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Don't look now, but it's almost September! We're on the cusp of matchups and streaming taking precedence over "talent" but we're not quite there yet with roughly 40 games remaining for most teams.
Let's finish August strong as we build concrete attack plans for dominating roto categories and H2H matchups on the bump. I'll explore some August stats for pitchers in my top-101 table here in my latest edition of my weekly Starting Pitcher Baller Ranks!
As is tradition, these fantasy baseball starting pitcher rankings are geared toward traditional 5x5 leagues. Let's move along with my top-101 SP for the rest of 2022!
Starting Pitcher Rankings Analysis
Stat Leaders (August 1-August 22)
SIERA:
| Rank | Player | SIERA |
| 1 | Ross Stripling | 0.97 |
| 2 | Jacob deGrom | 1.18 |
| 3 | Dustin May | 1.84 |
| 4 | Aaron Civale | 1.99 |
| 5 | Charlie Morton | 2.05 |
| 6 | Justin Steele | 2.07 |
| 7 | Blake Snell | 2.15 |
| 8 | Zac Gallen | 2.34 |
| 9 | Spencer Strider | 2.36 |
| 10 | Andrew Heaney | 2.57 |
Ross Stripling has only made one August start so it’s cheap to slide him in there, but it also provides an excuse to talk him up. He threw 6 ⅓ IP of one-hit ball with seven strikeouts and is worth a look in deep formats. Jacob deGrom is a beast. Dustin May made a triumphant return to the bump. Aaron Civale is quietly putting together a solid stretch!
CSW:
| Rank | Player | CSW% |
| 1 | Dustin May | 38.0% |
| 2 | Aaron Civale | 36.8% |
| 3 | Jacob deGrom | 34.3% |
| 4 | Aaron Nola | 33.6% |
| 5 | Charlie Morton | 33.4% |
| 6 | Edward Cabrera | 33.2% |
| 7 | Corey Kluber | 32.6% |
| 8 | Shane Bieber | 32.2% |
| 9 | Brady Singer | 32.1% |
| 10 | JT Brubaker | 31.9% |
Some studs and surprises are sprinkled in here, with Edward Cabrera’s stellar run fueled by relentlessly attacking hitters. Brady Singer has been a legitimate add and I hope you think more of him than just a high-brow streamer. JT Brubaker has found his slider again and hasn’t been afraid to challenge batters with that slider-sinker punch, though the Braves tagged him on Tuesday in a tough matchup. Remember, the numbers are only through Tuesday, August 23rd.
ERA minus SIERA (E-S); biggest gap:
| Rank | Player | E-S | ERA | SIERA |
| 1 | Taijuan Walker | 4.09 | 10.00 | 5.91 |
| 2 | Jose Berrios | 4.03 | 8.79 | 4.76 |
| 3 | Frankie Montas | 3.73 | 9.00 | 5.27 |
| 4 | Madison Bumgarner | 3.40 | 7.94 | 4.54 |
| 5 | Sean Manaea | 3.25 | 6.75 | 3.50 |
| 6 | Alex Wood | 2.93 | 6.45 | 3.52 |
| 7 | Kutter Crawford | 2.88 | 7.40 | 4.52 |
| 8 | Lucas Giolito | 2.78 | 6.30 | 3.52 |
| 9 | Jakob Junis | 2.64 | 5.95 | 3.31 |
| 10 | Corey Kluber | 2.62 | 6.11 | 3.49 |
This is meant to provide a framework that illustrates recent bad luck that may or may not have relevant metrics at work behind them. Taijuan Walker has a small sample in August so I’m not worried much there. Jose Berrios, Frankie Montas, Madison Bumgarner, and Kutter Crawford do have some troubling SIERAs underneath the also poor ERAs.
But you’ll note half of this list has a SIERA around 3.50 on the month! Manaea’s been locating poorly for a while now so I’m less inclined to buy into a sharp turnaround down the stretch, but Wood and Junis are two Giants I’m hoping loom large in September.
Giolito remains enigmatic at best, allowing an OPS of .936 and .957 in the first and second innings, respectively, this year. That figure drops to .726 in the third, .611 in the fourth, and .752 in the fifth before rising again as hitters get a third look and fatigue creeps in. Every one of his four pitches yields a batting average of .284 or higher for opponents. Do you really need the strikeouts? He needs to re-tool the approach this offseason.
Fangraphs Dollars Earned (again, Aug. 1-22):
| Rank | Player | $ |
| 1 | Jacob deGrom | $10.90 |
| 2 | Blake Snell | $10.60 |
| 3 | Zac Gallen | $9.10 |
| 4 | Justin Steele | $8.60 |
| 5 | Johnny Cueto | $8.60 |
| 6 | Jordan Montgomery | $8.40 |
| 7 | Max Scherzer | $8.10 |
| 8 | Kevin Gausman | $8.00 |
| 9 | Julio Urias | $7.80 |
| 10 | Shane Bieber | $7.50 |
If you’ve been following along, then you know deGoat is back, second-half Snell is here, Gallen is streaking again, and Montgomery has gone ballistic since leaving the Bronx. Steele and Cueto are likely guys you knew were doing well without thinking it was this well, with Cueto enjoying a pair of wins to offset the low 10% strikeout rate in August. Meanwhile, Steele has zero wins (thanks, Chicago) so far this month but an absurd 37.5% K rate has him flying high.
Top-101 Starting Pitchers for Fantasy Baseball
These are rest-of-season fantasy baseball rankings for starting pitchers.
EV = Earned Value via Fangraphs (Since the All-Star Break), $ = My projected dollar value (think auction), PV = Previous $ Value
| (+/-) | Tier | Player | Rank | EV | $ | PV | Trend |
| 0 | 1 | Jacob deGrom | 1 | $10.90 | 46 | 46 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 0 | 1 | Max Scherzer | 2 | $11.00 | 45 | 45 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 0 | 1 | Sandy Alcantara | 3 | $5.90 | 43.5 | 43.5 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 0 | 1 | Corbin Burnes | 4 | $5.90 | 43 | 43 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 0 | 1 | Justin Verlander | 5 | $11.10 | 43 | 43 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 0 | 2 | Gerrit Cole | 6 | $7.40 | 42 | 42 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 0 | 2 | Shane McClanahan | 7 | $2.60 | 42 | 42 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 2 | 2 | Carlos Rodon | 8 | $7.20 | 40.5 | 38.5 | 2.0 ▲ |
| -1 | 2 | Shohei Ohtani | 9 | $5.40 | 40 | 40 | 0.0 ▬ |
| -1 | 2 | Zack Wheeler | 10 | $5.50 | 39 | 39 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 0 | 2 | Aaron Nola | 11 | $7.80 | 36 | 36 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 0 | 2 | Dylan Cease | 12 | $4.80 | 35 | 35 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 0 | 3 | Joe Musgrove | 13 | $2.70 | 34 | 34 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 0 | 3 | Brandon Woodruff | 14 | $3.30 | 33.5 | 33.5 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 0 | 3 | Max Fried | 15 | $7.50 | 32 | 32 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 0 | 3 | Kevin Gausman | 16 | $8.40 | 30 | 30 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 0 | 3 | Julio Urias | 17 | $11.90 | 29 | 29 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 0 | 3 | Luis Castillo | 18 | $5.40 | 28 | 28 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 0 | 3 | Yu Darvish | 19 | $7.80 | 28 | 28 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 0 | 3 | Shane Bieber | 20 | $7.00 | 26 | 26 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 0 | 3 | Spencer Strider | 21 | $7.50 | 25 | 25 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 1 | 4 | Nestor Cortes | 22 | $7.10 | 24 | 23 | 1.0 ▲ |
| 2 | 4 | Tony Gonsolin | 23 | $4.90 | 23.5 | 20.5 | 3.0 ▲ |
| 2 | 4 | Chris Bassitt | 24 | $7.90 | 23.5 | 20.5 | 3.0 ▲ |
| N/A | 4 | Clayton Kershaw | 25 | $1.10 | 23 | N/A | N/A |
| -4 | 4 | Alek Manoah | 26 | $3.40 | 23 | 24.5 | -1.5 ▼ |
| -3 | 4 | Logan Webb | 27 | $3.30 | 22 | 22.5 | -0.5 ▼ |
| -1 | 4 | Cristian Javier | 28 | $2.70 | 20 | 19.5 | 0.5 ▲ |
| -1 | 4 | Charlie Morton | 29 | $8.50 | 20 | 19 | 1.0 ▲ |
| 8 | 4 | Blake Snell | 30 | $12.50 | 20 | 13 | 7.0 ▲ |
| 5 | 4 | Triston McKenzie | 31 | $8.40 | 19 | 13 | 6.0 ▲ |
| 5 | 4 | Zac Gallen | 32 | $13.40 | 19 | 13 | 6.0 ▲ |
| -4 | 5 | Robbie Ray | 33 | $0.30 | 18.5 | 18.5 | 0.0 ▬ |
| -1 | 5 | Framber Valdez | 34 | $7.10 | 17.5 | 14.5 | 3.0 ▲ |
| -5 | 5 | Freddy Peralta | 35 | $0.80 | 17.5 | 17.5 | 0.0 ▬ |
| -5 | 5 | Kyle Wright | 36 | $0.60 | 16 | 15.5 | 0.5 ▲ |
| -2 | 5 | Lance McCullers Jr. | 37 | $0.70 | 14 | 14 | 0.0 ▬ |
| -4 | 5 | Luis Garcia | 38 | $3.80 | 14 | 14 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 0 | 5 | Reid Detmers | 39 | $6.90 | 13 | 12.5 | 0.5 ▲ |
| 0 | 5 | Jesus Luzardo | 40 | $6.50 | 13 | 12.5 | 0.5 ▲ |
| -9 | 6 | Frankie Montas | 41 | $0.10 | 13 | 15.5 | -2.5 ▼ |
| 0 | 6 | Andrew Heaney | 42 | $2.90 | 12 | 12.5 | -0.5 ▼ |
| 0 | 6 | Tyler Anderson | 43 | $7.60 | 12 | 12 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 0 | 6 | Jordan Montgomery | 44 | $10.00 | 12 | 11.5 | 0.5 ▲ |
| 16 | 6 | Edward Cabrera | 45 | $6.50 | 11.5 | 6 | 5.5 ▲ |
| 0 | 6 | Lance Lynn | 46 | $3.80 | 11.5 | 11 | 0.5 ▲ |
| 3 | 6 | George Kirby | 47 | $9.50 | 11.5 | 10.5 | 1.0 ▲ |
| N/A | 6 | Dustin May | 48 | $2.10 | 11.5 | N/A | N/A |
| 0 | 7 | Alex Wood | 49 | ($0.50) | 10.5 | 10.5 | 0.0 ▬ |
| -9 | 7 | Pablo Lopez | 50 | $2.00 | 10.5 | 12.5 | -2.0 ▼ |
| -3 | 7 | Logan Gilbert | 51 | $1.30 | 10.5 | 11 | -0.5 ▼ |
| -1 | 7 | Joe Ryan | 52 | $0.60 | 10 | 10 | 0.0 ▬ |
| -1 | 7 | Jose Urquidy | 53 | $3.90 | 10 | 10 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 6 | 7 | Adam Wainwright | 54 | $6.60 | 9.5 | 6.5 | 3.0 ▲ |
| 7 | 7 | Brady Singer | 55 | $10.40 | 9.5 | 6 | 3.5 ▲ |
| 0 | 7 | Sonny Gray | 56 | $5.70 | 9 | 9 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 1 | 7 | Merrill Kelly | 57 | $9.70 | 9 | 7.5 | 1.5 ▲ |
| -4 | 7 | Mike Clevinger | 58 | $1.90 | 8.5 | 9.5 | -1.0 ▼ |
| -4 | 7 | Alex Cobb | 59 | $6.40 | 8.5 | 9 | -0.5 ▼ |
| -7 | 8 | Lucas Giolito | 60 | $3.70 | 7.5 | 10 | -2.5 ▼ |
| -4 | 8 | Miles Mikolas | 61 | $5.40 | 6.5 | 7.5 | -1.0 ▼ |
| 1 | 8 | Jose Berrios | 62 | ($0.90) | 5.5 | 5.5 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 1 | 8 | Nick Lodolo | 63 | $5.30 | 5.5 | 5.5 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 4 | 8 | Marcus Stroman | 64 | $4.10 | 5.5 | 5 | 0.5 ▲ |
| 4 | 8 | Patrick Sandoval | 65 | $5.30 | 5.5 | 5 | 0.5 ▲ |
| 13 | 8 | Justin Steele | 66 | $8.40 | 5.5 | 3 | 2.5 ▲ |
| -2 | 8 | Taijuan Walker | 67 | ($2.80) | 5 | 5.5 | -0.5 ▼ |
| 4 | 8 | Ranger Suarez | 68 | $7.80 | 5 | 4.5 | 0.5 ▲ |
| -3 | 8 | Sean Manaea | 69 | ($0.40) | 5 | 5.5 | -0.5 ▼ |
| 1 | 8 | Jose Quintana | 70 | $5.20 | 5 | 5 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 2 | 8 | Kutter Crawford | 71 | ($0.30) | 4.5 | 4.5 | 0.0 ▬ |
| N/A | 8 | Eduardo Rodriguez | 72 | $1.10 | 4.5 | N/A | N/A |
| 2 | 8 | Jose Suarez | 73 | $7.30 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 0.0 ▬ |
| -7 | 8 | Martin Perez | 74 | $3.10 | 4 | 5.5 | -1.5 ▼ |
| 2 | 9 | Cal Quantrill | 75 | $2.70 | 4 | 3.5 | 0.5 ▲ |
| 2 | 9 | Drew Rasmussen | 76 | $9.10 | 4 | 3.5 | 0.5 ▲ |
| 3 | 9 | Jeffrey Springs | 77 | $8.50 | 4 | 3 | 1.0 ▲ |
| 3 | 9 | Nick Pivetta | 78 | $4.40 | 3 | 3 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 4 | 9 | Jameson Taillon | 79 | $0.70 | 3 | 2.5 | 0.5 ▲ |
| 4 | 9 | Noah Syndergaard | 80 | $5.10 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 4 | 9 | Eric Lauer | 81 | $0.50 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 4 | 9 | Kyle Gibson | 82 | $3.00 | 2 | 2 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 4 | 9 | Johnny Cueto | 83 | $8.00 | 2 | 2 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 4 | 9 | Spenser Watkins | 84 | $2.30 | 2 | 2 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 4 | 9 | Madison Bumgarner | 85 | $1.10 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 4 | 9 | Corey Kluber | 86 | $3.60 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 6 | 9 | Jakob Junis | 87 | $4.00 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0.0 ▬ |
| 6 | 9 | Domingo German | 88 | $2.90 | 1.5 | 1 | 0.5 ▲ |
| 6 | 10 | Dane Dunning | 89 | $2.90 | 1.5 | 1 | 0.5 ▲ |
| 7 | 10 | Aaron Civale | 90 | $4.20 | 1.5 | 1 | 0.5 ▲ |
| N/A | 10 | Tommy Henry | 91 | $0.60 | 1.5 | N/A | N/A |
| 6 | 10 | JP Sears | 92 | $1.60 | 1.5 | 1 | 0.5 ▲ |
| N/A | 10 | Austin Voth | 93 | $3.20 | 1.5 | N/A | N/A |
| 9 | 10 | Ross Stripling | 94 | $5.00 | 1.5 | 1 | 0.5 ▲ |
| -13 | 10 | Josiah Gray | 95 | ($3.80) | 1 | 2.5 | -1.5 ▼ |
| N/A | 10 | Roansy Contreras | 96 | $0.90 | 1 | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | 10 | JT Brubaker | 97 | $3.90 | 1 | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | 10 | Drew Smyly | 98 | $6.90 | 1 | N/A | N/A |
| 2 | 10 | Mitch White | 99 | $6.00 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 ▬ |
| -8 | 10 | Jake Odorizzi | 100 | ($0.20) | 1 | 1.5 | -0.5 ▼ |
| -1 | 10 | Jordan Lyles | 101 | $3.30 | 1 | 1 | 0.0 ▬ |
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