May Starter Rankings

by Matthew Pouliot

May 1, 2019, 4:41 am ET

Updated On: May 1, 2019, 4:49 am ET

Up this week are the May rest-of-season position rankings and overall top 300. Remember that players are listed where they’re most valuable, so if you don’t see someone you’re looking for, check another position. Designated hitters are listed with the first basemen.

Click to see other May rankings:

Top 300 | SP | RP | OF | 1B | 2B | SS | 3B | C | DH

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Starting pitcher rankings

May	SP	Team	2019
1	Max Scherzer	Nationals	1
2	Jacob deGrom	Mets	2
3	Gerrit Cole	Astros	6
4	Justin Verlander	Astros	7
5	Blake Snell	Rays	9
6	Aaron Nola	Phillies	5
7	Chris Sale	Red Sox	3
8	Corey Kluber	Indians	4
9	Clayton Kershaw	Dodgers	14
10	Carlos Carrasco	Indians	10
11	Noah Syndergaard	Mets	11
12	Trevor Bauer	Indians	13
13	Walker Buehler	Dodgers	8
14	Patrick Corbin	Nationals	15
15	Jack Flaherty	Cardinals	12
16	James Paxton	Yankees	19
17	David Price	Red Sox	17
18	Zack Greinke	Diamondbacks	20
19	Luis Castillo	Reds	34
20	Stephen Strasburg	Nationals	16
21	Cole Hamels	Cubs	22
22	Jose Berrios	Twins	29
23	Masahiro Tanaka	Yankees	24
24	Tyler Glasnow	Rays	46
25	Chris Archer	Pirates	18
26	Jameson Taillon	Pirates	26
27	Shane Bieber	Indians	33
28	Madison Bumgarner	Giants	23
29	Yu Darvish	Cubs	25
30	German Marquez	Rockies	38
31	Kenta Maeda	Dodgers	31
32	Charlie Morton	Rays	35
33	Joe Musgrove	Pirates	42
34	Jose Quintana	Cubs	39
35	Ross Stripling	Dodgers	28
36	Zack Wheeler	Mets	37
37	Mike Foltynewicz	Braves	45
38	Chris Paddack	Padres	55
39	Kyle Hendricks	Cubs	30
40	Rich Hill	Dodgers	51
41	Marcus Stroman	Blue Jays	65
42	Sonny Gray	Reds	48
43	Miles Mikolas	Cardinals	36
44	Matthew Boyd	Tigers	71
45	Eduardo Rodriguez	Red Sox	40
46	Pablo Lopez	Marlins	49
47	Max Fried	Braves	130
48	Robbie Ray	Diamondbacks	32
49	Joey Lucchesi	Padres	44
50	Collin McHugh	Astros	50
51	Yonny Chirinos	Rays	63
52	Caleb Smith	Marlins	66
53	Luis Severino	Yankees	27
54	Steven Matz	Mets	52
55	Domingo German	Yankees	88
56	Hyun-Jin Ryu	Dodgers	61
57	Brad Peacock	Astros	53
58	Anthony DeSclafani	Reds	56
59	J.A. Happ	Yankees	47
60	Jake Arrieta	Phillies	69
61	Dallas Keuchel		43
62	Rick Porcello	Red Sox	59
63	Yusei Kikuchi	Mariners	54
64	Tyler Skaggs	Angels	76
65	Luke Weaver	Diamondbacks	87
66	Mike Clevinger	Indians	21
67	Mike Soroka	Braves	149
68	Corbin Burnes	Brewers	41
69	Julio Urias	Dodgers	70
70	Michael Wacha	Cardinals	67
71	Matt Strahm	Padres	80
72	Jon Gray	Rockies	75
73	Kevin Gausman	Braves	94
74	Jon Lester	Cubs	77
75	Touki Toussaint	Braves	82
76	Jordan Lyles	Pirates	105
77	Alex Wood	Reds	58
78	Marco Gonzales	Mariners	90
79	Jimmy Nelson	Brewers	96
80	Mike Minor	Rangers	113
81	Brandon Woodruff	Brewers	85
82	Carlos Rodon	White Sox	97
83	Andrew Heaney	Angels	62
84	Julio Teheran	Braves	86
85	Nick Pivetta	Phillies	57
86	Danny Salazar	Indians	83
87	Wade Miley	Astros	99
88	Merrill Kelly	Diamondbacks	92
89	Joe Ross	Nationals	95
90	Jalen Beeks	Rays	106
91	Josh James	Astros	60
92	Nathan Eovaldi	Red Sox	64
93	Michael Pineda	Twins	81
94	Aaron Sanchez	Blue Jays	128
95	Trevor Richards	Marlins	100
96	Jakob Junis	Royals	93
97	Jesus Luzardo	Athletics	98
98	Kyle Gibson	Twins	91
99	Chris Bassitt	Athletics	173
100	Frankie Montas	Athletics	119
101	Ryan Yarbrough	Rays	72
102	Zach Eflin	Phillies	118
103	Drew Pomeranz	Giants	112
104	Freddy Peralta	Brewers	78
105	Anibal Sanchez	Nationals	89
106	Bryse Wilson	Braves	73
107	Tanner Roark	Reds	116
108	Alex Reyes	Cardinals	79
109	Jhoulys Chacin	Brewers	104
110	Tyler Mahle	Reds	110
111	Jeff Samardzija	Giants	111
112	Jonathan Loaisiga	Yankees	117
113	Jose Urena	Marlins	114
114	Gio Gonzalez	Brewers	139
115	Forrest Whitley	Astros	122
116	Trevor Williams	Pirates	142
117	Eric Lauer	Padres	120
118	Vince Velasquez	Phillies	123
119	Felix Pena	Angels	115
120	Seth Lugo	Mets	84
121	Derek Holland	Giants	109
122	Tyler Beede	Giants	233
123	Nick Kingham	Pirates	101
124	Jake Odorizzi	Twins	131
125	Griffin Canning	Angels	228
126	Lucas Giolito	White Sox	127
127	Zack Godley	Diamondbacks	74
128	Matt Andriese	Diamondbacks	126
129	Brent Honeywell	Rays	124
130	Mike Montgomery	Cubs	103
131	Jerad Eickhoff	Phillies	172
132	Dereck Rodriguez	Giants	138
133	Trevor Cahill	Angels	134
134	Daniel Ponce de Leon	Cardinals	203
135	Kyle Freeland	Rockies	137
136	Sean Newcomb	Braves	107
137	CC Sabathia	Yankees	156
138	Drew Smyly	Rangers	121
139	Adam Wainwright	Cardinals	159
140	Erik Swanson	Mariners	191
141	Austin Gomber	Cardinals	152
142	Caleb Ferguson	Dodgers	146
143	Spencer Turnbull	Tigers	187
144	Reynaldo Lopez	White Sox	147
145	Brad Keller	Royals	151
146	Sandy Alcantara	Marlins	158
147	Jordan Zimmermann	Tigers	125
148	Tyler Chatwood	Cubs	175
149	Dylan Bundy	Orioles	108
150	Matt Harvey	Angels	136
151	Kyle Wright	Braves	140
152	Chase Anderson	Brewers	153
153	Nick Margevicius	Padres	236
154	John Gant	Cardinals	168
155	Jon Duplantier	Diamondbacks	190
156	Dakota Hudson	Cardinals	148
157	Daniel Mengden	Athletics	145
158	Jeremy Hellickson	Nationals	150
159	Justus Sheffield	Mariners	164
160	Mike Fiers	Athletics	144

Dropping off: Matt Shoemaker (102^nd), Wade LeBlanc (129^th), Mike Leake (132^nd), Tyler Anderson (133^rd), Andrew Suarez (135^th), Alex Cobb (141^st), Jason Vargas (143^rd)

Leaving Jacob deGrom second among starters was a tough call, less because of his subpar 4.85 ERA than because of the elbow scare. He’s striking out 38% of the batters he’s faced and throwing as hard as ever, so I don’t see any reason to be concerned about his performance. Still, I do worry about the elbow some. It might have been a different story in that No. 2 spot if Chris Sale, Aaron Nola and Corey Kluber weren’t having their own issues. Despite ERA problems of his own, Gerrit Cole got the most consideration for overtaking deGrom.
Tyler Glasnow has gone from 0-5 with a 10.38 ERA this spring to 5-0 with a 1.75 ERA during the regular season. He has the stuff to remain outstanding, but I’m still nervous about going all in, given his history of control issues. Ranking him 24^th feels right for now.
As always this time of year, there are a number of pitchers I’d have higher for the short term but that I worry about as far as fatigue or innings limits. Included in that group this time around are Chris Paddack, Max Fried, Caleb Smith, Mike Soroka and Matt Strahm.