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.