Starting Pitcher Chart – August 17th, 2026

by
August 17, 2026
David Reginek-Imagn Images

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 add some comments in the AM!

  • This doesn’t really apply to McLean today as he’s an auto start everywhere, but it’s worth noting that SDP is on fire of late, sitting 1st in wOBA vR over the L30 days. They’re also up to 10th vL after spending the vast majority of the year in the bottom 5 both ways. This will definitely be a bigger deal for their MIN series later in the week and might cost Zac Thornton an “x” for Tuesday’s board.
  • Wacha gets a remarkably hobbled ATH team with Tyler Soderstrom joining the rest of their best players on the IL. They’re on the road all week so it’s easy to play against them in that situation even without all the injuries, but now we might start considering more arms against them at home next week and beyond.
  • I really don’t mind running Snell in any format, even in Coors. I gave him the extra “x” this morning after just 2-x on the initial board. Yes, Coors can clip anyone at any time, but we’re talking probabilities and it’s hard for me to drum up any major concern about the Rockies, even at home. The strength of their lineup comes from the left side, too, which obviously plays into Snell even more.
  • McClanahan comes off the IL for a bizarre 2-step where he’s facing BAL both times thanks to a wraparound series that has him finishing the weekend set today and then getting ’em again this weekend at BAL.
  • Board might feel a bit thin when Perez, Pallante, and Bello (who isn’t even traditionally starting) hit the Top 10, but they’re all deserving. Perez has been flat out amazing all year with a 2.96 ERA/1.15 WHIP in 106.3 IP and is currently in the midst of an 18-IP scoreless streak. Even with a pair of Duds (5+ ER outing) mixed in, Pallante has a sparkling 2.88 ERA over his L12 starts, totaling 72 IP. He’s still skills-light with just a 9% K-BB but a groundball stud with a great defense behind him can outrun modest strikeout numbers more easily. There’s still high risk with any given start, but hard to get him outta the rotation these days. And Bello has been dialed in since going to an extended RP role, posting an 0.81 ERA and WHIP across 6 appearances (22.7 IP) with a 20% K-BB. He hasn’t been a traditional Follower in each, notching a 3-IP SV in one of them, but he is lined up to follow today.
  • Castillo is coming off a beautiful outing v. CIN last time out (7 IP of 1-hit ball w/10 Ks), but let’s keep things in perspective and not immediately throw him back into every lineup. The two starts before this were both Duds and the recently outing only just got him back below 5.00 ERA for the year (4.96).
  • I took Mlodzinski’s “x” from the initial post upon further review. He has a pair of bad 3 IP outings since returning to the rotation and it’s not like the DET offense is a rollover. I’d probably start Bratt over him (not that I’m interested in either).

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Starting Pitcher Chart August 17th
Rk PITCHER Team Opponent T 10 12 15+ IP ERA WHIP K% K-BB OPP K% opp wOBA RK
1 Cristopher Sánchez PHI v. MIA L x x x 155.2 2.54 1.19 28% 23% 23% 14
2 Nolan McLean NYM v. SDP R x x x 136.2 3.42 1.13 28% 19% 22% 18
3 Michael Wacha KCR v. ATH R x x x 150.2 3.46 1.15 19% 12% 22% 16
4 Shota Imanaga CHC v. CHW L x x x 137.1 3.74 1.10 23% 18% 25% 8
5 Framber Valdez DET at PIT L x x x 133 4.26 1.39 18% 10% 26% 24
6 Blake Snell LAD at COL L x x x 9 5.00 1.33 38% 30% 25% 15
7 Shane McClanahan TBR v. BAL L x x 99 3.09 1.12 22% 14% 26% 12
8 Martín Pérez ATL at MIN L x x 106.1 2.96 1.15 19% 9% 23% 18
9 Andre Pallante STL at CIN R x x 130 3.46 1.22 17% 10% 25% 28
10 FW: Brayan Bello BOS v. ARI R x x 83.2 4.84 1.43 17% 10% 20% 29
11 Luis Castillo CHW at CHC R x 110.2 4.96 1.35 21% 14% 22% 7
12 Janson Junk MIA at PHI R x 87.2 4.41 1.32 17% 11% 23% 19
13 Walker Buehler SDP at NYM R x 114.1 4.88 1.43 20% 11% 23% 27
14 Brandon Young BAL at TBR R x 113.2 3.33 1.32 19% 11% 19% 3
15 Bailey Ober MIN v. ATL R x 99 4.64 1.23 16% 10% 22% 12
16 Carmen Mlodzinski PIT v. DET R 99.2 3.79 1.40 18% 10% 23% 11
17 Mitch Bratt ARI at BOS L 33.2 3.74 1.40 17% 4% 22% 4
18 Chase Petty CIN v. STL R 31.2 4.83 1.26 11% 4% 21% 26
19 Quinn Mathews STL at CIN L 5 3.60 1.80 13% 25% 6
20 Rhett Lowder CIN v. STL R 94.1 5.15 1.48 18% 9% 21% 26
21 Tomoyuki Sugano COL v. LAD R 113.2 4.43 1.25 14% 8% 21% 2
22 Mason Barnett ATH at KCR R 38 6.16 1.45 22% 10% 21% 22
Recommendations for Roto 5×5 Leagues | FW: Follower

Intro

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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Color Coding:

  • Green – Good Matchup (lower OPS output by SP opponent) – 21st to 30th
  • Yellow – OK – 11th to 20th 
  • Red – Bad – 1st to 10th





 

Paul is the Editor of Rotographs and Content Director for OOTP Perfect Team. Follow Paul on Twitter @sporer and on Twitch at sporer.

1 Comment
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AnonMember since 2025
10 hours ago

No wind, even Wrigley is only 4 mph

Rain:
CIN – 1st game is 23% to start but 52% by the end. 2nd game is only 12% to start so it looks like something blows through in between the games
PHI – 10-20% all day
PIT – 53% to start but 8% by mid-game
NYM – 15-20% all day
Fenway – 32% to start, 20% by mid-game
MIN – 24-29% all game, up to 44% just after
Wrigley – small chance

7