May Starter Rankings
Welcome to the May starting pitcher rankings update. Players are ranked for the rest of the season based on a 5x5 scoring format. Included along with the position rankings is an updated top 300.
Click to see other May rankings:
Top 300 | SP | RP | OF | 1B | 2B | SS | 3B | C | DH
Follow us at @Rotoworld_BB and @matthewpouliot on Twitter.
Starting pitcher rankings
May | SP | Team | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Clayton Kershaw | Dodgers | 1 |
2 | Felix Hernandez | Mariners | 2 |
3 | Max Scherzer | Nationals | 3 |
4 | Stephen Strasburg | Nationals | 4 |
5 | Madison Bumgarner | Giants | 5 |
6 | David Price | Tigers | 6 |
7 | Corey Kluber | Indians | 7 |
8 | Chris Sale | White Sox | 8 |
9 | Johnny Cueto | Reds | 9 |
10 | Zack Greinke | Dodgers | 12 |
11 | Cole Hamels | Phillies | 10 |
12 | Sonny Gray | Athletics | 14 |
13 | Matt Harvey | Mets | 16 |
14 | Gerrit Cole | Pirates | 15 |
15 | Jordan Zimmermann | Nationals | 13 |
16 | Chris Archer | Rays | 44 |
17 | James Shields | Padres | 21 |
18 | Alex Cobb | Rays | 17 |
19 | Michael Pineda | Yankees | 19 |
20 | Dallas Keuchel | Astros | 33 |
21 | Carlos Carrasco | Indians | 22 |
22 | Michael Wacha | Cardinals | 28 |
23 | Jacob deGrom | Mets | 24 |
24 | Garrett Richards | Angels | 25 |
25 | Jake Arrieta | Cubs | 34 |
26 | Julio Teheran | Braves | 18 |
27 | Tyson Ross | Padres | 27 |
28 | Lance Lynn | Cardinals | 39 |
29 | Gio Gonzalez | Nationals | 30 |
30 | Drew Smyly | Rays | 38 |
31 | Jon Lester | Cubs | 31 |
32 | Doug Fister | Nationals | 20 |
33 | Danny Salazar | Indians | 67 |
34 | Anibal Sanchez | Tigers | 46 |
35 | Collin McHugh | Astros | 53 |
36 | Alex Wood | Braves | 23 |
37 | Hyun-Jin Ryu | Dodgers | 40 |
38 | Jake Odorizzi | Rays | 63 |
39 | Andrew Cashner | Padres | 47 |
40 | Hisashi Iwakuma | Mariners | 26 |
41 | Scott Kazmir | Athletics | 55 |
42 | Jeff Samardzija | White Sox | 43 |
43 | Danny Duffy | Royals | 72 |
44 | Francisco Liriano | Pirates | 57 |
45 | Ian Kennedy | Padres | 49 |
46 | Phil Hughes | Twins | 52 |
47 | Jose Quintana | White Sox | 50 |
48 | John Lackey | Cardinals | 48 |
49 | Yordano Ventura | Royals | 45 |
50 | Carlos Martinez | Cardinals | 77 |
51 | A.J. Burnett | Pirates | 83 |
52 | Trevor Bauer | Indians | 84 |
53 | Matt Cain | Giants | 32 |
54 | Matt Shoemaker | Angels | 41 |
55 | Justin Verlander | Tigers | 36 |
56 | Masahiro Tanaka | Yankees | 35 |
57 | Drew Pomeranz | Athletics | 60 |
58 | Kyle Lohse | Brewers | 56 |
59 | Jason Hammel | Cubs | 81 |
60 | Mike Fiers | Brewers | 59 |
61 | Jose Fernandez | Marlins | 75 |
62 | Drew Hutchison | Blue Jays | 58 |
63 | Jesse Hahn | Athletics | 70 |
64 | Shelby Miller | Braves | 91 |
65 | Rick Porcello | Red Sox | 71 |
66 | Brandon Morrow | Padres | 99 |
67 | Mike Leake | Reds | 78 |
68 | Jake Peavy | Giants | 62 |
69 | Kevin Gausman | Orioles | 64 |
70 | Marco Gonzales | Cardinals | 121 |
71 | James Paxton | Mariners | 66 |
72 | Tim Hudson | Giants | 76 |
73 | Wade Miley | Red Sox | 69 |
74 | Chris Heston | Giants | 326 |
75 | C.J. Wilson | Angels | 80 |
76 | Jimmy Nelson | Brewers | 96 |
77 | Anthony DeSclafani | Reds | 110 |
78 | Carlos Rodon | White Sox | 98 |
79 | Clay Buchholz | Red Sox | 65 |
80 | Henderson Alvarez | Marlins | 61 |
81 | Bartolo Colon | Mets | 101 |
82 | Shane Greene | Tigers | 94 |
83 | R.A. Dickey | Blue Jays | 73 |
84 | Wily Peralta | Brewers | 74 |
85 | Wei-Yin Chen | Orioles | 82 |
86 | Kyle Hendricks | Cubs | 88 |
87 | Edinson Volquez | Royals | 333 |
88 | Taijuan Walker | Mariners | 54 |
89 | Mat Latos | Marlins | 68 |
90 | Matt Garza | Brewers | 86 |
91 | Nathan Eovaldi | Yankees | 112 |
92 | CC Sabathia | Yankees | 93 |
93 | Brett Anderson | Dodgers | 89 |
94 | Archie Bradley | Diamondbacks | 105 |
95 | Derek Holland | Rangers | 42 |
96 | Jarred Cosart | Marlins | 114 |
97 | Travis Wood | Cubs | 156 |
98 | Aaron Sanchez | Blue Jays | 119 |
99 | Dan Haren | Marlins | 109 |
100 | Jered Weaver | Angels | 51 |
101 | Roenis Elias | Mariners | 102 |
102 | Carlos Frias | Dodgers | 148 |
103 | Jaime Garcia | Cardinals | 107 |
104 | Alfredo Simon | Tigers | 145 |
105 | Charlie Morton | Pirates | 95 |
106 | Ubaldo Jimenez | Orioles | 165 |
107 | Jason Vargas | Royals | 92 |
108 | Yusmeiro Petit | Giants | 85 |
109 | Daniel Norris | Blue Jays | 87 |
110 | Yovani Gallardo | Rangers | 113 |
111 | Miguel Gonzalez | Orioles | 117 |
112 | Adam Warren | Yankees | 97 |
113 | Jeff Locke | Pirates | 104 |
114 | Chris Tillman | Orioles | 111 |
115 | J.A. Happ | Mariners | 135 |
116 | Jesse Chavez | Athletics | 122 |
117 | Kyle Gibson | Twins | 116 |
118 | Patrick Corbin | Diamondbacks | 126 |
119 | Rafael Montero | Mets | 103 |
120 | Vance Worley | Pirates | 108 |
121 | Jon Niese | Mets | 128 |
122 | Jarrod Parker | Athletics | 142 |
123 | Mark Buehrle | Blue Jays | 115 |
124 | Tim Lincecum | Giants | 144 |
125 | Justin Masterson | Red Sox | 123 |
126 | Josh Collmenter | Diamondbacks | 129 |
127 | Mike Foltynewicz | Braves | 228 |
128 | Joe Kelly | Red Sox | 136 |
129 | Noah Syndergaard | Mets | 137 |
130 | Hector Santiago | Angels | 182 |
131 | T.J. House | Indians | 79 |
132 | Bud Norris | Orioles | 100 |
133 | Tom Koehler | Marlins | 124 |
134 | Odrisamer Despaigne | Padres | 134 |
135 | Raisel Iglesias | Reds | 153 |
136 | Kris Medlen | Royals | 139 |
137 | Chase Anderson | Diamondbacks | 138 |
138 | Aaron Harang | Phillies | 224 |
139 | Nate Karns | Rays | 140 |
140 | Mike Minor | Braves | 106 |
141 | Randall Delgado | Diamondbacks | 146 |
142 | Alex Colome | Rays | 167 |
143 | Eduardo Rodriguez | Red Sox | 276 |
144 | Marco Estrada | Blue Jays | 151 |
145 | Erasmo Ramirez | Rays | 130 |
146 | Matt Moore | Rays | 178 |
147 | David Phelps | Marlins | 147 |
148 | Tanner Roark | Nationals | 118 |
149 | Andrew Heaney | Angels | 127 |
150 | Carlos Villanueva | Cardinals | 131 |
Dropping off: Adam Wainwright (11th), Brandon McCarthy (29th), Homer Bailey (37th), Kendall Graveman (90th), Trevor Cahill (120th), Jeremy Guthrie (125th), Chase Whitley (132nd), Jeremy Hellickson (133rd)
o This is where I remind you that these are not short-term rankings. I’d take Kazmir over at least half of the pitchers listed above him for May alone. The same goes for Liriano. But some of these guys were always much better bets for the first two or three months of the season than they were for the entire six months. Others who would be ranked higher if not for the injury likelihood include Cole, Cashner and Morrow.
o I don’t understand why the Blue Jays chose Sanchez over Norris for a rotation spot, but maybe it was a matter of timing more than anything else. Even though Sanchez hasn’t impressed at all as a starter with his 21/20 K/BB ratio in five starts, he’s moving up the rankings this month, all because I think he might end up as the team’s closer.
o Complicating any move to shore up the Red Sox rotation is deciding who makes the most sense to replace (presumably Kelly or Masterson) and who from a group of intriguing alternatives should get the first shot. Knuckleballer Steven Wright was the sixth starter to open the season, but that was always likely to be temporary. Eduardo Rodriguez and Brian Johnson have gotten off to outstanding starts in Triple-A, though Johnson hit his first bump in the road Sunday when he gave up seven earned runs (he had allowed a total of two in his first four starts). Rodriguez now has the superior numbers with a 1.82 ERA and a 22/2 K/BB ratio in 24 2/3 innings, plus he has more upside anyway. I still think Johnson might get the first crack at an opening, but it’s Rodriguez who moves into the top 150 this month.
