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With nearly two months in the books, this fantasy season is testing the IL and depth management of most fantasy teams. Being ready with the next man up is critical, with a healthy dose of injury luck helping immensely! All we can do is play our game and stay prepared, so study up with the latest version of my weekly Starting Pitcher Baller Ranks, where we take stock of my top 101 SPs moving forward.
As usual, the ranks table below comes with this google sheet that accompanies the table and adds relevant 5x5 stats, K%, BB%, BABIP, and CSW%. Do note that I leave off most injured players, and removing those injured players can give an illusion that others have risen despite mediocre performances.
To be clear, these Rest of Season ranks are geared towards traditional 5x5 leagues sans most injured SPs, lest a return is imminent. If 25% of the board is on the IL, then it isn't terribly actionable, and I'll intermittently weave in updates of where I'd throw them in if they were healthy. For now, let's dive into my Top 101 SPs, featuring brief thoughts on every dang name.
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Top 101 Starting Pitchers for Fantasy Baseball - Week 9
| (+/-) | Tier | Player | Rank | EV | $ | $PV | Trend | Notes |
| 0 | 1 | Jacob deGrom | 1 | 18.0 | 42.0 | 42.0 | 0.0 ▬ | Looked crispy in rehab outing, still the alpha |
| 0 | 1 | Gerrit Cole | 2 | 22.1 | 40.0 | 40.0 | 0.0 ▬ | Outstanding form, 4 Ws in last 6 helps |
| 1 | 2 | Trevor Bauer | 3 | 12.4 | 36.0 | 35.0 | 1.0 ▲ | MLB's heel continues to execute, B2B 10+ Ks |
| -1 | 2 | Shane Bieber | 4 | 13.3 | 35.0 | 36.0 | -1.0 ▼ | Sub-3.00 FIP/xFIP/SIERA, way too hittable; .354 BABIP not all bad luck |
| 0 | 2 | Yu Darvish | 5 | 15.4 | 33.0 | 33.0 | 0.0 ▬ | Rebounded from short Coors game w/ 10 K over 7 shutout IP |
| 0 | 2 | Max Scherzer | 6 | 12.2 | 31.0 | 31.0 | 0.0 ▬ | 4 BBs in last start, let's reel that in |
| 0 | 2 | Brandon Woodruff | 7 | 14.4 | 29.5 | 29.5 | 0.0 ▬ | 9 QS in a row, only 3 Ws -- some deGromitis here |
| 0 | 2 | Clayton Kershaw | 8 | 14.3 | 28.5 | 28.5 | 0.0 ▬ | Kershaw doing Kershaw things, set-and-forget top 10 |
| 0 | 2 | Corbin Burnes | 9 | 17.6 | 28.0 | 28.0 | 0.0 ▬ | Like Woodruff, also only 2 Ws. Messy 'pen |
| 0 | 3 | Tyler Glasnow | 10 | 10.7 | 26.0 | 26.0 | 0.0 ▬ | Ugly day @TOR (4.2 IP, 5 ER, 2 K) but 10+ K in 4 of 5 prior |
| 1 | 3 | Jack Flaherty | 11 | 9.5 | 25.5 | 24.5 | 1.0 ▲ | Eight QS & W's in a row, this is what Woodruff should have |
| 1 | 3 | Walker Buehler | 12 | 9.3 | 24.5 | 24.0 | 0.5 ▲ | Looking better, hit 105 pitches on May 22 |
| 2 | 3 | Zack Wheeler | 13 | 17.9 | 24.0 | 22.0 | 2.0 ▲ | Last month: 3-0, 46.1 IP, 8 ER, 52/6 K/BB; Elite territory |
| 2 | 3 | Kevin Gausman | 14 | 14.3 | 22.0 | 21.0 | 1.0 ▲ | Fade hot April/May at own risk, growing off 2020 success |
| -1 | 3 | Lance Lynn | 15 | 9.4 | 22.0 | 22.0 | 0.0 ▬ | Only 2 ER across his last 3 starts (16 IP), ol' reliable |
| -5 | 3 | Aaron Nola | 16 | 13.3 | 21.0 | 25.5 | -4.5 ▼ | 3 consecutive starts with 1.50+ WHIP; command looks off |
| 0 | 4 | Lucas Giolito | 17 | 4.7 | 20.0 | 20.0 | 0.0 ▬ | Found footing w/ 8 IP, 1 ER, 11 K; please stay hot |
| 1 | 4 | Trevor Rogers | 18 | 12.0 | 19.0 | 18.5 | 0.5 ▲ | NL RoY campaign cruising, whiffs keep coming |
| 2 | 4 | Julio Urias | 19 | 13.6 | 18.5 | 15.0 | 3.5 ▲ | Showing masterful command, WHIP keeps falling |
| -2 | 4 | Sandy Alcantara | 20 | 7.2 | 16.5 | 19.0 | -2.5 ▼ | 6 scoreless w/ 9K after LAD disaster; he's fine |
| 2 | 4 | Hyun-Jin Ryu | 21 | 9.3 | 15.0 | 14.5 | 0.5 ▲ | 3 straight QS with 6+ Ks, benefit from leaving Dunedin |
| -2 | 4 | John Means | 22 | 14.1 | 15.0 | 16.5 | -1.5 ▼ | 2 HRs in 5th ruined his TB start, |
| 11 | 4 | Carlos Rodon | 23 | 14.7 | 14.5 | 9.0 | 5.5 ▲ | Season-high 13 Ks @NYY, hot streak running |
| 0 | 4 | Lance McCullers Jr. | 24 | 5.2 | 14.5 | 14.5 | 0.0 ▬ | Walks open door for scary innings, whiffs close them; Volatile |
| 1 | 4 | Joe Musgrove | 25 | 10.7 | 13.0 | 12.5 | 0.5 ▲ | Dominated road Rockies, 7 IP, 0 R, 11 K; needed that |
| 1 | 4 | Max Fried | 26 | 3.1 | 12.5 | 12.5 | 0.0 ▬ | Only 2 K vs PIT but now 4 straight starts w/ 1 ER, nice |
| 1 | 5 | Ian Anderson | 27 | 8.6 | 11.5 | 11.5 | 0.0 ▬ | Trio of QS lately, 5 of last 6; control improving |
| 7 | 5 | Pablo Lopez | 28 | 10.1 | 10.0 | 9.0 | 1.0 ▲ | Had 2 shaky games, then blanked Mets w 8 K over 7 IP |
| 10 | 5 | Stephen Strasburg | 29 | -0.7 | 10.0 | 8.0 | 2.0 ▲ | 5.1 scoreless IP in return, 4/4 K/BB was rusty |
| -1 | 5 | Zach Eflin | 30 | 12.3 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 0.0 ▬ | Only 5 BBs so far; 3.01 FIP and 3.36 SIERA |
| 0 | 5 | Marcus Stroman | 31 | 6.1 | 10.0 | 10.0 | 0.0 ▬ | Bounceback from 3HR start w/ 6 IP, 2 ER, 8 K @MIA |
| -2 | 5 | Blake Snell | 32 | 4.9 | 9.5 | 10.0 | -0.5 ▼ | Another road Rox crusher: 6 IP, 1 ER, 11 K; then flopped again, ugh |
| -11 | 5 | Jose Berrios | 33 | 7.2 | 9.5 | 15.0 | -5.5 ▼ | Even his last couple of wins have been bloated |
| 2 | 5 | Zach Plesac | 34 | 4.0 | 9.0 | 8.5 | 0.5 ▲ | 5 HR across last 3 starts, only 3.2 IP Sunday |
| -3 | 5 | Tyler Mahle | 35 | 5.6 | 8.5 | 10.0 | -1.5 ▼ | 7 ER in 2+ IP burns, BABIP'd hard; don't panic |
| 1 | 5 | Freddy Peralta | 36 | 11.0 | 8.0 | 8.5 | -0.5 ▼ | 1 BB in 4 of last 6; others have been poor w/ 3 or 4 BBs |
| 1 | 5 | Shohei Ohtani | 37 | 4.4 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 0.0 ▬ | Didn't have best stuff but still 2 ER over 4.2 IP; next start May 28 |
| 5 | 5 | Robbie Ray | 38 | 0.9 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 0.0 ▬ | 7 innings of 1-run ball vs. TB, steady SP4 |
| 11 | 5 | Chris Bassitt | 39 | 10.3 | 8.0 | 6.5 | 1.5 ▲ | QS in 6 of last 7, 54 K in those 44.2 IP |
| -7 | 5 | Sonny Gray | 40 | 3.3 | 8.0 | 9.5 | -1.5 ▼ | 4 BB, another HR in latest start, not ideal |
| 3 | 6 | Aaron Civale | 41 | 4.9 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 0.0 ▬ | Bad start, good start (3x) since mid-April; good should win out |
| 6 | 6 | Zack Greinke | 42 | 7.9 | 8.0 | 6.5 | 1.5 ▲ | 2 great wins after 3 straight 4 IP stinkers |
| 17 | 6 | Corey Kluber | 43 | 7.6 | 8.0 | 3.0 | 5.0 ▲ | Another no-no for 2021, Klubot deserves it |
| -19 | 6 | Dylan Bundy | 44 | 2.6 | 8.0 | 14.0 | -6.0 ▼ | Shelled in 3 straight: BOS, LAD, OAK; no command |
| 6 | 6 | Alex Wood | 45 | 7.5 | 8.0 | 5.5 | 2.5 ▲ | 2 ER or fewer in all 7 starts this year, beautiful |
| -6 | 7 | Luis Castillo | 46 | 2.4 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 0.0 ▬ | Unforgivable 2021, 11-K start can't redeem this |
| -5 | 7 | Eduardo Rodriguez | 47 | 6.7 | 7.0 | 8.0 | -1.0 ▼ | Yielded 4 ER in first inning @PHI then settled, too inconsistent |
| -1 | 7 | Charlie Morton | 48 | 4.9 | 6.5 | 7.0 | -0.5 ▼ | 1 ER in May 19 QS, needed after 4 straight busts |
| 8 | 7 | Kyle Hendricks | 49 | -0.1 | 6.5 | 3.0 | 3.5 ▲ | Settling down? 3 Ws w/ 1 ER each in last 4, @PIT next |
| -4 | 7 | Cristian Javier | 50 | 4.6 | 6.5 | 8.0 | -1.5 ▼ | |
| 7 | 7 | Adbert Alzolay | 51 | 3.4 | 5.5 | 3.0 | 2.5 ▲ | Nearly all damage via HR, 0 BB in last 3 starts (18 IP) |
| 0 | 7 | Andrew Heaney | 52 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 0.0 ▬ | |
| 15 | 7 | Domingo German | 53 | 5.8 | 4.5 | 2.0 | 2.5 ▲ | Dominated TEX w/ no walks over 7 scoreless; steady resource |
| -1 | 7 | JT Brubaker | 54 | 1.6 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 0.0 ▬ | Thumped in 2 straight road starts, gets COL at home next |
| 1 | 7 | Yusei Kikuchi | 55 | 2.9 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 0.0 ▬ | |
| 3 | 7 | Madison Bumgarner | 56 | 7.8 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 ▲ | |
| -3 | 7 | Sean Manaea | 57 | 7.7 | 3.0 | 4.5 | -1.5 ▼ | Tagged for 10 hits in B2B starts, steady the ship |
| 11 | 8 | Jordan Montgomery | 58 | 8.5 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 ▲ | Followed worst start of '21 with best: 7 IP, 0 ER, 11 K |
| 7 | 8 | Matthew Boyd | 59 | 12.4 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 0.5 ▲ | |
| 10 | 8 | Garrett Richards | 60 | 6.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 ▲ | |
| 10 | 8 | Kyle Gibson | 61 | 9.5 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 1.0 ▲ | 9 straight QS since horrid '21 debut, 1 ER or fewer in 7 of those |
| -7 | 8 | Dylan Cease | 62 | 9.3 | 2.5 | 4.0 | -1.5 ▼ | Season-worst 5 ER, 4 BB @NYY on May 22 |
| -1 | 8 | Adam Wainwright | 63 | 3.2 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 0.0 ▬ | 8+ IP gems in 3 of last 5, 5+ ER in other 2; beyond streamer |
| -1 | 8 | Jameson Taillon | 64 | 4.1 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 0.0 ▬ | |
| 8 | 8 | Luis Garcia | 65 | 0.7 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 0.5 ▲ | |
| 10 | 8 | Rich Hill | 66 | 2.9 | 2.0 | 1.5 | 0.5 ▲ | .143 BABIP in last month is silly, but he makes batters uncomfortable |
| 10 | 9 | Frankie Montas | 67 | 2.3 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.5 ▲ | 3 ER or fewer in five consecutive starts, lower ceiling |
| 13 | 9 | Chris Paddack | 68 | 5.8 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.5 ▲ | 6 IP for 1st time in '21; 12/4 K/BB, 2 ER in 13 IP since return |
| 9 | 9 | Dinelson Lamet | 69 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.5 ▲ | 2 multi-inning relief appearances last week, is this the plan? |
| N/A | 9 | Alek Manoah | 70 | 0.0 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 1.5 ▲ | Highly-touted TOR arm to debut Wednesday |
| 1 | 9 | Nathan Eovaldi | 71 | 14.1 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0.0 ▬ | Doing okay but lesser whiffs lately reduces upside |
| 3 | 9 | Anthony DeSclafani | 72 | 7.6 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0.0 ▬ | Panic! At The Disco w/ 10 ER vs LAD, faces them again next |
| -6 | 9 | Patrick Corbin | 73 | -1.5 | 1.5 | 2.0 | -0.5 ▼ | 7 IP, 1 ER, 9 K gem followed by 2 clunkers; risky streamer |
| 6 | 9 | Cole Irvin | 74 | 6.3 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.5 ▲ | |
| -10 | 9 | Shane McClanahan | 75 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 2.5 | -1.0 ▼ | 26/7 K/BB in 22.1 IP so far, building up the arm |
| 3 | 9 | Brady Singer | 76 | 7.9 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.5 ▲ | |
| 6 | 9 | Griffin Canning | 77 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.5 ▲ | |
| 6 | 9 | Nick Pivetta | 78 | 7.6 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 ▬ | |
| 6 | 10 | German Marquez | 79 | 6.6 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 ▬ | Fresh off best start of 2021, but BBs huge issue |
| 6 | 10 | Dallas Keuchel | 80 | 4.4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 ▬ | |
| 8 | 10 | Drew Smyly | 81 | -3.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 ▬ | |
| 12 | 10 | Kwang Hyun Kim | 82 | 6.7 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 ▬ | |
| -1 | 10 | Tyler Anderson | 83 | 5.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 ▬ | |
| 13 | 10 | Casey Mize | 84 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 ▬ | Keeps flashing brilliance, gets road Rox on Monday |
| N/A | 10 | Austin Gomber | 85 | 5.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 ▲ | Coors & occasional BB surge lowers floor but he's looked good |
| 4 | 10 | David Peterson | 86 | 3.4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 ▬ | |
| 1 | 10 | Jon Gray | 87 | 6.4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 ▬ | 2.36 ERA in 42 Coors IP, 6.89 ERA in 15.2 road IP; huh |
| N/A | 10 | James Kaprielian | 88 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 ▲ | Just happy to see him healthy, impressive Ks |
| 3 | 10 | Steven Matz | 89 | 3.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 ▬ | |
| N/A | 10 | Spencer Turnbull | 90 | 8.7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 ▲ | Had chance at B2B no-hitters but QS will do |
| -4 | 10 | J.A. Happ | 91 | 4.4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 ▬ | |
| 3 | 11 | Dane Dunning | 92 | 10.4 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 ▬ | |
| 0 | 11 | Ryan Weathers | 93 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 ▬ | |
| 4 | 11 | Vince Velasquez | 94 | -0.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 ▬ | Looked fine in relief after finger numbness |
| N/A | 11 | Carlos Martinez | 95 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 ▲ | 6 IP, 2 ER, only 2 K off IL; biz as usual |
| N/A | 11 | Randy Dobnak | 96 | -0.4 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 ▲ | Won SP debut w/ 6 scoreless, will he take Shoemaker's spot? |
| N/A | 11 | Merrill Kelly | 97 | 4.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 ▲ | Tough-luck L @LAD w/ 12 K, don't move bar too high |
| N/A | 11 | Alex Cobb | 98 | 6.7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 ▲ | Those peripherals look fantastic |
| N/A | 11 | Kris Bubic | 99 | 2.7 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 ▲ | |
| N/A | 11 | Cody Poteet | 100 | 4.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 ▲ | Blanked NYM over 7 IP, changeup looks good |
| N/A | 11 | John Gant | 101 | 3.6 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 ▲ | Only 1 BB for 1st time in 2021, can he build on that? |
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