Of our top 50 starting pitchers from the preseason, 12 are now on the IL. Who will pick up the slack? As we provide every week, below are our top 50 starters for next week based on ability, matchups, and their number of scheduled starts. Today’s rankings are for the week beginning Monday, May 22.
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Top 50 Starting Pitcher Rankings: Week 8
As always, our planning starts with the Expert Consensus Rankings (ECR) and is adjusted based on the Pitcher Planner and their season-to-date statistics. As rotations change frequently, double-check the planner before setting your lineup. The complete top 50 is below, but first, let’s review some of the best and worst matchups on paper next week.
Two-Start Starters with the Best Matchups
Luis Castillo (SP – SEA) checks in at number two in our rankings this week thanks to two scheduled home games against the A’s and struggling Pirates next week. Dylan Cease (SP – CWS) managers can also salivate over the prospect of his two opponents, the Guardians and Tigers, although his games will be on the road. Despite a rough outing in his last start, Eduardo Rodriguez (SP – DET) leaps up the ranks thanks to upcoming matchups against the Royals on the road and White Sox in Detroit. Brady Singer (SP – KC) cracks the top 50 as he gets two home games against the Tigers and Nationals.
Two-Start Starters with the Worst Matchups
Gerrit Cole (SP – NYY) has been so good this year that he’s our top-ranked pitcher despite two less-than-stellar matchups. He’ll take on the Orioles early in the week, followed by the Padres, with both games at home. Spencer Strider (SP,RP – ATL) is fantasy gold but will have to have his “A” game when he takes on the Dodgers and Phillies in Atlanta. Chris Bassitt (SP – TOR) and his teammate Jose Berrios (SP – TOR) will travel south of the Canadian border to take on the Rays and Twins. Do you feel lucky? Kodai Senga (SP – NYM) sneaks into the top 50 with his two-start week, though he’ll have to pitch in Coors field after taking on the Cubs in Chicago.
Solo-Start Starters with the Best Matchups
The Angels host the Marlins in SoCal next week, with Shohei Ohtani (SP,DH – LAA) and Patrick Sandoval (SP – LAA) drawing two of the starts. Similarly, White Sox teammates Lucas Giolito (SP – CWS) and Lance Lynn (SP – CWS) will presumably have the pleasure of taking on the Tigers in the Motor City. Last, Justin Steele (SP – CHC) gets the Reds at Wrigley – a much better locale for pitchers than the Great American Ballpark.
Solo-Start Starters with the Worst Matchups
On the flip side, several high-ranked hurlers have some challenging matchups ahead of them. Sandy Alcantara (SP – MIA), Max Scherzer (SP – NYM), and Justin Verlander (SP – NYM) travel to the Mile-High City to take on the Rockies. Elsewhere, the Braves’ potent offense will host Aaron Nola (SP – PHI), Zack Wheeler (SP – PHI), and Julio Urias (SP – LAD) next week. It won’t be any easier for Urias’ teammate, Clayton Kershaw (SP – LAD), who will face off against the Rays, as will the struggling Alek Manoah (SP – TOR).
Top-50 Starting Pitcher Rankings
| Rank | Player | Matchup(s) |
| 1 | Gerrit Cole | BAL, SD (two starts) |
| 2 | Luis Castillo | OAK, PIT (two starts) |
| 3 | Corbin Burnes (SP – MIL) | HOU, SF (two starts) |
| 4 | Spencer Strider | LAD, PHI (two starts) |
| 5 | Dylan Cease | @CLE, @DET (two starts) |
| 6 | Cristian Javier (SP,RP – HOU) | @MIL, @OAK (two starts) |
| 7 | Yu Darvish (SP – SD) | @WSH, @NYY (two starts) |
| 8 | Shohei Ohtani | MIA |
| 9 | Shane McClanahan (SP – TB) | TOR |
| 10 | Zac Gallen (SP – ARI) | @PHI |
| 11 | Kevin Gausman (SP – TOR) | @MIN |
| 12 | Aaron Nola | @ATL |
| 13 | Framber Valdez (SP – HOU) | @OAK |
| 14 | Shane Bieber (SP – CLE) | STL |
| 15 | Sandy Alcantara | @COL |
| 16 | Zack Wheeler | @ATL |
| 17 | Julio Urias | @ATL |
| 18 | Eduardo Rodriguez | @KC, CWS (two starts) |
| 19 | Joe Ryan (SP – MIN) | SF |
| 20 | Clayton Kershaw | @TB |
| 21 | George Kirby (SP – SEA) | PIT |
| 22 | Logan Webb (SP – SF) | @MIL |
| 23 | Logan Gilbert (SP – SEA) | OAK |
| 24 | Max Scherzer | @COL |
| 25 | Justin Verlander | @COL |
| 26 | Jordan Montgomery (SP – STL) | @CIN, @CLE (two starts) |
| 27 | Chris Bassitt | @TB, @MIN (two starts) |
| 28 | Pablo Lopez (SP – MIN) | TOR |
| 29 | Joe Musgrove (SP – SD) | @WSH |
| 30 | Nestor Cortes Jr. (SP – NYY) | BAL |
| 31 | Alex Cobb (SP – SF) | @MIN, @MIL (two starts) |
| 32 | Freddy Peralta (SP – MIL) | SF |
| 33 | Lucas Giolito | @DET |
| 34 | Hunter Greene (SP – CIN) | @CHC |
| 35 | Sonny Gray (SP – MIN) | SF |
| 36 | Blake Snell (SP – SD) | @WSH |
| 37 | Alek Manoah | @TB |
| 38 | Charlie Morton (SP – ATL) | PHI |
| 39 | Nathan Eovaldi (SP – TEX) | @PIT |
| 40 | Brady Singer | DET, WSH (two starts) |
| 41 | Jose Berrios | @TB, @MIN (two starts) |
| 42 | Lance Lynn | @DET |
| 43 | Hunter Brown (SP,RP – HOU) | @OAK |
| 44 | Jesus Luzardo (SP – MIA) | @LAA |
| 45 | Justin Steele | CIN |
| 46 | Kodai Senga | @CHC, @COL (two starts) |
| 47 | Patrick Sandoval | MIA |
| 48 | Chris Sale (SP – BOS) | @ARI |
| 49 | Marcus Stroman (SP – CHC) | NYM |
| 50 | MacKenzie Gore (SP – WSH) | SD, @KC (two starts) |
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