Welcome to the FantasyPros Week 2 starting pitcher rankings. Every Friday, we’ll take an in-depth look at the upcoming week and rank every starting pitcher based on their overall skills, current production, head-to-head matchup and park factor. These rankings are for Monday, March 31st through Sunday, April 6th.
Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitchers Guide: Week 2
Be sure to take a look at expert consensus rankings (ECR) as a helpful tool when setting your lineups. You can also take advantage of our Pitcher Planner’s resource for probable pitchers as well as our streaming pitcher rankings.
Top 50 Starting Pitchers (March 31-April 6)
Smash Spots
Jack Flaherty (SP – DET) vs. CWS
Jack Flaherty put up an impressive 3.10 SIERA and 29.9% strikeout rate last season. This is a terrific matchup against the White Sox, who still have one of the worst lineups in MLB.
In two starts against the White Sox last season, Flaherty allowed only two runs in 11.2 innings, racking up 15 strikeouts.
Robbie Ray (SP -SF) vs. SEA
Robbie Ray looked terrific this spring, registering a 31.9% strikeout rate and a 1.4% walk rate in 19.1 innings. When the veteran is on his game, he’s able to rack up strikeouts with volume usage.
This is a smash spot against his former team in the Mariners, who led the league in strikeout rate last season.
Ryan Pepiot (SF – TB) vs. PIT
Ryan Pepiot posted a rock-solid 3.88 SIERA and 26.3% strikeout rate in his first season with the Rays. While Tampa is playing in a more hitter-friendly park this year, you have to love the matchup at home against the Pirates, who still have a thin lineup outside of Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz.
Risky Starts
Roki Sasaki (SP – LAD) @ PHI
Roki Sasaki struggled with command in his MLB debut in Tokyo, walking five Padres in only three innings. That’s bad news against Phillies hitters with elite walk rates like Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber.
With that said, Sasaki has elite stuff, including a nasty splitter, giving him the strikeout upside to keep in your lineup.
Zac Gallen (SP – ARI) @ NYY
It’s hard to trust Zac Gallen on the road at Yankee Stadium against a lineup that remains potent even without Juan Soto. Veterans like Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt, along with young players like Anthony Volpe, Jasson Dominguez and Austin Wells can step up for New York.
You’re still starting Gallen, but cross your fingers here.
Bailey Ober (SP – MIN) vs. HOU
Bailey Ober has a strong command with the ability to miss bats, but we sometimes see blowup starts (see vs. the Royals last year) due to his home run problem (1.36 HR/9 in 2024).
Even without Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman, the Astros still have sluggers like Yordan Alvarez and Christian Walker. Let’s hope for Ober to tiptoe his way around this tough lineup.
Two-Start Pitchers
Casey Mize (SP – DET) @ SEA, vs. CWS
Casey Mize is a breakout candidate following a dominant spring where he put up a 1.89 ERA and 1.00 WHIP with 25 strikeouts in 19 innings.
The 27-year-old has a good chance to get off to a strong start, facing a strikeout-prone Mariners lineup in a pitcher’s park along with the woeful White Sox.
David Peterson (SP – NYM) @ MIA, vs. TOR
David Peterson is another pitcher who looked good in spring, registering a miniscule 0.57 ERA in 15.2 innings. The 29-year-old lefty gets a terrific matchup to start the year against one of the worst lineups in the Marlins.
While the matchup versus the Blue Jays is a lot tougher, at least they have a top-heavy offense that thins out as you get to the middle and bottom of the order.
Drew Rasmussen (SP – TB) vs. PIT, @ TEX
Drew Rasmussen put up a strikeout rate above 30% when returning from injury last season, demonstrating the strikeout upside that has made him a coveted pitcher in the last couple of years.
The Rays’ righty starts the year with a great matchup against the Pirates, followed by a tough one at Texas. If you’re in weekly leagues, I’d bite the bullet and take the risk for the second start. In daily formats, you can bench him there, unless he looks dominant versus Pittsburgh.
Top Streamers
Jackson Jobe (SP – DET) @ SEA
Jackson Jobe is a top prospect with a diverse arsenal that includes elite velocity. While his strikeout production hasn’t yet matched the elite stuff, you have to love the matchup on the road against a Mariners team that had the highest strikeout rate last season.
It also helps that T-Mobile is the most pitcher-friendly park in MLB.
AJ Smith-Shawver (SP – ATL) vs. MIA
AJ Smith-Shawver is another young arm who made the rotation following a strong spring. This is a 22-year-old prospect who posted a 28.2% strikeout rate in the Florida Grapefruit League. Expect a quality outing with strikeouts against the abysmal Marlins.
Justin Verlander (SP – SF) vs. SEA
Justin Verlander has a good chance at a strong start at home against the strikeout-prone Mariners. Until they show us otherwise, we need to pick on them, especially since they didn’t do much to upgrade their offense. Verlander had a strong spring with a 22.1% strikeout rate in 21 innings.
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