Here are your morning rankings for today’s starting pitcher options.
It’s not perfect and will be far from the actual results at the end of the day, though it should give guidance for those questioning who to slot into your lineup on a given day.
Note: I’ve made a change moving forward to this daily article. I’ll now be including a second table for tomorrow’s starting pitcher matchups as well, helping everyone get a jump on their nightly pickups. Please note that these matchups are subject to change, though, and there will be times when I have the incorrect pitcher going. I thank you for your future understanding.
Pitchers highlighted in yellow = Possible streaming options.
FS = False Starter where there is an assumed opener actually starting the game.
Red = Postponed.
Today’s Starting Pitcher Rankings
| Rank | Pitcher | Matchup |
| 1 | Max Scherzer | vs. PIT |
| 2 | Blake Snell | @ TOR |
| 3 | Justin Verlander | @ SEA |
| 4 | Zach Eflin | @ MIA |
| 5 | Kyle Freeland | @ SF |
| 6 | Madison Bumgarner | vs. COL |
| 7 | Michael Pineda | vs. DET |
| 8 | Merrill Kelly | vs. SD |
| 9 | Caleb Smith | vs. PHI |
| 10 | Kyle Hendricks | vs. LAA |
| 11 | Chris Archer | @ WSH |
| 12 | Matt Strahm | @ ARI |
| 13 | Rick Porcello | vs. BAL |
| 14 | Julio Teheran | vs. NYM |
| 15 | Adam Wainwright | @ CIN |
| 16 | Tyson Ross | @ MIN |
| 17 | Jason Vargas | @ ATL |
| 18 | Tanner Roark | vs. STL |
| 19 | CC Sabathia | vs. CHW |
| 20 | Ivan Nova | @ NYY |
| 21 | Marco Estrada | @ TEX |
| 22 | Clay Buchholz | vs. TB |
| 23 | Jefry Rodriguez | @ KC |
| 24 | Homer Bailey | vs. CLE |
| 25 | Zach Davies | @ LAD |
| 26 | Mystery LAD Prospect | vs. MIL |
| 27 | Adrian Sampson | vs. OAK |
| 28 | Felix Hernandez | vs. HOU |
| 29 | Chris Stratton | @ CHC |
| 30 | Andrew Cashner | @ BOS |
Tomorrow’s Starting Pitcher Rankings
| Rank | Pitcher | Matchup |
| 1 | Max Scherzer | vs. PIT |
| 2 | Jacob deGrom | @ ATL |
| 3 | Gerrit Cole | @ SEA |
| 4 | Corey Kluber | @ KC |
| 5 | Jose Berrios | vs. DET |
| 6 | German Marquez | @ SF |
| 7 | David Price | vs. BAL |
| 8 | Charlie Morton | @ TOR |
| 9 | Zack Greinke | vs. SD |
| 10 | Jameson Taillon | @ WSH |
| 11 | Domingo German | vs. CHW |
| 12 | Miles Mikolas | @ CIN |
| 13 | Derek Holland | vs. COL |
| 14 | Vince Velasquez | @ MIA |
| 15 | Jake Junis | vs. CLE |
| 16 | Marco Gonzales | vs. HOU |
| 17 | Carlos Rodon | @ NYY |
| 18 | Ross Stripling | vs. MIL |
| 19 | Marcus Stroman | vs. TB |
| 20 | Jordan Zimmermann | @ MIN |
| 21 | Jhoulys Chacin | @ LAD |
| 22 | Eric Lauer | @ ARI |
| 23 | Trevor Cahill | @ CHC |
| 24 | Jose Urena | vs. PHI |
| 25 | Anthony DeSclafani | vs. STL |
| 26 | Julio Teheran | vs. NYM |
| 27 | Brett Anderson | @ TEX |
| 28 | Shelby Miller | vs. OAK |
| 29 | John Means | @ BOS |
| 30 | Tyler Chatwood | vs. LAA |
(Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire)
Pick 3 starts
Verlander @ SEA (Hernandez)
Marquez @ SF (Holland)
Morton @ TOR (Stroman)
Greinke vs SD (Lauer)
Pretty impressive Scherzer is pitching today and tomorrow
I thought Domingo German was being skipped Sunday(?)
Where would Anibal Sanchez (today for Washington instead of Scherzer) fit in?
Where is the right place to talk about Machado’s throw from last night? That is THE problem with evaluating defense and it always has been. I am not sure that Statcast doesn’t do an even worse job than the eyes on a lot of plays. Machado fielded that ball in fair territory – his entire body was in fair territory. Manny proceeds to take three giant steps into foul territory and unleashes an off-balance throw across the diamond, then he gets credit for making an exceptionally long throw. Would that have been more impressive if he took 5 steps into foul territory (AKA the Arenado)? If he made the far smarter decision to plant his feet and make a strong throw it would be less impressive? He certainly had plenty of time to do whatever he wanted. He did not get rid of the ball quickly nor did he set his feet well enough to throw that ball exceptionally hard and he still got him by three steps. It is no coincidence that the catcher was running – Manny knew that when he made the decision to ham that play up. Everything about that throw was a choice made my Machado. Was the ball difficult to get to? I don’t really know the answer to that but that throw was made “difficult” because he decided to do that. I have read stuff like – “I don’t know if anyone else makes that play” – there were many ways that play cold have been made. He had all day to make that throw. I would argue that he made a selfish decision as it did not have to be all that tough a play. Most guys would take two steps and make a simple long throw across the diamond to throw out the catcher. I wonder where Statcast gives him credit for throwing from. It certainly isn’t where he fielded the ball. It could be as absurd as where he ran off to after the throw – probably not but it is useful to think about how a player can manipulate how a machine measures “quality defense”. Perhaps it was a great play with the glove, but the idea that we credit him for that throw is flawed. He chose to make that throw difficult. If that is what we are celebrating, then we need to pull out heads out of the catch probabilities. Then again, its not clear what we are celebrating – we are being told that we should appreciate it. If he got rid of the ball quickly or had to rush to throw him out, I would feel differently, but of course that isn’t what happened. Can you imagine if we judged unnecessary outfield dives as great plays – this is like that.
Tanaka is starting today vs. the white Sox. Where does he rank?
He’ll be updated at 10 right above Taillon.