Fantasy baseball starting pitcher rankings for week 18

Mike Minor throws a pitch. — Mike Minor (Mike Stobe/Getty Images)

The matchups and statistical data were pulled Friday morning. Please be aware the matchups are subject to change.

Top Starters

Rank	Name	Team	Opp.	ERA	K%	BB%
1	Clayton Kershaw	LAD	@STL, TB	1.87	25.1%	5.5%
2	Adam Wainwright	STL	LAD, CHC	2.61	22.8%	2.9%
3	Mike Minor	ATL	@WSH, MIA	2.75	23.6%	4.9%
4	Stephen Strasburg	WSH	ATL, PHI	3.04	25.4%	7.8%
5	Chris Sale	CWS	NYY, MIN	2.92	27.0%	5.4%
6	James Shields	KC	MIN, BOS	3.08	20.0%	7.3%
7	Anibal Sanchez	DET	@CLE, @NYY	2.59	26.3%	7.7%
8	Yu Darvish	TEX	@LAA	2.66	33.4%	8.4%
9	Matt Harvey	NYM	COL	2.21	29.8%	5.0%
10	Felix Hernandez	SEA	TOR	2.30	26.3%	4.6%
11	Cliff Lee	PHI	@WSH	3.05	23.1%	3.9%
12	Max Scherzer	DET	@CLE	3.01	29.8%	5.6%
13	David Price	TB	@LAD	3.57	20.5%	3.7%
14	Jered Weaver	LAA	@CLE	2.84	20.3%	6.1%
15	Jose Fernandez	MIA	@PIT	2.71	25.9%	8.8%
16	Matt Garza	TEX	@HOU	2.95	20.9%	6.6%
17	Madison Bumgarner	SF	MIL	2.76	24.5%	7.1%

Additional Information: Since June 24, Jered Weaver has the second lowest ERA in the majors (1.31) with a 23.2 percent strikeout rate and a 5.4 percent walk rate. If Yu Darvish did not go on the DL, he would currently be on pace for 300+ strikeouts. Clayton Kershaw is most likely to be the number-one pitcher entering the 2014 season, but Darvish will be a close second. Since coming off the DL, David Price has a 1.68 ERA and a 0.70 WHIP. Most importantly his fastball is averaging 94 mph and has topped out at 96.8 mph.

Backend Starters

Rank	Name	Team	Opp.	ERA	K%	BB%
18	Justin Verlander	DET	@CLE, @NYY	3.88	22.3%	9.0%
19	John Lackey	BOS	@HOU, @KC	3.23	21.7%	5.0%
20	Hisashi Iwakuma	SEA	TOR, MIL	2.76	22.5%	4.1%
21	Joe Kelly	STL	LAD, CHC	3.10	17.2%	8.4%
22	Hiroki Kuroda	NYY	@CWS	2.38	17.9%	4.9%
23	Shelby Miller	STL	LAD	2.79	26.4%	6.8%
24	Homer Bailey	CIN	OAK	3.56	24.7%	5.5%
25	Derek Holland	TEX	@HOU	3.18	22.0%	6.8%
26	Jake Peavy	BOS	@KC	4.28	23.5%	5.2%
27	Jordan Zimmermann	WSH	ATL	3.19	18.4%	4.1%
28	Bartolo Colon	OAK	@CIN	2.50	13.3%	3.6%
29	Julio Teheran	ATL	@WSH	3.02	21.5%	5.1%
30	Doug Fister	DET	@CLE	3.67	18.3%	4.2%
31	Cole Hamels	PHI	CHC	3.87	21.5%	6.4%
32	Mat Latos	CIN	OAK	3.37	24.0%	7.3%
33	Kris Medlen	ATL	@WSH	3.74	17.2%	6.2%
34	Wade Miley	ARI	TB	3.67	17.8%	8.3%
35	Jeff Samardzija	CHC	@STL	3.75	24.1%	8.9%
36	Hyun-Jin Ryu	LAD	@STL	3.14	19.8%	7.9%
37	Zack Greinke	LAD	TB	3.43	18.9%	7.2%
38	Chris Archer	TB	@ARI	2.39	17.3%	9.2%
39	C.J. Wilson	LAA	@CLE	3.48	21.6%	9.1%

Additional Information: Since joining the rotation, Joe Kelly has 3.10 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and a 17.2 percent strikeout rate and 8.4 walk rate. Only averaging 5.2 innings per start limits his ability to earn wins, but he’s a great option to enhance your ratios. Chris Archer has been nothing less of amazing in his last six starts: 1.29 ERA, 0.76 WHIP with a 16 percent strikeout rate and 6.4 percent walk rate. Of the six starts, four came against the Yankees, Twins and the Astros twice. Archer has a great matchup against the Diamondbacks, but expectations should be tempered. Assuming Tigers plan to start the newly acquired Jose Iglesias starts at shortstop when Ric Porcello and Doug Fister start, their individual rankings increase at least five spots moving forward. Wade Miley in his last seven starts: 1.74 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and a 53 percent ground ball rate; this could be a return to his 2012 form.

Spot Starters

Rank	Name	Team	Opp.	ERA	K%	BB%
40	Matt Cain	SF	MIL, BAL	4.57	22.0%	8.0%
41	Gio Gonzalez	WSH	ATL	3.57	24.7%	9.6%
42	CC Sabathia	NYY	@CWS	4.65	20.4%	5.6%
43	Rick Porcello	DET	@NYY	4.49	18.1%	5.2%
44	Scott Feldman	BAL	@SF	3.89	17.0%	6.1%
45	Dillon Gee	NYM	@ARI	4.13	17.5%	6.5%
46	Gerrit Cole	PIT	MIA	3.55	16.6%	5.4%
47	Kyle Lohse	MIL	@SEA	3.22	16.3%	4.1%
48	Lance Lynn	STL	CHC	3.87	22.8%	8.8%
49	Patrick Corbin	ARI	NYM	2.25	21.6%	6.3%
50	Ryan Dempster	BOS	@HOU, @KC	4.54	20.8%	10.8%
51	Tony Cingrani	CIN	SD	2.90	28.9%	9.6%
52	Jose Quintana	CWS	NYY, MIN	3.62	19.0%	7.1%
53	Randall Delgado	ARI	NYM	2.85	17.4%	4.6%
54	Wei-Yin Chen	BAL	@SF	2.87	15.2%	6.0%
55	Alex Wood	ATL	MIA	3.51	27.9%	8.1%
56	Brandon Beachy	ATL	MIA	17.03	25.0%	5.0%
57	Chris Tillman	BAL	@SF	3.62	19.8%	9.0%
58	Zack Wheeler	NYM	COL	3.54	18.3%	11.7%
59	Alexi Ogando	TEX	@LAA	3.05	16.9%	8.8%
60	Hector Santiago	CWS	NYY	3.33	24.4%	11.2%
61	Ervin Santana	KC	BOS	3.04	19.9%	5.4%
62	Corey Kluber	CLE	DET, LAA	3.77	23.3%	5.3%
63	Chad Gaudin	SF	MIL, BAL	2.64	20.7%	8.7%
64	Carlos Torres	NYM	@ARI	3.03	20.4%	3.6%
65	Travis Wood	CHC	@PHI	2.79	17.5%	8.1%
66	Tyler Chatwood	COL	@NYM, PIT	3.15	16.6%	7.7%
67	Brandon McCarthy	ARI	NYM	4.99	13.4%	3.4%

Additional Information: Matt Cain in his last three starts has a 1.80 ERA, 1.15 WHIP with a 22 percent strikeout rate and 8.5 walk rate. If you’re a Cain owner, you have to start him, especially in a two-start week at home. The Chicago White Sox have the second lowest OPS in the majors against left handed pitching, making CC Sabathia a great start option. Dillon Gee in his past 11 starts: 2.65 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. Despite the great aggregated numbers, in three of those starts, he gave up four or more earned runs. Before putting Gee in your starting lineup, be aware he’s pitching in the band box known as Chase Field. If you’re looking for a win, Chris Tillman has an excellent opportunity against the struggling San Francisco Giants. As of Friday morning, the Giants have a lower winning percentage than the New York Mets. If you held on to Brandon Beachy all year, you’re starting him this week despite one poor outing.

Proceed With Caution

Rank	Name	Team	Opp.	ERA	K%	BB%
68	Justin Masterson	CLE	DET, LAA	3.33	25.0%	9.0%
69	Jon Lester	BOS	@HOU	4.27	20.2%	8.0%
70	A.J. Burnett	PIT	@COL	2.86	26.1%	9.3%
71	Jarrod Parker	OAK	@TOR	4.07	16.0%	9.0%
72	Bronson Arroyo	CIN	SD	3.26	13.5%	4.5%
73	Andrew Cashner	SD	@CIN	3.88	16.8%	7.8%
74	Ricky Nolasco	LAD	@STL, TB	3.78	19.1%	6.0%
75	Mike Leake	CIN	SD	2.59	14.9%	5.8%
76	Jeremy Hefner	NYM	@ARI	4.21	18.2%	6.7%
77	Jacob Turner	MIA	@ATL	2.65	16.9%	8.6%
78	Bud Norris	BAL	@SD	3.89	17.4%	8.0%
79	Miguel Gonzalez	BAL	@SD	3.88	17.3%	7.6%
80	Eric Stults	SD	BAL	3.55	15.1%	4.8%
81	Francisco Liriano	PIT	@COL	2.16	25.6%	9.5%
82	Edwin Jackson	CHC	@PHI, @STL	4.65	19.1%	7.5%
83	Tyler Thornburg	MIL	@SF, @SEA	2.22	16.8%	7.9%
84	Wily Peralta	MIL	@SF, @SEA	4.57	14.6%	9.0%
85	Andy Pettitte	NYY	@CWS, DET	4.28	15.8%	5.7%

Additional Information: The Houston Astros are 17th in the majors in OPS against left-handed pitching, so Jon Lester owners shouldn’t automatically pencil in Lester in their starting lineup. Odds are if you’re a Francisco Liriano owner, you’ve received ace-level productivity for the year. All year, I’ve underrated Liriano and I’m doing so again with a start in Colorado. Despite eight consecutive starts allowing two earned runs or less, Jeremy Hefner has allowed 16 runs in his last 11.2 innings. Hefner has suffered from bad luck, specifically a 23.5 percent HR/FB rate and .390 BABIP. If you’re looking for a streaming option and can stomach risk, Hefner is a solid option. Edwin Jackson in his last five starts: 1.83 ERA and 0.87 WHIP and has only walked six batters in 34.1 innings. If Jackson was only starting against the Phillies, he would be in the low 60s, but a start at St. Louis worries me.

Avoid

Rank	Name	Team	Opp.	ERA	K%	BB%
86	Felix Doubront	BOS	@KC	3.77	21.1%	10.1%
87	Roberto Hernandez	TB	@LAD	4.71	17.6%	5.2%
88	Erasmo Ramirez	SEA	MIL	7.73	18.2%	10.4%
89	Jhoulys Chacin	COL	@NYM	3.54	14.6%	7.1%
90	Henderson Alvarez	MIA	@PIT, @ATL	2.61	11.2%	6.6%
91	Jeff Locke	PIT	MIA, @COL	2.36	18.3%	11.3%
92	Jeremy Hellickson	TB	@ARI, @LAD	4.60	19.4%	6.1%
93	R.A. Dickey	TOR	@SEA, OAK	4.66	17.7%	8.1%
94	Ivan Nova	NYY	DET	3.41	23.5%	7.8%
95	John Danks	CWS	MIN-2	4.57	16.3%	3.8%
96	Samuel Deduno	MIN	@KC	3.18	13.2%	8.8%
97	Dan Straily	OAK	@CIN	4.41	19.1%	7.4%
98	A.J. Griffin	OAK	@TOR	3.90	19.3%	5.4%
99	Mark Buehrle	TOR	OAK	4.27	15.6%	5.9%
100	Tom Gorzelanny	MIL	@SF	2.83	23.4%	9.4%
101	Donovan Hand	MIL	@SF	3.56	12.4%	5.1%

Additional Information: Roberto Hernandez is an enigma. A typical start usually consists of five brilliant innings and one blow-up inning. With Matt Moore going on the DL, gives Hernandez another 2-3 starts before he’s pushed into the bullpen. One of those starts is in the pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium, which provides an opportunity for a great start. Since coming off the DL, Ivan Nova has a 2.49 ERA, 1.06 WHIP with a 23 percent strikeout rate (in six starts), but the fear of a blow-up start is too high. Despite the poor results, I’m still a believer in Erasmo Ramirez. Even though his walk rate is double what it was last year, I’m putting more emphasis in the 2012 numbers than 2013 numbers.