Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Top Pitchers This Week

Written by

Todd Zola

Updated on May 19, 2025 1:34AM EST

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I was a recent guest on HQ Radio. Host extraordinaire Patrick Davitt delved into how I generate RotoWire's weekly pitching and hitting rankings. After I detailed the manner a daily starting pitcher's projection is derived, he asked why I don't post all the projections.

The answer caught him off guard. It's because I've never been asked. There's a practical reason for including them. Those playing in points leagues can transfer the data to a spreadsheet and determine the projected points for their pitchers.

Admittedly, there was a time more comments were provided. Each week, I aim to come up with more pithy remark. But time always runs short, and I need to get the rankings to the editor.

Longtime readers of the rankings know most of the presentation has been workshopped over the years. As such, I'd like to pose this question: Which do you prefer comments (hopefully more of them) or the projection driving the rankings? Please feel free to chime in below.

Speaking of which, while I'm always happy to address rankings questions, queries regarding the rotations are best directed to the Probable Pitchers page.

UPDATED: Monday May 19 1:35 AM ET

Week of May 19 - 25

Mixed League

Rank	Pitcher	TM	OPP	Comments
1	Tarik Skubal	DET	@STL, CLE	Only four wins is why roto leagues should switch to IP
2	Dylan Cease	SD	@TOR, @ATL	Walks slowly coming down
3	Robbie Ray	SF	KC, @WAS	Walks quickly coming down
4	Cristopher Sanchez	PHI	@COL, @ATH

Admittedly, there was a time more comments were provided. Each week, I aim to come up with more pithy remark. But time always runs short, and I need to get the rankings to the editor.

Speaking of which, while I'm always happy to address rankings questions, queries regarding the rotations are best directed to the Probable Pitchers page.

UPDATED: Monday May 19 1:35 AM ET

Week of May 19 - 25

Mixed League

Rank	Pitcher	TM	OPP	Comments
1	Tarik Skubal	DET	@STL, CLE	Only four wins is why roto leagues should switch to IP
2	Dylan Cease	SD	@TOR, @ATL	Walks slowly coming down
3	Robbie Ray	SF	KC, @WAS	Walks quickly coming down
4	Cristopher Sanchez	PHI	@COL, @ATH
5	Jesus Luzardo	PHI	@COL, @ATH
6	Zack Wheeler	PHI	@ATH
7	Chris Sale	ATL	@WAS
8	Max Fried	NYY	@COL
9	Ben Brown	CHC	@MIA, @CIN	19 K, 2 BB over last 16.1 IP
10	Jacob deGrom	TEX	@NYY	All that's missing is the old flow
11	Joe Ryan	MIN	CLE
12	Carlos Rodon	NYY	TEX
13	Ryan Pepiot	TB	HOU, TOR	Appears to have solved early season HR issues
14	Yoshinobu Yamamoto	LAD	ARI
15	Matthew Boyd	CHC	@CIN
16	Sonny Gray	STL	DET, ARI
17	Kris Bubic	KC	@SF, @MIN
18	Framber Valdez	HOU	SEA	Mr. Steady
19	Freddy Peralta	MIL	@PIT
20	Spencer Strider	ATL	@WAS, SD	Velo down in rehab, fingers crossed
21	Paul Skenes	PIT	MIL	Uncharacteristic 11 BB over last 17 IP
22	Mitch Keller	PIT	CIN, MIL	Might be available in 12 team leagues
23	Ranger Suarez	PHI	@COL
24	Clarke Schmidt	NYY	@COL
25	Bailey Ober	MIN	CLE, KC
26	Michael King	SD	@ATL
27	Nick Martinez	CIN	@PIT
28	Drew Rasmussen	TB	TOR
29	Bryan Woo	SEA	@HOU
30	Colin Rea	CHC	@CIN
31	JP Sears	ATH	LAA
32	Zac Gallen	ARI	@STL
33	Merrill Kelly	ARI	@STL
34	Tanner Bibee	CLE	@MIN
35	Pablo Lopez	MIN	KC
36	Dean Kremer	BAL	@MIL, @BOS
37	George Kirby	SEA	@HOU
38	AJ Smith-Shawver	ATL	@WAS
39	Dustin May	LAD	ARI
40	Ryan Yarbrough	NYY	TEX
41	Kodai Senga	NYM	@BOS, LAD
42	Michael Wacha	KC	@MIN
43	Colton Gordon	HOU	@TB, SEA
44	Reese Olson	DET	CLE
45	Will Warren	NYY	TEX, @COL
46	Tomoyuki Sugano	BAL	@MIL	Will need more strikeouts to maintain current ratios
47	Landen Roupp	SF	@WAS
48	Landon Knack	LAD	ARI, @NYM
49	Zach Eflin	BAL	@BOS
50	Hunter Greene	CIN	CHC
51	Luis Castillo	SEA	@CWS, @HOU	Held down the fort with Gilbert, Kirby and now Miller out
52	Brady Singer	CIN	@PIT
53	Hunter Brown	HOU	@TB
54	Edward Cabrera	MIA	CHC, @LAA	Experiencing fluid buildup near fingernails
55	Bailey Falter	PIT	CIN, MIL
56	Jose Soriano	LAA	@ATH, MIA
57	Jack Flaherty	DET	@STL
58	Noah Cameron	KC	@MIN
59	Shane Smith	CWS	SEA
60	Logan Webb	SF	KC
61	Sandy Alcantara	MIA	@LAA
62	Gavin Williams	CLE	@MIN, @DET
63	Shane Baz	TB	TOR
64	Aaron Civale	MIL	@PIT
65	Nick Lodolo	CIN	@PIT, CHC
66	Tony Gonsolin	LAD	@NYM
67	Nathan Eovaldi	TEX	@NYY
68	Garrett Crochet	BOS	NYM
69	Sean Burke	CWS	TEX
70	Taj Bradley	TB	HOU
71	Hayden Birdsong	SF	KC
72	Ronel Blanco	HOU	SEA
73	Lance McCullers	HOU	SEA
74	Nick Pivetta	SD	@ATL
75	Zebby Matthews	MIN	KC
76	Walker Buehler	BOS	NYM, BAL
77	Luis Severino	ATH	LAA
78	Spencer Schwellenbach	ATL	SD
79	Tyler Mahle	TEX	@CWS
80	Jeffrey Springs	ATH	PHI
81	Chris Bassitt	TOR	SD, @TB
82	Michael Lorenzen	KC	@SF
83	Clayton Kershaw	LAD	@NYM
84	Mix 12 Reliever
85	Kevin Gausman	TOR	SD
86	Casey Mize	DET	CLE
87	Lucas Giolito	BOS	BAL
88	Logan Henderson	MIL	BAL, @PIT
89	Jackson Jobe	DET	CLE
90	Grant Holmes	ATL	SD
91	Jose Berrios	TOR	@TB
92	Tylor Megill	NYM	@BOS
93	Zack Littell	TB	HOU
94	Stephen Kolek	SD	@TOR
95	Chris Paddack	MIN	CLE
96	Miles Mikolas	STL	ARI
97	Corbin Burnes	ARI	@LAD
98	Clay Holmes	NYM	@BOS
99	Jameson Taillon	CHC	@MIA
100	Mix 15 Reliever
101	Jake Irvin	WAS	SF
102	Cade Horton	CHC	@MIA
103	Brandon Pfaadt	ARI	@LAD, @STL
104	Andrew Heaney	PIT	CIN
105	Davis Martin	CWS	SEA, TEX
106	Yusei Kikuchi	LAA	MIA
107	Gunnar Hoglund	ATH	LAA, PHI
108	Logan Evans	SEA	@CWS
109	Michael Soroka	WAS	SF
110	Brayan Bello	BOS	BAL
111	Tyler Anderson	LAA	@ATH
112	Carmen Mlodzinski	PIT	MIL
113	Quinn Priester	MIL	BAL, @PIT
114	Chayce McDermott	BAL	@MIL, @BOS
115	Bowden Francis	TOR	SD
116	Hunter Dobbins	BOS	NYM, BAL
117	Taijuan Walker	PHI	@COL
118	MacKenzie Gore	WAS	ATL
119	Erick Fedde	STL	DET
120	Jack Leiter	TEX	@CWS
121	Cal Quantrill	MIA	@LAA
122	Justin Verlander	SF	@WAS
123	Patrick Corbin	TEX	@NYY, @CWS
124	Jack Kochanowicz	LAA	@ATH
125	Mitchell Parker	WAS	ATL, SF
126	Luis L. Ortiz	CLE	@DET
127	Trevor Williams	WAS	ATL
128	Jonathan Cannon	CWS	TEX
129	Matthew Liberatore	STL	ARI
130	Randy Vasquez	SD	@TOR
131	Griffin Canning	NYM	LAD
132	Logan Allen	CLE	@MIN, @DET
133	David Peterson	NYM	LAD
134	Kyle Hendricks	LAA	@ATH, MIA
135	Bryse Wilson	CWS	SEA
136	Jhonathan Diaz	SEA	@CWS
137	Andre Pallante	STL	DET
138	Cade Povich	BAL	@BOS
139	Luinder Avila	KC	@SF
140	Chad Patrick	MIL	BAL
141	J.T. Ginn	ATH	LAA, PHI
142	Ryan Gusto	HOU	@TB
143	Chase Dollander	COL	NYY
144	Ryne Nelson	ARI	@LAD
145	Andrew Abbott	CIN	CHC
146	Max Meyer	MIA	CHC
147	German Marquez	COL	PHI
148	Ryan Weathers	MIA	CHC
149	Keider Montero	DET	@STL
150	Slade Cecconi	CLE	@DET
151	Jose Urena	TOR	@TB
152	Emerson Hancock	SEA	@HOU
153	Carson Palmquist	COL	PHI
154	Kyle Freeland	COL	PHI, NYY
155	Antonio Senzatela	COL	PHI, NYY

American League

Rank	Pitcher	TM	OPP	Comment
1	Tarik Skubal	DET	@STL, CLE	Only four wins is why roto leagues should switch to IP
2	Max Fried	NYY	@COL
3	Jacob deGrom	TEX	@NYY	All that's missing is the old flow
4	Joe Ryan	MIN	CLE
5	Carlos Rodon	NYY	TEX
6	Ryan Pepiot	TB	HOU, TOR	Appears to have solved early season HR issues
7	Kris Bubic	KC	@SF, @MIN
8	Framber Valdez	HOU	SEA	Mr. Steady
9	Clarke Schmidt	NYY	@COL
10	Bailey Ober	MIN	CLE, KC
11	Drew Rasmussen	TB	TOR
12	Bryan Woo	SEA	@HOU
13	JP Sears	ATH	LAA
14	Tanner Bibee	CLE	@MIN
15	Pablo Lopez	MIN	KC
16	Dean Kremer	BAL	@MIL, @BOS
17	George Kirby	SEA	@HOU
18	Ryan Yarbrough	NYY	TEX
19	Michael Wacha	KC	@MIN
20	Colton Gordon	HOU	@TB, SEA
21	Reese Olson	DET	CLE
22	Will Warren	NYY	TEX, @COL
23	Tomoyuki Sugano	BAL	@MIL	Will need more strikeouts to maintain current ratios
24	Zach Eflin	BAL	@BOS
25	Luis Castillo	SEA	@CWS, @HOU	Held down the fort with Gilbert, Kirby and now Miller out
26	Hunter Brown	HOU	@TB
27	Jose Soriano	LAA	@ATH, MIA
28	Jack Flaherty	DET	@STL
29	Noah Cameron	KC	@MIN
30	Shane Smith	CWS	SEA
31	Gavin Williams	CLE	@MIN, @DET
32	Shane Baz	TB	TOR
33	Nathan Eovaldi	TEX	@NYY
34	Garrett Crochet	BOS	NYM
35	Sean Burke	CWS	TEX
36	Taj Bradley	TB	HOU
37	Ronel Blanco	HOU	SEA
38	Lance McCullers	HOU	SEA
39	Zebby Matthews	MIN	KC
40	Walker Buehler	BOS	NYM, BAL
41	Luis Severino	ATH	LAA
42	Tyler Mahle	TEX	@CWS
43	Jeffrey Springs	ATH	PHI
44	Chris Bassitt	TOR	SD, @TB
45	Michael Lorenzen	KC	@SF
46	Kevin Gausman	TOR	SD
47	Casey Mize	DET	CLE
48	Lucas Giolito	BOS	BAL
49	Jackson Jobe	DET	CLE
50	Jose Berrios	TOR	@TB
51	Zack Littell	TB	HOU
52	Chris Paddack	MIN	CLE
53	Davis Martin	CWS	SEA, TEX
54	Yusei Kikuchi	LAA	MIA
55	Gunnar Hoglund	ATH	LAA, PHI
56	Logan Evans	SEA	@CWS
57	AL Reliever
58	Brayan Bello	BOS	BAL
59	Tyler Anderson	LAA	@ATH
60	Chayce McDermott	BAL	@MIL, @BOS
61	Bowden Francis	TOR	SD
62	Hunter Dobbins	BOS	NYM, BAL
63	Jack Leiter	TEX	@CWS
64	Patrick Corbin	TEX	@NYY, @CWS
65	Jack Kochanowicz	LAA	@ATH
66	Luis L. Ortiz	CLE	@DET
67	Jonathan Cannon	CWS	TEX
68	Logan Allen	CLE	@MIN, @DET
69	Kyle Hendricks	LAA	@ATH, MIA
70	Bryse Wilson	CWS	SEA
71	Jhonathan Diaz	SEA	@CWS
72	Cade Povich	BAL	@BOS
73	Luinder Avila	KC	@SF
74	J.T. Ginn	ATH	LAA, PHI
75	Ryan Gusto	HOU	@TB
76	Keider Montero	DET	@STL
77	Slade Cecconi	CLE	@DET
78	Jose Urena	TOR	@TB
79	Emerson Hancock	SEA	@HOU

National League

Rank	Pitcher	TM	OPP	Comment
1	Dylan Cease	SD	@TOR, @ATL	Walks slowly coming down
2	Robbie Ray	SF	KC, @WAS	Walks quickly coming down
3	Cristopher Sanchez	PHI	@COL, @ATH
4	Jesus Luzardo	PHI	@COL, @ATH
5	Zack Wheeler	PHI	@ATH
6	Chris Sale	ATL	@WAS
7	Ben Brown	CHC	@MIA, @CIN	19 K, 2 BB over last 16.1 IP
8	Yoshinobu Yamamoto	LAD	ARI
9	Matthew Boyd	CHC	@CIN
10	Sonny Gray	STL	DET, ARI
11	Freddy Peralta	MIL	@PIT
12	Spencer Strider	ATL	@WAS, SD	Velo down in rehab, fingers crossed
13	Paul Skenes	PIT	MIL	Uncharacteristic 11 BB over last 17 IP
14	Mitch Keller	PIT	CIN, MIL	Might be available in 12 team leagues
15	Ranger Suarez	PHI	@COL
16	Michael King	SD	@ATL
17	Nick Martinez	CIN	@PIT
18	Colin Rea	CHC	@CIN
19	Zac Gallen	ARI	@STL
20	Merrill Kelly	ARI	@STL
21	AJ Smith-Shawver	ATL	@WAS
22	Dustin May	LAD	ARI
23	Kodai Senga	NYM	@BOS, LAD
24	Landen Roupp	SF	@WAS
25	Landon Knack	LAD	ARI, @NYM
26	Hunter Greene	CIN	CHC
27	Brady Singer	CIN	@PIT
28	Edward Cabrera	MIA	CHC, @LAA	Experiencing fluid buildup near fingernails
29	Bailey Falter	PIT	CIN, MIL
30	Logan Webb	SF	KC
31	Sandy Alcantara	MIA	@LAA
32	Aaron Civale	MIL	@PIT
33	Nick Lodolo	CIN	@PIT, CHC
34	Tony Gonsolin	LAD	@NYM
35	Hayden Birdsong	SF	KC
36	Nick Pivetta	SD	@ATL
37	Spencer Schwellenbach	ATL	SD
38	Clayton Kershaw	LAD	@NYM
39	Logan Henderson	MIL	BAL, @PIT
40	Grant Holmes	ATL	SD
41	Tylor Megill	NYM	@BOS
42	Stephen Kolek	SD	@TOR
43	Miles Mikolas	STL	ARI
44	Corbin Burnes	ARI	@LAD
45	Clay Holmes	NYM	@BOS
46	Jameson Taillon	CHC	@MIA
47	Jake Irvin	WAS	SF
48	Cade Horton	CHC	@MIA
49	Brandon Pfaadt	ARI	@LAD, @STL
50	Andrew Heaney	PIT	CIN
51	Michael Soroka	WAS	SF
52	NL Reliever
53	Carmen Mlodzinski	PIT	MIL
54	Quinn Priester	MIL	BAL, @PIT
55	Taijuan Walker	PHI	@COL
56	MacKenzie Gore	WAS	ATL
57	Erick Fedde	STL	DET
58	Cal Quantrill	MIA	@LAA
59	Justin Verlander	SF	@WAS
60	Mitchell Parker	WAS	ATL, SF
61	Trevor Williams	WAS	ATL
62	Matthew Liberatore	STL	ARI
63	Randy Vasquez	SD	@TOR
64	Griffin Canning	NYM	LAD
65	David Peterson	NYM	LAD
66	Andre Pallante	STL	DET
67	Chad Patrick	MIL	BAL
68	Chase Dollander	COL	NYY
69	Ryne Nelson	ARI	@LAD
70	Andrew Abbott	CIN	CHC
71	Max Meyer	MIA	CHC
72	German Marquez	COL	PHI
73	Ryan Weathers	MIA	CHC
74	Carson Palmquist	COL	PHI
75	Kyle Freeland	COL	PHI, NYY
76	Antonio Senzatela	COL	PHI, NYY

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