Happy Monday, Razzball faithful!
Now that we’re smack dab in the middle of September, It’s time to head out to the roto garden and check on our crops.
“Why?” you might ask. Well, it’s officially time to start harvesting our garden schmotatoes and get ready to whip up a batch of that spicy playoff sauce.
If you’re in a roto-league, you’re likely in one of two positions: (a) You’ve been out of the race for a while now, looking to finish strong and avoid league-wide ridicule, or (b) You’ve secured a money position and are either coasting to a payout or making some roster tweaks to try to better your situation for cash winnings.
Head-to-head managers are likely scouring the waiver wire for any news of a two-start pitcher who won’t kill their ratios.
The time to seek out hot-shot rookies or first-half success stories is long gone. Gavin Williams is going to have a breakout year! Um…that’s not a narrative I’m continuing to run in mid-September. Garret Crochet? He’s headed for a 300-strikeout season! Maybe we thought this at the beginning of August. Now? Ya, no.
Grey mentioned it about a week ago, and it’s been echoed by the Razz colleagues on many of these pages for the last fortnight. As far as starting pitchers are concerned, this is the time to seek out a starter that can check the boxes of at least a few of the following things on this list…
- A Good Venue: Even the greenest of fantasy players know to avoid starting a pitcher at Coors Field, lest he destroy your ratios in one fell swoop. Checking to see if your starters are throwing at a ‘pitcher-friendly’ park is paramount at this time of year. Sit your guys if they’re throwing at Colorado, Boston, Cincinnati, or Kansas City (that last one would have surprised me at the beginning of the year). Those parks, along with Minnesota, are the Top 5 hitter-friendly parks according to Statcast. Where do you want your starters to be throwing for the next couple of weeks? Seattle, Tampa, San Francisco, San Diego, and Cleveland are the 5 best ‘pitcher-friendly’ parks according to Statcast. (Keep in mind this is just based on the park and not the team that plays there).
- A Good Matchup: Does your starting pitcher have a juicy start lined up against the sad sack White Sox at home? Is your starter a reliable arm (more on that later) who faces a team that has zero playoff aspirations and is fielding a squad of MLB toddlers? Throwing against a lineup full of rookies or younger players just called up may be a good thing for your starting pitching. Just be careful that it’s not against a bunch of guys who are trying to make a name for themselves and win a roster spot for 2025. Check the lineup your pitcher faces for recent successes.
- A Reliable Arm: This one seems like a no-brainer. Why would I want to start an unreliable arm, Mr. Marmo? A just question, dear reader. This is less about starting an ‘ace’ and more about starting a guy who should be able to give you innings in each start. Grey mentioned it a couple of weeks ago and I echoed it in last week’s writeup. We should be looking for “Wachas”. If you read last week, you know what I mean. If you didn’t a Wacha is…well, someone like Michael Wacha. A starting pitcher who has not reached their innings limit for the season and has not struggled recently with control. These are the ‘boring’ pitchers but also the ones that can give us the best chase at a win, a few strikeouts, and a good shot at providing a handful of strikeouts in the process. Think Michael Wacha, Brady Singer, Sean Manaea, and Seth Lugo. Heck, even Nick Martinez cracked the Top 15 in the last 8-week Player Rater.
In essence, it’s easy to start your aces each week. It’s even less stressful to know you drafted an SP1 that you don’t have to worry about when setting lineups for the week.
Ok, I get it. Get to the point.
It’s crunch time, folks. Whether you’re in roto leagues, head-to-head leagues, or points leagues, there should be room for you to wiggle with your starting pitchers. Paying attention to those bullet points above could move you up enough spots in an ERA or WHIP category to make a difference. In one of my home leagues, we reward the top finisher who lands out of the money with the first draft choice in the taxi squad draft after our following season’s auction. That makes paying attention and playing out the season worth it.
In points leagues or head-to-head leagues, one or two disastrous starts could subtract points from your team’s production for the week or be the cause of an early playoff exit.
I’ll try to include some of this information this week and a few more bits about Streamonator news. Instead of giving you the usual part that I include here, I’ll just say that if you aren’t already subscribed to the tools you can give it a test run without being obligated to buy anything (if that’s why you’re hesitating to begin with). That’s how I started a few years ago and I never turned back. The Streamonator is here if you want to take it for a spin.
I will, however, leave this bit from last week.
ONE MORE THING before we get to the list!
Remember that at this point in the season, lots of things can change from day to day or even hour to hour. I’ll do my best to write these last few weeks up with the information that I have available when I write it, but remember to ALWAYS check for any news on your starters just in case they get pushed back, miss a start, or are told by a manager that they have a mysterious injury that shuts them down for a few days to manage their innings the rest of the way.
| RANK
(LAST WEEK) |
Name | TEAM | NOTES |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tarik Skubal | Tigers | 6 IP, 1 ER, 4 hits, 6 Ks, ERA at 2.50. The only thing keeping Skubal from recording his 17th win was the Beverley Hills Slop – Jason ‘Don’t call me Axel’ Foley. |
| 2 | Zack Wheeler | Phillies | 6 IP, 2 ER, 7 baserunners, 9 Ks, ERA at 2.60. Steady as she goes. |
| 3 | Chris Sale | Braves | How many giggles would you have gotten if way back in March, with a straight face, you managed to announce that Chris Sale would win the NL Cy Young award this year? |
| 4 | Paul Skenes | Pirates | 6 IP, 1 ER, 7 baserunners, 9 Ks, ERA at 2.10. The instinct was to label this one Un-Skene-y Bop. But working in a Poison reference was not a great idea. By the by, Skenes hasn’t done anything exciting lately…unless you count setting the single-season strikeout record for rookies (151). Boom. |
| 5 | Jack Flaherty | Dodgers | So he got roughed up at ATL last week. Big deal. This guy will not only throw meaningful innings in the postseason, but I think he sets himself up with an even bigger cash-in after some solid playoff performances. |
| 6 | George Kirby | Mariners | The good thing about a guy getting blown up last week but still starting on Sunday is that I can just focus on his numbers from yesterday. Does the 7-inning 1-hit shutout with 0 BBs and 3 Ks erase the 5 ER from last week? No. But it makes it easier to stomach for sure. |
| 7 | Logan Gilbert | Mariners | LoGi gave up 4 ER against TEX Saturday but the strikeouts are still there…and the walks are not. 34 BBs in 191.2 IP. |
| 8 (9) | Shota Imanaga | Cubs | Four wins in a row and his next two are home starts against OAK and WSH. Ooh baby! |
| 9 (10) | Blake Snell | Giants | 5 innings with 8 strikeouts was good enough to nail down his third win of the year. At BAL and at KC next. |
| 10 (8) | Gerrit Cole | Yankees | Rafael Devers is just continuing to pay the Yankees back for Pedro’s “They’re my daddy” quote from 2004. |
| 11 | Dylan Cease | Padres | 6 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 10 Ks Friday night at SF. The most impressive number there is the two walks. He’s been great. |
| 12 | Cole Ragans | Royals | 6 IP, 2 ER, 6 baserunners, 7 Ks, ERA at 3.32. Ray guns vs the Cole train? As a hillbilly musician might say “Gimme them guns” |
| 13 | Pablo Lopez | Twins | 7 IP, 0 ER, 9 baserunners, 10 Ks, ERA at 3.88. This is the ace we wanted way back in draft season. |
| 14 (17) | Framber Valdez | Astros | More below. |
| 15 (14) | Michael King | Padres | Do you think Michael King reads about the recent rotation/bullpen drama in New York and giggles into his sleeve? Just a bit? No? |
| 16 (15) | Corbin Burnes | Orioles | Great outing Saturday at DET. He gets them at home again this week. I expect much of the same (7 IP, 0 ER, 7 Ks). |
| 17 (24) | Zach Eflin | Orioles | He lost a pitching duel at DET against…checks notes…oh, of course. Noted superstar Brent Hurter (who followed Beau Briske). Eflin has been solid since returning fgrom the IL and I’d start him at home against SF this week. |
| 18 (28) | Seth Lugo | Royals | 7 IP, 0 ER, 3 hits, zero walks, 10 Ks, ERA at 2.94. WACHA ALERT! |
| 19 (20) | Freddy Peralta | Brewers | The four walks isn’t ideal, but Peralta went 5 strong shutout innings at ARI last week and snuck out with a win. 103 pitches. |
| 20 (29) | Jose Berrios | Blue Jays | I want to smirk while I include Berrios in the Top 20 SPs. A few years ago he looked cooked. But he has won 16 games for the Jays this year and hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in any of his last 7 starts. He’s been their ace this year. |
| 21 (28) | Bryce Miller | Mariners | 6 IP, 1 ER, 6 baserunners, 7 Ks, ERA at 3.12. Best Bryce in the MLB! What?! *dodges incoming Liberty Bell shot out of giant cannon* |
| 22 (33) | Sonny Gray | Cardinals | 6 IP, 1 ER, 4 baserunners, 9 Ks, ERA at 3.75. He’s going to finish with really good numbers again and we’ll undervalue him again. Right? |
| 23 (25) | Aaron Nola | Phillies | 10 ER in his last 9 IP keeps him from moving up too much. The 32 Ks in his last 5 GS keep him here. |
| 24 (19) | Bailey Ober | Twins | Crushed by CIN at home last week. He’s at CLE this week and I’d be careful. Streamonator hates it too. |
| 25 (27) | Zac Gallen | Diamondbacks | 5 IP, 0 ER, 4 baserunners, 7 Ks, ERA at 3.55 last week. Same line but with a few more hits and three eared runs yesterday. Streamonator doesn’t like his start at MLW this week. |
| 26 | Logan Webb | Giants | He broke a 22 game streak of 5+ inning starts in Friday night’s loss to San Diego. The strikeouts have dried up over his last four too. I’d consider sitting him at BAL and at ARI for his next two. |
| 27 (23) | Ranger Suarez | Phillies | 5 1/3 IP, 4 ER, 14 baserunners, 2 Ks, ERA at 3.05. He’s had four or fewer strikeouts in more than half of his last 10 games. At MLW today. |
| 28 (34) | Tanner Bibee | Guardians | Two straight losses shouldn’t move him up, but the boost is from the strikeouts and the solid ratios. |
| 29 (16) | Luis Castillo | Mariners | 15-day-IL. More below. |
| 30 | Max Fried | Braves | A Grey quote for this one: “6 IP, 4 ER, 11 hits, zero walks, 6 Ks, ERA at 3.46. 6:0 K:BB is good right? [silence that is so deafening it could drive a person insane] …right?” |
| 31 | Ronel Blanco | Astros | Another one of the bullpen psyches. Started yesterday and threw 6 innings of shutout ball for the win at LAA. Same matchup at home this week. |
| 32 (73) | Yoshinobu Yamamoto | Dodgers | More below. |
| 33 (37) | Kevin Gausman | Blue Jays | Tough luck no-decision after 7 innings with 2 ER. He gave up 9 hits and walked two. And the 3 Ks weren’t great. But at least he’s not a tire fire. |
| 34 (70) | Hunter Greene | Reds | Eligible to return Friday and said that his arm felt good afer a bullpen session. 19th on the Player Rater. |
| 35 | Luis Gil | Yankees | 5 IP, 1 ER, 7 baserunners, 5 Ks, ERA at 3.18. He’s only walked two in each of his last two starts. I’m surprised he wasn’t moved to the bullpen in that mess of a story. (More on that later). |
| 36 (38) | Christopher Sanchez | Phillies | I streamed Sanchez at home vs NYM yesterday in Perts because I have some innings saved up and he did not disappoint. 7 IP, 6 H, 1 ER (HR), 1 BB, 7 Ks. |
| 37 (36) | Bryan Woo | Mariners | Wins in three of his last four starts and averaged 90 pitches in each victory. Mark this one down as one of the MarmoSleepers for 2025. |
| 38 (45) | Bowden Francis | Blue Jays | 8 IP, 1 ER, 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 K. Not to confuse anyone out there with Canadian currency humor but seeing him with all of those singles in the boxscore is just Loonie. |
| 39 | Justin Steele | Cubs | Expected to return this week (Friday) and owns a 131:38 K:BB rate. This week the Cubs are home to OAK and WSH so I’d start him if it sounds like activation is official. |
| 40 (41) | Spencer Schwellenbach | Braves | Beat the Dodgers Friday night. He’s keeper league gold. |
| 41 (42) | Jared Jones | Pirates | He needed 97 pitches to get through 4 innings yesterday (KC) but I still believe in him. The strikeouts are still there but I wouldn’t blame you for sitting him in the next two. At CIN and vs MLW for his next two. |
| 42 (44) | Nathan Eovaldi | Rangers | Four earned runs for the first time in five starts. The strikeouts are there. The K:BB rate is pretty impressive too. (150:36) |
| 43 | Nick Pivetta | Red Sox | 6 IP, 1 ER, 5 baserunners, 9 Ks, ERA at 4.24. Three straight QS with a half dozen or more strikeouts in each. Noice. |
| 44 (32) | Tanner Houck | Red Sox | Was he great in the first half? You betcha! Is he as reliable as a paper bag bathing suit now? You betcha! Dead arm pushed him back last week. I don’t trust him the rest of the way. |
| 45 (46) | Robbie Ray | Giants | Due back Tuesday. |
| 46 (47) | Spencer Arrighetti | Astros | 6 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 8 baserunners, 7 Ks, ERA at 4.72. He gave up more earned runs at home against OAK than he did two weeks ago at BAL and PHI. Because that makes sense? Ugh. |
| 47 (54) | Shane Baz | Rays | 5.1 IP, 2 ER, 4 baserunners, 4 Ks, ERA at 3.28.His next two are at home (BOS and TOR). |
| 48 (51) | Sean Manaea | Mets | 6 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 7 baserunners, 8 Ks. WACHA ALERT! |
| 49 (52) | Carlos Rodon | Yankees | 6 IP, 3 ER, 7 baserunners, 9 Ks, ERA at 4.21. His next two are against BOS at home and OAK on the road. Tough call for the first one for sure, but he’s been good in two straight with healthy strikeout totals. |
| 50 (55) | Yusei Kikuchi | Astros | Three wins in a row. Strikeouts are up. This guy is going to open some casual fans’ eyes in the playoffs. |
| 51 (66) | Michael Wacha | Royals | WACHA ALERT! Oh, I guess this one is literal. If a guy is the one we name the solid, boring, reliable pitcher type after, I guess he should be moved up. 29th on the Player Rater. |
| 52 (56) | Mitch Keller | Pirates | More ER, more Ks, less BBs. Oh, and more Ls – he’s lost 3 of his last 4 starts. |
| 53 (40) | Grayson Rodriguez | Orioles | Too many “IF”s to bank on anything before the final week of the season. |
| 54 (NR) | Nick Martinez | Reds | He’s 48th on the Player Rater, and I figured the 50-60 section was where we should start sprinkling in some of the leaders from the 7-day Player Rater. Martinez is ranked 2nd there, but the Streamonator hates his next start (vs PIT). |
| 55 (61) | Brady Singer | Royals | 5 IP, 3 ER, 8 baserunners, 3 Ks, ERA at 3.42. WACHA ALERT! Three solid starts in a row, but no support to bag him a win. The next two games line up favorably. (at PIT, vs SF). |
| 56 (59) | Tobias Myers | Brewers | Allowed four runs for the first time in his last 10 starts. ARI at home this week. |
| 57 | Ryne Nelson | Arizona | So I cursed this guy after dropping him 20 spots. Headed to the IL but hoping to return for the final week. |
| 58 | Nestor Cortes | Yankees | More below. |
| 59 (60) | Joe Musgrove | Padres | 6 innings 3 hits 8 strikeouts and zero earned runs was a nice bounceback at SF on Saturday. |
| 60 (67) | Luis Severino | Mets | He’s kept the walks in check but he’s not reliable enough to be a WACHA. His next two are PHI and at ATL, so I’d tread carefully. |
| 61 (63) | Brayan Bello | Red Sox | Two wins in a row. Can you guess what his record is? Because I roster him in the AL-only home league and even I was wrong when I guessed too. |
| 62 (NR) | Joey Cantillo | Guardians | It’s time to slide the 7-day Player Rater leader in here. Did someone say schmotato? FWIW Streamonator hates his next one against MIN (-$7.8). |
| 63 (64) | Gavin Stone | Dodgers | With Glasnow and Kershaw both looking like they’re finished until the playoffs, let’s stick with some optimism that Stone is ready when eligible (Sept. 21). |
| 64 (21) | Reynaldo Lopez | Braves | More below. |
| 65 | Gavin Williams | Guardians | Another bunch of words from our Fantasy Master Lothario for this one: “5 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 9 baserunners, 5 Ks, ERA at 5.23. Feels like one of those guys who can have a solid 2025, and we can just go ahead and ignore everything he did this year.” |
| 66 (53) | Hunter Brown | Astros | 5 IP, 5 ER, ERA at 3.59. This guy is like Mackenzie Gore and Mitch Keller worked into one. Every time I write something nice about him he repays us with a lovely bouquet…of poop emojis. |
| 67 (76) | Chris Bassitt | Blue Jays | 6 IP, 1 ER, 6 baserunners, 8 Ks, ERA at 4.20. |
| 68 (50) | Garrett Crochet | White Sox | He hasn’t thrown more than 60 pitches in 6 starts. The strikeout potential is still there, but if you aren’t concerned about going over your innings limit there’s no point in holding this guy in redraft leagues. |
| 69 (48) | Justin Verlander | Astros | Won for the first time since May (9 starts). Two strikeouts in 5 IP. He’s not looking like a Top 50 SP these days, that’s for sure. |
| 70 (82) | Albert Suarez | Orioles | More below. |
| 71 | Matthew Boyd | Guardians | 4.1 IP, 1 ER, 8 baserunners, 9 Ks. |
| 72 (100) | Jacob deGrom | Rangers | I was thisclose to running out ‘deReturn Of deGrom’ as our lede this week, but I wanted to go with the strategy piece instead. He did everything we wanted last week. I’m starting him at home vs the Poo Jays this week everywhere I have him, despite Toronto’s offense being less anemic than it was in the first half. |
| 73 (NR) | Bobby Miller | Dodgers | Full disclosure – I missed a gap here and needed to fill it. I don’t really trust Miller but the Dodgers have no other option with the injuries they’ve got AND Streamonator likes this two-start week at MIA and vs COL. $26.5. |
| 74 (62) | Colin Rea | Brewers | DESTROYED at SF on Tuesday for 11 hits, 10 ER, and 3 HR. Three starts in a row with just 4 IP, so be careful here too. |
| 75 (68) | Walker Buehler | Dodgers | 5 IP, 5 ER, ERA at 5.95. Buehler with more 5s there than a phone number from an 80s movie. EDIT: He just walked his 5th Brave in 2.1 IP at the time of writing. |
| 76 (77) | Brandon Pfaadt | Diamondbacks | Even when his team gives him run support (8 runs), he still can’t lock down the opposition. The worst part is I’d probably start him at MLW this week too. |
| 77 (69) | Kutter Crawford | Red Sox | 6 1/3 IP, 3 ER, 8 baserunners, 6 Ks, ERA at 4.09.That was last week. Yesterday at NYY? You don’t want to know. Oh, and he’s lost his last 6 starts too. |
| 78 (72) | Ryan Pepiot | Rays | 2 IP, 2 ER, ERA at 3.76. There’s nothing peppy about getting just two innings from one of your “starters”. |
| 79 (78) | Andrew Heaney | Rangers | It was between Fedde and Heaney for this spot. Guess who won that battle. |
| 80 (90) | David Peterson | Mets | 4 1/3 IP, 4 ER, ERA at 2.98. I wanted to move him way up but he had a bit of a lip skid in Toronto last week. Rebounded nicely in PHI though. Make it make sense. |
| 81 (91) | Reid Detmers | Angels | More below. |
| 82 (92) | Max Scherzer | Rangers | 73 pitches to get through 4 innings in his return last Friday, but it could have been a lot worse. The two strikeouts aren’t great but I’m starting him at home against TB this week. Just don’t tell him I have him this low. |
| 83 (95) | Yu Darvish | Padres | 5 IP, 2 ER, 7 hits, zero walks, 5 Ks, ERA at 3.52. More hits than we want to see, but a sold return from his absence. |
| 84 (83) | JP Sears | Athletics | I was ready to move him up but he got pushed around yesterday for 7 H, 4 ER, 2 HR, and 4 Ks against CWS. Woof. |
| 85 (86) | Clarke Schmidt | Yankees | His first sart back was 4.2 IP with 75 pitches. Last week he worked 5.2 IP and threw 86 pitches. I’d start him at SEA this week. |
| 86 (NR) | Kumar Rocker | Rangers | Kumar Rocker? Cue the White Castle/Zombie mashup. More below. |
| 87 (96) | Yariel Rodriguez | Blue Jays | He was big on the Streamonator and came through with a solid outing ysetrday against STL. That’s the good news. The bad? He only registered 4.1 IP and threw 62 pitches. That said, I’m starting him at TB this week. |
| 88 (89) | Charlie Morton | Braves | 6 2/3 IP, 1 ER, 8 baserunners, 7 Ks, ERA at 4.11. Magic Metamucil Morton pulled another magnificent one out of his melon. LAD isn’t a nice matchup this week, though, even if it is in ATL. |
| 89 (NR) | Rhett Lowder | Reds | Grey alluded to it last week, but Lowder had right around a 2.0 BB/9 in just over 100 innings in the minors before his call-up. He gave up 3 ER in a loss at MIN yesterday, but gets PIT at home this week. |
| 90 (75) | Eduardo Rodriguez | Diamondbacks | Three losses in a row. Friday night he had a few strikeouts, but I don’t want any part of him this week at COL. |
| 91 (NR) | Dean Kremer | Orioles | 7 IP, 1 ER, 7 baserunners, 7 Ks, ERA at 4.10. I wanted to add him last week but went wih Povich instead. Oops. |
| 92 (81) | Taj Bradley | Rays | 6 IP, 3 ER, 8 baserunners, 6 Ks, ERA at 4.40. I’m still holding him in keeper leagues, but he’s going to have to finish strong to convince some other dynasty managers. |
| 93 (NR) | Keider Montero | Tigers | CG SO 3 H 0 BB 5 K. That’s one way to get yourself on the Top 100 list. |
| 94 (84) | MacKenzie Gore | Nationals | 3 2/3 IP, 2 ER, ERA at 4.34, and 5 more unearned runs. Gore giving us the horror boxscores a month before Halloween. |
| 95 (93) | Merrill Kelly | Diamondbacks | 4 IP, 3 ER, ERA at 4.26, and left in the 5th inning with a hamstring cramp. Lovullo said he’ll likely start today or tomorrow. |
| 96 (87) | Cody Bradford | Rangers | 3 2/3 IP, 8 ER, ERA at 3.97. That’s not a great line to post wen you’re trying to hold on to a rotation spot and there are great kids ready to go and great veterans coming back form the IL. |
| 97 (99) | Jameson Taillon | Cubs | 19 IP, 3 ER, 3 BB, 15 Ks in his last 3 starts? WACHA ALERT! |
| 98 (97) | David Festa | Twins | 4 IP, 4 ER, ERA at 5.08. Festa not at his best-a. Time for a siesta. |
| 99 (98) | Jake Irvin | Nationals | 6 IP, 1 ER, 3 baserunners, 5 Ks, ERA at 4.19. |
| 100 (NR) | Frankie Montas | Brewers | 18 Ks in his last 12 IP with just 5 Ks? Uh oh. You all know what that means. WACHA ALERT! |
BIGGEST JUMPERS: Who’s got hops? These are some of the biggest jumpers in value this week.
Framber Valdez – 6 1/3 IP, 1 ER, 6 baserunners, 6 Ks, ERA at 2.91. Dear, War Room. I very much appreciate your multi-colored aesthetics. Your beauty is akin to a late morning rainbow stretching across a bright blue sky on a clear morning in early Spring. Oh, and also, I would like to apologize for ever doubting your assessment of Framber Valdez. Please allow me to take back all of the horrible, snide comments I have made this season after drafting Valdez (everywhere) and doubting that it was the correct choice. I’ll see you again next February. Love, MarmosDad.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto – 4 IP, 1 ER, ERA at 2.88 in his first start back. Yoshi just ate the brown leaf and grew the raccoon tail. It’s time to fly UP! He’s atop the Streamonator this week too ($49.3). I say it in the Glasnow section below, but the Dodgers have to be ecstatic about this return.
Albert Suarez – 6 IP, 1 ER, 6 baserunners, 8 Ks, ERA at 3.39. Suarez is in line for two starts this week and was written up by both Mike C and The Real Joey Bart this weekend. I won’t rehash all of what they said, other than to point out that Streamonator likes Suarez ($30.7) and that he gets both DET and SF at home this week.
Reid Detmers – 6 IP, 2 ER, 7 baserunners, 8 Ks, ERA at 5.64. Game 1 checkpoint reached! He was supposed to throw yesterday but got moved back to today. Start at CWS?1000 strikeouts incoming! Ok, maybe not, but his last two starts have looked a lot different than the guy who got crushed before his minor league banishment in May.
Kumar Rocker – I am appointing myself the winner of the ‘medallion of self-discipline’ (totally an award) for not rolling out one of the hundred Kumar Rocker puns that was circing in my mind mush all week for our lede today. It was pretty tough to resist. How tough was it? Why, thank you dear readers. That sets this up wonderfully.
It was almost as tough as facing this and hoping for a base hit…
Kumar Rocker, 85mph Slider and 97mph Fastball, Overlay. pic.twitter.com/8pJPBjtLPe
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 13, 2024
I haven’t seen if Kumar is locked in for another start this week or not, but Texas faces the Boo Jays and Mariners at home over the next 7 days. I’d start him as long as he doesn’t get squeezed out by the returning arms. As of right now, the depth chart looks like Eovaldi, deGrom, Scherzer, Cody Bradford, Andrew Heaney. I could see them pushing Bradford or Heaney back and giving Rocker or Leiter a start after the first three guys go, but that’s pure speculation on my part. I assume they won’t double up and just have Rocker and Leiter pitch 4 innings in the same game, but stranger things have happened so who knows? Monitor the news and get ready to activate Kumar if he gets the nod. You’d be off your Rocker if you didn’t. Oops. I almost made it!
BIGGEST DUMPERS: With apologies to Cal Raleigh, these are some of the biggest dumpers (in value, not pants size).
Tyler Glasnow – The “out for the season’ news is much less devastating at this time of the year, but for fantasy managers who were praying on a Glasnow return for that head-to-head playoff matchup, this one stings big time. Dodger fans are certainly happy that Yamamoto’s return went off last week without a hitch, but the fact that he’s just replacing Glasnow and they might not be able to watch both in the playoffs this year is a tough pill to swallow.
Luis Castillo – Hits the IL with a hamstring injury. It did not look good. They’re calling it a Grade 2 strain but also saying he could be back for “one or two starts” before the end of the year. As I pointed out last week, Seattle has a very deep starting rotation. Even though the M’s are just 3 games back, would you want them to rush Castillo back to start a game in that final week or would you rather they rest him as long as they can so he’s healthy for the playoffs? I guess the answer there is “He’ll have all winter to rest if they don’t get a wild card spot,” and I can’t argue with that. Monitor for now.
Nestor Cortes – 5-1 in his last 8 starts and, more importantly, the self-appointed “workhorse” of the rotation. He complained when NYY said he was moving to the bullpen, so two days later they sent Stroman there instead. So much for teaching my students that whining will only make things worse. 5 IP, 1 ER, 6 baserunners, 9 Ks, ERA at 3.90. Here was my note from earlier in the week…”Real question – Do I just dream about articles that state a guy is headed to the bullpen? Because I could’ve sworn I read one about Ryne Nelson a couple weeks ago and I was almost certain they said the same about Cortes last week. Shrug emoji.” I think it’s safe to say all of this rotation/bullpen shifting is far from finished.
Reynaldo Lopez – Ah-Woo-Ga! That’s the sound of the clown horn blowing as Lopez heads to the 15-day-IL with shoulder inflammation. They’re hoping he can return for the playoffs…so hold him if your league counts playoff stats? Redraft drop time here.
Nick Lodolo – Whispering – *Lodolo’s finger injury isn’t good for anyone…unless you’re a Reds minor league starter*…LOUDER!
“I SAID NICK LODOLO’S INJURY…” Oh you meant Rhett Lowder. Sorry.
WHEE! – The following players zoomed on to the list this week!
Nick Martinez
Joey Cantillo
Bobby Miller
Kumar Rocker
Rhett Lowder
Keider Montero
Frankie Montas
Dean Kremer
OOF! – The following players dropped off the list this week!
Tyler Glasnow – Glasn-ouch.
Clayton Kershaw – May be back for the playoffs
Nick Lodolo – Is most likely done for the year with a finger injury.
Erick Fedde – This is probably too harsh, and it could be argued that he might be a WACHA, but he’s 0-4 in his last 6 starts and the Ks have started to dry up.
Jeffrey Springs – You’re telling me you think he’ll be back this year? Come onnnnn.
Osvaldo Bido – 15-day-IL.
Caden Dana – I wanted to keep him here but 5 ER yesterday pushes him off.
Cade Povich – I threw him a bone last week and he choked on it. Buh bye.
That’s all for this week! I hope you enjoyed it! Next week, I’ll post the Top 100 Starting Pitchers with some write-ups on some of the arms that I think need a bit more attention than others or cherry-picking names to highlight as we progress through the last couple of weeks of the season.
Drop some comments in the chat if you’re feeling extra fired up about some of the names I do (or don’t) have here. Have a great week!
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