Weekly Pitcher Rankings: To the Max

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Updated on July 19, 2018 1:38PM EST

Here are rankings for those in leagues with a short week, Thursday to Sunday. Obviously, there are no two-start options, but since the Cubs and Cardinals not only play Thursday, they play an Ernie Banks special on Saturday, giving them five games each. Since there's a good chance you won't have enough starters active this weekend, try to fill in with Cubs and Cardinals relievers.

We'll be back Saturday morning with the usual rankings for next week.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

RANK	PITCHER	TEAM	OPP	COMMENT
1	Chris Sale	BOS	at DET	At least 11 K in last five games
2	Justin Verlander	HOU	at LAA	Served up 4 HR to former team entering break
3	Trevor Bauer	CLE	at TEX
4	J.A. Happ	TOR	vs. BAL	#hugwatch?
5	Dallas Keuchel	HOU	at LAA
6	Chris Archer	TB	vs. MIA	#hugwatch?
7	Masahiro Tanaka	NYY	vs. NYM
8	Carlos Carrasco	CLE	at TEX	Expecting strong stretch run
9	Sean Manaea	OAK	vs. SF	13 of 20 starts with fewer than 5 K
10	Marco Gonzales	SEA	vs. CWS
11	Wade LeBlanc	SEA	vs. CWS
12	Ryan Yarbrough	TB	vs. MIA	Hasn't been pitching more than a few innings lately
13	Lance McCullers Jr.	HOU	at LAA
14	Marcus Stroman	TOR	vs. BAL	Facing already weak lineup minus best hitter
15	Nathan Eovaldi	TB	vs. MIA
16	Domingo German	NYY	vs. NYM
17	Lance Lynn	MIN	at KC
18	Felix Hernandez	SEA	vs. CWS	Break has calmed down his sore back
19	Kyle

We'll be back Saturday morning with the usual rankings for next week.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

RANK	PITCHER	TEAM	OPP	COMMENT
1	Chris Sale	BOS	at DET	At least 11 K in last five games
2	Justin Verlander	HOU	at LAA	Served up 4 HR to former team entering break
3	Trevor Bauer	CLE	at TEX
4	J.A. Happ	TOR	vs. BAL	#hugwatch?
5	Dallas Keuchel	HOU	at LAA
6	Chris Archer	TB	vs. MIA	#hugwatch?
7	Masahiro Tanaka	NYY	vs. NYM
8	Carlos Carrasco	CLE	at TEX	Expecting strong stretch run
9	Sean Manaea	OAK	vs. SF	13 of 20 starts with fewer than 5 K
10	Marco Gonzales	SEA	vs. CWS
11	Wade LeBlanc	SEA	vs. CWS
12	Ryan Yarbrough	TB	vs. MIA	Hasn't been pitching more than a few innings lately
13	Lance McCullers Jr.	HOU	at LAA
14	Marcus Stroman	TOR	vs. BAL	Facing already weak lineup minus best hitter
15	Nathan Eovaldi	TB	vs. MIA
16	Domingo German	NYY	vs. NYM
17	Lance Lynn	MIN	at KC
18	Felix Hernandez	SEA	vs. CWS	Break has calmed down his sore back
19	Kyle Gibson	MIN	at KC
20	Sonny Gray	NYY	vs. NYM	Hoping to build off solid outing right before the break
21	Mike Clevinger	CLE	at TEX	6.00 ERA, 1.56 WHIP in 3 July starts
22	Dylan Bundy	BAL	at TOR	7.32 ERA, 1.78 WHIP last 4 starts
23	Danny Duffy	KC	vs. MIN
24	Reynaldo Lopez	CWS	at SEA
25	David Price	BOS	at DET	Needs strong finish to prove he can pitch under pressure
26	Tyler Skaggs	LAA	vs. HOU
27	Jake Odorizzi	MIN	at KC
28	Andrew Heaney	LAA	vs. HOU
29	Trevor Cahill	OAK	vs. SF
30	Jakob Junis	KC	vs. MIN
31	Dylan Covey	CWS	at SEA
32	Sam Gaviglio	TOR	vs. BAL
33	Edwin Jackson	OAK	vs. SF
34	James Shields	CWS	at SEA
35	Cole Hamels	TEX	vs. CLE
36	Michael Fulmer	DET	vs. BOS
37	Matthew Boyd	DET	vs. BOS
38	Brian Johnson	BOS	at DET
39	Alex Cobb	BAL	at TOR
40	Andrew Cashner	BAL	at TOR
41	Bartolo Colon	TEX	vs. CLE
42	Mike Fiers	DET	vs. BOS
43	Nick Tropeano	LAA	vs. HOU
44	Brad Keller	KC	vs. MIN
45	Martin Perez	TEX	vs. CLE

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Rank	Pitcher	TEAM	OPP	Comments
1	Max Scherzer	WAS	vs. ATL	Entered break in a rut with 5 HR allowed last 2 GS with just 8 K in those 14 IP
2	Clayton Kershaw	LAD	at MIL
3	Jacob deGrom	NYM	at NYY	#hugwatch?
4	Jake Arrieta	PHI	vs. SD
5	Stephen Strasburg	WAS	vs. ATL
6	Nick Pivetta	PHI	vs. SD	Perfect team to rebound from skidding into the break
7	Zack Greinke	ARI	vs. COL
8	Madison Bumgarner	SF	at OAK
9	Jon Lester	CHC	vs. STL	4.57 ERA, 1.62 WHIP last 4 GS, still due even more ERA correction
10	Vince Velasquez	PHI	vs. SD
11	Noah Syndergaard	NYM	at NYY
12	Mike Montgomery	CHC	vs. STL
13	Kyle Hendricks	CHC	vs. STL
14	Alex Wood	LAD	at MIL
15	Jose Quintana	CHC	vs. STL	Walks and homers remain high
16	Rich Hill	LAD	at MIL
17	Jon Gray	COL	at ARI	Looking for second straight stellar outing
18	Robbie Ray	ARI	vs. COL	Missing bays but walks and homers need work
19	Anthony DeSclafani	CIN	vs. PIT
20	Tyson Ross	SD	at PHI
21	Johnny Cueto	SF	at OAK
22	German Marquez	COL	at ARI	2.62 ERA, .98 WHIP in 55 road frames
23	Tyler Mahle	CIN	vs. PIT
24	Chase Anderson	MIL	vs. LAD
25	Brent Suter	MIL	vs. LAD
26	Jhoulys Chacin	MIL	vs. LAD
27	Zack Godley	ARI	vs. COL
28	Mike Foltynewicz	ATL	at WAS
29	Dan Straily	MIA	at TB
30	Tyler Chatwood	CHC	vs. STL
31	Kyle Freeland	COL	at ARI
32	Jameson Taillon	PIT	at CIN
33	Trevor Richards	MIA	at TB
34	Jack Flaherty	STL	at CHC
35	Carlos Martinez	STL	at CHC
36	Matt Harvey	CIN	vs. PIT
37	Gio Gonzalez	WAS	vs. ATL
38	Clayton Richard	SD	at PHI
39	Miles Mikolas	STL	at CHC
40	Sean Newcomb	ATL	at WAS
41	Pablo Lopez	MIA	at TB
42	Dereck Rodriguez	SF	at OAK
43	Steven Matz	NYM	at NYY
44	Ivan Nova	PIT	at CIN
45	Luke Weaver	STL	at CHC
46	Anibal Sanchez	ATL	at WAS
47	Eric Lauer	SD	at PHI
48	Nick Kingham	PIT	at CIN
49	John Gant	STL	at CHC

MLB

RANK	PITCHER	TEAM	OPP	COMMENT
1	Max Scherzer	WAS	vs. ATL	Entered break in a rut with 5 HR allowed last 2 GS with just 8 K in those 14 IP
2	Chris Sale	BOS	at DET	At least 11 K in last five games
3	Justin Verlander	HOU	at LAA	Served up 4 HR to former team entering break
4	Clayton Kershaw	LAD	at MIL
5	Jacob deGrom	NYM	at NYY	#hugwatch?
6	Jake Arrieta	PHI	vs. SD
7	Stephen Strasburg	WAS	vs. ATL
8	Trevor Bauer	CLE	at TEX
9	Nick Pivetta	PHI	vs. SD	Perfect team to rebound from skidding into the break
10	Zack Greinke	ARI	vs. COL
11	Madison Bumgarner	SF	at OAK
12	J.A. Happ	TOR	vs. BAL	#hugwatch?
13	Dallas Keuchel	HOU	at LAA
14	Jon Lester	CHC	vs. STL	4.57 ERA, 1.62 WHIP last 4 GS, still due even more ERA correction
15	Chris Archer	TB	vs. MIA	#hugwatch?
16	Masahiro Tanaka	NYY	vs. NYM
17	Carlos Carrasco	CLE	at TEX	Expecting strong stretch run
18	Sean Manaea	OAK	vs. SF	13 of 20 starts with fewer than 5 K
19	Vince Velasquez	PHI	vs. SD
20	Noah Syndergaard	NYM	at NYY
21	Marco Gonzales	SEA	vs. CWS
22	Wade LeBlanc	SEA	vs. CWS
23	Ryan Yarbrough	TB	vs. MIA	Hasn't been pitching more than a few innings lately
24	Mike Montgomery	CHC	vs. STL
25	Kyle Hendricks	CHC	vs. STL
26	Lance McCullers Jr.	HOU	at LAA
27	Marcus Stroman	TOR	vs. BAL	Facing already weak lineup minus best hitter
28	Alex Wood	LAD	at MIL
29	Nathan Eovaldi	TB	vs. MIA
30	Jose Quintana	CHC	vs. STL	Walks and homers remain high
31	Domingo German	NYY	vs. NYM
32	Lance Lynn	MIN	at KC
33	Felix Hernandez	SEA	vs. CWS	Break has calmed down his sore back
34	Kyle Gibson	MIN	at KC
35	Sonny Gray	NYY	vs. NYM	Hoping to build off solid outing right before the break
36	Rich Hill	LAD	at MIL
37	Jon Gray	COL	at ARI	Looking for second straight stellar outing
38	Robbie Ray	ARI	vs. COL	Missing bays but walks and homers need work
39	Anthony DeSclafani	CIN	vs. PIT
40	Mike Clevinger	CLE	at TEX	6.00 ERA, 1.56 WHIP in 3 July starts
41	Dylan Bundy	BAL	at TOR	7.32 ERA, 1.78 WHIP last 4 starts
42	Tyson Ross	SD	at PHI
43	Johnny Cueto	SF	at OAK
44	Danny Duffy	KC	vs. MIN
45	German Marquez	COL	at ARI	2.62 ERA, .98 WHIP in 55 road frames
46	Tyler Mahle	CIN	vs. PIT
47	Reynaldo Lopez	CWS	at SEA
48	Chase Anderson	MIL	vs. LAD
49	David Price	BOS	at DET	Needs strong finish to prove he can pitch under pressure
50	Tyler Skaggs	LAA	vs. HOU
51	Brent Suter	MIL	vs. LAD
52	Jhoulys Chacin	MIL	vs. LAD
53	Zack Godley	ARI	vs. COL
54	Mike Foltynewicz	ATL	at WAS
55	Jake Odorizzi	MIN	at KC
56	Andrew Heaney	LAA	vs. HOU
57	Dan Straily	MIA	at TB
58	Trevor Cahill	OAK	vs. SF
59	Jakob Junis	KC	vs. MIN
60	Tyler Chatwood	CHC	vs. STL
61	Kyle Freeland	COL	at ARI
62	Jameson Taillon	PIT	at CIN
63	Trevor Richards	MIA	at TB
64	Jack Flaherty	STL	at CHC
65	Carlos Martinez	STL	at CHC
66	Matt Harvey	CIN	vs. PIT
67	Gio Gonzalez	WAS	vs. ATL
68	Dylan Covey	CWS	at SEA
69	Clayton Richard	SD	at PHI
70	Miles Mikolas	STL	at CHC
71	Sam Gaviglio	TOR	vs. BAL
72	Edwin Jackson	OAK	vs. SF
73	Sean Newcomb	ATL	at WAS
74	James Shields	CWS	at SEA
75	Pablo Lopez	MIA	at TB
76	Cole Hamels	TEX	vs. CLE
77	Michael Fulmer	DET	vs. BOS
78	Matthew Boyd	DET	vs. BOS
79	Brian Johnson	BOS	at DET
80	Dereck Rodriguez	SF	at OAK
81	Alex Cobb	BAL	at TOR
82	Steven Matz	NYM	at NYY
83	Andrew Cashner	BAL	at TOR
84	Ivan Nova	PIT	at CIN
85	Luke Weaver	STL	at CHC
86	Bartolo Colon	TEX	vs. CLE
87	Anibal Sanchez	ATL	at WAS
88	Eric Lauer	SD	at PHI
89	Mike Fiers	DET	vs. BOS
90	Nick Kingham	PIT	at CIN
91	Nick Tropeano	LAA	vs. HOU
92	Brad Keller	KC	vs. MIN
93	Martin Perez	TEX	vs. CLE
94	John Gant	STL	at CHC