Weekly Pitcher Rankings: Don't Overlook Solid Single-Start Options

Weekly Pitcher Rankings: Don't Overlook Solid Single-Start Options

This article is part of our Weekly Pitcher Rankings series.

Earlier in the week, I posted this tweet:

My sense is there are some who are too aggressive with two-start pitchers, and some who are too hesitant. To be honest, I fall into the former category and often end up crushing my ratios. The question one needs to pose when setting a pitching lineup is, "Does this two-start guy have a good chance of wins and strikeouts?"

If I had practiced what I just preached, I would have avoided some disasters, since the answer (too often) would have been "NO!". I was looking to add strikeouts, hoping wins will follow. The thing is, if the wins weren't likely to dovetail, the ratios were likely poor. Intrinsic to the notion of a potential win is reasonable ratios.

As the tweet mentions, in lieu of a risky double-dipper, single-start guys or middle relievers can buffer ratios and, who knows, maybe fall into a win now and again. The ratio support should make it safer to be more reckless in August and September when the standings dictate chasing wins.

Here is your weekly reminder that I pull the schedule from the Probable Pitching grid, so please direct rotation questions in that direction. As always, I'm happy to

Earlier in the week, I posted this tweet:

My sense is there are some who are too aggressive with two-start pitchers, and some who are too hesitant. To be honest, I fall into the former category and often end up crushing my ratios. The question one needs to pose when setting a pitching lineup is, "Does this two-start guy have a good chance of wins and strikeouts?"

If I had practiced what I just preached, I would have avoided some disasters, since the answer (too often) would have been "NO!". I was looking to add strikeouts, hoping wins will follow. The thing is, if the wins weren't likely to dovetail, the ratios were likely poor. Intrinsic to the notion of a potential win is reasonable ratios.

As the tweet mentions, in lieu of a risky double-dipper, single-start guys or middle relievers can buffer ratios and, who knows, maybe fall into a win now and again. The ratio support should make it safer to be more reckless in August and September when the standings dictate chasing wins.

Here is your weekly reminder that I pull the schedule from the Probable Pitching grid, so please direct rotation questions in that direction. As always, I'm happy to address specific rankings below.

Please visit again Sunday night for the weekly refresh.

UPDATED: Sunday April 15, 11:50 PM ET

Week of April 17 - 23

Mixed

RankPitcherTMOPPCommentsMIX12MIX15
1Jacob deGromTEX@KC, OAKDoesn't get much better  
2Corbin BurnesMIL@SEA, BOSStill worried?  
3Shohei OhtaniLAA@BOS, KCFirst start is the 11 AM Patriots Day game  
4Kevin GausmanTOR@HOU, @NYY   
5Zack WheelerPHI@CWS, COL   
6Jesus LuzardoMIASF, @CLEKnocking at the fantasy ace door  
7Clayton KershawLADNYM, @CHC   
8Nick LodoloCINTB, @PIT   
9Dylan CeaseCWS@TB   
10Julio UriasLAD@CHC   
11Spencer StriderATL@SDAveraging only 5.1 IP per start  
12Sonny GrayMIN@BOS, WASLooks like strikeouts are back  
13Pablo LopezMINWASBuy high if he's available  
14Shane BieberCLEMIA   
15Gerrit ColeNYYTOR   
16Luis CastilloSEASTL   
17Shane McClanahanTBCWS   
18Justin SteeleCHC@OAK   
19Aaron NolaPHICOLMay take a bit, but ratios should drop to usual levels  
20Lance LynnCWSPHI, @TB6 HR in 16 IP  
21Max FriedATL@SD, HOU   
22Zac GallenARISD   
23Andrew HeaneyTEXOAK   
24Logan WebbSF@MIA, NYM4 HR in 17 IP a concern  
25Alex WoodSF@MIA, NYM 44% 
26Chris SaleBOSMIN, @MILLikely happenstance, but having first inning issues  
27Marcus StromanCHC@OAK, LADEarly strikeouts encouraging, but history says don't get used to it
28Freddy PeraltaMILBOS   
29Cristian JavierHOUTOR, @ATLTough pair  
30Jordan MontgomerySTLARI   
31Sandy AlcantaraMIA@CLENot a great spot to rebound  
32Alek ManoahTOR@NYY I'm not nervous. Maybe I'm a little bit concerned, but that's not the same thing.
33Yu DarvishSD@ARI   
34Jon GrayTEXOAK   
35Max ScherzerNYM@LAD   
36Dustin MayLADNYM, @CHC   
37Michael KopechCWS@TB   
38Kenta MaedaMINWAS   
39Framber ValdezHOU@ATL   
40Logan GilbertSEAMIL   
41Joe MusgroveSD@ARI   
42Tyler AndersonLAAKC   
43Nestor CortesNYYLAA   
44Garrett WhitlockBOS@MIL   
45Hunter GreeneCINTB, @PIT   
46Alex CobbSF@MIA   
47Reid DetmersLAAKC   
48Charlie MortonATL@SD   
49Eric LauerMIL@SEA   
50Jack FlahertySTLARI, @SEAWalks already coming down  
51Drew RasmussenTB@CIN   
52George KirbySEASTL   
53Patrick SandovalLAA@NYY   
54Brady SingerKCTEX   
55Kodai SengaNYM@SF   
56Tyler WellsBALDET 1% 
57Merrill KellyARI@STL, SD   
58Zach EflinTBCWS   
59Lucas GiolitoCWSPHI   
60Trevor RogersMIASF   
61Nathan EovaldiTEX@KC   
62Kyle BradishBAL@WAS   
63Grayson RodriguezBALDET   
64Cal QuantrillCLE@DET 48% 
65Blake SnellSDATL   
66Anthony DeSclafaniSFNYM   
67Eduardo RodriguezDETCLE   
68Edward CabreraMIASF   
69Matthew BoydDETCLE, @BAL   
70Sean ManaeaSFNYM   
71Mix 12 Reliever     
72Joe RyanMIN@BOS   
73Brayan BelloBOSLAA, @MILTough to start right away, but defensible in deeper formats36% 
74David PetersonNYM@LAD, @SF   
75Martin PerezTEX@KC   
76Taijuan WalkerPHI@CWS   
77Chris BassittTOR@HOU   
78Matt StrahmPHICOL 13% 
79Corey KluberBOSMIN 17% 
80Domingo GermanNYYTOR   
81Mix 15 Reliever     
82Mitch KellerPITCIN   
83Luis GarciaHOUTOR   
84Steven MatzSTL@SEA   
85Kyle FreelandCOLPIT, @PHI 8%34%
86Kyle WrightATLHOU   
87Tyler MahleMIN@BOS   
88Hayden WesneskiCHC@OAK, LAD   
89Kyle GibsonBALDET   
90Jameson TaillonCHCLAD   
91Seth LugoSD@ARI   
92Tylor MegillNYM@LAD, @SFTough road pair, but deserves a chance to prove worthy 
93Miles MikolasSTL@SEA   
94Colin ReaMIL@SEA 0%0%
95Jose BerriosTOR@HOU   
96Carlos CarrascoNYM@SF   
97Jose UrquidyHOUTOR   
98Nick PivettaBOSMIN 18% 
99Spencer TurnbullDETCLE 3%26%
100Wade MileyMILBOS 7% 
101Hunter BrownHOU@ATL   
102Trevor WilliamsWAS@MIN 1%6%
103Jhony BritoNYYLAA   
104Zack GreinkeKC@LAA 4%36%
105Zach PlesacCLEMIA 0%43%
106Roansy ContrerasPITCIN   
107Mike ClevingerCWSPHI   
108Noah SyndergaardLADNYM   
109Jalen BeeksTB@CIN 0%0%
110Griffin CanningLAA@NYY 0%2%
111Dean KremerBAL@WAS 4% 
112Austin GomberCOLPIT 0%0%
113Michael LorenzenDET@BAL 0%0%
114Bryce ElderATLHOU   
115Graham AshcraftCIN@PIT   
116Michael WachaSD@ARI   
117Marco GonzalesSEAMIL 3%34%
118Luis CessaCIN@PIT 0%4%
119Ken WaldichukOAKCHC 2%13%
120Brad KellerKCTEX 2%36%
121Bailey FalterPHI@CWS, COL 15% 
122Nick MartinezSDATL 44% 
123Braxton GarrettMIA@CLE 16% 
124Hunter GaddisCLE@DET, MIA 10% 
125Ryan FeltnerCOL@PHI 0%0%
126Michael GroveLAD@CHC 6%21%
127Josh FlemingTBCWS 1%15%
128Peyton BattenfieldCLE@DET 0%0%
129Joey WentzDET@BAL 0%0%
130Luke WeaverCINTB 0%0%
131Jose SuarezLAA@NYY 38% 
132Josiah GrayWASBAL 38% 
133Drey JamesonARI@STL, SDFantasy favorite, but needs to prove he's worthy of the hype 
134James KaprielianOAKCHC 0%2%
135MacKenzie GoreWASBAL   
136Clarke SchmidtNYYLAA, TOR   
137Noah DavisCOL@PHI 0%0%
138Rich HillPIT@COL, CIN 0%0%
139Chris FlexenSEAMIL, STL 4% 
140Kyle MullerOAKCHC, @TEX 13% 
141Jordan LylesKCTEX, @LAA 1%4%
142Chad KuhlWAS@MIN 0%0%
143Jose UrenaCOLPIT, @PHI 0%0%
144Yusei KikuchiTOR@NYY 33% 
145Shintaro FujinamiOAK@TEX 4%15%
146Cooper CriswellTB@CIN 0%0%
147Madison BumgarnerARI@STL 0%0%
148Drew SmylyCHCLAD 2% 
149Ryne NelsonARISD 22% 
150Jake WoodfordSTLARI 1%15%
151JP SearsOAK@TEX 0%15%
152Vince VelasquezPIT@COL, CIN 0%0%
153Max CastilloKC@LAA 0%0%
154Patrick CorbinWAS@MIN 0%0%
155Ryan WeathersSDATL 0%6%
156Johan OviedoPIT@COL 5% 

American League

RankPitcherTMOPPComment
1Jacob deGromTEX@KC, OAKDoesn't get much better
2Shohei OhtaniLAA@BOS, KCFirst start is the 11 AM Patriots Day game
3Kevin GausmanTOR@HOU, @NYY 
4Dylan CeaseCWS@TB 
5Sonny GrayMIN@BOS, WASLooks like strikeouts are back
6Pablo LopezMINWASBuy high if he's available
7Shane BieberCLEMIA 
8Gerrit ColeNYYTOR 
9Luis CastilloSEASTL 
10Shane McClanahanTBCWS 
11Lance LynnCWSPHI, @TB6 HR in 16 IP
12Andrew HeaneyTEXOAK 
13Chris SaleBOSMIN, @MILLikely happenstance, but having first inning issues
14Cristian JavierHOUTOR, @ATLTough pair
15Alek ManoahTOR@NYY I'm not nervous. Maybe I'm a little bit concerned, but that's not the same thing.
16Jon GrayTEXOAK 
17Michael KopechCWS@TB 
18Kenta MaedaMINWAS 
19Framber ValdezHOU@ATL 
20Logan GilbertSEAMIL 
21Tyler AndersonLAAKC 
22Nestor CortesNYYLAA 
23Garrett WhitlockBOS@MIL 
24Reid DetmersLAAKC 
25Drew RasmussenTB@CIN 
26George KirbySEASTL 
27Patrick SandovalLAA@NYY 
28Brady SingerKCTEX 
29Tyler WellsBALDET 
30Zach EflinTBCWS 
31Lucas GiolitoCWSPHI 
32Nathan EovaldiTEX@KC 
33Kyle BradishBAL@WAS 
34Grayson RodriguezBALDET 
35Cal QuantrillCLE@DET 
36Eduardo RodriguezDETCLE 
37Matthew BoydDETCLE, @BAL 
38Joe RyanMIN@BOS 
39Brayan BelloBOSLAA, @MILTough to start right away, but defensible in deeper formats
40Martin PerezTEX@KC 
41Chris BassittTOR@HOU 
42Corey KluberBOSMIN 
43Domingo GermanNYYTOR 
44Luis GarciaHOUTOR 
45Tyler MahleMIN@BOS 
46Kyle GibsonBALDET 
47Jose BerriosTOR@HOU 
48Jose UrquidyHOUTOR 
49Nick PivettaBOSMIN 
50Spencer TurnbullDETCLE 
51Hunter BrownHOU@ATL 
52AL Reliever   
53Jhony BritoNYYLAA 
54Zack GreinkeKC@LAA 
55Zach PlesacCLEMIA 
56Mike ClevingerCWSPHI 
57Jalen BeeksTB@CIN 
58Griffin CanningLAA@NYY 
59Dean KremerBAL@WAS 
60Michael LorenzenDET@BAL 
61Marco GonzalesSEAMIL 
62Ken WaldichukOAKCHC 
63Brad KellerKCTEX 
64Hunter GaddisCLE@DET, MIA 
65Josh FlemingTBCWS 
66Peyton BattenfieldCLE@DET 
67Joey WentzDET@BAL 
68Jose SuarezLAA@NYY 
69James KaprielianOAKCHC 
70Clarke SchmidtNYYLAA, TOR 
71Chris FlexenSEAMIL, STL 
72Kyle MullerOAKCHC, @TEX 
73Jordan LylesKCTEX, @LAA 
74Yusei KikuchiTOR@NYY 
75Shintaro FujinamiOAK@TEX 
76Cooper CriswellTB@CIN 
77JP SearsOAK@TEX 
78Max CastilloKC@LAA 

National League

RankPitcherTMOPPComment
1Corbin BurnesMIL@SEA, BOSStill worried?
2Zack WheelerPHI@CWS, COL 
3Jesus LuzardoMIASF, @CLEKnocking at the fantasy ace door
4Clayton KershawLADNYM, @CHC 
5Nick LodoloCINTB, @PIT 
6Julio UriasLAD@CHC 
7Spencer StriderATL@SDAveraging only 5.1 IP per start
8Justin SteeleCHC@OAK 
9Aaron NolaPHICOLMay take a bit, but ratios should drop to usual levels
10Max FriedATL@SD, HOU 
11Zac GallenARISD 
12Logan WebbSF@MIA, NYM4 HR in 17 IP a concern
13Alex WoodSF@MIA, NYM 
14Marcus StromanCHC@OAK, LADEarly strikeouts encouraging, but history says don't get used to it
15Freddy PeraltaMILBOS 
16Jordan MontgomerySTLARI 
17Sandy AlcantaraMIA@CLENot a great spot to rebound
18Yu DarvishSD@ARI 
19Max ScherzerNYM@LAD 
20Dustin MayLADNYM, @CHC 
21Joe MusgroveSD@ARI 
22Hunter GreeneCINTB, @PIT 
23Alex CobbSF@MIA 
24Charlie MortonATL@SD 
25Eric LauerMIL@SEA 
26Jack FlahertySTLARI, @SEAWalks already coming down
27Kodai SengaNYM@SF 
28Merrill KellyARI@STL, SD 
29Trevor RogersMIASF 
30Blake SnellSDATL 
31Anthony DeSclafaniSFNYM 
32Edward CabreraMIASF 
33Sean ManaeaSFNYM 
34David PetersonNYM@LAD, @SF 
35Taijuan WalkerPHI@CWS 
36Matt StrahmPHICOL 
37Mitch KellerPITCIN 
38Steven MatzSTL@SEA 
39Kyle FreelandCOLPIT, @PHI 
40Kyle WrightATLHOU 
41Hayden WesneskiCHC@OAK, LAD 
42Jameson TaillonCHCLAD 
43Seth LugoSD@ARI 
44Tylor MegillNYM@LAD, @SFTough road pair, but deserves a chance to prove worthy
45Miles MikolasSTL@SEA 
46Colin ReaMIL@SEA 
47Carlos CarrascoNYM@SF 
48Wade MileyMILBOS 
49NL Reliever   
50Trevor WilliamsWAS@MIN 
51Roansy ContrerasPITCIN 
52Noah SyndergaardLADNYM 
53Austin GomberCOLPIT 
54Bryce ElderATLHOU 
55Graham AshcraftCIN@PIT 
56Michael WachaSD@ARI 
57Luis CessaCIN@PIT 
58Bailey FalterPHI@CWS, COL 
59Nick MartinezSDATL 
60Braxton GarrettMIA@CLE 
61Ryan FeltnerCOL@PHI 
62Michael GroveLAD@CHC 
63Luke WeaverCINTB 
64Josiah GrayWASBAL 
65Drey JamesonARI@STL, SDFantasy favorite, but needs to prove he's worthy of the hype
66MacKenzie GoreWASBAL 
67Noah DavisCOL@PHI 
68Rich HillPIT@COL, CIN 
69Chad KuhlWAS@MIN 
70Jose UrenaCOLPIT, @PHI 
71Madison BumgarnerARI@STL 
72Drew SmylyCHCLAD 
73Ryne NelsonARISD 
74Jake WoodfordSTLARI 
75Vince VelasquezPIT@COL, CIN 
76Patrick CorbinWAS@MIN 
77Ryan WeathersSDATL 
78Johan OviedoPIT@COL 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Todd Zola
Todd has been writing about fantasy baseball since 1997. He won NL Tout Wars and Mixed LABR in 2016 as well as a multi-time league winner in the National Fantasy Baseball Championship. Todd is now setting his sights even higher: The Rotowire Staff League. Lord Zola, as he's known in the industry, won the 2013 FSWA Fantasy Baseball Article of the Year award and was named the 2017 FSWA Fantasy Baseball Writer of the Year. Todd is a five-time FSWA awards finalist.
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