X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

Fantasy Baseball Advice: Week 12 Starting Pitcher Outlook & Rankings

In this edition of the weekly pitching outlook, I'll attempt to rank the top 75 starting pitchers for the week, from Monday to Sunday. Use this ranking as a "sit / start" guide.  Guys in the top half of the rankings are high-end starts.  Guys in the bottom half are more questional but some of them are hidden gems this week and could put up big performances.  After the top 75 chart, you can find some analysis about the two-start pitchers you'll want to have in your lineup.

 

Rank Pitcher 1st Start 2nd Start
1 Adam Wainwright CHC (Samardzija) TEX (Darvish)
2 Justin Verlander BAL (Gausman) BOS (Buchholz)
3 Yu Darvish OAK (Parker) @STL (Wainwright)
4 Max Scherzer BAL (Hammel) BOS (Aceves)
5 James Shields @CLE (Jimenez) CHW (Axelrod)
6 Mat Latos PIT (Morton) @ARI (Corbin)
7 Matt Harvey @ATL (Maholm) @PHI (Lannan)
8 Shelby Miller CHC (Wood) TEX (Tepesch)
9 Matt Cain SD (Volquez) MIA (Eovaldi)
10 Clayton Kershaw @SD (Richard) N/A
11 Felix Hernandez @LAA (Hanson) N/A
12 Jeff Samardzija @STL (Wainwright) HOU (Lyles)
13 Madison Bumgarner SD (Stults) N/A
14 Chris Sale @MIN (Correia) N/A
15 Hisashi Iwakuma OAK (Colon) N/A
16 Zack Greinke @SD (Marquis) N/A
17 Cliff Lee WAS (Detwiler) N/A
18 Jered Weaver PIT (Cole) N/A
19 Anibal Sanchez BOS (Lackey) N/A
20 Cole Hamels NYM (Gee) N/A
21 Stephen Strasburg COL (Chacin) N/A
22 Hyun-Jin Ryu @NYY (Hughes) @SD (Volquez)
23 Jordan Zimmermann COL (Chatwood) N/A
24 Clay Buchholz TB (Archer) @DET (Verlander)
25 Johnny Cueto @ARI (Miley) N/A
26 Doug Fister BOS (Lester) N/A
27 Patrick Corbin MIA (Turner) CIN (Latos)
28 Gio Gonzalez @PHI (Kendrick) N/A
29 Matt Moore @BOS (Dempster) N/A
30 Lance Lynn CHC (Feldman) N/A
31 Travis Wood @STL (Miller) HOU (Norris)
32 Dan Straily @TEX (Tepesch) @SEA (Harang)
33 Josh Johnson COL (De La Rosa) BAL (Hammel)
34 Francisco Liriano @CIN (Leake) @LAA (Vargas)
35 Mike Minor NYM (Niese) N/A
36 Andrew Cashner @SF (Zito) LAD (Fife)
37 Jason Vargas SEA (Harang) PIT (Liriano)
38 Homer Bailey PIT (Cumpton) N/A
39 Hiroki Kuroda LAD (Capuano) N/A
40 CC Sabathia TB (Odorizzi) N/A
41 Justin Masterson KC (Mendoza) N/A
42 C.J. Wilson SEA (Saunders) N/A
43 Mike Leake PIT (Liriano) @ARI (Kennedy)
44 Kris Medlen NYM (Marcum) N/A
45 Jon Lester @DET (Fister) N/A
46 Jarrod Parker @TEX (Darvish) @SEA (Bonderman)
47 Andy Pettitte TB (Cobb) N/A
48 Trevor Cahill MIA (Slowey) N/A
49 Tim Hudson NYM (Gee) @MIL (Gorzelanny)
50 Derek Holland @STL (Lyons) N/A
51 Jonathon Niese @ATL (Minor) N/A
52 Paul Maholm NYM (Harvey) @MIL (Figaro)
53 Ross Detwiler @PHI (Lee) COL (Francis)
54 A.J. Griffin @TEX (Lindblom) N/A
55 Bartolo Colon @SEA (Iwakuma) N/A
56 John Lackey @DET (Sanchez) N/A
57 Jose Fernandez @SF (Gaudin) N/A
58 Ryan Dempster TB (Moore) N/A
59 Shaun Marcum @ATL (Medlen) N/A
60 Ubaldo Jimenez KC (Shields) MIN (Pelfrey)
61 Gerrit Cole @LAA (Weaver) N/A
62 Julio Teheran @MIL (Peralta) N/A
63 Brandon Beachy NYM (Wheeler) N/A
64 Matt Garza HOU (Keuchel) N/A
65 R.A. Dickey BAL (Garcia) N/A
66 Dillon Gee @ATL (Hudson) @PHI (Hamels)
67 David Phelps TB (Hernandez)
68 Zack Wheeler @ATL
69 Bud Norris CHW (Quintana) @CHC (Wood)
70 Corey Kluber MIN (Walters)
71 Jose Quintana @HOU (Norris) @KC (Davis)
72 Ervin Santana @CLE (Carrasco) N/A
73 Yovani Gallardo @HOU (Harrell) N/A
74 Nick Tepesch OAK (Straily) @STL (Miller)
75 Jacob Turner @ARZ (Corbin) @SF (Zito)

 

The No Doubters: You don't really need someone to tell you to start the studs: guys like Verlander, Wainwright, Darvish, Shields, Latos and Harvey should have fantasy managers licking their chops.   Basically, anyone in the top 30 of this rankings list should be starting this week.  Whether a guy is 35th or 30th means very little - the bottom line is: get him in your lineup!

Here are some less-obvious two-start options: 

  • Dan Straily: Straily has two road starts @TEX and @SEA, but he has been really good lately. With the exception of a 4 ER outing @CHW, Straily hasn't allowed more than 2 ER in any start since May 21st. One of those came @TEX, so you should feel great about rolling with him this week.
  • Mike Leake: Aside from a 3 ER outing, Leake hasn't allowed more than 1 ER in any start since May 8th. That's 6 starts over a month where he's been absolutely dominant, with great control and Ks. If Leake is available in your league, get him in your lineup.
  • Jarrod Parker: I know, I know, Parker faces off against Yu Darvish @TEX, which ordinarily would mean he's guaranteed to get blown up and have no chance at the W.  Well, Parker hasn't allowed more than 3 ER over his past 8 starts. He hasn't allowed more than 2 ER over his past 4 starts.  Oakland has been playing great baseball, and Parker is pitching as well as he was expected to coming into the year.  His second start (@SEA vs Bonderman) is as nice as his first is scary, so worst case scenario is one good start and one bad one. The upside is bigger though. Roll the dice with Parker and you'll be rewarded in week 12.
  • Tim Hudson: Hudson had a really rough time in April and May, but he's turned it around big time recently. Over his past 3 starts, he's thrown 21.2 IP with 16 Ks and just 2 BBs and 4 ER.  He's pitching very well and he gets a struggling Mets offense and a slightly more dangerous Brewers lineup but he's facing Tom Gorzelanny in Milwaukee, every pitchers' dream. Get Hudson active in week 12.
  • Dillon Gee: Gee had a rough first two months but he's turned it around recently. Three straight starts where he's allowed 1 ER and he has 26 Ks over 21 IP. He's cruising right now and is seriously underowned for how hot he's been.  Two of these starts came away, so it shouldn't concern you that both his week 12 starts are away also.  If you play in deep leagues and some of the better two-start options are gone, Gee is a fine option this week.
  • Jose Quintana: Quintana has been quite mediocre over the past month, but he has some quality matchups this week facing off @HOU (one of the league's worst offenses) and @KC (a hot team but it's Wade Davis). Like Gee, Quintana is a solid option for those in deep leagues where the the more favorable two-start guys are owned.

And here is my favorite under-the-radar one-star option:

  • Corey Kluber: Kluber has a nasty 57:12 K:BB ratio on the year (and that's not including the gem he's throwing right now against WAS while outdueling Strasburg).  He has been really sharp over the past month and a matchup at home vs. MIN is one of the most favorable a pitcher could hope for. Get him active, or pick him up and then get him active.

==========

If you want this article and other high-end fantasy baseball analysis delivered to you on a daily basis, sign up for our daily newsletter. And be sure to check out Rotoballer.com's 2013 Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire list for in-depth analysis on gems that you may be able to find sitting on your waiver wire.  It’s one of the best fantasy baseball features currently on web.

 




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Daily Stats & Leaders
All Pitcher Matchups
Compare Any Players
Compare Any Players
Rookies & Call-Ups
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Travis Hunter

Jaguars List Travis Hunter as Starting Wide Receiver, Backup Cornerback
Kyle Tucker

Leaves With Calf Tightness on Tuesday
Alexandre Sarr

to Miss Rest of EuroBasket
Max Scherzer

Blue Jays Confident Max Scherzer Will Make Sunday Start Despite Back Tightness
Roman Anthony

Leaves Early With Back Injury
Jared McCain

"On Pace" for Training Camp
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Done for the Year With Torn ACL
Luke Hughes

Devils Optimistic About Signing Luke Hughes
Martin Fehérváry

Martin Fehervary on Track to Be Ready for Training Camp
Dylan Holloway

Good to Go for Start of Season
Nick Kurtz

Back in Action on Tuesday
Josh Morrissey

Fully Healthy for Start of Season
Dennis Hildeby

Signs Three-Year Extension With Maple Leafs
Nick Lodolo

Scratched With Illness
Dalton Kincaid

Role Not Expected to Grow?
Quinshon Judkins

Zero Chance Quinshon Judkins Plays Against Bengals?
Najee Harris

Says He's Expecting to Play Against Chiefs
Adolis García

Adolis Garcia Departs Monday with Quad Injury
Franz Wagner

Collects Double-Double in Blowout Win
Alperen Sengün

Alperen Sengun Achieves Rare Numbers at EuroBasket
Nikola Vučević

Nikola Vucevic Dominates Against Sweden
Stefon Diggs

Expected to Suit Up in Week 1
Kristaps Porzingis

Finding Form at EuroBasket
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Suffers Minor Injury at EuroBasket
DJ Moore

Bears Experimenting with DJ Moore in Backfield
Rome Odunze

Could Move All Around the Offense
Carolina Panthers

Dave Canales Comfortable With Panthers' Young Receivers
Quinshon Judkins

Not Considering NCAA Return
Dallas Goedert

Healthy for Week 1
Marvin Mims Jr.

Returns to Practice Monday
Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Carted Off Monday With Knee Injury
Jason Adam

Diagnosed With Ruptured Left Quadriceps Tendon
Victor Wembanyama

Looking "Quite Stellar"
Fernando Tatis Jr.

Scratched on Monday
Matthew Stafford

Expected to Start in Week 1
Edward Cabrera

Heading to Injured List With Elbow Sprain
Najee Harris

Cleared for Contact, Could Play in Week 1
Denny Hamlin

Ends Eventful Day at Darlington in Seventh Place
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Almost Earns a Top-Five Finish at Darlington
John Hunter Nemechek

has His Best 2025 Performance at Darlington
Ryan Blaney

Has An Underwhelming Performance At Darlington
Josh Berry

Crashes Early and Suffers A Playoff Setback at Darlington
Harry Ford

Called Up for Major-League Debut
Victor Scott II

Activated From Injured List
Fernando Tatis Jr.

Dealing With Hamstring Tightness, Expects to Play Monday
Giannis Antetokounmpo

"Staying in Milwaukee"
Thanasis Antetokounmpo

Agrees to a One-Year Contract with Milwaukee
Kyrie Irving

"Healing Up Great"
Dante Exum

Mavs Agree on a One-Year Deal
Jaylen Warren

Agrees to Two-Year Extension With Steelers
De'Von Achane

Practicing Monday, on Track to Play in Week 1
Quinshon Judkins

Could Report to Browns This Week
Kansas City Chiefs

Chiefs, Trent McDuffie Not Expected to Finalize Extension
Chase Elliott

Under Playoff Pressure After 17th-Place Darlington Finish
Kyle Larson

Despite Hendrick Mediocrity, Kyle Larson Remains Pretty Safe in Playoffs
Alex Bowman

Opening-Lap Crash and Botched Pit Stop May Have Sunk Alex Bowman's Playoff Hopes
Erik Jones

Darlington Master Erik Jones Comes Up Short but Still Finishes Third
AJ Allmendinger

A.J. Allmendinger Impresses at Southern 500
Dameon Pierce

Ahead of Schedule, Ready for Season
Jordan Love

May Wear Thumb Brace During Season
Chicago Bears

Bears Head Coach Admits Offense Could Face Learning Curve
Matt Chapman

Leaves Early on Sunday, Expects to Play Monday
A.J. Brown

Says He'll Be Active For Season Opener
Luis Garcia

to Make Season Debut on Monday
Max Scherzer

Exits Due to Back Tightness
Taylor Ward

Exits Early After Collison
Sal Stewart

Reds Promoting Sal Stewart to Majors
Daniel Suarez

is A DFS Risk for Darlington Lineups?
Randy Rodríguez

Randy Rodriguez to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Noah Gragson

Should Fantasy Managers Roster Noah Gragson for Darlington?
Ty Dillon

is an Excellent Punt Option for Darlington DFS Lineups
Bogdan Bogdanović

Bogdan Bogdanovic to Miss the Rest of EuroBasket
Denny Hamlin

Picking Up Where He Left Off At Darlington
Kyle Larson

The Sky Is The Limit for Kyle Larson at Darlington
Ryan Blaney

a Strong DFS Play at Darlington This Weekend
Tyler Reddick

Shouldn't Be Overlooked at Darlington This Weekend
Alex Bowman

An Easy Place-Differential Play in DFS This Weekend
Ty Gibbs

Could Be Strong at Darlington This Weekend
Erik Jones

Has Best Darlington Qualifying Effort Since Last Win
Zane Smith

Hopeful For Another Solid Run At Darlington
Aroldis Chapman

Agrees to Contract Extension
Dallas Mavericks

Olivier-Maxence Prosper Waived by the Mavs
Lauri Markkanen

Dominant in Win Over Great Britain
Nikola Jović

Nikola Jovic Leads Serbia to a Win
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic Shines Versus Portugal
Jose Alvarado

"Good" After Recent Fall
Lauri Markkanen

Torches Sweden
Neemias Queta

Dominates in EuroBasket Opener
Kawhi Leonard

Clippers Not Allowing Kawhi Leonard to Play Back-to-Backs

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP