We are at the point in the year where we are getting an idea of exactly where we stand with the team that we drafted.
Whether you were a little too high on a player or maybe you happened to strike gold in the later rounds, your team has an identity. And if that identity is all speed and no power, a lot of strikeouts but poor ERA, or a bunch of pop but no average, I am here to help.
As we ring in May, let’s take a look at where we stand heading into week six of the fantasy season.
Batting Average (AVG)
Top 25
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Jose Altuve | HOU | 2B | – |
| 2 | Mike Trout | LAA | OF | – |
| 3 | J.D. Martinez | BOS | OF | – |
| 4 | Christian Yelich | MIL | OF | – |
| 5 | Freddie Freeman | ATL | 1B | – |
| 6 | Mookie Betts | BOS | OF | – |
| 7 | Nolan Arenado | COL | 3B | – |
| 8 | Jean Segura | PHI | SS | – |
| 9 | Michael Brantley | HOU | OF | – |
| 10 | Justin Turner | LAD | 3B | +1 |
| 11 | Anthony Rendon | WSH | 3B | +1 |
| 12 | Joey Votto | CIN | 1B | -2 |
| 13 | Charlie Blackmon | COL | OF | +1 |
| 14 | Alex Bregman | HOU | 3B/SS | +1 |
| 15 | Lorenzo Cain | MIL | OF | -2 |
| 16 | Whit Merrifield | KC | 1B/2B/OF | – |
| 17 | David Peralta | ARZ | OF | +1 |
| 18 | Xander Bogaerts | BOS | SS | -1 |
| 19 | Robinson Cano | NYM | 1B/2B | +2 |
| 20 | Elvis Andrus | TEX | SS | +3 |
| 21 | Paul Goldschmidt | STL | 1B | -2 |
| 22 | Cody Bellinger | LAD | 1B/OF | +3 |
| 23 | Jeff McNeil | NYM | 2B/3B/OF | Unranked |
| 24 | Andrew Benintendi | BOS | OF | – |
| 25 | Bryce Harper | PHI | OF | -5 |
Off the List: Kris Bryant
After an injury-riddled 2018, Elvis Andrus is looking a lot like his 2017 version. Even if he is unable to maintain his insane HR/FB rate, Andrus should still be able to give you a .300 average.
Deep League Top 10 (>12-team leagues/65% owned or less)
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Jeff McNeil | NYM | 2B | – |
| 2 | Jorge Polanco | MIN | SS | – |
| 3 | Shin-Soo Choo | TEX | OF | +1 |
| 4 | Eduardo Escobar | ARZ | 3B/SS | +1 |
| 5 | Brandon Lowe | TB | 2B/OF | Unranked |
| 6 | David Fletcher | LAA | 2B/3B/OF | +2 |
| 7 | Andrelton Simmons | LAA | SS | – |
| 8 | Jesse Winker | CIN | OF | -2 |
| 9 | Brian Goodwin | LAA | OF | Unranked |
| 10 | Dwight Smith Jr. | BAL | OF | -3 |
Off the List: Nick Markakis (ownership), Adam Frazier
Brandon Lowe is still available in about 60% of ESPN leagues and is stuffing the stat sheet. Average should be his strongest category, along with a little bit of pop, so you probably need to go out and get him if he is somehow still on the wire.
Runs (R)
Top 25
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Christian Yelich | MIL | OF | – |
| 2 | Mookie Betts | BOS | OF | – |
| 3 | Mike Trout | LAA | OF | – |
| 4 | George Springer | HOU | OF | – |
| 5 | Charlie Blackmon | COL | OF | +2 |
| 6 | Jose Altuve | HOU | 2B | -1 |
| 7 | J.D. Martinez | BOS | OF | -1 |
| 8 | Nolan Arenado | COL | 3B | – |
| 9 | Andrew McCutchen | PHI | OF | +2 |
| 10 | Bryce Harper | PHI | OF | -2 |
| 11 | Cody Bellinger | LAD | 1B/OF | +2 |
| 12 | Jean Segura | PHI | SS | – |
| 13 | Ronald Acuna Jr. | ATL | OF | -4 |
| 14 | Lorenzo Cain | MIL | OF | – |
| 15 | Freddie Freeman | ATL | 1B | +3 |
| 16 | Matt Carpenter | STL | 1B/2B/3B | – |
| 17 | Paul Goldschmidt | STL | 1B | +2 |
| 18 | Ozzie Albies | ATL | 2B | +3 |
| 19 | Tommy Pham | TB | OF | -2 |
| 20 | Mitch Haniger | SEA | OF | +3 |
| 21 | Anthony Rendon | WSH | 3B | -6 |
| 22 | Juan Soto | WSH | OF | -2 |
| 23 | Trevor Story | COL | SS | Unranked |
| 24 | Javier Baez | CHC | 2B/3B/SS | Unranked |
| 25 | Adam Eaton | WSH | OF | -1 |
Off the List: Fernando Tatis Jr. (injury), Alex Bregman
The Rockies lineup appears to be finally turning the corner—at least their big bats are. Nolan Arenado has been otherworldly the past week-and-a-half, and it is not surprising that as he goes, so does Charlie Blackmon, Trevor Story, and the entire Colorado order. Look for all three to remain elite sources of runs throughout the season.
Deep League Top 10 (>12-team leagues/65% owned or less)
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Jorge Polanco | MIN | SS | – |
| 2 | Shin-Soo Choo | TEX | OF | +1 |
| 3 | Brett Gardner | NYY | OF | -1 |
| 4 | Leury Garcia | CHW | OF | +3 |
| 5 | Dwight Smith Jr. | BAL | OF | -1 |
| 6 | Brandon Lowe | TB | 2B/OF | +1 |
| 7 | Max Kepler | MIN | OF | Unranked |
| 8 | Kevin Kiermaier | TB | OF | -2 |
| 9 | Brian Goodwin | LAA | OF | Unranked |
| 10 | Randal Grichuk | TOR | OF | – |
Off the List: Adam Frazier, Nick Markakis (ownership)
Brian Goodwin has never been an exciting player, especially in the fantasy community, but he is performing at a higher level than he ever has. This could also be due in part to his recent promotion to the 3-hole in the Angles order right behind the all-mighty Mike Trout. But let’s give Goodwin some credit; he is showing some very good plate discipline, and if he continues to hit behind Trout, he could be a solid mixed-league option. Definitely give him a look in five outfielder leagues.
Home Runs (HR)
Top 25
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Khris Davis | OAK | OF | – |
| 2 | Nolan Arenado | COL | 3B | +1 |
| 3 | Joey Gallo | TEX | 1B/OF | +1 |
| 4 | Cody Bellinger | LAD | 1B/OF | +2 |
| 5 | Mike Trout | LAA | OF | – |
| 6 | J.D. Martinez | BOS | OF | -4 |
| 7 | Paul Goldschmidt | STL | 1B | +1 |
| 8 | Christian Yelich | MIL | OF | +1 |
| 9 | Bryce Harper | PHI | OF | -2 |
| 10 | Rhys Hoskins | PHI | 1B/OF | – |
| 11 | Edwin Encarnacion | SEA | 1B | – |
| 12 | Javier Baez | CHC | 2B/3B/SS | +2 |
| 13 | Trevor Story | COL | SS | +2 |
| 14 | Matt Chapman | OAK | 3B | +2 |
| 15 | Nelson Cruz | MIN | UT | -3 |
| 16 | Marcell Ozuna | STL | OF | +1 |
| 17 | Manny Machado | SD | 3B/SS | -4 |
| 18 | Pete Alonso | NYM | 1B | +1 |
| 19 | Mike Moustakas | MIL | 2B/3B | -1 |
| 20 | Ronald Acuna Jr. | ATL | OF | – |
| 21 | Francisco Lindor | CLE | SS | Unranked |
| 22 | Gary Sanchez | NYY | C | – |
| 23 | George Springer | HOU | OF | +2 |
| 24 | Anthony Rizzo | CHC | 1B | +1 |
| 25 | Mookie Betts | BOS | OF | -4 |
Off the List: Charlie Blackmon
This might be the year. This might be the year Nelson Cruz doesn’t reach those elite power numbers we have come to expect from him. Yes, his overall numbers are still pretty good, and he is still on pace for over 30 home runs, but some of his underlying numbers are not as promising. His HR/FB rate so far is the lowest sine 2012. His strikeout rate is the highest of his career. He has an alarmingly high .377 BABIP. And while he is hitting the ball incredibly hard, he is making a career-low amount of contact. I have never been one to doubt Cruz from year to year, and he will more than likely prove me wrong, but could this be the year he finally falls off?
Deep League Top 10 (>12-team leagues/65% owned or less)
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Franmil Reyes | SD | OF | – |
| 2 | Hunter Dozier | KC | 1B/3B | – |
| 3 | Christian Walker | ARZ | 1B | +2 |
| 4 | Mitch Moreland | BOS | 1B | – |
| 5 | Jay Bruce | SEA | 1B/OF | -2 |
| 6 | Max Kepler | MIN | OF | +1 |
| 7 | Rowdy Tellez | TOR | 1B | +2 |
| 8 | Eric Thames | MIL | 1B | Unranked |
| 9 | Yandy Diaz | TB | 1B/3B | +1 |
| 10 | Asdrubal Cabrera | TEX | 2B/3B/SS | -2 |
Off the List: Asdrubal Cabrera
Eric Thames is getting a good share of playing time in the Milwaukee lineup due in large part to the early struggles of Jesus Aguilar. Even with Aguilar picking it up of late, Thames figures to get his share of at-bats against righties, so he should be a decent bet for some pop when in the lineup.
Runs Batted In (RBI)
Top 25
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Khris Davis | OAK | OF | – |
| 2 | Nolan Arenado | COL | 3B | +1 |
| 3 | J.D. Martinez | BOS | OF | -1 |
| 4 | Christian Yelich | MIL | OF | – |
| 5 | Cody Bellinger | LAD | 1B/OF | – |
| 6 | Edwin Encarnacion | SEA | 1B | – |
| 7 | Bryce Harper | PHI | OF | – |
| 8 | Rhys Hoskins | PHI | 1B/OF | – |
| 9 | Paul Goldschmidt | STL | 1B | – |
| 10 | Freddie Freeman | ATL | 1B | – |
| 11 | Juan Soto | WSH | OF | +1 |
| 12 | Marcell Ozuna | STL | OF | +5 |
| 13 | Nelson Cruz | MIN | UT | -2 |
| 14 | Anthony Rizzo | CHC | 1B | +1 |
| 15 | Ronald Acuna Jr. | ATL | OF | +1 |
| 16 | Trevor Story | COL | SS | +2 |
| 17 | Javier Baez | CHC | 2B/3B/SS | +3 |
| 18 | Joey Gallo | TEX | 1B/OF | +3 |
| 19 | Mike Trout | LAA | OF | – |
| 20 | Manny Machado | SD | 3B/SS | -7 |
| 21 | Anthony Rendon | WSH | 3B | -7 |
| 22 | Pete Alonso | NYM | 1B | – |
| 23 | Domingo Santana | SEA | OF | +2 |
| 24 | Jose Abreu | CHW | 1B | Unranked |
| 25 | Alex Bregman | HOU | 3B/SS | -2 |
Off the List: Mookie Betts
After a slow start, which has become an annual routine for Anthony Rizzo, the Cubs first baseman has started to find his stroke. He is about as safe as they come in terms of run producers go, and he is on a 116-RBI pace.
Deep League Top 10 (>12-team leagues/65% owned or less)
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Dansby Swanson | ATL | SS | +6 |
| 2 | Mitch Moreland | BOS | 1B | +1 |
| 3 | Justin Smoak | TOR | 1B | +1 |
| 4 | Rowdy Tellez | TOR | 1B | +2 |
| 5 | Jay Bruce | SEA | 1B/OF | -4 |
| 6 | Hunter Dozier | KC | 1B/3B | Unranked |
| 7 | Jorge Soler | KC | OF | +3 |
| 8 | Chad Pinder | OAK | 2B/3B/OF | – |
| 9 | Yandy Diaz | TB | 1B/3B | Unranked |
| 10 | Randal Grichuk | TOR | OF | -1 |
Off the List: Josh Bell (ownership), Ketel Marte (ownership)
We could be FINALLY witnessing the breakout of former No. 1 overall pick Dansby Swanson. The Braves have moved Swanson up in the order into the 2-hole this past week, and that is only going to benefit him. He is still available in nearly half of Yahoo and ESPN leagues, so you do not want to be the one who missed the boat on the post-hype breakout.
Stolen Bases (SB)
Top 25
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Adalberto Mondesi | KC | 2B/SS | +2 |
| 2 | Whit Merrifield | KC | 1B/2B/OF | -1 |
| 3 | Dee Gordon | SEA | 2B/SS/OF | +1 |
| 4 | Tim Anderson | CHW | SS | +1 |
| 5 | Billy Hamilton | KC | OF | +1 |
| 6 | Jonathan Villar | BAL | SS | +1 |
| 7 | Victor Robles | WSH | OF | +1 |
| 8 | Jose Ramirez | CLE | 2B/3B | +4 |
| 9 | Starling Marte | PIT | OF | +1 |
| 10 | Lorenzo Cain | MIL | OF | -1 |
| 11 | Tommy Pham | TB | OF | – |
| 12 | Byron Buxton | MIN | OF | +3 |
| 13 | Mike Trout | LAA | OF | – |
| 14 | Delino DeShields | TEX | OF | +3 |
| 15 | Trevor Story | COL | SS | +3 |
| 16 | Elvis Andrus | TEX | SS | +3 |
| 17 | Jose Altuve | HOU | 2B | -3 |
| 18 | Mookie Betts | BOS | OF | -2 |
| 19 | Christian Yelich | MIL | OF | +2 |
| 20 | Jean Segura | PHI | SS | – |
| 21 | Andrew Benintendi | BOS | OF | +2 |
| 22 | Ender Inciarte | ATL | OF | +3 |
| 23 | Javier Baez | CHC | 2B/3B/SS | +1 |
| 24 | Cody Bellinger | LAD | 1B/OF | Unranked |
| 25 | Francisco Lindor | CLE | SS | Unranked |
Off the List: Mallex Smith, Fernando Tatis Jr. (injury)
Jose Altuve is starting to concern me. He has gotten on base plenty but has only attempted three steals. With a good chunk of his value coming from the speed department, this needs to be rectified quickly.
Deep League Top 10 (>12-team leagues/65% owned or less)
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Delino DeShields | TEX | OF | – |
| 2 | Mallex Smith | SEA | OF | Unranked |
| 3 | Leury Garcia | CHW | OF | -1 |
| 4 | Kevin Kiermaier | TB | OF | -1 |
| 5 | Brett Gardner | NYY | OF | -1 |
| 6 | Jarrod Dyson | ARZ | OF | -1 |
| 7 | Dwight Smith Jr. | BAL | OF | – |
| 8 | Kevin Pillar | SF | OF | -2 |
| 9 | David Fletcher | LAA | 2B/3B | -1 |
| 10 | Adam Frazier | PIT | 2B/OF | – |
Off the List: Garrett Hampson
When one door closes, another one opens. With the demotion of Mallex Smith to Triple-A, as well as from the Top 25 list (for now), there is a good chance he was dropped in your league. We do not know just how long Smith will remain on the farm, but one has to imagine it will not be too long before he is back with the big club once he gets his stroke back. That being the case, if you have the roster flexibility and can afford to stash an elite base stealer, you might want to do so.
On-Base Percentage (OBP)
Top 25
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Mike Trout | LAA | OF | – |
| 2 | Bryce Harper | PHI | OF | – |
| 3 | Freddie Freeman | ATL | 1B | – |
| 4 | Alex Bregman | HOU | 3B/SS | +1 |
| 5 | Joey Votto | CIN | 1B | -1 |
| 6 | J.D. Martinez | BOS | OF | +2 |
| 7 | Jose Altuve | HOU | 2B | -1 |
| 8 | Christian Yelich | MIL | OF | +1 |
| 9 | Cody Bellinger | LAD | 1B/OF | +2 |
| 10 | Lorenzo Cain | MIL | OF | – |
| 11 | Mookie Betts | BOS | OF | +1 |
| 12 | Andrew McCutchen | PHI | OF | +3 |
| 13 | Anthony Rendon | WSH | 3B | -6 |
| 14 | Juan Soto | WSH | OF | – |
| 15 | Rhys Hoskins | PHI | 1B/OF | +1 |
| 16 | Paul Goldschmidt | STL | 1B | -3 |
| 17 | Tommy Pham | TB | OF | +2 |
| 18 | Nolan Arenado | COL | 3B | – |
| 19 | Kris Bryant | CHC | 3B/OF | -2 |
| 20 | Shin-Soo Choo | TEX | OF | +1 |
| 21 | Anthony Rizzo | CHC | 1B | +1 |
| 22 | Matt Carpenter | STL | 1B | -2 |
| 23 | Carlos Santana | CLE | 1B/3B | – |
| 24 | Michael Conforto | NYM | OF | – |
| 25 | Edwin Encarnacion | SEA | 1B | – |
Off the List: None
As I am typing this, Mike Trout has more than double the amount of walks to strikeouts. Just let that sink in.
Deep League Top 10 (>12-team leagues/65% owned or less)
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Shin-Soo Choo | TEX | OF | – |
| 2 | Jeff McNeil | NYM | 2B/OF | +1 |
| 3 | Brett Gardner | NYY | OF | -1 |
| 4 | Hunter Dozier | KC | 1B/3B | +4 |
| 5 | Josh Bell | PIT | 1B | +1 |
| 6 | Jorge Polanco | MIN | SS | +1 |
| 7 | Niko Goodrum | DET | 1B/2B/3B/SS/OF | +3 |
| 8 | Dansby Swanson | ATL | SS | +1 |
| 9 | Yandy Diaz | TB | 1B/3B | Unranked |
| 10 | Ben Zobrist | CHC | 2B/OF | -5 |
Off the List: Nick Markakis (ownership)
Jeff McNeil just flat out hits. It is not out of the realm of possibility that, as long as he continues to get everyday at-bats, he could win the batting title this year. And with that elite batting average comes a very good OBP.
Wins (W)
Top 25
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Max Scherzer | WSH | SP | – |
| 2 | Justin Verlander | HOU | SP | – |
| 3 | Trevor Bauer | CLE | SP | – |
| 4 | Blake Snell | TB | SP | – |
| 5 | Jacob deGrom | NYM | SP | +1 |
| 6 | Gerrit Cole | HOU | SP | +2 |
| 7 | Aaron Nola | PHI | SP | – |
| 8 | Patrick Corbin | WSH | SP | +1 |
| 9 | James Paxton | NYY | SP | +1 |
| 10 | Carlos Carrasco | CLE | SP | +1 |
| 11 | Jose Berrios | MIN | SP | +2 |
| 12 | Chris Sale | BOS | SP | – |
| 13 | Zack Greinke | ARZ | SP | +1 |
| 14 | Clayton Kershaw | LAD | SP | +3 |
| 15 | German Marquez | COL | SP | – |
| 16 | Noah Syndergaard | NYM | SP | – |
| 17 | Luis Castillo | CIN | SP | +2 |
| 18 | Jameson Taillon | PIT | SP | – |
| 19 | Walker Buehler | LAD | SP | +1 |
| 20 | Tyler Glasnow | TB | SP/RP | +2 |
| 21 | Masahiro Tanaka | NYY | SP | – |
| 22 | Charlie Morton | TB | SP | +1 |
| 23 | Stephen Strasburg | WSH | SP | +1 |
| 24 | Marco Gonzales | SEA | SP | +1 |
| 25 | Miles Mikolas | STL | SP | Unranked |
Off the List: Corey Kluber (injury)
We ar awaiting the official update on Corey Kluber’s rest-of-season outlook after his forearm fractur Wednesday, but the initial reports do not sound promising. It appears it will be a lengthy absence for the former Cy Young Award winner.
Deep League Top 10 (>12-team leagues/65% owned or less)
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Frankie Montas | OAK | SP | – |
| 2 | Yonny Chirinos | TB | SP/RP | +1 |
| 3 | Zach Eflin | PHI | SP | +2 |
| 4 | Brett Anderson | OAK | SP | – |
| 5 | Jordan Lyles | PIT | SP | +1 |
| 6 | Jeff Samardzija | SF | SP | +2 |
| 7 | Zach Davies | MIL | SP | +3 |
| 8 | Adam Wainwright | STL | SP | Unranked |
| 9 | Martin Perez | MIN | SP | Unranked |
| 10 | Dereck Rodriguez | SF | SP | -1 |
Off the List: Mike Minor (ownership), Mike Leake
Martin Perez has been somewhat interesting this year, which puts him light-years ahead of where he has been the past couple of seasons. His velocity is up two MPH on average, and he has developed a cutter, which has yielded very good results. For now, he’s matchup-dependent, but keep an eye on him.
Earned Run Average (ERA)
Top 25
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Jacob deGrom | NYM | SP | – |
| 2 | Max Scherzer | WSH | SP | – |
| 3 | Trevor Bauer | CLE | SP | – |
| 4 | Justin Verlander | HOU | SP | +1 |
| 5 | Blake Snell | TB | SP | -1 |
| 6 | Chris Sale | BOS | SP | – |
| 7 | Gerrit Cole | HOU | SP | – |
| 8 | Aaron Nola | PHI | SP | +1 |
| 9 | Noah Syndergaard | NYM | SP | +1 |
| 10 | Patrick Corbin | WSH | SP | +2 |
| 11 | Carlos Carrasco | CLE | SP | – |
| 12 | Jose Berrios | MIN | SP | +1 |
| 13 | James Paxton | NYY | SP | +1 |
| 14 | Clayton Kershaw | LAD | SP | +2 |
| 15 | Jameson Taillon | PIT | SP | – |
| 16 | Charlie Morton | TB | SP | +1 |
| 17 | Luis Castillo | CIN | SP | +2 |
| 18 | German Marquez | COL | SP | – |
| 19 | Zack Greinke | ARZ | SP | +6 |
| 20 | Walker Buehler | LAD | SP | – |
| 21 | Shane Bieber | CLE | SP | +1 |
| 22 | Tyler Glasnow | TB | SP/RP | +2 |
| 23 | Stephen Strasburg | WSH | SP | – |
| 24 | Hyun-Jin Ryu | LAD | SP | Unranked |
| 25 | Cole Hamels | CHC | SP | Unranked |
Off the List: Corey Kluber (injury), Kyle Hendricks
Hyun-Jin Ryu is having a great year, and it is kind of going unnoticed. He has an xFIP of 2.50, which is lower than his ERA, and a SIERA of 2.80 to support just how dominant he has been.
Deep League Top 10 (>12-team leagues/65% owned or less)
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Trevor Williams | PIT | SP | – |
| 2 | Frankie Montas | OAK | SP | +1 |
| 3 | Jeff Samardzija | SF | SP | +3 |
| 4 | Aaro Sanchez | TOR | SP | +4 |
| 5 | Sonny Gray | CIN | SP/RP | – |
| 6 | Merrill Kelly | ARZ | SP | +4 |
| 7 | Matt Strahm | SD | SP/RP | Unranked |
| 8 | Zach Eflin | PHI | SP | Unranked |
| 9 | Martin Perez | MIN | SP | Unranked |
| 10 | Brad Keller | KC | SP/RP | -3 |
Off the List: Mike Minor (ownership), Caleb Smith (ownership), Trevor Richards
The underlying numbers behind Aaron Sanchez’s start to the season are not flattering, but he is getting it done. Currently in the top 10 in ERA, Sanchez pitches in a tough division in a hitter’s park, but he is just a couple of years and a handful of blisters removed from his breakout in 2016.
Strikeouts (K)
Top 25
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Max Scherzer | WSH | SP | – |
| 2 | Jacob deGrom | NYM | SP | – |
| 3 | Justin Verlander | HOU | SP | – |
| 4 | Gerrit Cole | HOU | SP | – |
| 5 | Trevor Bauer | CLE | SP | – |
| 6 | Blake Snell | TB | SP | – |
| 7 | James Paxton | NYY | SP | – |
| 8 | Carlos Carrasco | CLE | SP | +1 |
| 9 | Patrick Corbin | WSH | SP | +1 |
| 10 | Chris Sale | BOS | SP | -2 |
| 11 | Noah Syndergaard | NYM | SP | +2 |
| 12 | German Marquez | COL | SP | – |
| 13 | Charlie Morton | TB | SP | +2 |
| 14 | Jose Berrios | MIN | SP | – |
| 15 | Stephen Strasburg | WSH | SP | +5 |
| 16 | Aaron Nola | PHI | SP | – |
| 17 | Robbie Ray | ARZ | SP | – |
| 18 | Luis Castillo | CIN | SP | +4 |
| 19 | Jack Flaherty | STL | SP | +2 |
| 20 | Zack Greinke | ARZ | SP | +3 |
| 21 | Walker Buehler | LAD | SP | -3 |
| 22 | Chris Archer | PIT | SP | -3 |
| 23 | Matt Boyd | DET | SP | +1 |
| 24 | Clayton Kershaw | LAD | SP | +1 |
| 25 | Cole Hamels | CHC | SP | Unranked |
Off the List: Corey Kluber (injury)
Stephen Strasburg has posted eight or more strikeouts in six of his seven starts this year. He is proving once again that, when healthy, he is as close to the elite tier as they come, especially when it comes to missing bats.
Deep League Top 10 (>12-team leagues/65% owned or less)
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Vince Velasquez | PHI | SP | +7 |
| 2 | Anthony Desclafani | CIN | SP | Unranked |
| 3 | Brandon Woodruff | MIL | SP/RP | – |
| 4 | Luke Weaver | ARZ | SP/RP | +2 |
| 5 | Reynaldo Lopez | CHW | SP | +4 |
| 6 | Joey Lucchesi | SD | SP | Unranked |
| 7 | Jordan Lyles | PIT | SP/RP | Unranked |
| 8 | Pablo Lopez | MIA | SP | – |
| 9 | Spencer Turnbull | DET | SP | -3 |
| 10 | Dylan Bundy | BAL | SP | – |
Off the List: Caleb Smith (ownership), Derek Holland, Jakob Junis
Anthony Desclafani has been a plus in the strikeout category this year, punching out at least six in four of his starts. We have been waiting for a fully healthy season out of Desclafani for what feels like forever, so here’s to hoping this might be it.
Saves (SV)
Top 25
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Edwin Diaz | NYM | RP | – |
| 2 | Blake Treinen | OAK | RP | – |
| 3 | Kenley Jansen | LAD | RP | – |
| 4 | Roberto Osuna | HOU | RP | – |
| 5 | Brad Hand | CLE | RP | – |
| 6 | Kirby Yates | SD | RP | +1 |
| 7 | Aroldis Chapman | NYY | RP | -1 |
| 8 | Felipe Vazquez | PIT | RP | – |
| 9 | Sean Doolittle | WSH | RP | – |
| 10 | Ken Giles | TOR | RP | – |
| 11 | Jordan Hicks | STL | RP | – |
| 12 | Josh Hader | MIL | RP | – |
| 13 | Greg Holland | ARZ | RP | +2 |
| 14 | Wade Davis | COL | RP | – |
| 15 | Shane Greene | DET | RP | +2 |
| 16 | Raisel Iglesias | CIN | RP | +3 |
| 17 | Ryan Brasier | BOS | RP | +1 |
| 18 | Will Smith | SF | RP | +2 |
| 19 | Alex Colome | CHW | RP | +2 |
| 20 | A.J. Minter | ATL | RP | -4 |
| 21 | Pedro Strop | CHC | RP | +2 |
| 22 | Hector Neris | PHI | RP | +2 |
| 23 | Blake Parker | MIN | RP | +2 |
| 24 | Jose Alvarado | TB | RP | -2 |
| 25 | Diego Castillo | TB | RP | Unranked |
Off the List: Jose Leclerc
The situation in Tampa Bay is a bit of a headache for fantasy owners, and more specifically those who invested draft capital in Jose Alvarado. Diego Castillo appears to be an alternative that manager Kevin Cash will turn to in certain matchups to close out ballgames, but I would still bet on Alvarado finishing the year with more saves.
Deep League Top 10 (>12-Team leagues/65% owned or less)
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | A.J. Minter | ATL | RP | – |
| 2 | Pedro Strop | CHC | RP | – |
| 3 | Hector Neris | PHI | RP | – |
| 4 | Blake Parker | MIN | RP | – |
| 5 | Sergio Romo | MIA | SP/RP | – |
| 6 | Roenis Elias | SEA | SP/RP | +1 |
| 7 | Shawn Kelley | TEX | RP | Unranked |
| 8 | Hansel Robles | LAA | RP | Unranked |
| 9 | Ty Buttrey | LAA | RP | Unranked |
| 10 | Jeremy Jeffress | MIL | RP | -2 |
Off the List: Anthony Swarzak, Michael Givens, Brandon Morrow
Like Tampa Bay, the closing situation for the Angels is a little murky. Hansel Robles appears to be the favorite at first glance, but keep an eye on Ty Buttrey as he has been the Angels’ best reliever so far.
WHIP (Walks+Hits/Innings Pitched)
Top 25
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Max Scherzer | WSH | SP | – |
| 2 | Jacob deGrom | NYM | SP | – |
| 3 | Blake Snell | TB | SP | – |
| 4 | Justin Verlander | HOU | SP | – |
| 5 | Trevor Bauer | CLE | SP | – |
| 6 | Gerrit Cole | HOU | SP | – |
| 7 | Chris Sale | BOS | SP | – |
| 8 | Clayton Kershaw | LAD | SP | +3 |
| 9 | Aaron Nola | PHI | SP | – |
| 10 | Carlos Carrasco | CLE | SP | – |
| 11 | Jose Berrios | MIN | SP | +2 |
| 12 | James Paxton | NYY | SP | – |
| 13 | Patrick Corbin | WSH | SP | +1 |
| 14 | Zack Greinke | ARZ | SP | +1 |
| 15 | German Marquez | COL | SP | +2 |
| 16 | Jameson Taillon | PIT | SP | – |
| 17 | Luis Castillo | CIN | SP | +1 |
| 18 | Charlie Morton | TB | SP | +1 |
| 19 | David Price | BOS | SP | +5 |
| 20 | Stephen Strasburg | WSH | SP | Unranked |
| 21 | Masahiro Tanaka | NYY | SP | -1 |
| 22 | Noah Syndergaard | NYM | SP | -1 |
| 23 | Shane Bieber | CLE | SP | – |
| 24 | Madison Bumgarner | SF | SP | +1 |
| 25 | Tyler Glasnow | TB | SP/RP | Unranked |
Off the List: Corey Kluber (injury), Kyle Hendricks
Clayton Kershaw has really impressed since returning from the injured list. Even with his declining velocity, the guy still pitches at a high level when he is on the bump. You can always count on outstanding ratios with the Dodger lefty.
Deep League Top 10 (>12-team leagues/65% owned or less)
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Trevor Williams | PIT | SP | – |
| 2 | Yonny Chirinos | TB | SP/RP | +1 |
| 3 | Sonny Gray | CIN | SP/RP | +2 |
| 4 | Jeff Samardzija | SF | SP | +3 |
| 5 | Steven Matz | NYM | SP | +5 |
| 6 | Wade Miley | HOU | SP | +2 |
| 7 | Matt Strahm | SD | SP/RP | Unranked |
| 8 | Frankie Montas | OAK | SP | -2 |
| 9 | Anthony Desclafani | CIN | SP | Unranked |
| 10 | Zach Eflin | PHI | SP | Unranked |
Off the List: Mike Minor (ownership), Caleb Smith (ownership), Brad Keller
After a bit of a rough patch to begin the year, Matt Strahm has turned it around of late. While the velocity he was showing last year, or even in spring training, is not quite there, he ha been effective and has limited baserunners.
Quality Starts (QS)
Top 25
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Max Scherzer | WSH | SP | – |
| 2 | Jacob deGrom | NYM | SP | – |
| 3 | Justin Verlander | HOU | SP | – |
| 4 | Trevor Bauer | CLE | SP | – |
| 5 | Gerrit Cole | HOU | SP | – |
| 6 | Blake Snell | TB | SP | +1 |
| 7 | Aaron Nola | PHI | SP | – |
| 8 | Chris Sale | BOS | SP | +1 |
| 9 | Carlos Carrasco | CLE | SP | +2 |
| 10 | Noah Syndergaard | NYM | SP | – |
| 11 | Jameson Taillon | PIT | SP | +1 |
| 12 | Jose Berrios | MIN | SP | +2 |
| 13 | Zack Greinke | ARZ | SP | – |
| 14 | Clayton Kershaw | LAD | SP | +4 |
| 15 | Patrick Corbin | WSH | SP | – |
| 16 | German Marquez | COL | SP | – |
| 17 | James Paxton | NYY | SP | – |
| 18 | Luis Castillo | CIN | SP | +1 |
| 19 | Stephen Strasburg | WSH | SP | +1 |
| 20 | Charlie Morton | TB | SP | +1 |
| 21 | Tyler Glasnow | TB | SP/RP | +2 |
| 22 | Madison Bumgarner | SF | SP | – |
| 23 | Cole Hamels | CHC | SP | +2 |
| 24 | Masahiro Tanaka | NYY | SP | – |
| 25 | Jake Arrieta | PHI | SP | Unranked |
Off the List: Corey Kluber (injury)
Jake Arrieta has five quality starts, and Chris Sale has two. What a weird first month it has been.
Deep League Top 10 (>12-team leagues/65% owned or less)
| Rank | Name | Team | Position | Change |
| 1 | Trevor Williams | PIT | SP | – |
| 2 | Steven Matz | NYM | SP | +4 |
| 3 | Merrill Kelly | ARZ | SP | +4 |
| 4 | Frankie Montas | OAK | SP | +3 |
| 5 | Adam Wainwright | STL | SP | Unranked |
| 6 | Jordan Lyles | PIT | SP/RP | Unranked |
| 7 | Martin Perez | MIN | SP | Unranked |
| 8 | Mike Leake | SEA | SP | -5 |
| 9 | Brett Anderson | OAK | SP | – |
| 10 | Brad Keller | KC | SP | – |
Off the List: Mike Minor (ownership), Caleb Smith (ownership), Trevor Richards
Adam Wainwright has posted a quality start in four of his six starts this year. With that potent offense in St. Louis, even an aging arm such as Wainwright can be decent enough to pick up a quality start and possibly a win.
Featured Image by Justin Paradis (@freshmeatcomm on Twitter)