Starting Pitcher Chart – April 7th, 2026
Welcome to the Daily SP Chart.
The chart includes their performance for 2025 until we get some actual data for this year (I changed over in late-April last year), their opponent’s wOBA versus the pitcher’s handedness from last year (not a perfect solution as teams change in the offseason, but better than using just a few days of data from this year), my general start/sit recommendation for 10-team, 12-team, and 15-team (or more) leagues, and then a note about some, most, or all depending on the day. 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 value focusing on roto.
I usually won’t have much to write about aces who are locked into our rotations, you don’t really need a shiny stat to be convinced on starting guys like that. If you want to discuss someone further, please feel free to leave a comment and I’ll get you an answer when I can. I try to do a few sweeps of the comments before game time in case there are time-sensitive questions.
| Rk | PITCHER | Tm | Opp | 10 | 12 | 15+ | IP | ERA | WHIP | K-BB | opp wOBA RK | Commentary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tarik Skubal | DET | at MIN | x | x | x | 195.1 | 2.21 | 0.89 | 28% | 13 | I know it’ll get off-kilter as the season wears on as injuries, off-days, and reshuffling will change things, but I love these Ace Days early on!! |
| 2 | Paul Skenes | PIT | v. SDP | x | x | x | 187.2 | 1.97 | 0.95 | 24% | 16 | |
| 3 | Garrett Crochet | BOS | v. MIL | x | x | x | 205.1 | 2.59 | 1.03 | 26% | 8 | |
| 4 | Cristopher Sánchez | PHI | at SFG | x | x | x | 202 | 2.50 | 1.06 | 21% | 29 | |
| 5 | Yoshinobu Yamamoto | LAD | at TOR | x | x | x | 173.2 | 2.49 | 0.99 | 21% | 6 | |
| 6 | Sandy Alcantara | MIA | v. CIN | x | x | x | 174.2 | 5.36 | 1.27 | 11% | 14 | It’s 2 starts so I’m reluctant to say he’s all the way back yet, but his big spring has carried into the regular season… 15% SwStr, too! |
| 7 | George Kirby | SEA | at TEX | x | x | x | 126 | 4.21 | 1.19 | 21% | 24 | |
| 8 | Freddy Peralta | NYM | v. ARI | x | x | x | 176.2 | 2.70 | 1.08 | 19% | 5 | |
| 9 | Nick Pivetta | SDP | at PIT | x | x | x | 181.2 | 2.87 | 0.99 | 19% | 30 | |
| 10 | Cam Schlittler | NYY | v. ATH | x | x | x | 73 | 2.96 | 1.22 | 17% | 7 | Amazing start to the season for the 2nd year SP, including 0 BB in two starts; too early to say it’s a full scale breakout, but his proponents were big on his K upside (40% K, 17% SwStr thru 2) |
| 11 | Drew Rasmussen | TBR | v. CHC | x | x | x | 150 | 2.76 | 1.02 | 15% | 10 | |
| 12 | Trevor Rogers | BAL | at CHW | x | x | x | 109.2 | 1.81 | 0.90 | 17% | 17 | Thriving (1.38 ERA/1.08 WHIP) despite meager skills (6% K-BB); let’s see how the Ks look over his next 3-4 |
| 13 | Nathan Eovaldi | TEX | v. SEA | x | x | x | 130 | 1.73 | 0.85 | 22% | 9 | |
| 14 | Jacob Misiorowski | MIL | at BOS | x | x | x | 66 | 4.36 | 1.24 | 21% | 11 | |
| 15 | Kevin Gausman | TOR | v. LAD | x | x | x | 193 | 3.59 | 1.06 | 18% | 4 | I won’t cook anyone for passing LAD starts in shallower leagues, but I’m also fine w/Gaus as an auto start, espec. w/21 Ks in his first 2 |
| 16 | Gavin Williams | CLE | v. KCR | x | x | x | 167.2 | 3.06 | 1.27 | 13% | 18 | Cooked at LAD but we saw 6 BB in his debut and we know the control is always going to be a key driver in his success |
| 17 | Andrew Abbott | CIN | at MIA | x | x | x | 166.1 | 2.87 | 1.15 | 15% | 21 | |
| 18 | CHC | at TBR | 179.2 | 3.21 | 1.09 | 16% | 22 | Boyd on IL; don’t start Assad | ||||
| 19 | Robbie Ray | SFG | v. PHI | x | x | x | 182.1 | 3.65 | 1.21 | 15% | 6 | Quite the schedule to start his season w/both NY teams and now PHI… at least all 3 have been at home |
| 20 | Taj Bradley | MIN | v. DET | x | x | x | 142.2 | 5.05 | 1.31 | 12% | 19 | Big fan of his coming into the year, but we’re a loooong way from being “right” about anything yet… we’ll see what’s up on Memorial Day |
| 21 | Cade Cavalli | WSN | v. STL | x | x | x | 48.2 | 4.25 | 1.48 | 11% | 25 | Matchup gets him the full reco, but he’s not a must in 10s (don’t tell Orrico I said that!) |
| 22 | Matthew Liberatore | STL | at WSN | x | x | 151.2 | 4.21 | 1.31 | 13% | 30 | Super Rogers right now, but “Super” isn’t a positive as he’s also toting great ratios (1.64/1.18) despite horrendous skills so far (2% K-BB)… I’ll give him another handful, but skills MUST improve | |
| 23 | Reynaldo López | ATL | at LAA | x | x | 5 | 5.40 | 2.20 | -4% | 26 | And yet *another* strong ratio (1.64/0.91) poor skills (7%) guy through 2… of the 3, only Rogers is showing some whiffs (11% SwStr) | |
| 24 | Noah Cameron | KCR | at CLE | x | x | 138.1 | 2.99 | 1.10 | 13% | 27 | 2-step this week includes CHW visiting on the wknd; not sure he can do anything in these 2 to make me want to use him next at NYY | |
| 25 | Zac Gallen | ARI | at NYM | x | x | 192 | 4.83 | 1.26 | 13% | 2 | Stalled out in the 5th at LAD before 6 scoreless v. DET, but only 4 Ks & 9% SwStr in the 10 IP | |
| 26 | Shane Smith | CHW | v. BAL | 146.1 | 3.81 | 1.20 | 14% | 20 | Drafted late enough that another poor start would be enough to put him on the chopping block | |||
| 27 | Yusei Kikuchi | LAA | v. ATL | 178.1 | 3.99 | 1.42 | 13% | 14 | ||||
| 28 | Mike Burrows | HOU | at COL | 96 | 3.94 | 1.24 | 16% | 27 | ||||
| 29 | ATH | at NYY | 162.2 | 4.54 | 1.30 | 10% | 1 | |||||
| 30 | Kyle Freeland | COL | v. HOU | 162.2 | 4.98 | 1.42 | 12% | 10 |
How much lead time do you require for the daily SP charts? Mathew Boyd has been on the IL for 16 hours.
Fixed! My automated probables board still had Boyd listed last night when I was writing, my b
Added Assad…what about starting in 11 team NL only?
NL Only I can see, not doin it for mixed until I see how he looks
(the horrendous weather could give him some lottery ticket viability in deeper mixers)They’re not in Cleveland anymore, Paul!!!The Cubs are at the Trop today.
I’m all over the place today, sheesh. I still had them in Cleveland in my brain
Thanks. I wussed out. 2 step could include Phillies…
Poop!!!
OK Javier, I undersold you!!! Process over results, though, I felt it was prudent to see something first. On the other hand, it is a just OK Tampa team in the Trop so maybe I should’ve been more open to the stream
No worries.! He sucked in AAA so i agree prudent to see what he’s got. Picked him up for$1 unopposed so still a great move if he pans out (100 budget)
Weather:
A fair number of cold weather games in the 30’s and low 40’s, but no real rain issues
🥶 🥶 🥶 I’m cold just lookin at this board!!
How do you compile these? Just curious. Appreciate the legwork.
Rotogrinders has a page for this. It used to be curated and narrated by Kevin Roth, a weatherman from Houston, but it looks like he’s moved his commentary to his own site behind a paywall.
But the core numbers are there. . . .
Was wondering where the comments were on RG this season – thanks for the info, and good work
Kinda rough on Reynaldo? or do i just weirdly like him a lot?
I actually love ReyLo, I just know the risks w/him, I guess. I’m not cutting him anywhere yet, just maybe skipping over him in the shallowest of formats today
I have Liberatore and Cavali in a 15. Which would you go with? I am planning on benching one for Ryan Weathers start later this week.
I’d go for Cavalli by a hair. He has more consistent K production which can salvage a start if his ratios are light or he doesn’t get the W. Libby hasn’t been showing any swing-and-miss so far and that’s in line w/his career work