Author: Paul Sporer | Page 10 | RotoGraphs Fantasy Baseball

Paul Sporer’s Updated 2025 Starting Pitcher Rankings

July 18, 2025

I posted a preview of this in today’s SP Chart, but even that Top 75 has since changed so please use this as the reference going forward. Please feel free to post your questions & comments below, I’ll be in there responding all weekend. These aren’t meant o be ironclad through the rest of the season, any rankings update is a 4-6 week outlook for me so I’m not yet concerned about potential workload shutdowns and things of that nature. Additionally, this ranking specifically might have more of a 1-3 week shelf life with the Trade Deadline looming so I will run another update shortly after that if there are substantive changes across the league. I say “if” just because the deadline could be a dud if too many teams think they’re in it and no one really sells, but I don’t expect that as there should be enough true sellers already identified to facilitate some real movement.

Injured guys aren’t ranked outside a couple who are close to returning if I recall correctly. You can ask about someone, but if they’re not due back in the next week or two, I won’t really have much insight as it’ll be dependent on their health & return. There may be a few 6th-starter types ranked here as opposed to making sure I got 5 guys per team in the Top 150 as we don’t really need every Rockie on the list.

Without further ado:

Zebby & Sheehan added Saturday AM (7/19)

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Starting Pitcher Chart – July 18th, 2025

by Paul Sporer

July 18, 2025

Daily SP Chart archive

The chart includes their performance for 2025, their opponent’s wOBA rank versus the pitcher’s handedness from this year so far, my general start/sit recommendation for 10-team, 12-team, and 15-team (or more) leagues, and then a note about them. Obviously, there are league sizes beyond those three so it’s essentially a shallow, medium, deep. 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, and your league situation will carry more weight whether you are protecting ratios or chasing counting numbers. This is for standard 5×5 roto leagues. The thresholds for H2H starts are generally lower, especially in points leagues so I thought there would be more valuable focusing on roto.

Here’s a preview of my SP rankings with the Top 75. I’ll have a separate post with the Top 150 sometime Friday.

Top 75 SPs for 2H

	PITCHER	TM	IP	ERA	WHIP	K-BB	PITCH+
1	Tarik Skubal	DET	121	2.23	0.83	30%	121
2	Paul Skenes	PIT	121	2.01	0.93	22%	117
3	Zack Wheeler	PHI	122	2.36	0.86	27%	121
4	Garrett Crochet	BOS	129.1	2.23	1.04	25%	110
5	Hunter Brown	HOU	115	2.43	0.96	23%	107
6	Yoshinobu Yamamoto	LAD	104.1	2.59	1.04	19%	107
7	Jacob deGrom	TEX	112.1	2.32	0.91	21%	121
8	Max Fried	NYY	122	2.43	1.01	18%	114
9	Carlos Rodón	NYY	119.2	3.08	1.00	20%	101
10	Spencer Strider	ATL	61.2	3.94	1.17	20%	92
11	Logan Gilbert	SEA	61	3.39	1.05	29%	111
12	Joe Ryan	MIN	109.1	2.72	0.91	23%	105
13	Bryan Woo	SEA	114.2	2.75	0.93	20%	111
14	George Kirby	SEA	54	4.50	1.15	20%	108
15	Framber Valdez	HOU	121	2.75	1.12	17%	112
16	Logan Webb	SFG	125.2	2.94	1.17	22%	113
17	Robbie Ray	SFG	119	2.65	1.08	18%	93
18	Freddy Peralta	MIL	111.2	2.66	1.06	18%	105
19	Nick Pivetta	SDP	109.1	2.88	1.02	21%	108
20	Cristopher Sánchez	PHI	115	2.50	1.14	19%	114
21	Tyler Glasnow	LAD	23	3.52	1.22	14%	90
22	Nathan Eovaldi	TEX	91	1.58	0.85	23%	105
23	MacKenzie Gore	WAS	110.1	3.02	1.20	23%	102
24	Sonny Gray	STL	108	3.50	1.08	23%	101
25	Jacob Misiorowski	MIL	25.2	2.81	0.90	22%	128
26	Dylan Cease	SDP	103.1	4.88	1.33	20%	108
27	Kris Bubic	KCR	108.2	2.48	1.16	18%	102
28	Kodai Senga	NYM	77.2	1.39	1.13	13%	95
29	Shota Imanaga	CHC	68	2.65	0.93	12%	105
30	Ranger Suárez	PHI	83.2	2.15	1.06	17%	106
31	Matthew Boyd	CHC	111.2	2.34	1.03	18%	99
32	Nick Lodolo	CIN	106.2	3.38	1.11	17%	99
33	Ryan Pepiot	TBR	114.1	3.38	1.15	16%	109
34	Seth Lugo	KCR	101	2.67	1.08	14%	91
35	Jesús Luzardo	PHI	104.1	4.14	1.41	19%	108
36	Chase Burns	CIN	16	6.19	1.63	22%	118
37	Merrill Kelly 켈리	ARI	116	3.34	1.05	17%	97
38	Casey Mize	DET	88.2	3.15	1.22	15%	103
39	Jack Flaherty	DET	100.2	4.65	1.24	20%	99
40	Reese Olson	DET	58	2.95	1.24	14%	97
41	Eury Pérez	MIA	34	3.18	0.91	18%	107
42	Brandon Woodruff	MIL	10.1	2.61	0.68	47%	111
43	Drew Rasmussen	TBR	91.1	2.86	1.03	15%	109
44	Trevor Rogers	BAL	35.1	1.53	0.82	16%	96
45	Andrew Abbott	CIN	91.1	2.07	1.08	16%	96
46	Will Warren	NYY	95.1	4.63	1.42	16%	103
47	Noah Cameron	KCR	70	2.31	1.00	13%	100
48	Michael Soroka	WAS	67.1	5.35	1.16	19%	93
49	Luis Castillo	SEA	108.1	3.41	1.24	13%	102
50	Shane Baz	TBR	110	4.17	1.25	15%	108
51	Ryne Nelson	ARI	78.1	3.68	1.07	13%	106
52	Lucas Giolito	BOS	72.1	3.36	1.23	15%	94
53	Yusei Kikuchi	LAA	113	3.11	1.37	14%	103
54	Kevin Gausman	TOR	109.2	4.19	1.16	16%	104
55	Sean Manaea	NYM	3.1	2.70	1.50	47%	124
56	Jacob Lopez	ATH	55.2	4.20	1.33	19%	91
57	Cam Schlittler	NYY	5.1	5.06	1.13	24%	100
58	Grant Holmes	ATL	105	3.77	1.30	16%	94
59	José Berríos	TOR	115.1	3.75	1.24	12%	93
60	Mitch Keller	PIT	119	3.48	1.14	13%	97
61	Matthew Liberatore	STL	100.1	4.13	1.25	14%	98
62	Chris Bassitt	TOR	107	4.12	1.35	16%	99
63	Brandon Walter	HOU	40.2	3.98	1.01	23%	100
64	Zack Littell	TBR	116.1	3.56	1.08	14%	94
65	David Peterson	NYM	109	3.06	1.24	12%	95
66	Clayton Kershaw	LAD	50.2	3.38	1.24	10%	94
67	Edward Cabrera	MIA	82.1	3.61	1.26	16%	107
68	Tanner Bibee	CLE	109	4.29	1.24	14%	100
69	Yu Darvish	SDP	8.1	6.48	1.68	3%	82
70	Clay Holmes	NYM	103.1	3.31	1.26	10%	103
71	Gavin Williams	CLE	97.1	3.70	1.43	9%	94
72	Joe Boyle	TBR	14	1.29	0.71	19%	89
73	Janson Junk	MIA	50.1	2.68	0.99	17%	110
74	Richard Fitts	BOS	33.2	4.28	1.22	13%	104
75	Michael Wacha	KCR	106	3.74	1.27	11%	100

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The Sleeper and the Bust Episode: 1434 – Paul’s 2nd Half SP Rankings

by Paul Sporer

July 17, 2025

7/17/25

The latest episode of “The Sleeper and the Bust” is live. Support the show by subscribing to our Patreon!!

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SPs OF INTEREST FROM PAUL’S RANKINGS

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Starting Pitcher Chart – July 11th, 2025

by Paul Sporer

July 11, 2025

Daily SP Chart archive

The chart includes their performance for 2025, their opponent’s wOBA rank versus the pitcher’s handedness from this year so far, my general start/sit recommendation for 10-team, 12-team, and 15-team (or more) leagues, and then a note about them. Obviously, there are league sizes beyond those three so it’s essentially a shallow, medium, deep. 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, and your league situation will carry more weight whether you are protecting ratios or chasing counting numbers. This is for standard 5×5 roto leagues. The thresholds for H2H starts are generally lower, especially in points leagues so I thought there would be more valuable focusing on roto.

Enjoy the All-Star break. I’ll finally have an updated SP ranking as we enter the second half.

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Starting Pitcher Chart – July 10th, 2025

by Paul Sporer

July 9, 2025

Daily SP Chart archive

The chart includes their performance for 2025, their opponent’s wOBA rank versus the pitcher’s handedness from this year so far, my general start/sit recommendation for 10-team, 12-team, and 15-team (or more) leagues, and then a note about them. Obviously, there are league sizes beyond those three so it’s essentially a shallow, medium, deep. 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, and your league situation will carry more weight whether you are protecting ratios or chasing counting numbers. This is for standard 5×5 roto leagues. The thresholds for H2H starts are generally lower, especially in points leagues so I thought there would be more valuable focusing on roto.

Even for a Thursday short slate, this board is remarkably light on bankable options. I wouldn’t get too cute with these arms. Instead focus on offense Thursday and then turn back toward streaming arms for the weekend!

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Paul Sporer’s Baseball Chat – July 9th, 2025

by Paul Sporer

July 9, 2025

Just a shorty today — 30 minutes!
Transcript is now live

1:02	Paul Sporer: Hello everyone! Thanks for coming out, just a quickie today at 30 minutes as I’ve got an appt. at 1:30 CT

1:02	Playing it close to the Vest: As a Tigers fan, do you think that Vest is their long-term closer? Or will they be looking to bump him down, either at the deadline or during the off-season? He’s already 30 years old and without a long track record of closing

1:03	Paul Sporer: I’d be surprised. Harris and Hinch seem to view the closer’s role as very fluid so I wouldn’t be investing with any sort of long-term vision on any Tigers RP, tbh

1:07	Ess Pee: Could you rank these arms: Slade C, Colton Gordon, T Rogers? Are they all above the rp threshold (Matt Brash) in an al only?

1:07	Paul Sporer: In reverse order of how you listed them but very little separation. I do think they all clear Brash unless you want some runoffs SVs and good ratios

1:08	Boston Pen: Where are you on Jordan Hicks? He hasn’t been that much better in Boston but people are spec’ing on him taking over for Chapman. Does the save potential make him better than arms with better results like Matt Brash/Varland/Yariel Rodriguez?

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Starting Pitcher Chart – July 9th, 2025

by Paul Sporer

July 9, 2025

Daily SP Chart archive

The chart includes their performance for 2025, their opponent’s wOBA rank versus the pitcher’s handedness from this year so far, my general start/sit recommendation for 10-team, 12-team, and 15-team (or more) leagues, and then a note about them. Obviously, there are league sizes beyond those three so it’s essentially a shallow, medium, deep. 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, and your league situation will carry more weight whether you are protecting ratios or chasing counting numbers. This is for standard 5×5 roto leagues. The thresholds for H2H starts are generally lower, especially in points leagues so I thought there would be more valuable focusing on roto.

Read the rest of this entry »

Starting Pitcher Chart – July 8th, 2025

by Paul Sporer

July 8, 2025

Daily SP Chart archive

The chart includes their performance for 2025, their opponent’s wOBA rank versus the pitcher’s handedness from this year so far, my general start/sit recommendation for 10-team, 12-team, and 15-team (or more) leagues, and then a note about them. Obviously, there are league sizes beyond those three so it’s essentially a shallow, medium, deep. 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, and your league situation will carry more weight whether you are protecting ratios or chasing counting numbers. This is for standard 5×5 roto leagues. The thresholds for H2H starts are generally lower, especially in points leagues so I thought there would be more valuable focusing on roto.

JUMP TO 2-START CHART

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Starting Pitcher Chart – July 7th, 2025

by Paul Sporer

July 7, 2025

Daily SP Chart archive

The chart includes their performance for 2025, their opponent’s wOBA rank versus the pitcher’s handedness from this year so far, my general start/sit recommendation for 10-team, 12-team, and 15-team (or more) leagues, and then a note about them. Obviously, there are league sizes beyond those three so it’s essentially a shallow, medium, deep. 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, and your league situation will carry more weight whether you are protecting ratios or chasing counting numbers. This is for standard 5×5 roto leagues. The thresholds for H2H starts are generally lower, especially in points leagues so I thought there would be more valuable focusing on roto.

JUMP TO 2-START CHART

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