since the WBC, looking like a veteran SWATCH. Maybe it sticks past these initial outings?
80. Rhett Lowder – Lowder couldn’t locate in his most recent outing, but it was an outlier compared to every other game I’ve seen of him. I imagine we’ll get a Toby with a good change + slider and shockingly tough to hit fastballs.
81. Matthew Liberatore – I want to put Liberatore higher, but he has yet to properly wrangle his pitch mix. Once he’s hitting the changeup away and ruling with the slider, he’ll be in the higher Toby tier.
Tier 12 – Could Be All The Hype In A Week Or Two
82. Mike Burrows – This is taking into account Monday’s game in Seattle where I do not understand his sequencing. Two fastballs to Naylor for a HR, then another fastball in the third for another HR. I DON’T GET IT. It was weird to see that I started to feel like my ranking was “in” on Burrows and I had to pull him back down.
83. Anthony Kay – We got a great outing from Kay, but I’m still waiting for a start where he flexes the best version of his changeup and cutter together.
84. Sean Burke – Burke has flexed better ability as of late, though I’m not quite sure I want to trust it to hold in future weeks. Pay attention and see if it’s time to jump in.
85. Cade Cavalli – I’m not as in on Cavalli as others – the curveball/sweeper is great, but the fastballs are not the foundation I want them to be – though I recognize he could improve with each outing.
86. Reid Detmers – He’s been able to get whiffs with his fastball/slider, and I wish there was more. He does seem to be an above-average streamer for strikeouts when the matchup looks right.
Tier 13 – Six Innings Often, But At What Cost?
87. Brayan Bello – Ehhhhhh. Not the best schedule ahead, but if you need innings and a chance for a Win, Bello is fine.
88. Zac Gallen – Gallen has a tough schedule right now and I’d rather not endure it. I’ll be back in when May arrives.
89. Luis Castillo – Castillo is known as a guy to start at home…but he just got demolished in Seattle. I question if the fastball and slider are good enough to keep him worthwhile on your teams, but yes, he has a decent Win and QS chance.
90. Tanner Bibee – The four-seamer vert has improved and it shows promise, while the consistency isn’t there across everything – especially the changeup.
91. Slade Cecconi – Cecconi’s new cutter emphasis is cool, but the results are too meh for me to chase. He fits the tier name to a T, though.
92. Clay Holmes – He’s been a WHIP killer as a starter and now he has a hamstring tweak that is apparently not an issue, but it’s likely an issue.
Tier 14 – Good Enough? Maybe?
93. Colton Gordon – He’ll get Rockie Road and that could work out. Don’t love Gordon as a whole, though.
94. Foster Griffin – I talked about Griffin with Eno on The Craft and he’s a large-arsenal southpaw who doesn’t have the changeup I want him to have. It’s awfully meh.
95. Grant Holmes – He’ll have a chance at strikeouts for this week’s stream against the Marlins. That said, REB has a low floor I’d prefer not to test.
96. Dustin May – We finally saw a glimpse of what I believe May can be in his last outing, with all of his pitches working in tandem. It’s unclear if this is the way it’ll be moving forward, though.
97. Brady Singer – Maybe he belongs in the tier above, though Singer is looking less and less appealing every week.
98. Brandon Williamson – Williamson has the making of a proper Toby with a good cutter and changeup, but he needs to actually execute them for that reality to exist.
99. Bryce Elder – You’re still here. He didn’t do well against the Guardians due to their LHB-heavy lineup and he may have a better time against the Marlins.
Tier 15 – JUST GIVE HIM A CHANCE
100. Brandon Sproat – I know. Truly, I know. He should be back in the rotation as long his knee isn’t actually an issue, and with his improved stuff, I still believe he’ll smooth out the bumps to become a solid arm at 96/97 mph and a wide arsenal. It’s in there.
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
Brandon Pfaadt (ARI) – He’s doing a lot of the right things to LHB, but it’s still not quite working. I don’t feel incentivized to chase this.
Aaron Civale (ATH) – When is the last time you’ve actually been able to trust Civale? Now, after three games of success and the White Sox! In Sacré Verde? Do you really trust him? …No.
J.T. Ginn (ATH) – He returned for a short outing and we need to see a whole lot more before going after this.
Jack Perkins (ATH) – He piggybacked with Ginn and I simply don’t see enough in the arsenal to give it a whirl if he ever does get a proper rotation spot.
Jacob Lopez (ATH) – We had a few more strikeouts over the weekend (three in the first!) and then the walks came. Give it time.
Luis Severino (ATH) – I liked what we saw in his first start, and despite thinking this is a better Severino this season, he starts in home moving forward. This isn’t it.
Didier Fuentes (ATL) – It’s possible Atlanta calls up Fuentes with Pérez’s release, though it would likely be on next Tuesday given Atlanta’s off-day this Thursday. And even so, I think there’s a whole lot inflated hype around Fuentes. We didn’t see his four-seamer return whiffs and his secondaries are questionable. As much as I like the under-the-hood marks on that fastball, I wouldn’t bank so hard that the moment he arrives, he’s awesome. So ignore him? Nah, if he gets the call, spec-add. He’s not worth stashing for a whole week, though.
JR Ritchie (ATL) – Hey, it could be Ritchie instead of Fuentes. And I don’t love it, personally. Nothing in his arsenal screams electric.
Martín Pérez (ATL) – Hey. You. Why are you doing this to yourself. He was DFA’d, you know. He could return. Why is the conversation we’re having.
Cade Povich (BAL) – Povich’s first proper outing was a success, but it wasn’t the most believable outing, even at 17 whiffs. He’s back in Triple-A now with Kremer taking Eflin’s spot, so let’s just end this discussion here.
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.
Colin Rea (CHC) – With Horton out, Rea is in, and he’ll be a streaming option when the schedule eases up.
Jameson Taillon (CHC) – As much as I want to believe in Taillon after fanning ten, he also continues to have disaster innings that make it hard to trust for a full outing.
Javier Assad (CHC) – We’re seeing likely seeing Assad take Boyd’s spot in the rotation indefinitely, and I need to see something worth our time before chasing it.
Matthew Boyd (CHC) – It’s unclear when he returns to the rotation, allowing Assad to get one more turn against the Phillies at minimum. He’ll be back in the 40s or so when he does.
Davis Martin (CHW) – Once again, I’m leaving off Martin as he’s forced to pitch in Sacré Verde. It’s not worth it.
Erick Fedde (CHW) – Oh, we’re back with the White Sox again? What’s your agenda?!
Grant Taylor (CHW) – He’s an opener. But what if he actually started. He’d be dope. But he isn’t. He’s a reliever. BUT– HE’S NOT STARTING.
Shane Smith (CHW) – After an eight strikeout game across just eleven outs, Smith was demoted. Their openning day starter. Demoted.
Chase Dolander (COL) – He’s starting now and honestly, looks much better than last year. Sadly, he’s still in Coors and needs to get reps outside of the ridiculous conditions of Colorado to develop properly. Sigh.
Jose Quintana (COL) – He’s in Colorado now. Maybe there– He’s also on the IL now. Oh.
Kyle Freeland (COL) – Same ole, same ole.
Michael Lorenzen (COL) – You can’t do anything, even with all of your strength.
Ryan Feltner (COL) – This ain’t it.
Tomoyuki Sugano (COL) – I’m just happy he gets regular starts.
Casey Mize (DET) – Mize has featured diminished velocity early and nothing exciting to pull me in.
Jack Flaherty (DET) – I was hoping to see something new to get me interested in Flaherty again. Nope.
Justin Verlander (DET) – Close to making The List and he could settle in as a Toby…when returning from his hip injury.
Keider Montero (DET) – Verlander went down, and Montero stepped in. The exciting fastball from the spring has vanished.
Cody Bolton (HOU) – I don’t think he’s pitching again after walking three to start the second before getting the hook + back problems. Maybe that means we’ll see…
J.P. France (HOU) – …BONJOUR. Oh hey, France. I said BON-JOUR. Not now, I’ll greet you when you show me something on the bump. D’accord.
Lance McCullers Jr. (HOU) – There’s always a chance he has one of those fun games, but hot dang, the floor is so rough.
Jack Kochanowicz (LAA) – Kochanowicz has been a bit more interesting as of late, but I need him to be great to overlook the historically terrible floor.
Mitch Farris (LAA) – No more Klassen, Farris will give him a day off and I’m not gonna lie, Farris may be a streaming pick. In like two weeks.
Ryan Johnson (LAA) – I don’t see an exciting arm here.
Yusei Kikuchi (LAA) – Kikuchi’s slider is still cool, but nothing else is there. Incredibly volatile.
Roki Sasaki (LAD) – Until he has a proper mix, I’m very out on Sasaki.
Chris Paddack (MIA) – The upside is too limited and now he’s sitting 92/93 mph. No thanks.
Chad Patrick (MIL) – He only tossed three frames in his last game, making rostering him a game of hoping he’ll go 5+ frames, which is already a gamble to be quality.
Bailey Ober (MIN) – He’s sub 89 mph lol.
Simeon Woods Richardson (MIN) – SWR was a wild card entering the year and after an unimpressive spring, it’s best to wait and see.
David Peterson (NYM) – The schedule is super tough and he’s a Toby at best.
Luis Gil (NYY) – We just saw Gil return and it was the chaotic arm we remember. I’m just not seeing enough stable upside to chase.
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.
Zack Wheeler (PHI) – I’d imagine Wheeler returns next week and I’m getting stoked. His velocity will likely be down a little, but Wheeler at 94/95 is still a fantastic pitcher. Just not top 10.
Carmen Mlodzinski (PIT) – He’s not efficient and the heater is unlikely to return five strikeouts again.
Mitch Keller (PIT) – Is it wrong to leave Keller off The List? As much as I want to believe he’s found a new beginning with his four-seamer, he’s throwing low 90s now. Yuck.
Germán Márquez (SDP) – His curveball (it’s really a gyro slider at 85 mph) earned all the whiffs in his final spring start. Naaaaah. Don’t buy it.
Walker Buehler (SDP) – I’m not buying that the Padres fixed him.
Adrian Houser (SFG) – A 15-teamer Toby when the schedule opens up.
Tyler Mahle (SFG) – He’ll be on The List in due time, he just has a poor opening schedule.
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) – I know, he got great results! He also did it with two ticks lower velocity. Oh dang. Not something to believe in.
Jesse Scholtens (TBR) – The Rays may go with Scholtens for a start with Boyle on the IL and Pepiot needing a rehab outing. Don’t expect many innings, even if he goes two games.
Nick Martinez (TBR) – He was delayed with a hamstring issue after a horrific spring outing. Why risk it?
Ryan Pepiot (TBR) – Expect Pepiot back next week after one or two rehab starts.
Jacob Latz (TEX) – He stepped in for deGrom over the weekend once, and now he’s back to the pen.
Kumar Rocker (TEX) – Rocker has gone slider-heavy (not cutter heavy) and I have no idea what we’ll see next.
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.
Eric Lauer (TOR) – He just returned 17 whiffs against the Athletics and I was in shock. His fastball is not this good, and it was even worse in Chicago, sitting three ticks down at 88 mph. Nooooope.
Miles Mikolas (WSN) – You actually CTRL-F’d Mikolas?!
Zack Littell (WSN) – I wonder how stretched out he is and how close he is to his peak. I think he got away with a whole lot last season and his new team context only hurts.
Jake Irvin (WSN) – Irvin was able to take down the Cubs – sweet! – and I have no faith he can keep doing so. No major changes that I’m aware of to suggest he can keep doing it.
Good luck everyone!
Labels Legend
Aces Gonna Ace
Ace Potential
Holly
Toby
Cherry Bomb
Hipster
Vargas Rule
Frizzle
Streaming Option
QS Bonus
Wins Bonus
Strikeouts Bonus
Ratios Bonus
Rotation Spot Bonus
Team Context Effect
Stash Option
Injury Risk
Playing Time Question
Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter/X; @justinparadis.bsky.social on BlueSky)