Fantasy baseball starting pitcher rankings for week 3

The fantasy baseball starting pitcher rankings are based on matchups as of Friday morning. Please be aware the matchups are subject to change. The data is up to date as of Thursday night.

Top starters

Rank

Name

Team

Opp.

ERA

K%

BB%

1

Stephen Strasburg

WSH

@MIA, STL

4.24

36.8%

7.9%

2

Gerrit Cole

PIT

@CIN, MIL

3.46

24.1%

7.4%

3

Anibal Sanchez

DET

CLE, LAA

3.00

23.7%

10.5%

4

Jordan Zimmermann

WSH

@MIA, STL

8.06

29.4%

8.8%

5

Homer Bailey

CIN

PIT, @CHC

7.74

17.0%

10.6%

6

Yordano Ventura

KC

@HOU, MIN

0.00

30.0%

0.0%

7

Cliff Lee

PHI

ATL, @COL

5.50

18.3%

1.2%

8

Adam Wainwright

STL

@WSH

1.29

29.6%

11.1%

9

Yu Darvish

TEX

SEA

0.00

20.7%

3.4%

10

Madison Bumgarner

SF

LAD

1.75

27.1%

6.3%

11

Max Scherzer

DET

LAA

1.20

27.3%

3.6%

12

Jose Fernandez

MIA

WSH

0.71

35.4%

4.2%

13

Chris Sale

CWS

BOS

1.76

25.5%

3.6%

14

Felix Hernandez

SEA

@TEX

1.89

33.3%

3.5%

15

David Price

TB

@BAL

4.06

21.4%

1.8%

16

Gio Gonzalez

WSH

STL

0.75

25.0%

6.8%

17

Michael Wacha

STL

@WSH

0.71

20.0%

4.0%

18

James Shields

KC

MIN

2.71

17.6%

2.0%

19

Alex Cobb

TB

NYY

3.00

18.4%

10.2%

20

Justin Verlander

DET

CLE

2.57

8.5%

8.5%

21

Chris Tillman

BAL

TB

1.35

16.7%

3.7%

Additional information: Jordan Zimmerman’s biggest problem has been the nearly nine percent walk rate; compared to the past three seasons where his walk rate has only been five percent. Also, it’s highly unlikely he’ll continue to have a 22 percent HR/FB rate and a .500 BABIP. In three starts, Chris Tillman has only walked three batters in 21.1 innings and only allowed two earned runs against the Blue Jays, Red Sox and Tigers. Gio Gonzalez has started using the change-up more often and, so far, he’s been better than ever. For example, his walk rate is down nearly three percentage points from last year. In the preseason, after Yordano Ventura was named the fifth starter, I said he would win the AL Rookie of the Year because his stuff is that good. After watching him dominate the Rays, I feel really good about that prediction.

Backend starters

Rank

Name

Team

Opp.

ERA

K%

BB%

22

Ervin Santana

ATL

@PHI, @NYM

0.00

22.2%

0.0%

23

Chris Archer

TB

@BAL, NYY

1.38

21.6%

7.8%

24

Masahiro Tanaka

NYY

CHC, @TB

3.21

32.1%

1.8%

25

Matt Cain

SF

@SD

5.73

10.6%

4.3%

26

Zack Greinke

LAD

@SF

3.27

30.2%

4.7%

27

Andrew Cashner

SD

COL

2.25

22.0%

10.0%

28

Johnny Cueto

CIN

PIT

1.93

31.5%

7.4%

29

Justin Masterson

CLE

@DET

4.21

17.0%

8.5%

30

Scott Kazmir

OAK

HOU

2.03

18.9%

7.5%

31

Hiroki Kuroda

NYY

@TB

2.93

19.1%

2.1%

32

Michael Pineda

NYY

CHC

1.50

26.1%

4.3%

33

Julio Teheran

ATL

@PHI

2.77

15.4%

9.6%

34

Jon Lester

BOS

@CWS

2.52

25.0%

3.6%

35

Alex Wood

ATL

@PHI

1.93

17.0%

5.7%

36

Jeff Samardzija

CHC

CIN

1.29

20.8%

9.4%

37

Tim Hudson

SF

@SD

1.15

19.3%

0.0%

38

Corey Kluber

CLE

TOR

7.74

20.8%

6.3%

39

Danny Salazar

CLE

@DET

6.77

32.6%

11.6%

40

Francisco Liriano

PIT

@CIN

3.00

27.5%

9.8%

41

John Lackey

BOS

BAL

1.38

22.4%

6.1%

42

Hyun-Jin Ryu

LAD

@SF

3.86

22.6%

11.3%

43

Tony Cingrani

CIN

@CHC

2.45

32.6%

14.0%

44

Clay Buchholz

BOS

@CWS

6.99

18.4%

0.0%

45

R.A. Dickey

TOR

@MIN

5.29

17.5%

12.5%

46

Dan Haren

LAD

ARI

0.75

22.2%

2.2%

47

Jered Weaver

LAA

@DET

6.00

24.0%

6.0%

48

C.J. Wilson

LAA

@DET

4.60

27.8%

5.6%

49

A.J. Burnett

PHI

ATL

3.85

10.7%

14.3%

50

Sonny Gray

OAK

HOU

0.75

19.6%

9.8%

51

Drew Smyly

DET

LAA

0.00

30.0%

5.0%

Additional information: Sonny Gray has not looked as good as his season totals would indicate. He has had shaky command in both starts, but found ways to get out of trouble. With a start against the Astros, he would have been ranked higher three weeks ago, but I have concerns if he can throw strikes consistently. Michael Pineda looks almost as good as his 2011 season; the fastball velocity is two mph slower, but the slider is a lot better as he’s throwing it for strikes consistently (nearly 76 percent of the time). If you believed in Danny Salazar before the season began, you have to continue to use him. I have serious concerns if he is going to pitch deep enough into games to earn wins.

Spot starters

Rank

Name

Team

Opp.

ERA

K%

BB%

52

Bartolo Colon

NYM

ATL

2.08

16.4%

0.0%

53

Rick Porcello

DET

CLE

1.34

13.0%

8.7%

54

Shelby Miller

STL

@MIL, @WSH

6.37

13.7%

11.8%

55

Matt Garza

MIL

STL, @PIT

2.57

20.0%

5.5%

56

Zack Wheeler

NYM

@ARI, ATL

5.73

24.5%

4.1%

57

Jason Vargas

KC

MIN

1.20

14.3%

3.6%

58

Tyler Skaggs

LAA

OAK

0.00

17.2%

3.4%

59

Robbie Erlin

SD

COL, SF

1.34

29.2%

0.0%

60

Jesse Chavez

OAK

@LAA, HOU

1.38

25.5%

3.9%

61

Garrett Richards

LAA

OAK

0.75

27.1%

16.7%

62

Wade Miley

ARI

@LAD

4.05

19.0%

6.3%

63

Dan Straily

OAK

@LAA

2.77

24.0%

6.0%

64

Eric Stults

SD

COL, SF

5.57

9.1%

6.8%

65

Jason Hammel

CHC

@NYY

2.63

22.9%

4.2%

66

Jon Niese

NYM

ATL

3.16

17.4%

4.3%

67

Dillon Gee

NYM

@ARI

4.50

16.4%

5.5%

Additional information: In his first two starts of the year, Dan Straily’s fastball velocity is nearly three mph slower than last year. I recommend selling high now while his value is high. If Tyler Skaggs looks good against the Mets Friday, night I would bump him up 5-10 spots. Jason Hammel has pitched extremely well in both of his starts against the Pirates, a fairly mediocre offense. I want to see how he performs against the better Yankees lineup before I start to believe. I don’t know if Shelby Miller is hurt or is mechanically out of whack, but he’s a far cry from the pitcher we saw last year; his strikeout rate is down nearly 10 percentage points while the walk rate is up nearly four percentage points.

Proceed with caution

Rank

Name

Team

Opp.

ERA

K%

BB%

68

Travis Wood

CHC

@NYY

2.93

32.1%

7.5%

69

Kyle Lohse

MIL

@PIT

4.50

22.2%

13.0%

70

Charlie Morton

PIT

MIL

3.75

22.0%

4.0%

71

Joe Kelly

STL

@MIL

1.70

14.8%

14.8%

72

Tanner Roark

WSH

@MIA

3.00

19.2%

11.5%

73

Brandon McCarthy

ARI

NYM

7.80

13.2%

3.8%

74

Jenrry Mejia

NYM

@ARI

4.09

28.8%

17.3%

75

Marco Estrada

MIL

STL, @PIT

2.31

26.1%

10.9%

76

Drew Hutchison

TOR

@CLE

6.21

25.0%

15.0%

77

Nathan Eovaldi

MIA

SEA

3.46

26.9%

1.9%

78

Carlos Carrasco

CLE

TOR

6.32

25.0%

7.1%

79

Jorge De La Rosa

COL

@SD

8.28

24.4%

12.2%

80

Alfredo Simon

CIN

@CHC

1.29

23.1%

3.8%

81

Jose Quintana

CWS

@TEX

2.77

22.6%

9.4%

82

Phil Hughes

MIN

TOR, @KC

7.20

21.7%

8.7%

83

Zach McAllister

CLE

@DET, TOR

2.31

22.4%

8.2%

84

Hector Santiago

LAA

OAK, @DET

7.74

22.2%

13.3%

Additional information: The Mariners have an extreme left-handed hitting lineup, and in the last three years, lefties have a .782 OPS against Nate Eovaldi (compared to a .660 OPS against righties). Drew Hutchinson, in two outings, has looked really good and very hittable. I don’t know one which start to believe. Last year, Brandon McCarthy started off slowly but eventually figured it out; a start against one of the worst offenses in the majors should help him get on track. Also, the velocity on the sinker is nearly two mph faster than last year. Phil Hughes is an extreme fly-ball pitcher, and this week he pitches in two spacious ballparks.

Avoid

Rank

Name

Team

Opp.

ERA

K%

BB%

85

Jarred Cosart

HOU

@OAK

4.09

15.2%

8.7%

86

Lance Lynn

STL

@MIL, @WSH

6.55

21.2%

1.9%

87

David Hale

ATL

@PHI, @NYM

2.90

14.3%

16.7%

88

Kyle Gibson

MIN

TOR

1.80

14.3%

19.0%

89

Jeremy Guthrie

KC

@HOU

3.54

13.0%

9.3%

90

Mike Leake

CIN

PIT

2.45

11.1%

7.4%

91

Bronson Arroyo

ARI

NYM, @LAD

4.84

11.6%

7.0%

92

Taylor Jordan

WSH

STL

1.43

11.1%

7.4%

93

Ricky Nolasco

MIN

@KC

9.00

10.0%

12.0%

94

Scott Feldman

HOU

KC

0.66

7.7%

7.7%

95

Mark Buehrle

TOR

@CLE

0.64

25.9%

3.7%

96

Brandon Morrow

TOR

@MIN, @CLE

5.73

28.3%

4.3%

97

Jake Peavy

BOS

@CWS, BAL

2.13

23.1%

11.5%

98

CC Sabathia

NYY

@TB

7.50

23.1%

1.9%

99

Erasmo Ramirez

SEA

@TEX

5.73

14.6%

6.3%

100

Yovani Gallardo

MIL

@PIT

0.00

13.7%

3.9%

101

Randall Delgado

ARI

NYM

10.13

6.7%

13.3%

Additional information: In his first three starts, Scott Feldman has only allowed seven hits in 20.2 innings. He has also has eight walks and only seven strikeouts. Eventually, he is going to regress. I love Taylor Jordan as a prospect because he is a ground-ball machine, but this week he gets the Cardinals, so I’m finding another player to start. David Hale is extremely tempting with two starts against two bad offenses. The problem is he has not looked good in his first two starts, has trouble missing bats and he walks too many hitters.

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