Starting Pitcher Chart – May 19th, 2025

Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

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.

Starter Notes May 19, 2025
RK PITCHER GAME 10 12 15+ IP ERA WHIP K-BB 2025 wOBA RK NOTE
1 Kris Bubic KCR at SFG x x x 54 1.66 1.10 19% 15th Absolutely dialed in w/1.48 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 20% K-BB in L5 w/a solid matchup good enough for the top spot
2 Kodai Senga NYM at BOS x x x 44 1.22 1.20 13% 11th Walking the wire w/a 12% BB in L7 incl. at least 2 BB in each, but he hasn’t paid the price w/a very nice 0.69 ERA; nothing actionable here, just don’t be surprised if we see some 3-5 ER outings if he keeps walking a ton
3 Cristopher Sánchez PHI at COL x x x 43 2.91 1.22 19% 22nd No one is “Coors Proof” but he’s someone I’m always throwing bc he has a higher-than-avg chance at a gem even in this venue
4 Nick Lodolo CIN at PIT x x x 52 3.42 1.08 15% 25th Mega-dud v. WAS holding down his L5 numbers, the 4 w/out it: 3.00 ERA/1.08 WHIP/15% K-BB in 24 IP; didn’t take full advantage of CHW so the schedule gods have another offering
5 Bailey Ober MIN v CLE x x x 48 3.72 1.37 13% 20th Running a 2.36 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 15% K-BB since that season debut bomb
6 Robbie Ray SFG v KCR x x x 50 3.04 1.25 14% 27th Looking sharp after 4 IP/4 ER dud at PHI: 2.32/1.06 WHIP/19% K-BB in 31 IP over his L5
7 Sonny Gray STL v DET x x x 50 4.50 1.18 19% 5th 31-pitch, 5-run first sank his start at PHI & 2 of his L3 have been bad, but the middle one was 7 scoreless v. PIT; remains a rotation fixture in all formats, espec. in a 2-start wk (ARI on the wknd)
8 Luis Castillo SEA at CHW x x x 49 3.65 1.38 9% 30th Control had become a defining trait the L3 yrs (7%) which makes his 9% stand out, espec. w/at least 2 BB in all 9 starts; perfect matchup to break the streak
9 Ryan Pepiot TBR v HOU x x x 50 3.93 1.29 13% 22nd Smoked PHI at home 2 starts ago after a 5.73 ERA in his previous 4 in Steinbrenner; he is riskier at home, but there’s still rich upside in any given start and I’m open to running him everywhere
10 Ben Brown CHC at MIA x x 41 4.75 1.56 18% 21st A schedule gift w/B2B MIA starts opens up his 2-start on the road which feels like an easy start in medium & deeper lgs even w/a moderately scary at CIN lurking on Sunday
11 José Soriano LAA at ATH x x 52 3.46 1.46 9% 15th A start like his gem at SDP (7 IP, 2 UER, 7 base runners) is what keeps us coming back and v. MIA treat awaits us on the weekend; his HR suppression capabilities make this one at ATH less scary, too
12 J.T. Ginn ATH v LAA x x 13 4.61 1.54 14% 24th Had 13 Ks in 10 IP before a 3-HR start v. TEX resulted in an IL stint (elbow); returned w/sharp rehab (3.3 scoreless w/5 Ks) & now gets a 2-start off the IL; PHI looms on the weekend but I’m down to clown in medium & deeper lgs
13 Hunter Dobbins BOS v NYM x 27 3.90 1.30 16% 8th Came unglued in the 6th at DET but remains in the rotation w/Houck to the IL; 2-step has some deep lg appeal even w/BAL on the wknd
14 Mitch Keller PIT v CIN x 52 4.15 1.33 12% 13th Solid in his L7 including gems at LAD, at NYM, and v. STL and while I wouldn’t have started him for most of those, it gives me some confidence in running this 2-step in some spots
15 Brandon Pfaadt ARI at LAD x 50 3.73 1.30 14% 2nd It’s not that there’s no upside, it’s more that the downside is too massive to chase the limited upside… just be careful, I’m looking for ways to not start him
16 Davis Martin CHW v SEA x 49 3.65 1.36 10% 9th Some YOLO potential, though the upside is limited w/tiny W upside and modest ratio potential
17 Keider Montero DET at STL 25 4.68 1.52 6% 4th
18 Landon Knack LAD v ARI 18 5.89 1.53 15% 1st Similar to counterpart Pfaadt in that there is real upside, but just a ton of downside that leaves him on the bench for me
19 Quinn Priester MIL v BAL 33 4.59 1.56 1% 12th
20 Logan Allen로건 CLE at MIN 41 3.70 1.52 6% 19th
21 Kyle Freeland COL v PHI 45 6.15 1.59 13% 7th
22 Colton Gordon HOU at TBR 4 6.23 2.08 5% 28th
23 Dean Kremer BAL at MIL 50 5.36 1.31 10% 25th
24 Edward Cabrera MIA v CHC 29 5.52 1.53 10% 6th
Recommendations for Roto 5×5 Leagues

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

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