This article is part of our Weekly Pitcher Rankings series.
Most starters have three outings under their belt, which is enough to look for differences from previous seasons. Changes in strikeout and walk rates aren’t yet predictive, but they offer a filter to dig into those with improvements or declines. Is there a reason? Higher or lower velocity? A new pitch or sequencing? This is the time of the season to be more aggressive with streaming. Run scoring is down relative to the rest of the season and there are signs the drop may be greater this year, emphasizing the need to stream early. It always helps to have a reason to trust a decision and using K% and BB% as a filter is a sage approach.
As always, please direct rotation-specific questions to the Probable Pitchers page. I’m happy to handle rankings queries below.
Please pop back for the weekly refresh late Sunday night, early Monday morning.
Week of April 14 – 20
Mixed League
| RK | Pitcher | TM | OPP | Comments | MIX12 | MIX15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul Skenes | PIT | WAS, CLE | |||
| 2 | Tarik Skubal | DET | @MIL, KC | |||
| 3 | Jesus Luzardo | PHI | SF, MIA | Philly was the perfect landing spot | ||
| 4 | Dylan Cease | SD | CHC, @HOU | Wasn’t sharp, but defense didn’t help him vs. A’s | ||
| 5 | Max Fried | NYY | KC, @TB | |||
| 6 | Framber Valdez | HOU | @STL, SD | Racking up strikeouts with 21 K in 18 IP | ||
| 7 | Zack Wheeler | PHI | MIA | |||
| 8 | Tyler Glasnow | LAD |
Most starters have three outings under their belt, which is enough to look for differences from previous seasons. Changes in strikeout and walk rates aren’t yet predictive, but they offer a filter to dig into those with improvements or declines. Is there a reason? Higher or lower velocity? A new pitch or sequencing? This is the time of the season to be more aggressive with streaming. Run scoring is down relative to the rest of the season and there are signs the drop may be greater this year, emphasizing the need to stream early. It always helps to have a reason to trust a decision and using K% and BB% as a filter is a sage approach.
As always, please direct rotation-specific questions to the Probable Pitchers page. I’m happy to handle rankings queries below.
Please pop back for the weekly refresh late Sunday night, early Monday morning.
Week of April 14 – 20
Mixed League
| RK | Pitcher | TM | OPP | Comments | MIX12 | MIX15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul Skenes | PIT | WAS, CLE | |||
| 2 | Tarik Skubal | DET | @MIL, KC | |||
| 3 | Jesus Luzardo | PHI | SF, MIA | Philly was the perfect landing spot | ||
| 4 | Dylan Cease | SD | CHC, @HOU | Wasn’t sharp, but defense didn’t help him vs. A’s | ||
| 5 | Max Fried | NYY | KC, @TB | |||
| 6 | Framber Valdez | HOU | @STL, SD | Racking up strikeouts with 21 K in 18 IP | ||
| 7 | Zack Wheeler | PHI | MIA | |||
| 8 | Tyler Glasnow | LAD | @TEX | |||
| 9 | Nick Lodolo | CIN | SEA, @BAL | Only 8 K in 18.2 IP, but only 1 BB issued | ||
| 10 | Cole Ragans | KC | @DET | |||
| 11 | Jack Flaherty | DET | @MIL, KC | |||
| 12 | Jacob deGrom | TEX | LAD | |||
| 13 | Chris Sale | ATL | MIN | Don’t worry, 2.81 SIERA, 3.15 xFIP, .386 BABIP, 57.3% LOB | ||
| 14 | Garrett Crochet | BOS | CWS | |||
| 15 | Sonny Gray | STL | HOU, @NYM | |||
| 16 | Jeffrey Springs | ATH | @CWS, @MIL | |||
| 17 | Logan Webb | SF | @LAA | |||
| 18 | Merrill Kelly | ARI | @MIA, @CHC | Good pair to get on track | ||
| 19 | Seth Lugo | KC | @NYY, @DET | |||
| 20 | Luis Castillo | SEA | @CIN, @TOR | |||
| 21 | Zac Gallen | ARI | @CHC | |||
| 22 | Logan Gilbert | SEA | @TOR | |||
| 23 | Joe Ryan | MIN | NYM | |||
| 24 | Bryce Miller | SEA | @CIN | |||
| 25 | Bryan Woo | SEA | @CIN | |||
| 26 | Corbin Burnes | ARI | @CHC | 11 K in 9.1 IP is promising, but 7 BB and 2 HR is concerning | ||
| 27 | Kodai Senga | NYM | STL | |||
| 28 | Spencer Strider | ATL | @TOR | Welcome back! | ||
| 29 | Hunter Greene | CIN | @BAL | |||
| 30 | Spencer Schwellenbach | ATL | @TOR | |||
| 31 | Michael Wacha | KC | @NYY, @DET | |||
| 32 | Tanner Houck | BOS | @TB, CWS | Early command and control issues | ||
| 33 | Yusei Kikuchi | LAA | @TEX, SF | |||
| 34 | Clarke Schmidt | NYY | KC, @TB | |||
| 35 | Bailey Ober | MIN | NYM | |||
| 36 | Yoshinobu Yamamoto | LAD | @TEX | |||
| 37 | Drew Rasmussen | TB | NYY | |||
| 38 | Roki Sasaki | LAD | @TEX | |||
| 39 | Grant Holmes | ATL | @TOR, MIN | |||
| 40 | Landen Roupp | SF | @PHI, @LAA | |||
| 41 | Cristopher Sanchez | PHI | SF | |||
| 42 | Tanner Bibee | CLE | @BAL | |||
| 43 | Nick Pivetta | SD | CHC | |||
| 44 | Freddy Peralta | MIL | ATH | |||
| 45 | Aaron Nola | PHI | SF | |||
| 46 | Ben Brown | CHC | ARI | |||
| 47 | Bowden Francis | TOR | SEA | |||
| 48 | Tyler Mahle | TEX | LAA | |||
| 49 | Walker Buehler | BOS | @TB | |||
| 50 | Michael King | SD | @HOU | |||
| 51 | Matthew Boyd | CHC | @SD | |||
| 52 | Kris Bubic | KC | @NYY | Rewarding the Royals confidence | ||
| 53 | Shota Imanaga | CHC | @SD | |||
| 54 | Ryan Pepiot | TB | BOS, NYY | |||
| 55 | Carlos Rodon | NYY | @TB | |||
| 56 | David Peterson | NYM | STL | |||
| 57 | Hunter Brown | HOU | @STL | |||
| 58 | Nick Martinez | CIN | SEA | |||
| 59 | Eduardo Rodriguez | ARI | @MIA | |||
| 60 | Reese Olson | DET | @MIL | |||
| 61 | Sandy Alcantara | MIA | ARI | |||
| 62 | Mitch Keller | PIT | WAS | |||
| 63 | Brady Singer | CIN | SEA | |||
| 64 | Gavin Williams | CLE | @BAL | |||
| 65 | Tylor Megill | NYM | @MIN, STL | |||
| 66 | Brandon Pfaadt | ARI | @MIA | |||
| 67 | Dustin May | LAD | COL | |||
| 68 | Kevin Gausman | TOR | ATL | |||
| 69 | Jose Soriano | LAA | @TEX | |||
| 70 | Taj Bradley | TB | BOS | |||
| 71 | Zebby Matthews | MIN | NYM | 10% | ||
| 72 | David Festa | MIN | @ATL | 7% | 26% | |
| 73 | Jose Berrios | TOR | SEA | |||
| 74 | Easton Lucas | TOR | ATL, SEA | 0% | 4% | |
| 75 | Andrew Heaney | PIT | WAS | 24% | ||
| 76 | Brad Lord | WAS | @PIT, @COL | 0% | 0% | |
| 77 | Charlie Morton | BAL | CLE, CIN | 25% | ||
| 78 | MacKenzie Gore | WAS | @COL | |||
| 79 | Jake Irvin | WAS | @PIT, @COL | 0% | 47% | |
| 80 | Thomas Harrington | PIT | CLE | 4% | 40% | |
| 81 | Ronel Blanco | HOU | @STL | |||
| 82 | Mix 12 Reliever | |||||
| 83 | Nathan Eovaldi | TEX | LAD | |||
| 84 | Edward Cabrera | MIA | ARI | 7% | 40% | |
| 85 | Sean Burke | CWS | ATH, @BOS | 50% | ||
| 86 | Tomoyuki Sugano | BAL | CLE | |||
| 87 | Clay Holmes | NYM | @MIN, STL | |||
| 88 | Mitchell Parker | WAS | @PIT | 47% | ||
| 89 | Kumar Rocker | TEX | LAD | |||
| 90 | Luis Severino | ATH | @MIL | |||
| 91 | Mix 15 Reliever | |||||
| 92 | Jackson Jobe | DET | KC | |||
| 93 | Landon Knack | LAD | COL | 25% | ||
| 94 | Shane Baz | TB | NYY | |||
| 95 | Brandon Young | BAL | CIN | 0% | 0% | |
| 96 | Jack Leiter | TEX | LAA | |||
| 97 | Simeon Woods Richardson | MIN | @ATL | 36% | ||
| 98 | Erick Fedde | STL | HOU | |||
| 99 | Zack Littell | TB | BOS, NYY | |||
| 100 | Chris Bassitt | TOR | ATL | |||
| 101 | Andre Pallante | STL | @NYM | 0% | 42% | |
| 102 | Robbie Ray | SF | @PHI | |||
| 103 | Dean Kremer | BAL | CLE | 3% | ||
| 104 | Jose Quintana | MIL | DET | 2% | 26% | |
| 105 | Shane Smith | CWS | @BOS | 31% | ||
| 106 | Bailey Falter | PIT | WAS | 0% | 2% | |
| 107 | Tyler Alexander | MIL | DET, ATH | 0% | 19% | |
| 108 | Cade Povich | BAL | CIN | 46% | ||
| 109 | Luis L. Ortiz | CLE | @PIT | 7% | ||
| 110 | Michael Lorenzen | KC | @DET | 18% | ||
| 111 | Kyle Hart | SD | @HOU | 3% | 49% | |
| 112 | Trevor Williams | WAS | @PIT | 1% | ||
| 113 | Chad Patrick | MIL | ATH | 4% | 40% | |
| 114 | Jameson Taillon | CHC | @SD, ARI | |||
| 115 | Miles Mikolas | STL | @NYM | 0% | 11% | |
| 116 | Jordan Hicks | SF | @PHI | |||
| 117 | Griffin Canning | NYM | @MIN | |||
| 118 | Steven Matz | STL | HOU | 0% | 2% | |
| 119 | Martin Perez | CWS | @BOS | 6% | 44% | |
| 120 | Chris Paddack | MIN | @ATL | 10% | 30% | |
| 121 | Andrew Abbott | CIN | @BAL | 3% | 28% | |
| 122 | Jack Kochanowicz | LAA | @TEX | 5% | ||
| 123 | Justin Verlander | SF | @PHI, @LAA | |||
| 124 | Ben Lively | CLE | @PIT | 14% | ||
| 125 | Bobby Miller | LAD | COL | 3% | 2% | |
| 126 | AJ Smith-Shawver | ATL | MIN | |||
| 127 | Casey Mize | DET | KC | |||
| 128 | Taijuan Walker | PHI | SF, MIA | 1% | 26% | |
| 129 | Davis Martin | CWS | ATH | 1% | 12% | |
| 130 | Max Meyer | MIA | ARI, @PHI | |||
| 131 | Osvaldo Bido | ATH | @CWS | 35% | ||
| 132 | Carmen Mlodzinski | PIT | CLE | 1% | 5% | |
| 133 | Colin Rea | CHC | ARI | 0% | 0% | |
| 134 | Tyler Anderson | LAA | SF | 3% | 44% | |
| 135 | Will Warren | NYY | @TB | |||
| 136 | Chase Dollander | COL | WAS | 0% | 4% | |
| 137 | Kyle Hendricks | LAA | SF | 1% | 16% | |
| 138 | Quinn Priester | MIL | DET | 0% | 2% | |
| 139 | Logan Allen | CLE | @BAL, @PIT | 0% | 0% | |
| 140 | Sean Newcomb | BOS | @TB | 1% | 23% | |
| 141 | Matthew Liberatore | STL | @NYM | 29% | ||
| 142 | JP Sears | ATH | @CWS | 13% | ||
| 143 | Cal Quantrill | MIA | @PHI | 0% | 0% | |
| 144 | German Marquez | COL | @LAD | 1% | 5% | |
| 145 | Connor Gillispie | MIA | @PHI | 3% | 19% | |
| 146 | Randy Vasquez | SD | CHC | 1% | 28% | |
| 147 | Casey Lawrence | SEA | @TOR | 0% | 0% | |
| 148 | Kyle Freeland | COL | WAS | 8% | 42% | |
| 149 | Patrick Corbin | TEX | LAA | 0% | 0% | |
| 150 | Ryan Gusto | HOU | SD | 0% | 0% | |
| 151 | Allan Winans | NYY | KC | 0% | 0% | |
| 152 | Jonathan Cannon | CWS | ATH | 0% | 5% | |
| 153 | Hayden Wesneski | HOU | SD | |||
| 154 | Ryan Feltner | COL | @LAD | 0% | 2% | |
| 155 | Richard Fitts | BOS | CWS | |||
| 156 | J.T. Ginn | ATH | @MIL | 0% | 0% | |
| 157 | Antonio Senzatela | COL | @LAD, WAS | 0% | 0% |
American League
| Rank | Pitcher | TM | OPP | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tarik Skubal | DET | @MIL, KC | |
| 2 | Max Fried | NYY | KC, @TB | |
| 3 | Framber Valdez | HOU | @STL, SD | Racking up strikeouts with 21 K in 18 IP |
| 4 | Cole Ragans | KC | @DET | |
| 5 | Jack Flaherty | DET | @MIL, KC | |
| 6 | Jacob deGrom | TEX | LAD | |
| 7 | Garrett Crochet | BOS | CWS | |
| 8 | Jeffrey Springs | ATH | @CWS, @MIL | |
| 9 | Seth Lugo | KC | @NYY, @DET | |
| 10 | Luis Castillo | SEA | @CIN, @TOR | |
| 11 | Logan Gilbert | SEA | @TOR | |
| 12 | Joe Ryan | MIN | NYM | |
| 13 | Bryce Miller | SEA | @CIN | |
| 14 | Bryan Woo | SEA | @CIN | |
| 15 | Michael Wacha | KC | @NYY, @DET | |
| 16 | Tanner Houck | BOS | @TB, CWS | Early command and control issues |
| 17 | Yusei Kikuchi | LAA | @TEX, SF | |
| 18 | Clarke Schmidt | NYY | KC, @TB | |
| 19 | Bailey Ober | MIN | NYM | |
| 20 | Drew Rasmussen | TB | NYY | |
| 21 | Tanner Bibee | CLE | @BAL | |
| 22 | Bowden Francis | TOR | SEA | |
| 23 | Tyler Mahle | TEX | LAA | |
| 24 | Walker Buehler | BOS | @TB | |
| 25 | Kris Bubic | KC | @NYY | Rewarding the Royals confidence |
| 26 | Ryan Pepiot | TB | BOS, NYY | |
| 27 | Carlos Rodon | NYY | @TB | |
| 28 | Hunter Brown | HOU | @STL | |
| 29 | Reese Olson | DET | @MIL | |
| 30 | Gavin Williams | CLE | @BAL | |
| 31 | Kevin Gausman | TOR | ATL | |
| 32 | Jose Soriano | LAA | @TEX | |
| 33 | Taj Bradley | TB | BOS | |
| 34 | Zebby Matthews | MIN | NYM | |
| 35 | David Festa | MIN | @ATL | |
| 36 | Jose Berrios | TOR | SEA | |
| 37 | Easton Lucas | TOR | ATL, SEA | |
| 38 | Charlie Morton | BAL | CLE, CIN | |
| 39 | Ronel Blanco | HOU | @STL | |
| 40 | Nathan Eovaldi | TEX | LAD | |
| 41 | Sean Burke | CWS | ATH, @BOS | |
| 42 | Tomoyuki Sugano | BAL | CLE | |
| 43 | Kumar Rocker | TEX | LAD | |
| 44 | Luis Severino | ATH | @MIL | |
| 45 | Jackson Jobe | DET | KC | |
| 46 | Shane Baz | TB | NYY | |
| 47 | Brandon Young | BAL | CIN | |
| 48 | Jack Leiter | TEX | LAA | |
| 49 | Simeon Woods Richardson | MIN | @ATL | |
| 50 | Zack Littell | TB | BOS, NYY | |
| 51 | Chris Bassitt | TOR | ATL | |
| 52 | AL Reliever | |||
| 53 | Dean Kremer | BAL | CLE | |
| 54 | Shane Smith | CWS | @BOS | |
| 55 | Cade Povich | BAL | CIN | |
| 56 | Luis L. Ortiz | CLE | @PIT | |
| 57 | Michael Lorenzen | KC | @DET | |
| 58 | Martin Perez | CWS | @BOS | |
| 59 | Chris Paddack | MIN | @ATL | |
| 60 | Jack Kochanowicz | LAA | @TEX | |
| 61 | Ben Lively | CLE | @PIT | |
| 62 | Casey Mize | DET | KC | |
| 63 | Davis Martin | CWS | ATH | |
| 64 | Osvaldo Bido | ATH | @CWS | |
| 65 | Tyler Anderson | LAA | SF | |
| 66 | Will Warren | NYY | @TB | |
| 67 | Kyle Hendricks | LAA | SF | |
| 68 | Logan Allen | CLE | @BAL, @PIT | |
| 69 | Sean Newcomb | BOS | @TB | |
| 70 | JP Sears | ATH | @CWS | |
| 71 | Casey Lawrence | SEA | @TOR | |
| 72 | Patrick Corbin | TEX | LAA | |
| 73 | Ryan Gusto | HOU | SD | |
| 74 | Allan Winans | NYY | KC | |
| 75 | Jonathan Cannon | CWS | ATH | |
| 76 | Hayden Wesneski | HOU | SD | |
| 77 | Richard Fitts | BOS | CWS | |
| 78 | J.T. Ginn | ATH | @MIL |
National League
| Rank | Pitcher | TM | OPP | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paul Skenes | PIT | WAS, CLE | |
| 2 | Jesus Luzardo | PHI | SF, MIA | Philly was the perfect landing spot |
| 3 | Dylan Cease | SD | CHC, @HOU | Wasn’t sharp, but defense didn’t help him vs. A’s |
| 4 | Zack Wheeler | PHI | MIA | |
| 5 | Tyler Glasnow | LAD | @TEX | |
| 6 | Nick Lodolo | CIN | SEA, @BAL | Only 8 K in 18.2 IP, but only 1 BB issued |
| 7 | Chris Sale | ATL | MIN | Don’t worry, 2.81 SIERA, 3.15 xFIP, .386 BABIP, 57.3% LOB |
| 8 | Sonny Gray | STL | HOU, @NYM | |
| 9 | Logan Webb | SF | @LAA | |
| 10 | Merrill Kelly | ARI | @MIA, @CHC | Good pair to get on track |
| 11 | Zac Gallen | ARI | @CHC | |
| 12 | Corbin Burnes | ARI | @CHC | 11 K in 9.1 IP is promising, but 7 BB and 2 HR is concerning |
| 13 | Kodai Senga | NYM | STL | |
| 14 | Spencer Strider | ATL | @TOR | Welcome back! |
| 15 | Hunter Greene | CIN | @BAL | |
| 16 | Spencer Schwellenbach | ATL | @TOR | |
| 17 | Yoshinobu Yamamoto | LAD | @TEX | |
| 18 | Roki Sasaki | LAD | @TEX | |
| 19 | Grant Holmes | ATL | @TOR, MIN | |
| 20 | Landen Roupp | SF | @PHI, @LAA | |
| 21 | Cristopher Sanchez | PHI | SF | |
| 22 | Nick Pivetta | SD | CHC | |
| 23 | Freddy Peralta | MIL | ATH | |
| 24 | Aaron Nola | PHI | SF | |
| 25 | Ben Brown | CHC | ARI | |
| 26 | Michael King | SD | @HOU | |
| 27 | Matthew Boyd | CHC | @SD | |
| 28 | Shota Imanaga | CHC | @SD | |
| 29 | David Peterson | NYM | STL | |
| 30 | Nick Martinez | CIN | SEA | |
| 31 | Eduardo Rodriguez | ARI | @MIA | |
| 32 | Sandy Alcantara | MIA | ARI | |
| 33 | Mitch Keller | PIT | WAS | |
| 34 | Brady Singer | CIN | SEA | |
| 35 | Tylor Megill | NYM | @MIN, STL | |
| 36 | Brandon Pfaadt | ARI | @MIA | |
| 37 | Dustin May | LAD | COL | |
| 38 | Andrew Heaney | PIT | WAS | |
| 39 | Brad Lord | WAS | @PIT, @COL | |
| 40 | MacKenzie Gore | WAS | @COL | |
| 41 | Jake Irvin | WAS | @PIT, @COL | |
| 42 | Thomas Harrington | PIT | CLE | |
| 43 | Edward Cabrera | MIA | ARI | |
| 44 | Clay Holmes | NYM | @MIN, STL | |
| 45 | Mitchell Parker | WAS | @PIT | |
| 46 | Landon Knack | LAD | COL | |
| 47 | Erick Fedde | STL | HOU | |
| 48 | Andre Pallante | STL | @NYM | |
| 49 | Robbie Ray | SF | @PHI | |
| 50 | NL Reliever | |||
| 51 | Jose Quintana | MIL | DET | |
| 52 | Bailey Falter | PIT | WAS | |
| 53 | Tyler Alexander | MIL | DET, ATH | |
| 54 | Kyle Hart | SD | @HOU | |
| 55 | Trevor Williams | WAS | @PIT | |
| 56 | Chad Patrick | MIL | ATH | |
| 57 | Jameson Taillon | CHC | @SD, ARI | |
| 58 | Miles Mikolas | STL | @NYM | |
| 59 | Jordan Hicks | SF | @PHI | |
| 60 | Griffin Canning | NYM | @MIN | |
| 61 | Steven Matz | STL | HOU | |
| 62 | Andrew Abbott | CIN | @BAL | |
| 63 | Justin Verlander | SF | @PHI, @LAA | |
| 64 | Bobby Miller | LAD | COL | |
| 65 | AJ Smith-Shawver | ATL | MIN | |
| 66 | Taijuan Walker | PHI | SF, MIA | |
| 67 | Max Meyer | MIA | ARI, @PHI | |
| 68 | Carmen Mlodzinski | PIT | CLE | |
| 69 | Colin Rea | CHC | ARI | |
| 70 | Chase Dollander | COL | WAS | |
| 71 | Quinn Priester | MIL | DET | |
| 72 | Matthew Liberatore | STL | @NYM | |
| 73 | Cal Quantrill | MIA | @PHI | |
| 74 | German Marquez | COL | @LAD | |
| 75 | Connor Gillispie | MIA | @PHI | |
| 76 | Randy Vasquez | SD | CHC | |
| 77 | Kyle Freeland | COL | WAS | |
| 78 | Ryan Feltner | COL | @LAD | |
| 79 | Antonio Senzatela | COL | @LAD, WAS |
