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.