Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Rankings: Cole Ragans, Bryan Woo, Andrew Abbott (Week 21)

This week, we lost another great starter for the season as the Angels announced Shohei Ohtani (SP,DH – LAA) tore his UCL. It’s been a rough go for the Halos, who went for it at the deadline only to see everything fall apart. Fantasy managers seeking a replacement should check on Cole Ragans (SP,RP – KC)). The lefty made our Top 50 this week and remains widely available despite the impressive numbers he’s put up lately.

Top-50 Starting Pitchers: Aug. 28 – Sept. 3

In case you need a refresh, our weekly rankings start with FantasyPro’s rest-of-season Expert Consensus Rankings (ECR) and are adjusted based on the Pitcher Planner, the players’ season-to-date stats, and recent performance. Rotations change often, particularly at this time of year, so double-check the planner before setting your lineup.

The complete list is below, but let’s review some of next week’s more intriguing matchups first:

Two-Start Starters with Matchups We Love

Tarik Skubal (SP – DET) has been hot and cold since coming off the IL in July, but we’re all in on him this week as he’ll face the surprisingly ineffective Yankees at home and the playing-out-the-string White Sox on the road. Bryan Woo (SP – SEA) pitched well in his first game back last week and gets the A’s at home and the Mets at Citi Field this week. The Reds’ Andrew Abbott (SP – CIN) will try to build on his impressive rookie campaign against the Giants in San Francisco and the Cubs at home. The Cubs aren’t an easy matchup, but have been much more effective offensively at Wrigley. Last, Jon Gray (SP – TEX) will take on the Mets in Queens and the Twins at home, which isn’t an outstanding schedule but is still pretty favorable.

Two-Start Starters with Matchups We Hate

Poor Charlie Morton (SP – ATL) is slated to start in Coors field and at Chavez Ravine in Los Angeles next week. Ouch! It appears fellow veteran Clayton Kershaw (SP – LAD) could also get two starts next week if the Dodgers don’t give him an extra day of rest. Both would be at home, which is good; however, he’ll have to face the D’Backs, who rake on the road, and the Braves. Speaking of the Diamondbacks, their ace, Zac Gallen (SP – ARI), will take on the Dodgers on the road before coming home to take on the Orioles over the weekend.

Solo-Start Starters with Matchups We Love

Brady Singer (SP – KC) and Ragans will square off against the Pirates in Kansas City next week, while Mariners’ teammates George Kirby (SP – SEA) and Bryce Miller (SP – SEA) get Oakland at home. Elsewhere, Gerrit Cole (SP – NYY), who’s about the only thing that’s gone well for the Yankees this season, will take on the Tigers in Detroit, and the Rays’ Tyler Glasnow (SP – TB) faces the Guardians in Cleveland.

Solo-Start Starters with Matchups We Hate

The list of starters with tough matchups is long next week. Breaking it down, the Brew Crew’s Corbin Burnes (SP – MIL) and Brandon Woodruff (SP – MIL) travel to Wrigley to face the Cubs, while teammate Freddy Peralta (SP – MIL) has to take on the Phillies at home. Atlanta also has a rough road ahead with series in Colorado and Los Angeles. The Rockies, whom Spencer Strider (SP – ATL) will face, aren’t good, but Coors Field isn’t a fun place to pitch. However, it’s probably better than taking on the Dodgers, which Max Fried (SP – ATL) is scheduled to do. That series won’t be easy for the Dodgers either, as the Braves’ offense is even more potent. Lance Lynn (SP – LAD) and Julio Urias (SP – LAD) will have their hands full.

Two pitchers in our Top 50 will face the Rangers next week. Kodai Senga (SP – NYM) gets them at home, while Sonny Gray (SP – MIN) has the daunting task of facing them in Arlington. Last, the Angel’s recently acquired Lucas Giolito (SP – LAA) travels to Philadelphia to face the resurgent Phillies’ offense.

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