The matchups and statistical data were pulled Saturday morning. Please be aware the matchups are subject to change.
Top Starters
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Opp. |
ERA |
K% |
BB% |
1 |
LAD |
ARI, @PIT |
1.93 |
25.1% |
7.2% |
|
2 |
SEA |
HOU, @OAK |
1.94 |
24.0% |
4.0% |
|
3 |
DET |
@KC, @MIN |
3.27 |
20.3% |
3.7% |
|
4 |
TEX |
TOR |
2.77 |
34.8% |
7.5% |
|
5 |
STL |
@NYM |
2.34 |
24.3% |
1.9% |
|
6 |
SEA |
@OAK |
2.58 |
26.8% |
4.8% |
|
7 |
PHI |
@MIN |
2.55 |
22.1% |
4.3% |
|
8 |
DET |
@KC |
3.71 |
27.2% |
7.6% |
|
9 |
TEX |
CLE, TOR |
2.82 |
23.3% |
6.4% |
|
10 |
DET |
@KC |
3.24 |
31.5% |
6.3% |
|
11 |
STL |
@MIA |
2.76 |
25.2% |
8.6% |
|
12 |
PIT |
LAD |
3.22 |
28.1% |
9.6% |
|
13 |
NYM |
CHC |
2.17 |
27.7% |
5.9% |
|
14 |
STL |
@NYM |
1.91 |
27.6% |
5.8% |
|
15 |
CWS |
TOR |
2.68 |
24.1% |
6.0% |
|
16 |
DET |
@MIN |
2.65 |
31.2% |
6.1% |
|
17 |
CHC |
CIN |
2.96 |
28.3% |
8.7% |
|
18 |
WSH |
@CLE |
2.16 |
15.6% |
3.2% |
|
19 |
ATL |
SF |
2.52 |
23.8% |
4.6% |
Additional Information: In his last six starts, Mike Minor has a 1.80 ERA, 0.93 WHIP with a 26.5 strikeout rate and only a 5.8 walk rate. The San Francisco Giants have a much improved offense compared to the last couple of seasons, but they rank in the bottom third of the league in OPS against left handed pitching. In 19 career starts at home, Chris Sale has a 2.25 ERA and 0.93 WHIP compared to a 3.60 ERA and 1.21 WHIP on the road. Don’t let Friday’s box score fool you, Sale pitched extremely well, but threw one bad pitch to Josh Donaldson.
Backend Starters
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Opp. |
ERA |
K% |
BB% |
20 |
ATL |
@SD, SF |
3.30 |
18.6% |
5.1% |
|
21 |
CIN |
@CHC |
2.90 |
21.6% |
6.9% |
|
22 |
SF |
@ATL |
3.46 |
23.7% |
7.3% |
|
23 |
TB |
BOS, KC |
2.39 |
22.8% |
5.6% |
|
24 |
CIN |
@CHC, MIL |
3.84 |
24.4% |
6.5% |
|
25 |
TB |
KC |
2.95 |
21.4% |
12.5% |
|
26 |
NYY |
@OAK, @LAA |
3.74 |
21.5% |
4.6% |
|
27 |
OAK |
NYY, SEA |
3.14 |
15.2% |
2.0% |
|
28 |
BOS |
@BAL |
1.62 |
25.8% |
9.4% |
|
29 |
NYY |
@OAK |
2.84 |
17.7% |
5.3% |
|
30 |
ARI |
@LAD |
1.98 |
20.0% |
6.8% |
|
31 |
Hyun-Jin Ryu |
LAD |
ARI |
2.72 |
23.0% |
7.2% |
32 |
KC |
@TB |
3.03 |
20.3% |
4.2% |
|
33 |
ATL |
SF |
3.14 |
17.2% |
7.6% |
|
34 |
LAD |
ARI |
3.89 |
16.4% |
6.7% |
|
35 |
KC |
DET |
2.81 |
22.8% |
6.5% |
|
36 |
LAA |
@BAL |
3.13 |
18.4% |
7.1% |
|
37 |
BOS |
@TB, @BAL |
2.79 |
23.4% |
6.5% |
|
38 |
MIA |
MIL |
3.61 |
19.9% |
6.0% |
|
39 |
TEX |
CLE, TOR |
2.93 |
18.7% |
9.6% |
|
40 |
CLE |
WSH |
3.57 |
24.0% |
9.3% |
|
41 |
SF |
@PIT |
5.09 |
22.1% |
7.9% |
Additional Information: If you remove Julio Teheran’s first three starts of the year he has 2.13 ERA and 1.06 WHIP. What’s most impressive about Teheran is he’s not walking anyone; only allowing eight walks in 55 innings (3.7 walk rate), which puts him in Cliff Lee and Bartolo Colon territory. In Madison Bumgarner’s last four starts, at Colorado, Washington, at Oakland and at St. Louis, he has a 6.29 ERA and 1.32 WHIP. Consistency is one attribute he has lacked in his career. Since 2011, 13 percent of starts have been blowup starts (a start with five earned runs or more). John Lackey has morphed himself into a ground-ball pitcher, generating ground balls nearly 55 percent of the time. Also, the command of his fastball has been exceptional; throwing it for strikes 68 percent of the time and in the bottom of the strike zone. This week, he’s scheduled to pitch against the second best offense (in terms of OPS) in the majors, so this will be a great opportunity to show his resurgence is legitimate.
Spot Starters
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Opp. |
ERA |
K% |
BB% |
42 |
OAK |
NYY |
4.68 |
17.1% |
9.3% |
|
43 |
ARI |
@SD |
3.27 |
15.0% |
9.0% |
|
44 |
DET |
@MIN |
5.21 |
19.9% |
4.7% |
|
45 |
ATL |
@SD |
3.46 |
17.1% |
6.8% |
|
46 |
LAA |
NYY |
3.92 |
21.9% |
9.6% |
|
47 |
NYY |
@OAK |
4.79 |
22.1% |
6.0% |
|
48 |
PIT |
SF, LAD |
– |
– |
– |
|
49 |
NYM |
CHC |
– |
– |
– |
|
50 |
CWS |
@HOU |
3.35 |
23.5% |
11.7% |
|
51 |
NYY |
@LAA |
4.16 |
23.9% |
10.1% |
|
52 |
CHC |
CIN, @NYM |
4.04 |
22.6% |
8.6% |
|
53 |
SD |
ATL |
3.67 |
17.4% |
7.2% |
|
54 |
CHC |
CIN |
2.65 |
18.3% |
8.5% |
|
55 |
OAK |
SEA |
3.67 |
19.6% |
6.1% |
|
56 |
OAK |
NYY |
4.67 |
20.6% |
7.0% |
|
57 |
OAK |
SEA |
3.91 |
19.4% |
4.7% |
|
58 |
CIN |
MIL |
3.38 |
13.7% |
4.0% |
|
59 |
WSH |
@COL |
3.64 |
22.3% |
10.3% |
|
60 |
ARI |
@SD |
3.85 |
27.7% |
6.4% |
|
61 |
CIN |
@CHC |
2.93 |
17.2% |
5.5% |
|
62 |
MIA |
STL |
3.34 |
24.4% |
8.9% |
Additional Information: C.J. Wilson, in his last four starts (27 innings), only has four walks, which is great for every Wilson owner. Throughout his career (as a starter), walks have always been an issue for him. But if this trend continues, he could be a top-30 starting pitcher the rest of the year. This section contains a lot of highly touted rookie pitchers: Gerrit Cole, Zack Wheeler, Tyler Skaggs, Jose Fernandez and Dan Straily. I ranked Cole the highest because he has the best combination of skill, stuff, bullpen and quality of team around him. Jim Callis has noted Cole “has made two scoreless seven-inning starts in the last week, issuing just two walks in the process and snapping Myers’ 12-game hitting streak on Wednesday.” Mike Leake has pitched very well in his past five starts (1.13 ERA and 1.10 WHIP), but three of those starts came against come against the Marlins, Mets, and Pirates, not exactly the best offenses in the National League.
Proceed With Caution
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Opp. |
ERA |
K% |
BB% |
63 |
PHI |
@MIN, @COL |
4.56 |
22.3% |
7.5% |
|
64 |
CLE |
@TEX, WSH |
4.56 |
26.5% |
4.4% |
|
65 |
ARI |
@LAD, @SD |
4.92 |
17.0% |
7.8% |
|
66 |
STL |
@NYM, @MIA |
5.38 |
20.8% |
2.1% |
|
67 |
TB |
BOS |
4.91 |
12.8% |
10.6% |
|
68 |
CIN |
@CHC, MIL |
3.27 |
31.1% |
6.8% |
|
69 |
ATL |
@SD |
4.48 |
17.3% |
5.8% |
|
70 |
HOU |
@SEA |
3.43 |
15.6% |
8.3% |
|
71 |
BOS |
@TB |
3.60 |
19.5% |
7.4% |
|
72 |
BOS |
@BAL |
4.39 |
25.8% |
11.0% |
|
73 |
NYY |
@LAA |
4.17 |
18.1% |
7.8% |
|
74 |
COL |
PHI |
2.14 |
21.9% |
7.3% |
|
75 |
SEA |
@OAK |
5.20 |
12.0% |
7.4% |
|
76 |
STL |
@MIA |
2.66 |
15.8% |
5.3% |
|
77 |
ARI |
@LAD |
5.73 |
19.4% |
8.3% |
|
78 |
TOR |
@TEX |
5.39 |
20.0% |
7.2% |
|
79 |
TEX |
CLE |
3.92 |
17.2% |
6.1% |
|
80 |
CHC |
CIN, @NYM |
2.83 |
18.6% |
7.1% |
Additional Information: Michael Wacha has either looked great or extremely hittable in first two starts, but he gets an opportunity to start against two of the four worst offenses (in OPS) in the league. I’m buying Ian Kennedy either through trade or waivers. Kennedy has not pitched nearly as bad as his 5.72 ERA suggests. Before Thursday’s blowup, he only had a 1.24 WHIP. Walks have been an issue this year, but this is a pitcher who pitches in the most favorable division in the majors. If you remove Jon Lester’s first four starts he has a 4.42 ERA and 1.32 WHIP with a 18 percent strikeout rate and 8.7 percent walk rate.
Avoid
Rank |
Name |
Team |
Opp. |
ERA |
K% |
BB% |
81 |
CHC |
@NYM |
6.29 |
20.1% |
9.0% |
|
82 |
MIL |
@MIA, @CIN |
5.25 |
18.6% |
8.4% |
|
83 |
MIL |
@CIN |
4.38 |
14.6% |
4.0% |
|
84 |
NYM |
STL |
5.20 |
19.3% |
6.2% |
|
85 |
TB |
KC |
5.59 |
18.6% |
6.2% |
|
86 |
TOR |
@CWS, @TEX |
4.66 |
18.2% |
9.7% |
|
87 |
PIT |
SF |
1.75 |
30.9% |
9.2% |
|
88 |
BAL |
BOS |
3.97 |
20.5% |
8.2% |
|
89 |
CWS |
@HOU |
5.63 |
18.2% |
3.0% |
|
90 |
MIN |
PHI |
4.10 |
10.0% |
4.1% |
|
91 |
LAA |
@BAL |
3.71 |
15.4% |
8.3% |
|
92 |
PIT |
SF |
3.59 |
17.7% |
4.6% |
|
93 |
SF |
@ATL |
2.21 |
21.9% |
9.3% |
|
94 |
MIL |
@MIA |
4.08 |
19.5% |
4.1% |
|
95 |
MIA |
MIL |
0.69 |
14.0% |
10.0% |
|
96 |
SF |
@PIT, @ATL |
4.75 |
23.9% |
10.3% |
|
97 |
PIT |
LAD |
2.45 |
17.2% |
9.8% |
|
98 |
LAA |
NYY |
5.52 |
15.8% |
4.0% |
|
99 |
SEA |
HOU |
6.70 |
20.5% |
4.4% |
|
100 |
HOU |
@SEA, CWS |
4.69 |
14.0% |
8.1% |
|
101 |
MIL |
@MIA |
6.16 |
12.9% |
8.9% |
Additional Information: It’s safe to say Edwin Jackson has been a disappointment for fantasy owners, but there is hope for optimism. In his last six starts, he’s only allowed 10 walks in 30.1 innings. However, in the same time frame, he has a 7.71 ERA and 1.91 WHIP. Boston has the best offense in the league (in OPS), and Chris Tillman’s stuff isn’t as powering as his statistics indicate. In R.A. Dickey’s last start against the Giants, his knuckleball averaged 79 mph, which is the velocity he had last year. But with two starts in two of the most hitter friendly ballparks, I’m benching him if I can.