Welcome to the FantasyPros Week 2 starting pitcher rankings. Every Friday, we’ll take an in-depth look at the upcoming week and rank every starting pitcher based on their overall skills, current production, head-to-head matchup and park factor. These rankings are for Monday, March 31st through Sunday, April 6th.
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Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitchers Guide: Week 2
Be sure to take a look at expert consensus rankings (ECR) as a helpful tool when setting your lineups. You can also take advantage of our Pitcher Planner’s resource for probable pitchers as well as our streaming pitcher rankings.
Top 50 Starting Pitchers (March 31-April 6)
| Rank | Pitcher | Matchup(s) |
| 1 | Tarik Skubal | @ SEA |
| 2 | Zack Wheeler | vs COL |
| 3 | Logan Gilbert | vs DET |
| 4 | Paul Skenes | @ TB |
| 5 | Spencer Schwellenbach | vs MIA |
| 6 | Garrett Crochet | @ BAL |
| 7 | Pablo Lopez | @ CHW |
| 8 | Luis Castillo | vs DET |
| 9 | Sonny Gray | vs LAA |
| 10 | Jack Flaherty | vs CHW |
| 11 | Robbie Ray | vs SEA |
| 12 | Dylan Cease | vs CLE |
| 13 | Jacob deGrom | vs TB |
| 14 | Casey Mize | @ SEA, vs CWS |
| 15 | Tanner Bibee | @ SD, @ LAA |
| 16 | Cristopher Sanchez | vs COL, vs LAD |
| 17 | Corbin Burnes | @ NYY, @ WAS |
| 18 | Ryan Pepiot | vs PIT |
| 19 | Framber Valdez | vs SF |
| 20 | Cole Ragans | @ MIL |
| 21 | Sandy Alcantara | vs NYM |
| 22 | Bryce Miller | @ SF |
| 23 | Clay Holmes | @ MIA |
| 24 | David Peterson | @ MIA, vs TOR |
| 25 | Bryan Woo | @ SF |
| 26 | Kevin Gausman | vs WAS |
| 27 | Kodai Senga | @ MIA |
| 28 | Jackson Jobe | @ SEA |
| 29 | Gavin Williams | @ LAA |
| 30 | Freddy Peralta | vs KC |
| 31 | Shota Imanaga | vs SD |
| 32 | Justin Steele | @ ATH |
| 33 | MacKenzie Gore | @ TOR |
| 34 | Tyler Glasnow | vs ATL, @ PHI |
| 35 | Nick Lodolo | @ MIL |
| 36 | Michael King | vs CLE |
| 37 | Blake Snell | vs ATL |
| 38 | Hunter Brown | @ MIN |
| 39 | Drew Rasmussen | vs PIT, @ TEX |
| 40 | Yoshinobu Yamamoto | @ PHI |
| 41 | Chris Sale | @ LAD |
| 42 | Hunter Greene | vs TEX |
| 43 | Roki Sasaki | @ PHI |
| 44 | AJ Smith-Shawver | vs MIA |
| 45 | Shane Baz | vs PIT |
| 46 | Joe Ryan | vs HOU |
| 47 | Bailey Ober | vs HOU |
| 48 | Justin Verlander | vs SEA |
| 49 | Zac Gallen | @ NYY |
| 50 | Yusei Kikuchi | @ STL |
Two-Start Pitchers
Casey Mize (SP – DET) @ SEA, vs. CWS
Casey Mize is a breakout candidate following a dominant spring where he put up a 1.89 ERA and 1.00 WHIP with 25 strikeouts in 19 innings.
The 27-year-old has a good chance to get off to a strong start, facing a strikeout-prone Mariners lineup in a pitcher’s park along with the woeful White Sox.
David Peterson (SP – NYM) @ MIA, vs. TOR
David Peterson is another pitcher who looked good in spring, registering a miniscule 0.57 ERA in 15.2 innings. The 29-year-old lefty gets a terrific matchup to start the year against one of the worst lineups in the Marlins.
While the matchup versus the Blue Jays is a lot tougher, at least they have a top-heavy offense that thins out as you get to the middle and bottom of the order.
Drew Rasmussen (SP – TB) vs. PIT, @ TEX
Drew Rasmussen put up a strikeout rate above 30% when returning from injury last season, demonstrating the strikeout upside that has made him a coveted pitcher in the last couple of years.
The Rays’ righty starts the year with a great matchup against the Pirates, followed by a tough one at Texas. If you’re in weekly leagues, I’d bite the bullet and take the risk for the second start. In daily formats, you can bench him there, unless he looks dominant versus Pittsburgh.
Top Streamers
Jackson Jobe (SP – DET) @ SEA
Jackson Jobe is a top prospect with a diverse arsenal that includes elite velocity. While his strikeout production hasn’t yet matched the elite stuff, you have to love the matchup on the road against a Mariners team that had the highest strikeout rate last season.
It also helps that T-Mobile is the most pitcher-friendly park in MLB.
AJ Smith-Shawver (SP – ATL) vs. MIA
AJ Smith-Shawver is another young arm who made the rotation following a strong spring. This is a 22-year-old prospect who posted a 28.2% strikeout rate in the Florida Grapefruit League. Expect a quality outing with strikeouts against the abysmal Marlins.
Justin Verlander (SP – SF) vs. SEA
Justin Verlander has a good chance at a strong start at home against the strikeout-prone Mariners. Until they show us otherwise, we need to pick on them, especially since they didn’t do much to upgrade their offense. Verlander had a strong spring with a 22.1% strikeout rate in 21 innings.
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