Underrated Starting Pitchers to Pick Up:

• Lance McCullers – BOS (owned: 67%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 40.1., W: 3, L: 2, K: 46, ERA: 2.45, WHIP: 1.02
  It’s amazing to me that a guy who’s pitching as well as McCullers hasn’t been owned in at least 70 percent of all Yahoo leagues by now. At one point, his earned run average (after pitching just over 35 innings) was as low as 2.00 until his last start where he gave up three earned runs in 4.1 innings pitched against the Seattle Mariners on June 19th. Nevertheless, he should be able to bounce back in his next start because he has an awesome assortment of pitches to choose from. Many say that his new 94 mile-per-hour slider is his third best pitch behind his high 90s fast ball and nasty curve ball. If this rookie is somehow still available in your league, snatch him up right away.

• Eduardo Rodriguez – BOS (owned: 60%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 31.2, W: 3, L: 1, K: 27, ERA: 3.13, WHIP: 1.04
  Rodriguez is another rookie pitcher that has been extremely effective so far this season. Minus his start on June 14th against the Toronto Blue Jays where he got touched up to the tune of nine earned runs in 4.2 innings, he had an earned run average of just 0.44 in just over 20 innings pitched. It’s hard to hold that start against Rodriguez, as the Blue Jays have completely mashed this season, especially against left-handed pitching. Besides, Rodriguez proved he could bounce back from such an outing by going 6.1 innings and only giving up one earned run and striking out five batters on June 19th against a solid Kansas City Royals’ lineup. The southpaw has a solid low-to-mid 90s fastball, a swing-and-miss changeup and an average to above-average slider.

• Noah Syndergaard – NYM (owned: 61%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 44.2, W: 2, L: 4, K: 48, ERA: 4.03, WHIP: 1.32
  The New York Mets clearly have one of the best starting staffs in all of baseball right now, and rookie Syndergaard is just one of quite a few young arms on the team. He’s had two double-digit strikeout performances in his last four games and now has more strikeouts than innings pitched on the season. He has impressive stuff, mixing in his high 90s four-seam fastball, curve (low 80s), sinker (mid-to-high 90s) and changeup (high 80s). His earned run average is currently a little bit higher than the Mets would’ve hoped this far into the season, but his FIP (2.93) indicates that there will be regression.

• Dan Haren – MIA (owned: 66%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 87.1, W: 6, L: 4, K: 64, ERA: 3.19, WHIP: 1.00
  The veteran Haren has looked solid so far this season. He won’t strike out 200-plus batters a year like he used to, but he’s back to the point where he’s pitching well enough again to be owned in most fantasy leagues. Haren’s always been known to have great control, and this year is no exception. He only has 18 walks in over 87 innings pitched and has a WHIP close to 1.00. He’s one of those starting pitchers that won’t stand out on your team, but you know what to expect from him. You could do a lot worse than adding a pitcher like Haren to your fantasy pitching staff.

• C.J. Wilson – LAA (owned: 50%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 93.0, W: 5, L: 5, K: 81, ERA: 3.39, WHIP: 1.12
  Many fantasy owners wrote off the 34-year-old Wilson this year and simply thought he could no longer be a productive fantasy pitcher after a horrid 2014 season. He has proven his doubters wrong and continues to put up adequate numbers for his team. He finally has an earned run average, WHIP and strikeout rate again that make him fantasy relevant. He looks more like the pitcher he was in 2013 instead of what we saw from him last season. If he can have a repeat performance or come anywhere close to finishing with the type of numbers he put up in 2013 (IP: 212.1, ERA: 3.39, W: 17, K: 188, and WHIP: 1.34), he will definitely be an acquisition you won’t regret.

• Chris Young – KC (owned: 64%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 63.2, W: 6, L: 3, K: 48, ERA: 2.83, WHIP: 1.01
  Young (at 36 years of age) has somehow managed to stay healthy so far this season and turn back the clock and pitch more like the way he did in his late 20s with the San Diego Padres. He recently got hit hard right before I wrote this article, giving up seven earned runs in 4.2 innings pitched against the Boston Red Sox, but has been otherwise outstanding in the early goings of the 2015 season. Prior to that performance, he was sporting an eye-popping 1.98 ERA with six wins and only two losses in 59 innings pitched (to go along with 39 strikeouts). He doesn’t strike out batters the same way he used too, but he has been doing everything else you want a starting pitcher to do. It’s hard to say how he’ll bounce back in his next start from a tough day on the mound, but he is still sporting an ERA under 3.00 and shouldn’t be overlooked because of one of very few bad performance this season. His FIP (4.14) indicated that he would see regression, so it’s worth monitoring if he’s able to bounce back during his next start.

• Jesse Chavez – OAK (owned: 53%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 78.2, W: 3, L: 6, K: 70, ERA: 2.52, WHIP: 1.09
  The Rodney Dangerfield of baseball (no respect) continues to thrive this season. Chavez has gotten the job done for the A’s since last season, but he’s still had to wait for injuries and ineffectiveness to get his shot in 2015. He’s always had to prove himself at every level of baseball, and he’s shown that hard work and persistence due pay off. He is a smart pitcher who has taken it to another level this season and is performing even better than Oakland could have imagined. You simply can’t complain about a pitcher who averages nearly a strikeout per inning and who sports a very low earned run average and WHIP in the process. He’s worth picking up if the tail end of your current fantasy staff is struggling.

• Steven Matz – NYM (owned: 20%) – 2015 Stats: N/A
  The impressive rookie Matz has yet to be called up and probably won’t be starting on the mound at the major league level until some time in early July, but it’s not a question of if but when. The Mets are expecting him to put up very solid numbers from the start due to the fact that he has nothing left to prove at the minor league level. When you sport a 2.11 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and a 86/31 strikeout-to-walk ratio in just over 85 innings pitched at the Triple-A level minor league level this season, it’s easy to see why he’s going to be called up very soon. He’s worth monitoring, and he could be a candidate to stash if you have a spot on your roster to do so.

• Mike Bolsinger – LAD (owned: 47%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 53.1, W: 4, L: 2, K: 49, ERA: 2.87, WHIP: 1.20
  Bolsinger has come out of nowhere this season for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He’s currently coming off of a game in which he surrendered five earned runs in 5.1 innings pitched, but he still has an ERA well under 3.00 despite the poor performance. There are going to be people who think he’s finally showing signs of regression due to two poor performances in his last four starts and not having much of a track record to go on at the major league level. But you shouldn’t get too worried about him just yet because he pitches for a solid National League team and really knows how to mix his two pitches (curve ball and cutter) up efficiently. He’s been much better focusing on just those two pitches this season instead of using his third pitch (fastball) frequently like he did last season. His FIP is not far off his ERA, indicating that he should be able to maintain moving forward, and he provides just over 8.0 K/9.

Underrated Starting Pitchers to Monitor

• Clay Buchholz – BOS (owned: 45%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 86.0, W: 4, L: 6, K: 84, ERA: 3.87, WHIP: 1.29
• Carlos Rodon – CHW (owned: 42%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 50.1, W: 3, L: 1, K: 48, ERA: 3.75, WHIP: 1.59
• Chi Chi Gonzalez – TEX (owned: 38%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 30., W: 2, L: 1, K: 10, ERA: 0.90, WHIP: 1.00
• Edinson Volquez – KC (owned: 69%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 83.2, W: 7, L: 4, K: 62, ERA: 3.33, WHIP: 1.22
• Ubaldo Jimenez – BAL (owned: 51%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 74.1, W: 5, L: 3, K: 74, ERA: 3.27, WHIP: 1.28
• Bartolo Colon – NYM (owned: 69%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 86.0, W: 9, L: 5, K: 68, ERA: 4.81, WHIP: 1.21
• Hector Santiago – LAA (owned: 56%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 81.1, W: 4, L: 4, K: 78, ERA: 2.77, WHIP: 1.22
• Jaime Garcia – STL (owned: 56%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 41.0, W: 2, L: 3, K: 28, ERA: 1.76, WHIP: 0.90
• Yovani Gallardo – TEX (owned: 54%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 87.2, W: 6, L: 6, K: 66, ERA: 2.98, WHIP: 1.21
• Chris Heston – SF (owned: 45%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 84.2, W: 7, L: 5, K: 73, ERA: 3.83, WHIP: 1.25
• Williams Perez – ATL (owned: 13%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 45.1, W: 4, L: 0, K: 36, ERA: 2.78, WHIP: 1.37
• Tim Lincecum – SF (owned: 46%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 74.2, W: 7, L: 4, K: 59, ERA: 3.86, WHIP: 1.43
• Nathan Karns – TB (owned: 18%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 79.0, W: 4, L: 3, K: 72, ERA: 3.53, WHIP: 1.24
• Nick Martinez – TEX (owned: 36%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 84.1, W: 5, L: 3, K: 50, ERA: 2.77, WHIP: 1.33
• Chase Anderson – ARI (owned: 21%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 79.1, W: 3, L: 1, K: 51, ERA: 2.84, WHIP: 1.15
• Aaron Harang – PHI (owned: 44%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 95.0, W: 4, L: 9, K: 67, ERA: 3.41, WHIP: 1.12
• Joe Ross – WAS (owned: 44%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 20.1, W: 2, L: 1, K: 23, ERA: 2.66, WHIP: 1.03
• Robbie Ray – ARI (owned: 44%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 30.1, W: 2, L: 2, K: 23, ERA: 1.78, WHIP: 1.05
• Roenis Elias – SEA (owned: 11%) – 2015 Stats: IP: 68.1, W: 4, L: 4, K: 56, ERA: 3.56, WHIP: 1.27

CD Hill is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from CD, check out his archive and follow CD @cdhill81.