• Daily SP Chart archive
• 2-Start podcast episode
• SP Rankings (last update: 6/5 | next: July)

Welcome to the Daily SP Chart, click here if you’re new to get an idea of what I’m doing with these rankings.

• I know there’s been some consternation with Skenes as he’s been less godlike than normal lately but I kept him at #1 in my recent rankings update as I didn’t find the 4-start blip to be actionable. I wouldn’t quibble with someone slotting in a new #1, but for me he holds for now. He’ll calm any and all fears with a gem here and I’m eager to see how he handles one of the best offenses going.
• Burns draws today’s top spot and ascended to Ace status in my latest update as the #7 overall arm. He is truly a 2.0 version of Hunter Greene, improving both the HR and BB rates that plagued Greene early on in his career. Burns is up at 1.2 HR9 this year (after a 1.0 flat in last year’s debut), but Greene sat at 1.6 in his first two years before improving. It took Greene three seasons to post a BB rate under 9% while Burns is toting an 8% mark right now (not a huge difference there, admittedly). Imagine if Cincy can get these two clicking together.
• Cease is returning from a hamstring injury that cost him a couple weeks but he did make a rehab start and I’m willing to get him right back in. As I always mention with these, every fantasy manager has their own way of handling first starts off the IL, so do what works best for you. I do consider the injury type in my start/sit with arm-related injuries being more worrisome. That isn’t to say a hammy can’t hamper you, just that I’m more inclined to get back in right away on non-arm related issues.
• I believe Melton is quite a bit better than his 4% K-BB and having watched all three of his starts this year, I can confirm he has pitched like someone with 4-5x that mark, including back-to-back long outings of 7 and 8 IP where he allowed just 3 ER on 10 H and 3 BB but with just 6 Ks. The dam will break if he doesn’t improve, though, as a .175 BABIP will only for so long, particularly when you’re allowing that much contact. The Tigers are on the verge of potentially a trio of arms returning (Skubal-Mize-JV), including their ace, but I really hope Melton’s job isn’t threatened. With Jack Flaherty pitching better of late (26% K-BB in L3) and his lofty contract – which does matter whether we like it or not – he’s unlikely to be unseated, either. I wonder if they consider a 6-man to ease Skubal and Verlander back, shifting Montero to the pen and going Skubal-Framber-Mize-Flaherty-JV-Melton.
• I wasn’t sold on May during his April rebound as he worked off the ugly 13 ER from his first two starts with a 1.95 ERA in his final four starts of the month as they came with a modest 12% K-BB. But his last 30 IP have drawn my interest as his 3.90 ERA is powered by a 1.00 WHIP and 20% K-BB, including at least 7 Ks in each of his last 3 (and 4 of 5). He has nearly doubled his swinging strike rate, going from 7% to 13%, and done so by dialing up his cutter usage 10 pts to 29%. A great matchup here gives him a chance to stay hot and then folds into a potential 2-step next week v. SDP and at KCR.
• I couldn’t myself sitting Kyle Harrison in any format yesterday, even knowing the dangers of Vegas. But after seeing this game… and still seeing it in fact, as I’m watching the 12th inning while writing this… you will not see a single “x” for the rest of that series. Ginn, Perkins for ATH and Gasser, Sproat for MIL will be nowhere near any lineups. Meanwhile, daily players are left with an interesting choice between stacking Vegas or Coors.

I should be able to get some more comments added in the morning, too!

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• Daily SP Chart archive
• 2-Start podcast episode
• SP Rankings (last update: 6/5 | next: July)

Welcome to the Daily SP Chart, click here if you’re new to get an idea of what I’m doing with these rankings.

It’s a pretty straightforward board today with some easy locks at the top and few decisions on the streaming front.

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6/5/26

The latest episode of “The Sleeper and the Bust” is live!

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2-START PITCHERS FOR WK11 (June 8th)

• AUTO-START: Paul Skenes, Cristopher Sánchez, Kyle Harrison, Gavin Williams, George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, Nathan Eovaldi, Logan Webb, Payton Tolle, Gerrit Cole
• Aaron Judge shutdown 4-6 wks meaning he’s likely out at least 8, maybe 10 wks when you consider that he’ll have to ramp back up 6:00
• Shota Imanaga CHC – @ COL (26 wOBA rank), @ SF (21) 10:23
• Davis Martin CWS – vs ATL (3), vs LAD (1) 14:13
• Taj Bradley MIN – @ DET (23), vs STL (21) 19:00
• Steven Matz TB – vs BOS (7), @ LAA (13) 22:45
• Jeffrey Springs ATH – vs MIL (25), vs COL (26) 24:33
• Stephen Kolek KC – vs TEX (15), vs HOU (14) 27:25
• Dustin May STL – @ NYM (30), @ MIN (18) 29:55
• Trevor Rogers BAL – vs SEA (30), vs SD (29) 34:15

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I’ll be in the comments answering questions and discussing changes!

Focus more on tier differences over rankings differences within a given tier. Sure, the top and bottom of a tier can be discussed, but 7-10 rankings within the same tier isn’t a huge split to me and comparing them would likely come down to short-term matchups.

Full Rankings Without Tiers

• Daily SP Chart archive
• 2-Start podcast episode
• SP Rankings (last update: 4/27 | next: Friday 6/5)

Welcome to the Daily SP Chart, click here if you’re new to get an idea of what I’m doing with these rankings.

SP rankings out todayyyyy. I know I’d said Thursday, but I blame this new game for distracting me. It’s called Chasin’ 117 and it’s amazing!! It’s not really why I didn’t have the rankings out yesterday, but it is undoubtedly a new obsession. These games are apparently on fire across the internet with basketball and football having one, too. Say goodbye to your free time! Not an ad, just a mega fan of these!

•  I know Framber’s ratios aren’t great right now but I don’t see it as actionable and I’m still starting him everywhere. I always link him and Logan Webb as lefty-righty versions of each other and now they’re even struggling in unison but just when we started getting nervous about Webb, he dropped 7 IP of 1-hit ball at MIL to reassure us. Hopefully Framber can do something similar against SEA and their 30th ranked offense vL.
• Sasaki had a wonderful May (3.20 ERA/1.00 WHIP/19% K-BB) and has risen to must-start status for now.
• Detmers has a 61% LOB rate creating a chasm between his 4.63 ERA and 3.31 SIERA, but I’m encouraged by the 21% K-BB that matches what he did out of the bullpen last year. Don’t get daunted by the ERA, you’re still getting a 1.16 WHIP and 29% K and while he might not start his ERA improvement tonight at LAD, I have confidence that he’s better than a mid-4.00s guy.
• Griffin has been a revelation for WSN but the D’Backs slam lefties so I’m definitely open to skipping in 10s and could even see some sits in 12s.
• Cabrera is coming off the IL but it’s from a blister so I’m more open to running him right away. The lack of a 3-x reco is more due to his modest output this year than concerns about first start off the IL in this case.
• Rocker always makes me nervous but this is a good streaming spot for him. Don’t get completely duped by his 2.30/1.17 over the L30 days as it comes with an 18% K and 4% K-BB. The matchup is driving my interest here.
• Ray hasn’t made it 5 IP in any of his L4 after posting a 2.76 ERA through his first 8 starts. I’d still reserve before cutting in a lot of situations, but he doesn’t have to be in your starting lineup right now.

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• Daily SP Chart archive
• 2-Start podcast episode
• SP Rankings (last update: 4/27 | next: wk of 6/1)

Welcome to the Daily SP Chart, click here if you’re new to get an idea of what I’m doing with these rankings.

The whole 1-x pack is pretty scary, but not without merit to take a shot in spots. Nelson, Ginn, and Bello draw difficult matchups, Jones is working back from injury, while Giolito and Crow have solid matchups but shaky skills. Anyone else y’all want to discuss? Drop a comment!

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• Daily SP Chart archive
• 2-Start podcast episode
• SP Rankings (last update: 4/27 | next: wk of 6/1)

Welcome to the Daily SP Chart, click here if you’re new to get an idea of what I’m doing with these rankings.

Big board of studs to choose from today! I’ll drop some comments in the morning.

• Meyer, like Davis Martin yesterday v. MIN, ate his first Dud (5+ ER) of the year after facing a team for the second time in a row (NYM), but it was a bad first inning (4 R) but he still settled down to go 6 and fan 6.
• Cole is all of 2 starts into his return so there may still be hiccups, but I just can’t see sitting him anywhere.
• This is the 10-start mark for Webb and barring an absolute gem, he’ll be toting some pretty mediocre ratios with his worst K-BB since the fake season (2020). He’s also staring down the barrel of WSH/CHC 2-step next week after this trip to MIL. I’m not looking to cut him, even in 10s, but is there a world where we skip the 2-step if this one goes south today?
• To that end, I should’ve slotted Peralta/Taj/Arrighetti, and maybe even Melton over Webb right now.
• Wish the Nats were giving Alvarez an opener again, but he’s slated for the traditional start and I’m still open to streaming him. Even with just 1 K in a meh 3 IP outing last time, he still has a 27% K rate on the year. He pitches backwards with his curve (33%) and slider (28%) leading the way over his fastball (24%) as he hopes to establish himself in the rotation. I wonder if a good start here could get the Nats to slot him for the 2-step next week (projections currently have Mikolas getting it).
• Melton is a fave of mine who I was really excited about in the offseason before the injury. I’m not thrown by his hideous 0% K-BB through 2 starts after just 1 K in a 7-IP gem at CHW (1 ER, 1 BB, 6 H), but obviously he has to drastically improve there to be fantasy viable. I believe he will and would gladly roster him anywhere right now. Let’s check in after another handful of starts to see where the strikeouts sit and decide if he’s an all-formats play for the long haul.

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• Daily SP Chart archive
• 2-Start podcast episode
• SP Rankings (last update: 4/27 | next: wk of 6/1)

Welcome to the Daily SP Chart, click here if you’re new to get an idea of what I’m doing with these rankings.

I’ll have updated SP rankings out this week! Targeting Thursday for that, stay tuned.

• 1 bad IP v. HOU led to Early’s only Dud of the year but maybe it unlocked something for him because he’s been electric since: 1.79 ERA/0.96 WHIP/20% K-BB. The 5% BB stands out because control was an issue through his F7 starts (11% BB), though his ERA has never eclipsed 3.80 so even as he worked through that, he was still delivering value.
• In a season of impressive pitching breakouts, Martin stands out. After shelving his slider and curve to show-me status last year (4-5% usage for both), he’s dialed ’em up nearly 3x to 15% and 12%, respectively, and as a result his K% has surged 10 pts to 27%!! Paired with 13% SwStr, there is some realness to this and I’m running him everywhere confidently right now.
• Elder caught his first Dud of the year and there could be more on the way as it’s still hard to fully buy into his success with just a 13% K-BB, but if you can take the ratio risk there’s plenty of Win upside.
• Vásquez has been a bit wobbly in his L2 (7 ER in 10 IP w/4 HRs and 2:4 K:BB) but this is what I mean when I say we’re not jumping off at the first sign of trouble w/someone. Last year, that would’ve been enough to run from Vásquez given how flimsy his skills were (5% K-BB). His 12% this year isn’t amazing, but much more palatable than a single-digit rate. Let’s check-in after the 2-start this week (NYM on the wknd).
• I debated the 3-x on Soroka given how good he’s been this year but LAD is always tough to go against with any non-ace. Health, not skills, remains the biggest hurdle for Soroka as he hasn’t reached even 90 IP since his 2019 breakout season. I would definitely run him in weekly 10-teamers to get the 2-step even with it being 2 pretty difficult matchups (WSN this wknd).
• Huge 2-step this week for Prielipp. After running out to a 2.88 ERA/0.96 WHIP in his first 5 MLB starts, he’s gotten his socks knocked off in his L2 at BOS and at CHW, allowing 11 ER in 8.3 IP (6 BB definitely a big part of the issue). I’m willing to give him a shot against the Murakami-less White Sox in order to get the KCR start in weekly setups. In daily setups, I can see skipping this in shallow-medium formats.
• Matz has 6 good and 3 bad starts on the year but the latter have smothered the former resulting in a 4.67 ERA/1.24 WHIP through 44.3 IP. Most of my confidence to start him comes from how impossibly bad my favorite team has been lately (casual 4-22 record over their L26, very fun to watch everyday!).
• It was great to see the 11-K game from Roy Reuben Chandler but we knew that wasn’t the end of his control issues (he even walked 3 during the big strikeout game). HOU is down to 12th in wOBA on the year after a really fast start and now they essentially boil down to Yordan Alvarez, Christian Walker, Jeremy Pena,  and friends… wherein the friends are essentially free outs. Just don’t let those three get you and they’re very beatable.
• McDonald is yet another interesting arm with a difficult 2-step on tap (at CHC this wknd) but one I’m certainly open to running. A 7 ER Dud v. CHW has inflated the ERA to 4.34 but the 17% K-BB and 2.92 SIERA draw my attention. In fact, as I dive in deeper, I would favor T-Mc over Matz and Chandler for both today and the whole week.
• I’m nervous about all five 1-x guys and wouldn’t bat an eye at sitting any of them. Baz and Abbott at least have decent matchups while Cantillo, Jump, and Cameron are all on the road facing Top 10 offenses. Even still, I’d likely run all three in weekly formats for their 2-steps… at least in 15-teamers.
• Comments sold me on giving Nola, May and even Grayson 1-x. If I could figure out how to half an x, I would’ve given Grayson that, but I’m just nervous from being burnt in the past by him (mostly due to health, in fairness). Edit to add: I guess a slash one way or the other is technically half an “x” so that’s what he gets!

I’ll have more comments in the morning. Got a late start and need to get some rest!

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• Daily SP Chart archive
• 2-Start podcast episode
• SP Rankings (last update: 4/27 | next: wk of 6/1)

Welcome to the Daily SP Chart, click here if you’re new to get an idea of what I’m doing with these rankings.

The chart includes their performance for 2026, their opponent’s wOBA versus the pitcher’s handedness, and recently added opponent’s K% (also v. SP handedness), my general start/sit recommendation for 10-team, 12-team, and 15-team (or more) leagues – essentially a shallow, medium, deep league setup – and then a note about some, most, or all depending on the day. If a pitcher only has an “x” in 15-team, it doesn’t mean there’s no potential use in 10s and 12s, but it’s a much riskier stream for those spots.

These are general recommendations for standard 5×5 roto leagues, and your league situation will carry more weight whether you are protecting ratios or chasing counting numbers. I usually won’t have much to write about aces who are locked into our rotations. If you want to discuss someone further, please feel free to leave a comment. I usually do a few sweeps of the comments before game time in case there are time-sensitive questions.

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