This article is part of our Weekly Pitcher Rankings series.
The league strikeout rate is below 22 percent for the first time since 2017, and the reasons aren't clear. It could be a great focus on making contact or a greater reliance on strong defenders who are weaker with the stick. It may come from the pitcher's end. It could even be due to the umpires. It's not enough to alter fantasy thinking, but it's something to track. Of course, this all goes out the window when MLB adopts robot umpires, hopefully with a challenge system.
UPDATED: Monday June 30, 12:30 AM ET
Week of June 30 - July 6
Mixed league
Rank | Pitcher | TM | OPP | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Garrett Crochet | BOS | CIN, @WAS | Getting better as the season progresses |
2 | Zack Wheeler | PHI | SD, CIN | |
3 | Tarik Skubal | DET | @CLE | |
4 | Logan Webb | SF | @ARI, @ATH | |
5 | Max Fried | NYY | @TOR, @NYM | |
6 | Joe Ryan | MIN | @MIA, TB | |
7 | Matthew Boyd | CHC | CLE, STL | |
8 | Carlos Rodon | NYY | @TOR, @NYM | |
9 | Jacob deGrom | TEX | BAL | |
10 | Michael Wacha | KC | @SEA, @ARI | Catching the depleted Diamondbacks at the right time |
11 | Sonny Gray | STL | @PIT | |
12 | Hunter Brown | HOU | @COL | |
13 | Seth Lugo | KC | @SEA | |
14 | Spencer Strider | ATL | BAL | 29 K over last 17 IP |
15 | Clarke Schmidt | NYY | @TOR | |
16 | Yoshinobu Yamamoto | LAD | CWS | |
17 | Paul Skenes | PIT | STL | |
18 | George Kirby | SEA | KC, PIT | Nice pair at home, getting on a roll |
19 | Jacob |
The league strikeout rate is below 22 percent for the first time since 2017, and the reasons aren't clear. It could be a great focus on making contact or a greater reliance on strong defenders who are weaker with the stick. It may come from the pitcher's end. It could even be due to the umpires. It's not enough to alter fantasy thinking, but it's something to track. Of course, this all goes out the window when MLB adopts robot umpires, hopefully with a challenge system.
UPDATED: Monday June 30, 12:30 AM ET
Week of June 30 - July 6
Mixed league
Rank | Pitcher | TM | OPP | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Garrett Crochet | BOS | CIN, @WAS | Getting better as the season progresses |
2 | Zack Wheeler | PHI | SD, CIN | |
3 | Tarik Skubal | DET | @CLE | |
4 | Logan Webb | SF | @ARI, @ATH | |
5 | Max Fried | NYY | @TOR, @NYM | |
6 | Joe Ryan | MIN | @MIA, TB | |
7 | Matthew Boyd | CHC | CLE, STL | |
8 | Carlos Rodon | NYY | @TOR, @NYM | |
9 | Jacob deGrom | TEX | BAL | |
10 | Michael Wacha | KC | @SEA, @ARI | Catching the depleted Diamondbacks at the right time |
11 | Sonny Gray | STL | @PIT | |
12 | Hunter Brown | HOU | @COL | |
13 | Seth Lugo | KC | @SEA | |
14 | Spencer Strider | ATL | BAL | 29 K over last 17 IP |
15 | Clarke Schmidt | NYY | @TOR | |
16 | Yoshinobu Yamamoto | LAD | CWS | |
17 | Paul Skenes | PIT | STL | |
18 | George Kirby | SEA | KC, PIT | Nice pair at home, getting on a roll |
19 | Jacob Lopez | ATH | @TB, SF | Can't fake strikeouts and he's fanned 55 in 43 IP |
20 | Michael Lorenzen | KC | @SEA, @ARI | |
21 | Cristopher Sanchez | PHI | SD | |
22 | Jacob Misiorowski | MIL | @NYM | |
23 | Drew Rasmussen | TB | ATH, @MIN | Rays managing innings after 28.2 last season and 44.2 in 2023 |
24 | Jeffrey Springs | ATH | @TB | |
25 | Clayton Kershaw | LAD | CWS | |
26 | Spencer Schwellenbach | ATL | BAL | |
27 | Luis Castillo | SEA | PIT | |
28 | Dylan Cease | SD | @PHI | Underlying metrics harbinger of a solid second half |
29 | Ryan Pepiot | TB | ATH | |
30 | Eduardo Rodriguez | ARI | KC | Starting to come around |
31 | Framber Valdez | HOU | @LAD | |
32 | Logan Gilbert | SEA | KC | |
33 | Kevin Gausman | TOR | NYY, LAA | |
34 | Jesus Luzardo | PHI | CIN | |
35 | Bryan Woo | SEA | KC | |
36 | Ranger Suarez | PHI | CIN | |
37 | David Peterson | NYM | MIL | |
38 | Nick Pivetta | SD | @PHI | |
39 | Edward Cabrera | MIA | MIN, MIL | Walks high, but getting a groove |
40 | Freddy Peralta | MIL | @NYM | |
41 | Jack Flaherty | DET | @WAS, @CLE | Decent pair to get back on track |
42 | Shota Imanaga | CHC | CLE | |
43 | Reese Olson | DET | @WAS | |
44 | Nathan Eovaldi | TEX | BAL | |
45 | Noah Cameron | KC | @SEA | |
46 | Shane Baz | TB | ATH | In-season adjustments beginning to take hold |
47 | Kumar Rocker | TEX | @SD | |
48 | Brayan Bello | BOS | CIN | |
49 | Ryne Nelson | ARI | SF, KC | |
50 | Robbie Ray | SF | @ARI | |
51 | Andre Pallante | STL | @PIT | |
52 | Trevor Rogers | BAL | @TEX, @ATL | Who woulda thunk |
53 | Grant Holmes | ATL | LAA | |
54 | Landen Roupp | SF | @ARI | |
55 | Kris Bubic | KC | @ARI | |
56 | Brandon Woodruff | MIL | @MIA | |
57 | Simeon Woods Richardson | MIN | @MIA | |
58 | Merrill Kelly | ARI | SF | |
59 | Hayden Birdsong | SF | @ARI, @ATH | |
60 | David Festa | MIN | @MIA | Showing signs of breaking out of funk |
61 | Bailey Ober | MIN | TB | |
62 | Lucas Giolito | BOS | @WAS | |
63 | Dustin May | LAD | CWS | |
64 | Zac Gallen | ARI | SF, KC | Things getting worse, not better |
65 | Jose Soriano | LAA | @ATL | |
66 | Tanner Bibee | CLE | @CHC | |
67 | Michael Soroka | WAS | BOS | |
68 | Max Scherzer | TOR | NYY, LAA | |
69 | Zack Littell | TB | @MIN | |
70 | Shane Smith | CWS | @LAD, @COL | |
71 | Will Warren | NYY | @TOR | |
72 | Taj Bradley | TB | @MIN | |
73 | Eury Perez | MIA | MIN | |
74 | Emerson Hancock | SEA | KC, PIT | |
75 | Sandy Alcantara | MIA | MIL | |
76 | Mitch Keller | PIT | STL | |
77 | Mix 12 Reliever | |||
78 | Adrian Houser | CWS | @COL | |
79 | Clay Holmes | NYM | MIL, NYY | |
80 | Andrew Heaney | PIT | STL, @SEA | |
81 | Erick Fedde | STL | @PIT, @CHC | |
82 | Charlie Morton | BAL | @TEX, @ATL | |
83 | Brandon Pfaadt | ARI | SF | |
84 | Matt Waldron | SD | @PHI, TEX | |
85 | Nick Lodolo | CIN | @PHI | |
86 | Gavin Williams | CLE | @CHC, DET | |
87 | Mix 15 Reliever | |||
88 | Stephen Kolek | SD | TEX | |
89 | Justin Wrobleski | LAD | HOU | |
90 | Nick Martinez | CIN | @BOS | |
91 | Dean Kremer | BAL | @ATL | |
92 | Ben Casparius | LAD | HOU | |
93 | Brandon Walter | HOU | @COL | |
94 | Tomoyuki Sugano | BAL | @TEX | |
95 | Kyle Hendricks | LAA | @TOR | |
96 | Casey Mize | DET | @CLE | |
97 | Jose Berrios | TOR | NYY | |
98 | Didier Fuentes | ATL | LAA, BAL | |
99 | Landon Knack | LAD | HOU | |
100 | Bailey Falter | PIT | @SEA | |
101 | Chad Patrick | MIL | @MIA | |
102 | Brady Singer | CIN | @BOS | |
103 | Marcus Stroman | NYY | @NYM | |
104 | Patrick Corbin | TEX | BAL, @SD | |
105 | Yusei Kikuchi | LAA | @ATL | |
106 | Jack Kochanowicz | LAA | @TOR | |
107 | Jake Irvin | WAS | DET | |
108 | Jonathan Cannon | CWS | @COL | |
109 | Cade Horton | CHC | CLE | |
110 | Mitch Spence | ATH | @TB | |
111 | Chase Burns | CIN | @BOS, @PHI | |
112 | Luis Severino | ATH | SF | |
113 | Chris Paddack | MIN | TB | |
114 | Chase Dollander | COL | HOU, CWS | |
115 | Colton Gordon | HOU | @COL, @LAD | |
116 | German Marquez | COL | CWS | |
117 | JP Sears | ATH | SF | |
118 | Mike Burrows | PIT | @SEA | |
119 | Sean Burke | CWS | @LAD | |
120 | Richard Fitts | BOS | CIN | |
121 | Jack Leiter | TEX | @SD | |
122 | Andrew Abbott | CIN | @PHI | |
123 | Quinn Priester | MIL | @MIA | |
124 | Eric Lauer | TOR | LAA | |
125 | Jameson Taillon | CHC | STL | |
126 | Luis L. Ortiz | CLE | @CHC | |
127 | Chris Bassitt | TOR | NYY | |
128 | Walker Buehler | BOS | @WAS | |
129 | Randy Vasquez | SD | TEX | |
130 | MacKenzie Gore | WAS | DET | |
131 | Tyler Anderson | LAA | @ATL, @TOR | |
132 | Justin Verlander | SF | @ATH | |
133 | Colin Rea | CHC | STL | |
134 | Cal Quantrill | MIA | MIL | |
135 | Frankie Montas | NYM | NYY | |
136 | Slade Cecconi | CLE | DET | |
137 | Matthew Liberatore | STL | @CHC | |
138 | Janson Junk | MIA | MIN | |
139 | Trevor Williams | WAS | DET, BOS | |
140 | Aaron Civale | CWS | @LAD | |
141 | Jose Quintana | MIL | @NYM | |
142 | Miles Mikolas | STL | @CHC | |
143 | Lance McCullers | HOU | @LAD | |
144 | Mick Abel | PHI | SD | |
145 | Mitchell Parker | WAS | BOS | |
146 | Blade Tidwell | NYM | MIL | |
147 | Paul Blackburn | NYM | NYY | |
148 | Austin Gomber | COL | HOU | |
149 | Kyle Freeland | COL | HOU | |
150 | Dietrich Enns | DET | @WAS | |
151 | Bryce Elder | ATL | LAA | |
152 | Logan Allen | CLE | DET | |
153 | Antonio Senzatela | COL | CWS |
American League
Rank | Pitcher | TM | OPP | Comment |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Garrett Crochet | BOS | CIN, @WAS | Getting better as the season progresses |
2 | Tarik Skubal | DET | @CLE | |
3 | Max Fried | NYY | @TOR, @NYM | |
4 | Joe Ryan | MIN | @MIA, TB | |
5 | Carlos Rodon | NYY | @TOR, @NYM | |
6 | Jacob deGrom | TEX | BAL | |
7 | Michael Wacha | KC | @SEA, @ARI | Catching the depleted Diamondbacks at the right time |
8 | Hunter Brown | HOU | @COL | |
9 | Seth Lugo | KC | @SEA | |
10 | Clarke Schmidt | NYY | @TOR | |
11 | George Kirby | SEA | KC, PIT | Nice pair at home, getting on a roll |
12 | Jacob Lopez | ATH | @TB, SF | Can't fake strikeouts and he's fanned 55 in 43 IP |
13 | Michael Lorenzen | KC | @SEA, @ARI | |
14 | Drew Rasmussen | TB | ATH, @MIN | Rays managing innings after 28.2 last season and 44.2 in 2023 |
15 | Jeffrey Springs | ATH | @TB | |
16 | Luis Castillo | SEA | PIT | |
17 | Ryan Pepiot | TB | ATH | |
18 | Framber Valdez | HOU | @LAD | |
19 | Logan Gilbert | SEA | KC | |
20 | Kevin Gausman | TOR | NYY, LAA | |
21 | Bryan Woo | SEA | KC | |
22 | Jack Flaherty | DET | @WAS, @CLE | Decent pair to get back on track |
23 | Reese Olson | DET | @WAS | |
24 | Nathan Eovaldi | TEX | BAL | |
25 | Noah Cameron | KC | @SEA | |
26 | Shane Baz | TB | ATH | In-season adjustments beginning to take hold |
27 | Kumar Rocker | TEX | @SD | |
28 | Brayan Bello | BOS | CIN | |
29 | Trevor Rogers | BAL | @TEX, @ATL | Who woulda thunk |
30 | Kris Bubic | KC | @ARI | |
31 | Simeon Woods Richardson | MIN | @MIA | |
32 | David Festa | MIN | @MIA | Showing signs of breaking out of funk |
33 | Bailey Ober | MIN | TB | |
34 | Lucas Giolito | BOS | @WAS | |
35 | Jose Soriano | LAA | @ATL | |
36 | Tanner Bibee | CLE | @CHC | |
37 | Max Scherzer | TOR | NYY, LAA | |
38 | Zack Littell | TB | @MIN | |
39 | Shane Smith | CWS | @LAD, @COL | |
40 | Will Warren | NYY | @TOR | |
41 | Taj Bradley | TB | @MIN | |
42 | Emerson Hancock | SEA | KC, PIT | |
43 | Adrian Houser | CWS | @COL | |
44 | Charlie Morton | BAL | @TEX, @ATL | |
45 | Gavin Williams | CLE | @CHC, DET | |
46 | Dean Kremer | BAL | @ATL | |
47 | Brandon Walter | HOU | @COL | |
48 | Tomoyuki Sugano | BAL | @TEX | |
49 | Kyle Hendricks | LAA | @TOR | |
50 | Casey Mize | DET | @CLE | |
51 | Jose Berrios | TOR | NYY | |
52 | Marcus Stroman | NYY | @NYM | |
53 | Patrick Corbin | TEX | BAL, @SD | |
54 | AL Reliever | |||
55 | Yusei Kikuchi | LAA | @ATL | |
56 | Jack Kochanowicz | LAA | @TOR | |
57 | Jonathan Cannon | CWS | @COL | |
58 | Mitch Spence | ATH | @TB | |
59 | Luis Severino | ATH | SF | |
60 | Chris Paddack | MIN | TB | |
61 | Colton Gordon | HOU | @COL, @LAD | |
62 | JP Sears | ATH | SF | |
63 | Sean Burke | CWS | @LAD | |
64 | Richard Fitts | BOS | CIN | |
65 | Jack Leiter | TEX | @SD | |
66 | Eric Lauer | TOR | LAA | |
67 | Luis L. Ortiz | CLE | @CHC | |
68 | Chris Bassitt | TOR | NYY | |
69 | Walker Buehler | BOS | @WAS | |
70 | Tyler Anderson | LAA | @ATL, @TOR | |
71 | Slade Cecconi | CLE | DET | |
72 | Aaron Civale | CWS | @LAD | |
73 | Lance McCullers | HOU | @LAD | |
74 | Dietrich Enns | DET | @WAS | |
75 | Logan Allen | CLE | DET |