This article is part of our Weekly Pitcher Rankings series.
The last week of the season always brings last-minute shuffling of pitching rotations. Some changes are out of the blue, but some are predictable under certain circumstances. For instance:
- Kyle Bradish has two starts, yeah, but he isn't likely to go deep into the Sunday game
- Justin Steele has two starts, yeah but he won't start Sunday if the Cubs have clinched a wild-card spot
- Justin Verlander has two starts, yeah but he isn't likely to go deep into the Sunday game
- Ryan Pepiot has two starts, yeah, but he could piggyback with Bobby Miller in the last game
- Braxton Garrett has two starts, yeah, but he won't start Sunday if the Marlins have clinched a wild-card spot
- Kenta Maeda has two starts, yeah, but he isn't likely to go deep into the Sunday game
- Aaron Nola has two starts, yeah, but he won't start Sunday if the Phillies have clinched a wild-card spot
- George Kirby has two starts, yeah, but he isn't likely to go deep into the Sunday game if the Mariners have clinched a playoff spot
- Kevin Gausman has two starts, yeah, but he won't start Sunday if the Blue Jays have clinched a wild-card spot
As always, the schedule is pulled from the Probable Starters grid, so I am not responsible for rotations, yeah, but you can direct questions to that page.
I can't guarantee accuracy, yeah, but you can ask my thinking below.
UPDATED: Sunday September 24, 11:15 PM ET
Week of September 25 -
The last week of the season always brings last-minute shuffling of pitching rotations. Some changes are out of the blue, but some are predictable under certain circumstances. For instance:
- Kyle Bradish has two starts, yeah, but he isn't likely to go deep into the Sunday game
- Justin Steele has two starts, yeah but he won't start Sunday if the Cubs have clinched a wild-card spot
- Justin Verlander has two starts, yeah but he isn't likely to go deep into the Sunday game
- Ryan Pepiot has two starts, yeah, but he could piggyback with Bobby Miller in the last game
- Braxton Garrett has two starts, yeah, but he won't start Sunday if the Marlins have clinched a wild-card spot
- Kenta Maeda has two starts, yeah, but he isn't likely to go deep into the Sunday game
- Aaron Nola has two starts, yeah, but he won't start Sunday if the Phillies have clinched a wild-card spot
- George Kirby has two starts, yeah, but he isn't likely to go deep into the Sunday game if the Mariners have clinched a playoff spot
- Kevin Gausman has two starts, yeah, but he won't start Sunday if the Blue Jays have clinched a wild-card spot
As always, the schedule is pulled from the Probable Starters grid, so I am not responsible for rotations, yeah, but you can direct questions to that page.
I can't guarantee accuracy, yeah, but you can ask my thinking below.
UPDATED: Sunday September 24, 11:15 PM ET
Week of September 25 - October 1
Mixed
Rank | Pitcher | TM | OPP | Comments | MIX12 | MIX15 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Blake Snell | SD | @SF, @CWS | Looking to add NL Cy Young to his 2018 award | ||
2 | Kevin Gausman | TOR | NYY, TB | May not pitch on Sunday of playoffs are clinched | ||
3 | Sonny Gray | MIN | OAK | |||
4 | Brandon Woodruff | MIL | CHC | Layoff has him fresh for the playoffs | ||
5 | Corbin Burnes | MIL | STL | |||
6 | Luis Castillo | SEA | HOU, TEX | Huge week in a tight race | ||
7 | Tarik Skubal | DET | KC | |||
8 | Hunter Greene | CIN | @CLE, @STL | |||
9 | Framber Valdez | HOU | @SEA | |||
10 | Logan Webb | SF | SD, LAD | |||
11 | Kyle Bradish | BAL | WAS, BOS | Should start Sunday, but likely won't go deep | ||
12 | Braxton Garrett | MIA | @NYM, @PIT | |||
13 | Pablo Lopez | MIN | OAK | |||
14 | Freddy Peralta | MIL | CHC | |||
15 | Aaron Nola | PHI | PIT, @NYM | Second start in jeopardy | ||
16 | Justin Verlander | HOU | @SEA, @ARI | |||
17 | Gerrit Cole | NYY | @TOR | |||
18 | Justin Steele | CHC | @ATL, @MIL | |||
19 | Kodai Senga | NYM | MIA | |||
20 | George Kirby | SEA | HOU, TEX | |||
21 | Zack Wheeler | PHI | PIT | |||
22 | Bryce Elder | ATL | CHC, WAS | Probably the No. 4 if Braves make the NLCS | ||
23 | Reese Olson | DET | KC | |||
24 | Merrill Kelly | ARI | @NYY, HOU | |||
25 | Jordan Montgomery | TEX | @SEA | |||
26 | Michael King | NYY | @TOR, @KC | Earned a full-fledges starter role | ||
27 | Cole Ragans | KC | @DET | |||
28 | Bailey Ober | MIN | OAK, @COL | |||
29 | Jesus Luzardo | MIA | @NYM | |||
30 | Clayton Kershaw | LAD | @SF | |||
31 | Zac Gallen | ARI | HOU | |||
32 | Cristian Javier | HOU | @SEA | |||
33 | Mitch Keller | PIT | @PHI, MIA | |||
34 | Allan Winans | ATL | WAS | 4% | 25% | |
35 | Nathan Eovaldi | TEX | @SEA | |||
36 | Lucas Giolito | CLE | CIN | |||
37 | Logan Gilbert | SEA | TEX | |||
38 | Triston McKenzie | CLE | @DET | 16% | 34% | |
39 | Jose Berrios | TOR | NYY | |||
40 | Chris Sale | BOS | @BAL | |||
41 | Eduardo Rodriguez | DET | CLE | |||
42 | Chris Bassitt | TOR | NYY | |||
43 | Shane Bieber | CLE | CIN | 44% | 47% | |
44 | Nick Pivetta | BOS | @BAL | |||
45 | Cristopher Sanchez | PHI | @NYM | |||
46 | Grayson Rodriguez | BAL | WAS | |||
47 | Spencer Strider | ATL | WAS | |||
48 | Jon Gray | TEX | @LAA, @SEA | Really struggling, needs to step up in the final week | ||
49 | Mike Clevinger | CWS | SD | |||
50 | Lance Lynn | LAD | @SF | |||
51 | Tanner Houck | BOS | TB, @BAL | 34% | ||
52 | Seth Lugo | SD | @SF | |||
53 | Taijuan Walker | PHI | @NYM | |||
54 | Tyler Glasnow | TB | @BOS | |||
55 | Hyun Jin Ryu | TOR | TB | |||
56 | Gavin Williams | CLE | @DET | |||
57 | Aaron Civale | TB | @TOR | |||
58 | Joey Lucchesi | NYM | MIA | 8% | 34% | |
59 | Andrew Abbott | CIN | @CLE | |||
60 | Jose Quintana | NYM | PHI | |||
61 | Kutter Crawford | BOS | @BAL | |||
62 | Zach Eflin | TB | @BOS | |||
63 | Zack Littell | TB | @TOR | |||
64 | Cal Quantrill | CLE | @DET | 47% | ||
65 | Sean Manaea | SF | SD | 4% | 36% | |
66 | Bryan Woo | SEA | TEX | |||
67 | Dylan Cease | CWS | SD | |||
68 | Carlos Rodon | NYY | @KC | |||
69 | Mix 12 Reliever | |||||
70 | Martin Perez | TEX | @LAA, @SEA | 46% | 30% | |
71 | Brayan Bello | BOS | TB | |||
72 | Wade Miley | MIL | STL | |||
73 | Dane Dunning | TEX | @LAA | |||
74 | Ranger Suarez | PHI | PIT | |||
75 | Clarke Schmidt | NYY | ARI, @KC | |||
76 | Kyle Hendricks | CHC | @MIL | |||
77 | Chase Silseth | LAA | OAK | 32% | ||
78 | Sawyer Gipson-Long | DET | KC | |||
79 | Mix 15 Reliever | |||||
80 | Reid Detmers | LAA | TEX | |||
81 | Alex Faedo | DET | CLE | 4% | 43% | |
82 | Yusei Kikuchi | TOR | TB | |||
83 | Brandon Williamson | CIN | @STL | 38% | ||
84 | JP Sears | OAK | @LAA | |||
85 | Jordan Wicks | CHC | @MIL | |||
86 | Ryan Pepiot | LAD | @COL, @SF | |||
87 | Patrick Sandoval | LAA | TEX, OAK | |||
88 | John Means | BAL | BOS | 27% | ||
89 | Bryce Miller | SEA | HOU | |||
90 | Edward Cabrera | MIA | @PIT | |||
91 | Hunter Brown | HOU | @ARI | |||
92 | Darius Vines | ATL | CHC | 3% | 15% | |
93 | Bobby Miller | LAD | @COL | |||
94 | Griffin Canning | LAA | TEX | |||
95 | J.P. France | HOU | @ARI | |||
96 | Adrian Houser | MIL | STL, CHC | 14% | ||
97 | Kenta Maeda | MIN | @COL | |||
98 | David Peterson | NYM | MIA | 15% | ||
99 | Connor Phillips | CIN | @STL | 0% | 0% | |
100 | Ross Stripling | SF | LAD | 7% | 28% | |
101 | Michael Wacha | SD | @CWS | |||
102 | Johan Oviedo | PIT | @PHI | |||
103 | Joe Ryan | MIN | @COL | |||
104 | Zack Greinke | KC | @DET, NYY | 2% | 9% | |
105 | Kyle Gibson | BAL | BOS | |||
106 | Kyle Harrison | SF | SD | 42% | 43% | |
107 | Alex Wood | SF | LAD | 11% | 45% | |
108 | Johnny Cueto | MIA | @NYM | 3% | 32% | |
109 | Jameson Taillon | CHC | @ATL | |||
110 | Jordan Lyles | KC | NYY | 0% | 0% | |
111 | Nick Martinez | SD | @CWS | 3% | 9% | |
112 | Miles Mikolas | STL | @MIL | |||
113 | Jose Butto | NYM | PHI | 10% | ||
114 | Kenny Rosenberg | LAA | OAK | 1% | 6% | |
115 | Javier Assad | CHC | @ATL | |||
116 | Taj Bradley | TB | @TOR | |||
117 | Alec Marsh | KC | NYY | 2% | 40% | |
118 | Anthony Veneziano | KC | @DET | 0% | 0% | |
119 | Joe Boyle | OAK | @LAA | 0% | 0% | |
120 | Matt Waldron | SD | @SF | 0% | 0% | |
121 | Ken Waldichuk | OAK | @MIN | 4% | 36% | |
122 | Emmet Sheehan | LAD | @COL | 29% | ||
123 | Osvaldo Bido | PIT | MIA | 1% | 2% | |
124 | Drew Rom | STL | CIN | 2% | 15% | |
125 | Paul Blackburn | OAK | @MIN, @LAA | 45% | ||
126 | Zack Thompson | STL | @MIL, CIN | 14% | ||
127 | Jared Shuster | ATL | CHC | 8% | 13% | |
128 | Quinn Priester | PIT | MIA | 0% | 0% | |
129 | Slade Cecconi | ARI | @CWS | 1% | 4% | |
130 | Dean Kremer | BAL | BOS | |||
131 | Touki Toussaint | CWS | ARI | 11% | ||
132 | Bryan Hoeing | MIA | @PIT | 1% | 2% | |
133 | Josiah Gray | WAS | @BAL | |||
134 | Zach Davies | ARI | @CWS, HOU | 1% | 21% | |
135 | Chase Anderson | COL | LAD, MIN | 0% | 2% | |
136 | Ryne Nelson | ARI | @CWS | 8% | ||
137 | Dakota Hudson | STL | @MIL | 7% | ||
138 | Tylor Megill | NYM | PHI | 21% | ||
139 | Karl Kauffmann | COL | MIN | 0% | 0% | |
140 | Luke Weaver | NYY | @TOR | 0% | 13% | |
141 | Luis Ortiz | PIT | @PHI | 0% | 0% | |
142 | Luis Medina | OAK | @MIN | 4% | 23% | |
143 | Joey Wentz | DET | CLE | 0% | 0% | |
144 | Luis Patino | CWS | ARI | 0% | 0% | |
145 | Ryan Feltner | COL | LAD | 0% | 0% | |
146 | Ty Blach | COL | MIN | 1% | 4% | |
147 | Jose Urena | CWS | ARI, SD | 0% | 0% | |
148 | Noah Davis | COL | LAD | 0% | 0% | |
149 | Michael Grove | LAD | @COL | 2% | 9% | |
150 | Trevor Williams | WAS | @BAL | 0% | 11% | |
151 | Joan Adon | WAS | @ATL | 2% | 13% | |
152 | Jackson Rutledge | WAS | @ATL | 0% | 0% | |
153 | Patrick Corbin | WAS | @ATL | 1% | 30% | |
154 | Adam Wainwright | STL | CIN | 5% | 6% | |
155 | Chris Flexen | COL | LAD | 0% | 4% |
American League
Rank | Pitcher | TM | OPP | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kevin Gausman | TOR | NYY, TB | May not pitch on Sunday of playoffs are clinched |
2 | Sonny Gray | MIN | OAK | |
3 | Luis Castillo | SEA | HOU, TEX | Huge week in a tight race |
4 | Tarik Skubal | DET | KC | |
5 | Framber Valdez | HOU | @SEA | |
6 | Kyle Bradish | BAL | WAS, BOS | Should start Sunday, but likely won't go deep |
7 | Pablo Lopez | MIN | OAK | |
8 | Justin Verlander | HOU | @SEA, @ARI | |
9 | Gerrit Cole | NYY | @TOR | |
10 | George Kirby | SEA | HOU, TEX | |
11 | Reese Olson | DET | KC | |
12 | Jordan Montgomery | TEX | @SEA | |
13 | Michael King | NYY | @TOR, @KC | Earned a full-fledges starter role |
14 | Cole Ragans | KC | @DET | |
15 | Bailey Ober | MIN | OAK, @COL | |
16 | Cristian Javier | HOU | @SEA | |
17 | Nathan Eovaldi | TEX | @SEA | |
18 | Lucas Giolito | CLE | CIN | |
19 | Logan Gilbert | SEA | TEX | |
20 | Triston McKenzie | CLE | @DET | |
21 | Jose Berrios | TOR | NYY | |
22 | Chris Sale | BOS | @BAL | |
23 | Eduardo Rodriguez | DET | CLE | |
24 | Chris Bassitt | TOR | NYY | |
25 | Shane Bieber | CLE | CIN | |
26 | Nick Pivetta | BOS | @BAL | |
27 | Grayson Rodriguez | BAL | WAS | |
28 | Jon Gray | TEX | @LAA, @SEA | Really struggling, needs to step up in the final week |
29 | Mike Clevinger | CWS | SD | |
30 | Tanner Houck | BOS | TB, @BAL | |
31 | Tyler Glasnow | TB | @BOS | |
32 | Hyun Jin Ryu | TOR | TB | |
33 | Gavin Williams | CLE | @DET | |
34 | Aaron Civale | TB | @TOR | |
35 | Kutter Crawford | BOS | @BAL | |
36 | Zach Eflin | TB | @BOS | |
37 | Zack Littell | TB | @TOR | |
38 | Cal Quantrill | CLE | @DET | |
39 | Bryan Woo | SEA | TEX | |
40 | Dylan Cease | CWS | SD | |
41 | Carlos Rodon | NYY | @KC | |
42 | Martin Perez | TEX | @LAA, @SEA | |
43 | Brayan Bello | BOS | TB | |
44 | Dane Dunning | TEX | @LAA | |
45 | Clarke Schmidt | NYY | ARI, @KC | |
46 | Chase Silseth | LAA | OAK | |
47 | Sawyer Gipson-Long | DET | KC | |
48 | Reid Detmers | LAA | TEX | |
49 | Alex Faedo | DET | CLE | |
50 | Yusei Kikuchi | TOR | TB | |
51 | JP Sears | OAK | @LAA | |
52 | Patrick Sandoval | LAA | TEX, OAK | |
53 | John Means | BAL | BOS | |
54 | Bryce Miller | SEA | HOU | |
55 | Hunter Brown | HOU | @ARI | |
56 | Griffin Canning | LAA | TEX | |
57 | AL Reliever | |||
58 | J.P. France | HOU | @ARI | |
59 | Kenta Maeda | MIN | @COL | |
60 | Joe Ryan | MIN | @COL | |
61 | Zack Greinke | KC | @DET, NYY | |
62 | Kyle Gibson | BAL | BOS | |
63 | Jordan Lyles | KC | NYY | |
64 | Kenny Rosenberg | LAA | OAK | |
65 | Taj Bradley | TB | @TOR | |
66 | Alec Marsh | KC | NYY | |
67 | Anthony Veneziano | KC | @DET | |
68 | Joe Boyle | OAK | @LAA | |
69 | Ken Waldichuk | OAK | @MIN | |
70 | Paul Blackburn | OAK | @MIN, @LAA | |
71 | Dean Kremer | BAL | BOS | |
72 | Touki Toussaint | CWS | ARI | |
73 | Luke Weaver | NYY | @TOR | |
74 | Luis Medina | OAK | @MIN | |
75 | Joey Wentz | DET | CLE | |
76 | Luis Patino | CWS | ARI | |
77 | Jose Urena | CWS | ARI, SD |