This article is part of our Weekly Pitcher Rankings series.
Only 90 games are on the docket, limiting the supply of two-start options. Generally, this pushes those with a pair of games up the rankings, but many of the top hurlers draw a weak opponent, so the double dippers don't climb as much as usual.
July and August are typically the months carrying the highest ERA. This season is no exception, though April was unusually high. The August ERA almost two weeks into the month is 4.45, by far the highest of the season. Historically, ERA drops in September, so it's best to be conservative forcing starting pitching over the next couple of weeks. This is the time to deploy the dominant reliever, especially if you can make up ground in saves. It's best to chase the category now, and not next month when streaming starters is safer.
By means of reminder, the schedule is pulled from the world-famous Probable Pitchers page, so please direct rotation questions in that direction. I'll be happy to address specific ranking queries below.
UPDATED: Monday August 14, 1:35 AM ET
Week of August 14-20
Mixed
Rank | Pitcher | TM | OPP | Comments | MIX12 | MIX15 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Tyler Glasnow | TB | @SF, @LAA | |||
2 | Max Fried | ATL | NYY, SF | |||
3 | Spencer Strider | ATL | SF | |||
4 | Pablo Lopez | MIN | PIT | |||
5 | Kyle Bradish | BAL | @OAK | |||
6 | Max Scherzer | TEX | LAA, MIL | |||
7 | Logan Gilbert | SEA | @KC, @HOU | Fanning a bit more and |
Only 90 games are on the docket, limiting the supply of two-start options. Generally, this pushes those with a pair of games up the rankings, but many of the top hurlers draw a weak opponent, so the double dippers don't climb as much as usual.
July and August are typically the months carrying the highest ERA. This season is no exception, though April was unusually high. The August ERA almost two weeks into the month is 4.45, by far the highest of the season. Historically, ERA drops in September, so it's best to be conservative forcing starting pitching over the next couple of weeks. This is the time to deploy the dominant reliever, especially if you can make up ground in saves. It's best to chase the category now, and not next month when streaming starters is safer.
By means of reminder, the schedule is pulled from the world-famous Probable Pitchers page, so please direct rotation questions in that direction. I'll be happy to address specific ranking queries below.
UPDATED: Monday August 14, 1:35 AM ET
Week of August 14-20
Mixed
Rank | Pitcher | TM | OPP | Comments | MIX12 | MIX15 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Tyler Glasnow | TB | @SF, @LAA | |||
2 | Max Fried | ATL | NYY, SF | |||
3 | Spencer Strider | ATL | SF | |||
4 | Pablo Lopez | MIN | PIT | |||
5 | Kyle Bradish | BAL | @OAK | |||
6 | Max Scherzer | TEX | LAA, MIL | |||
7 | Logan Gilbert | SEA | @KC, @HOU | Fanning a bit more and walking a tad fewer than last season | ||
8 | Zac Gallen | ARI | @SD | |||
9 | Clayton Kershaw | LAD | MIL | |||
10 | Kevin Gausman | TOR | PHI | |||
11 | Framber Valdez | HOU | @MIA | |||
12 | Justin Verlander | HOU | @MIA | |||
13 | Kenta Maeda | MIN | DET | |||
14 | Zack Wheeler | PHI | @TOR | 2.76 ERA and .86 WHIP with 36 K in 32.2 IP since the break | ||
15 | Luis Castillo | SEA | @KC | Should add to his Cy Young resume | ||
16 | Sonny Gray | MIN | PIT | |||
17 | Gerrit Cole | NYY | BOS | |||
18 | Brandon Woodruff | MIL | @TEX | |||
19 | Michael Lorenzen | PHI | @WAS | Working on eight days rest | ||
20 | Gavin Williams | CLE | DET | |||
21 | Justin Steele | CHC | KC | |||
22 | Yu Darvish | SD | BAL, ARI | |||
23 | James Paxton | BOS | @WAS | |||
24 | Bailey Ober | MIN | DET | |||
25 | Nick Pivetta | BOS | @WAS, @NYY | |||
26 | Chris Sale | BOS | @WAS | Should be able to throw at least 5 innings | ||
27 | Marcus Stroman | CHC | KC | |||
28 | George Kirby | SEA | @KC | |||
29 | Tanner Bibee | CLE | DET | |||
30 | Julio Urias | LAD | MIA | |||
31 | Kyle Gibson | BAL | @OAK | |||
32 | Corbin Burnes | MIL | @LAD | |||
33 | Cristian Javier | HOU | @MIA | |||
34 | Miles Mikolas | STL | OAK, NYM | |||
35 | Eduardo Rodriguez | DET | @CLE | |||
36 | Tony Gonsolin | LAD | MIA | |||
37 | Cristopher Sanchez | PHI | @WAS | |||
38 | Aaron Nola | PHI | @TOR | |||
39 | Cole Irvin | BAL | @OAK | 1% | 9% | |
40 | Tarik Skubal | DET | @CLE | |||
41 | Jon Gray | TEX | LAA | |||
42 | Blake Snell | SD | BAL | |||
43 | Hunter Brown | HOU | SEA | |||
44 | Andrew Abbott | CIN | CLE | |||
45 | Brayan Bello | BOS | @NYY | |||
46 | Aaron Civale | TB | @SF | |||
47 | Lance Lynn | LAD | MIL | Much better since the deal, but can't just ignore pre-trade numbers | ||
48 | J.P. France | HOU | SEA | |||
49 | Kutter Crawford | BOS | @NYY | |||
50 | Dane Dunning | TEX | MIL | |||
51 | Freddy Peralta | MIL | @TEX | |||
52 | Zach Eflin | TB | @LAA | |||
53 | Mitch Keller | PIT | @MIN | |||
54 | Logan Webb | SF | @ATL | |||
55 | Brady Singer | KC | SEA, @CHC | |||
56 | Jordan Montgomery | TEX | LAA | |||
57 | Bobby Miller | LAD | MIL, MIA | |||
58 | Reese Olson | DET | @MIN | 22% | ||
59 | Mix 12 Reliever | |||||
60 | Sean Manaea | SF | TB | 4% | 23% | |
61 | Bryce Elder | ATL | NYY | |||
62 | Chris Bassitt | TOR | @CIN | |||
63 | Michael Wacha | SD | BAL, ARI | |||
64 | Logan Allen | CLE | @CIN, DET | |||
65 | Andrew Heaney | TEX | MIL | |||
66 | Jose Berrios | TOR | @CIN | |||
67 | Mix 15 Reliever | |||||
68 | Johan Oviedo | PIT | @NYM | |||
69 | Steven Matz | STL | NYM | |||
70 | Jose Urquidy | HOU | SEA | 36% | ||
71 | Kodai Senga | NYM | @STL | |||
72 | Sandy Alcantara | MIA | @LAD | |||
73 | Matthew Liberatore | STL | OAK | 5% | 11% | |
74 | Braxton Garrett | MIA | HOU, @LAD | Double dip will be a great test | ||
75 | Ranger Suarez | PHI | @WAS | |||
76 | Chase Silseth | LAA | TB | 47% | ||
77 | Hyun Jin Ryu | TOR | @CIN | 33% | ||
78 | Yusei Kikuchi | TOR | PHI | |||
79 | Dakota Hudson | STL | OAK, NYM | 2% | 25% | |
80 | JP Sears | OAK | @STL, BAL | |||
81 | Jameson Taillon | CHC | KC | |||
82 | Merrill Kelly | ARI | @COL, @SD | |||
83 | Jose Quintana | NYM | @STL | 36% | ||
84 | Alex Faedo | DET | @MIN, @CLE | 1% | 15% | |
85 | Griffin Canning | LAA | @TEX | |||
86 | Ross Stripling | SF | TB | 22% | ||
87 | Bryce Miller | SEA | @HOU | |||
88 | Charlie Morton | ATL | NYY | |||
89 | Kyle Hendricks | CHC | CWS | |||
90 | Lucas Giolito | LAA | @TEX | |||
91 | Seth Lugo | SD | ARI | |||
92 | Xzavion Curry | CLE | DET | 1% | 19% | |
93 | Patrick Sandoval | LAA | @TEX | |||
94 | Jack Flaherty | BAL | @SD | |||
95 | Grayson Rodriguez | BAL | @SD | |||
96 | Graham Ashcraft | CIN | CLE | Low strikeouts tempering rank | ||
97 | Javier Assad | CHC | CWS | 0% | 2% | |
98 | Mike Clevinger | CWS | @CHC | 31% | ||
99 | Bailey Falter | PIT | @NYM | 0% | 11% | |
100 | Wade Miley | MIL | @LAD, @TEX | |||
101 | Dean Kremer | BAL | @SD | |||
102 | Jhony Brito | NYY | BOS | 2% | 2% | |
103 | Johnny Cueto | MIA | HOU | 5% | ||
104 | Angel Zerpa | KC | SEA | 0% | 0% | |
105 | Jesus Luzardo | MIA | HOU | |||
106 | Tristan Beck | SF | TB | 0% | 4% | |
107 | Eury Perez | MIA | @LAD | |||
108 | Matt Manning | DET | @CLE | 32% | ||
109 | Brandon Pfaadt | ARI | @SD | |||
110 | Cole Ragans | KC | @CHC | 26% | ||
111 | Jordan Lyles | KC | SEA, @CHC | 0% | 6% | |
112 | MacKenzie Gore | WAS | BOS | |||
113 | Dylan Cease | CWS | @COL | |||
114 | Yonny Chirinos | ATL | SF | 18% | ||
115 | Alec Marsh | KC | SEA | 1% | 17% | |
116 | Reid Detmers | LAA | TB | |||
117 | David Peterson | NYM | PIT, @STL | 5% | ||
118 | Randy Vasquez | NYY | @ATL | 0% | 11% | |
119 | Zack Littell | TB | @SF, @LAA | 21% | ||
120 | Clarke Schmidt | NYY | @ATL, BOS | |||
121 | Noah Syndergaard | CLE | @CIN | 6% | 21% | |
122 | Brandon Williamson | CIN | TOR | 32% | ||
123 | Tyler Anderson | LAA | TB | 9% | ||
124 | Quinn Priester | PIT | @NYM, @MIN | 1% | 0% | |
125 | Ben Lively | CIN | TOR | 15% | 49% | |
126 | Freddy Tarnok | OAK | @STL | 0% | 0% | |
127 | Emerson Hancock | SEA | @KC, @HOU | 0% | 0% | |
128 | Carlos Carrasco | NYM | PIT, @STL | 18% | ||
129 | Michael Kopech | CWS | @COL | |||
130 | Tylor Megill | NYM | PIT | 14% | 17% | |
131 | Kyle Freeland | COL | CWS | 5% | 28% | |
132 | Rich Hill | SD | ARI | 7% | ||
133 | Joan Adon | WAS | PHI | 0% | 6% | |
134 | Andre Jackson | PIT | @MIN | 0% | 0% | |
135 | Josiah Gray | WAS | BOS | |||
136 | Jake Irvin | WAS | PHI | 1% | ||
137 | Alex Wood | SF | @ATL | 14% | ||
138 | Dallas Keuchel | MIN | PIT | 0% | 0% | |
139 | Zach Davies | ARI | @COL, @SD | 0% | 4% | |
140 | Alex Cobb | SF | @ATL | |||
141 | Touki Toussaint | CWS | @CHC | 3% | 38% | |
142 | Luis Medina | OAK | BAL | 22% | ||
143 | Adrian Houser | MIL | @LAD | 10% | ||
144 | Chris Flexen | COL | ARI, CWS | 0% | 0% | |
145 | Austin Gomber | COL | ARI | 4% | 28% | |
146 | Ken Waldichuk | OAK | BAL | 2% | 6% | |
147 | Paul Blackburn | OAK | @STL | 14% | ||
148 | Peter Lambert | COL | CWS | 0% | 0% | |
149 | Ty Blach | COL | ARI | 0% | 0% | |
150 | Patrick Corbin | WAS | BOS | 0% | 9% | |
151 | Slade Cecconi | ARI | @COL | 0% | 0% | |
152 | Luke Weaver | CIN | TOR | 0% | 15% | |
153 | Trevor Williams | WAS | PHI | 0% | 15% | |
154 | Jesse Scholtens | CWS | @COL | 0% | 25% | |
155 | Adam Wainwright | STL | NYM | 5% | 2% | |
156 | Luis Severino | NYY | @ATL |
American League
National League
Rank | Pitcher | TM | OPP | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Max Fried | ATL | NYY, SF | |
2 | Spencer Strider | ATL | SF | |
3 | Zac Gallen | ARI | @SD | |
4 | Clayton Kershaw | LAD | MIL | |
5 | Zack Wheeler | PHI | @TOR | 2.76 ERA and .86 WHIP with 36 K in 32.2 IP since the break |
6 | Brandon Woodruff | MIL | @TEX | |
7 | Michael Lorenzen | PHI | @WAS | Working on eight days rest |
8 | Justin Steele | CHC | KC | |
9 | Yu Darvish | SD | BAL, ARI | |
10 | Marcus Stroman | CHC | KC | |
11 | Julio Urias | LAD | MIA | |
12 | Corbin Burnes | MIL | @LAD | |
13 | Miles Mikolas | STL | OAK, NYM | |
14 | Tony Gonsolin | LAD | MIA | |
15 | Cristopher Sanchez | PHI | @WAS | |
16 | Aaron Nola | PHI | @TOR | |
17 | Blake Snell | SD | BAL | |
18 | Andrew Abbott | CIN | CLE | |
19 | Lance Lynn | LAD | MIL | Much better since the deal, but can't just ignore pre-trade numbers |
20 | Freddy Peralta | MIL | @TEX | |
21 | Mitch Keller | PIT | @MIN | |
22 | Logan Webb | SF | @ATL | |
23 | Bobby Miller | LAD | MIL, MIA | |
24 | Sean Manaea | SF | TB | |
25 | Bryce Elder | ATL | NYY | |
26 | Michael Wacha | SD | BAL, ARI | |
27 | Johan Oviedo | PIT | @NYM | |
28 | Steven Matz | STL | NYM | |
29 | Kodai Senga | NYM | @STL | |
30 | Sandy Alcantara | MIA | @LAD | |
31 | Matthew Liberatore | STL | OAK | |
32 | Braxton Garrett | MIA | HOU, @LAD | Double dip will be a great test |
33 | Ranger Suarez | PHI | @WAS | |
34 | NL Reliever | |||
35 | Dakota Hudson | STL | OAK, NYM | |
36 | Jameson Taillon | CHC | KC | |
37 | Merrill Kelly | ARI | @COL, @SD | |
38 | Jose Quintana | NYM | @STL | |
39 | Ross Stripling | SF | TB | |
40 | Charlie Morton | ATL | NYY | |
41 | Kyle Hendricks | CHC | CWS | |
42 | Seth Lugo | SD | ARI | |
43 | Graham Ashcraft | CIN | CLE | Low strikeouts tempering rank |
44 | Javier Assad | CHC | CWS | |
45 | Bailey Falter | PIT | @NYM | |
46 | Wade Miley | MIL | @LAD, @TEX | |
47 | Johnny Cueto | MIA | HOU | |
48 | Jesus Luzardo | MIA | HOU | |
49 | Tristan Beck | SF | TB | |
50 | Eury Perez | MIA | @LAD | |
51 | Brandon Pfaadt | ARI | @SD | |
52 | MacKenzie Gore | WAS | BOS | |
53 | Yonny Chirinos | ATL | SF | |
54 | David Peterson | NYM | PIT, @STL | |
55 | Brandon Williamson | CIN | TOR | |
56 | Quinn Priester | PIT | @NYM, @MIN | |
57 | Ben Lively | CIN | TOR | |
58 | Carlos Carrasco | NYM | PIT, @STL | |
59 | Tylor Megill | NYM | PIT | |
60 | Kyle Freeland | COL | CWS | |
61 | Rich Hill | SD | ARI | |
62 | Joan Adon | WAS | PHI | |
63 | Andre Jackson | PIT | @MIN | |
64 | Josiah Gray | WAS | BOS | |
65 | Jake Irvin | WAS | PHI | |
66 | Alex Wood | SF | @ATL | |
67 | Zach Davies | ARI | @COL, @SD | |
68 | Alex Cobb | SF | @ATL | |
69 | Adrian Houser | MIL | @LAD | |
70 | Chris Flexen | COL | ARI, CWS | |
71 | Austin Gomber | COL | ARI | |
72 | Peter Lambert | COL | CWS | |
73 | Ty Blach | COL | ARI | |
74 | Patrick Corbin | WAS | BOS | |
75 | Slade Cecconi | ARI | @COL | |
76 | Luke Weaver | CIN | TOR | |
77 | Trevor Williams | WAS | PHI | |
78 | Adam Wainwright | STL | NYM |