This article is part of our Weekly Pitcher Rankings series.
The first full week of June brings one of the quirkier schedules as there are only four games on Monday's docket, and that includes a makeup from an early season rain out. This avails only 32 two-start pitchers, with a scant few lower-end candidates to fortify your rotation. As such, this could be a week to use a middle reliever like Ryan Pressly as opposed to a lesser starter with just one game.
For the week June 3-9.
UPDATED: Sunday June 2 11:30 PM ET
MLB
Rank | PITCHER | TM | OPP | COMMENT |
1 | Stephen Strasburg | WAS | vs. CWS, at SD | Quietly having an All-Star campaign |
2 | Noah Syndergaard | NYM | vs. SF, vs. COL | In a rut but at home against bottom two offenses away vs. RHP |
3 | Blake Snell | TB | at DET, at BOS | |
4 | Aaron Nola | PHI | at SD, vs. CIN | Walks still high but looking much better |
5 | Kyle Hendricks | CHC | vs. COL, vs. STL | Whiffs up lately |
6 | Luis Castillo | CIN | at STL, at PHI | Struggling lately, getting benefit of the doubt |
7 | Madison Bumgarner | SF | at NYM, vs. LAD | Estimators suggest 4.01 ERA a little bloated |
8 | Walker Buehler | LAD | at ARI, at SF | |
9 | Masahiro Tanaka | NYY | at TOR, at CLE | |
10 | Max Fried | ATL | at PIT, at MIA | Welcome to the circle of trust |
11 | Chris Sale | BOS | at KC | |
12 | Justin Verlander | HOU | at SEA | |
13 | Jacob deGrom | NYM | vs. COL | |
14 | Max Scherzer | WAS | at SD |
The first full week of June brings one of the quirkier schedules as there are only four games on Monday's docket, and that includes a makeup from an early season rain out. This avails only 32 two-start pitchers, with a scant few lower-end candidates to fortify your rotation. As such, this could be a week to use a middle reliever like Ryan Pressly as opposed to a lesser starter with just one game.
For the week June 3-9.
UPDATED: Sunday June 2 11:30 PM ET
MLB
Rank | PITCHER | TM | OPP | COMMENT |
1 | Stephen Strasburg | WAS | vs. CWS, at SD | Quietly having an All-Star campaign |
2 | Noah Syndergaard | NYM | vs. SF, vs. COL | In a rut but at home against bottom two offenses away vs. RHP |
3 | Blake Snell | TB | at DET, at BOS | |
4 | Aaron Nola | PHI | at SD, vs. CIN | Walks still high but looking much better |
5 | Kyle Hendricks | CHC | vs. COL, vs. STL | Whiffs up lately |
6 | Luis Castillo | CIN | at STL, at PHI | Struggling lately, getting benefit of the doubt |
7 | Madison Bumgarner | SF | at NYM, vs. LAD | Estimators suggest 4.01 ERA a little bloated |
8 | Walker Buehler | LAD | at ARI, at SF | |
9 | Masahiro Tanaka | NYY | at TOR, at CLE | |
10 | Max Fried | ATL | at PIT, at MIA | Welcome to the circle of trust |
11 | Chris Sale | BOS | at KC | |
12 | Justin Verlander | HOU | at SEA | |
13 | Jacob deGrom | NYM | vs. COL | |
14 | Max Scherzer | WAS | at SD | |
15 | Gerrit Cole | HOU | vs. BAL | |
16 | Clayton Kershaw | LAD | at SF | |
17 | Zack Greinke | ARI | at TOR | |
18 | Frankie Montas | OAK | at LAA, at TEX | |
19 | Patrick Corbin | WAS | at SD | |
20 | Eduardo Rodriguez | BOS | at KC, vs. TB | Getting a little extra rest, last pitched May 26 |
21 | Zack Wheeler | NYM | vs. SF | |
22 | Shane Bieber | CLE | vs. MIN, vs. NYY | Fewer homers away from elite, facing pair of slugging lineups |
23 | Jon Lester | CHC | vs. LAA, vs. STL | As expected, regression bringing ERA up and whiffs down |
24 | Mike Soroka | ATL | at MIA | |
25 | Hyun-Jin Ryu | LAD | at ARI | Putting up digits a young Clayton Kershaw would envy |
26 | Robbie Ray | ARI | vs. LAD, at TOR | Strikeouts driving ranking |
27 | James Paxton | NYY | at TOR | |
28 | Charlie Morton | TB | at DET | |
29 | Rich Hill | LAD | at SF | |
30 | Andrew Heaney | LAA | vs. SEA | |
31 | Chase Anderson | MIL | vs. MIA, vs. PIT | |
32 | Chris Paddack | SD | vs. PHI | |
33 | Corbin Martin | HOU | at SEA, vs. BAL | Could be pitching to stay in the bigs |
34 | Griffin Canning | LAA | vs. OAK, vs. SEA | |
35 | David Price | BOS | vs. TB | |
36 | Brandon Woodruff | MIL | vs. MIA | |
37 | Brad Peacock | HOU | at SEA | |
38 | Zach Eflin | PHI | vs. CIN | |
39 | Pablo Lopez | MIA | at MIL, vs. ATL | |
40 | Miles Mikolas | STL | vs. CIN | Over early season struggles |
41 | Julio Teheran | ATL | at MIA | |
42 | Matt Strahm | SD | vs. WAS | Conversion back to starter going swimmingly |
43 | Joey Lucchesi | SD | vs. PHI | |
44 | Jose Berrios | MIN | at CLE | |
45 | Cole Hamels | CHC | vs. STL | |
46 | Matthew Boyd | DET | vs. MIN | Great test for the likely All-Star |
47 | Trevor Richards | MIA | vs. ATL | Emerging from mid-May malaise |
48 | Jake Odorizzi | MIN | at DET | Twins managing third time through exposure very well |
49 | Trevor Bauer | CLE | vs. MIN | Last start encouraging, but still tinkering too much |
50 | Mike Minor | TEX | vs. BAL | Consider selling high before temperatures rise in Arlington |
51 | Nick Pivetta | PHI | vs. CIN | |
52 | Lucas Giolito | CWS | at KC | |
53 | Domingo German | NYY | at CLE | |
54 | Joe Musgrove | PIT | vs. ATL | |
55 | Caleb Smith | MIA | at MIL | |
56 | Steven Matz | NYM | vs. COL | |
57 | Freddy Peralta | MIL | vs. PIT | |
58 | Carlos Carrasco | CLE | vs. MIN | Something's not right, this is a big start against division leader |
59 | J.A. Happ | NYY | at TOR | |
60 | Wade Miley | HOU | at SEA, vs. BAL | |
61 | Zach Davies | MIL | vs. PIT | Lady Luck is helping, but 10 of 11 starts with two or fewer runs |
62 | Eric Lauer | SD | vs. PHI, vs. WAS | Top pitch-and-ditch option |
63 | Jake Arrieta | PHI | at SD | |
64 | Jason Vargas | NYM | vs. SF | |
65 | German Marquez | COL | at CHC | |
66 | Kenta Maeda | LAD | at ARI | |
67 | Sonny Gray | CIN | at PHI | |
68 | Tyler Skaggs | LAA | vs. OAK | |
69 | Jack Flaherty | STL | at CHC | |
70 | Jose Urena | MIA | vs. ATL | |
71 | Michael Pineda | MIN | at DET | |
72 | Wade LeBlanc | SEA | vs. HOU, at LAA | 19% HR/FB and .330 BABIP a little unlucky, but there's bad pitching too |
73 | Jimmy Nelson | MIL | vs. MIA | Slated to make his 2019 debut |
74 | Jose Quintana | CHC | vs. COL | |
75 | Antonio Senzatela | COL | at NYM | |
76 | Mike Foltynewicz | ATL | at PIT | |
77 | Dylan Bundy | BAL | at TEX, at HOU | |
78 | Anthony DeSclafani | CIN | at STL | |
79 | Rick Porcello | BOS | at KC | |
80 | Marco Gonzales | SEA | at LAA | |
81 | Kevin Gausman | ATL | at PIT | |
82 | Reynaldo Lopez | CWS | at WAS, at KC | |
83 | Kyle Gibson | MIN | at DET | |
84 | Jerad Eickhoff | PHI | at SD | |
85 | Yu Darvish | CHC | vs. COL | |
86 | Trevor Cahill | LAA | at CHC, vs. SEA | Cam Bedrosian to open, but Cahill will pitch a starter's workload |
87 | Felix Pena | LAA | vs. OAK | |
88 | Chris Archer | PIT | vs. ATL | |
89 | Cal Quantrill | SD | vs. WAS | |
90 | Mike Leake | SEA | vs. HOU | |
91 | Brad Keller | KC | vs. CWS | |
92 | Marcus Stroman | TOR | vs. ARI | |
93 | CC Sabathia | NYY | at CLE | |
94 | Shaun Anderson | SF | at NYM | |
95 | Tyler Mahle | CIN | at STL | |
96 | Jon Gray | COL | at CHC | |
97 | Peter Lambert | COL | at NYM | |
98 | Jordan Lyles | PIT | at MIL | |
99 | Lance Lynn | TEX | vs. OAK | |
100 | Mike Fiers | OAK | at LAA | |
101 | Danny Duffy | KC | vs. BOS | |
102 | Tanner Roark | CIN | at PHI | |
103 | Jeff Samardzija | SF | vs. LAD | |
104 | Merrill Kelly | ARI | at TOR | |
105 | Aaron Sanchez | TOR | vs. ARI | |
106 | Anibal Sanchez | WAS | vs. CWS | |
107 | Martin Perez | MIN | at CLE | |
108 | Daniel Mengden | OAK | at LAA | |
109 | Ryne Stanek | TB | at DET | |
110 | Jakob Junis | KC | vs. BOS | |
111 | Jon Duplantier | ARI | vs. LAD | |
112 | Yusei Kikuchi | SEA | at LAA | |
113 | Genesis Cabrera | STL | vs. CIN | |
114 | Nick Margevicius | SD | vs. WAS | |
115 | Spencer Turnbull | DET | vs. TB | |
116 | Trent Thornton | TOR | vs. NYY | |
117 | Yonny Chirinos | TB | at BOS | |
118 | Steven Brault | PIT | vs. ATL, at MIL | |
119 | John Means | BAL | at TEX | |
120 | Devin Smeltzer | MIN | at CLE | |
121 | Chris Bassitt | OAK | at TEX | |
122 | Sandy Alcantara | MIA | at MIL | |
123 | Zach Plesac | CLE | vs. NYY | |
124 | Ivan Nova | CWS | at KC | |
125 | Daniel Norris | DET | vs. TB | |
126 | Drew Smyly | TEX | vs. BAL, vs. OAK | |
127 | Tommy Milone | SEA | vs. HOU | |
128 | Alex Reyes | STL | at CHC | |
129 | Jefry Rodriguez | CLE | vs. NYY | |
130 | Dakota Hudson | STL | vs. CIN | |
131 | Jeff Hoffman | COL | at CHC, at NYM | |
132 | Glenn Sparkman | KC | vs. BOS, vs. CWS | |
133 | Clayton Richard | TOR | vs. NYY, vs. ARI | |
134 | Ryan Yarbrough | TB | at BOS | |
135 | Adam Wainwright | STL | at CHC | |
136 | Ryan Weber | BOS | vs. TB | |
137 | Erick Fedde | WAS | at SD | |
138 | Ryan Carpenter | DET | vs. TB, vs. MIN | |
139 | Drew Pomeranz | SF | vs. LAD | |
140 | Gregory Soto | DET | vs. MIN | |
141 | Josh A. Smith | BOS | vs. TB | |
142 | Jacob Faria | TB | at BOS | |
143 | Brett Anderson | OAK | at TEX | |
144 | Taylor Clarke | ARI | vs. LAD | |
145 | Nick Kingham | PIT | at MIL | |
146 | Gabriel Ynoa | BAL | at HOU | |
147 | Ariel Jurado | TEX | vs. BAL | |
148 | Paul Blackburn | OAK | at TEX | |
149 | Edwin Jackson | TOR | vs. NYY | |
150 | David Hess | BAL | at HOU | |
151 | Jonathon Niese | SEA | vs. HOU | |
152 | Adrian Sampson | TEX | vs. OAK | |
153 | Tyler Beede | SF | at NYM | |
154 | Dylan Covey | CWS | at WAS | |
155 | Homer Bailey | KC | vs. CWS | |
156 | Andrew Cashner | BAL | at TEX | |
157 | Shelby Miller | TEX | vs. OAK |
AMERICAN LEAGUE
RANK | PITCHER | TM | OPP | COMMENT |
1 | Blake Snell | TB | at DET, at BOS | |
2 | Masahiro Tanaka | NYY | at TOR, at CLE | |
3 | Chris Sale | BOS | at KC | |
4 | Justin Verlander | HOU | at SEA | |
5 | Gerrit Cole | HOU | vs. BAL | |
6 | Frankie Montas | OAK | at LAA, at TEX | |
7 | Eduardo Rodriguez | BOS | at KC, vs. TB | Getting a little extra rest, last pitched May 26 |
8 | Shane Bieber | CLE | vs. MIN, vs. NYY | Fewer homers away from elite, facing pair of slugging lineups |
9 | James Paxton | NYY | at TOR | |
10 | Charlie Morton | TB | at DET | |
11 | Andrew Heaney | LAA | vs. SEA | |
12 | Corbin Martin | HOU | at SEA, vs. BAL | Could be pitching to stay in the bigs |
13 | Griffin Canning | LAA | vs. OAK, vs. SEA | |
14 | David Price | BOS | vs. TB | |
15 | Brad Peacock | HOU | at SEA | |
16 | Jose Berrios | MIN | at CLE | |
17 | Matthew Boyd | DET | vs. MIN | Great test for the likely All-Star |
18 | Jake Odorizzi | MIN | at DET | Twins managing third time through exposure very well |
19 | Trevor Bauer | CLE | vs. MIN | Last start encouraging, but still tinkering too much |
20 | Mike Minor | TEX | vs. BAL | Consider selling high before temperatures rise in Arlington |
21 | Lucas Giolito | CWS | at KC | |
22 | Domingo German | NYY | at CLE | |
23 | Carlos Carrasco | CLE | vs. MIN | Something's not right, this is a big start against division leader |
24 | J.A. Happ | NYY | at TOR | |
25 | Wade Miley | HOU | at SEA, vs. BAL | |
26 | Tyler Skaggs | LAA | vs. OAK | |
27 | Michael Pineda | MIN | at DET | |
28 | Wade LeBlanc | SEA | vs. HOU, at LAA | 19% HR/FB and .330 BABIP a little unlucky, but there's bad pitching too |
29 | Dylan Bundy | BAL | at TEX, at HOU | |
30 | Rick Porcello | BOS | at KC | |
31 | Marco Gonzales | SEA | at LAA | |
32 | Reynaldo Lopez | CWS | at WAS, at KC | |
33 | Kyle Gibson | MIN | at DET | |
34 | Trevor Cahill | LAA | at CHC, vs. SEA | Cam Bedrosian to open, but Cahill will pitch a starter's workload |
35 | Felix Pena | LAA | vs. OAK | |
36 | Mike Leake | SEA | vs. HOU | |
37 | Brad Keller | KC | vs. CWS | |
38 | Marcus Stroman | TOR | vs. ARI | |
39 | CC Sabathia | NYY | at CLE | |
40 | Lance Lynn | TEX | vs. OAK | |
41 | Mike Fiers | OAK | at LAA | |
42 | Danny Duffy | KC | vs. BOS | |
43 | Aaron Sanchez | TOR | vs. ARI | |
44 | Martin Perez | MIN | at CLE | |
45 | Daniel Mengden | OAK | at LAA | |
46 | Ryne Stanek | TB | at DET | |
47 | Jakob Junis | KC | vs. BOS | |
48 | Yusei Kikuchi | SEA | at LAA | |
49 | Spencer Turnbull | DET | vs. TB | |
50 | Trent Thornton | TOR | vs. NYY | |
51 | Yonny Chirinos | TB | at BOS | |
52 | John Means | BAL | at TEX | |
53 | Devin Smeltzer | MIN | at CLE | |
54 | Chris Bassitt | OAK | at TEX | |
55 | Zach Plesac | CLE | vs. NYY | |
56 | Ivan Nova | CWS | at KC | |
57 | Daniel Norris | DET | vs. TB | |
58 | Drew Smyly | TEX | vs. BAL, vs. OAK | |
59 | Tommy Milone | SEA | vs. HOU | |
60 | Jefry Rodriguez | CLE | vs. NYY | |
61 | Glenn Sparkman | KC | vs. BOS, vs. CWS | |
62 | Clayton Richard | TOR | vs. NYY, vs. ARI | |
63 | Ryan Yarbrough | TB | at BOS | |
64 | Ryan Weber | BOS | vs. TB | |
65 | Ryan Carpenter | DET | vs. TB, vs. MIN | |
66 | Gregory Soto | DET | vs. MIN | |
67 | Josh A. Smith | BOS | vs. TB | |
68 | Jacob Faria | TB | at BOS | |
69 | Brett Anderson | OAK | at TEX | |
70 | Gabriel Ynoa | BAL | at HOU | |
71 | Ariel Jurado | TEX | vs. BAL | |
72 | Paul Blackburn | OAK | at TEX | |
73 | Edwin Jackson | TOR | vs. NYY | |
74 | David Hess | BAL | at HOU | |
75 | Jonathon Niese | SEA | vs. HOU | |
76 | Adrian Sampson | TEX | vs. OAK | |
77 | Dylan Covey | CWS | at WAS | |
78 | Homer Bailey | KC | vs. CWS | |
79 | Andrew Cashner | BAL | at TEX | |
80 | Shelby Miller | TEX | vs. OAK |
NATIONAL LEAGUE
RANK | PITCHER | TM | OPP | COMMENT |
1 | Stephen Strasburg | WAS | vs. CWS, at SD | Quietly having an All-Star campaign |
2 | Noah Syndergaard | NYM | vs. SF, vs. COL | In a rut but at home against bottom two offenses away vs. RHP |
3 | Aaron Nola | PHI | at SD, vs. CIN | Walks still high but looking much better |
4 | Kyle Hendricks | CHC | vs. COL, vs. STL | Whiffs up lately |
5 | Luis Castillo | CIN | at STL, at PHI | Struggling lately, getting benefit of the doubt |
6 | Madison Bumgarner | SF | at NYM, vs. LAD | Estimators suggest 4.01 ERA a little bloated |
7 | Walker Buehler | LAD | at ARI, at SF | |
8 | Max Fried | ATL | at PIT, at MIA | Welcome to the circle of trust |
9 | Jacob deGrom | NYM | vs. COL | |
10 | Max Scherzer | WAS | at SD | |
11 | Clayton Kershaw | LAD | at SF | |
12 | Zack Greinke | ARI | at TOR | |
13 | Patrick Corbin | WAS | at SD | |
14 | Zack Wheeler | NYM | vs. SF | |
15 | Jon Lester | CHC | vs. LAA, vs. STL | As expected, regression bringing ERA up and whiffs down |
16 | Mike Soroka | ATL | at MIA | |
17 | Hyun-Jin Ryu | LAD | at ARI | Putting up digits a young Clayton Kershaw would envy |
18 | Robbie Ray | ARI | vs. LAD, at TOR | Strikeouts driving ranking |
19 | Rich Hill | LAD | at SF | |
20 | Chase Anderson | MIL | vs. MIA, vs. PIT | |
21 | Chris Paddack | SD | vs. PHI | |
22 | Brandon Woodruff | MIL | vs. MIA | |
23 | Zach Eflin | PHI | vs. CIN | |
24 | Pablo Lopez | MIA | at MIL, vs. ATL | |
25 | Miles Mikolas | STL | vs. CIN | Over early season struggles |
26 | Julio Teheran | ATL | at MIA | |
27 | Matt Strahm | SD | vs. WAS | Conversion back to starter going swimmingly |
28 | Joey Lucchesi | SD | vs. PHI | |
29 | Cole Hamels | CHC | vs. STL | |
30 | Trevor Richards | MIA | vs. ATL | Emerging from mid-May malaise |
31 | Nick Pivetta | PHI | vs. CIN | |
32 | Joe Musgrove | PIT | vs. ATL | |
33 | Caleb Smith | MIA | at MIL | |
34 | Steven Matz | NYM | vs. COL | |
35 | Freddy Peralta | MIL | vs. PIT | |
36 | Zach Davies | MIL | vs. PIT | Lady Luck is helping, but 10 of 11 starts with two or fewer runs |
37 | Eric Lauer | SD | vs. PHI, vs. WAS | Top pitch-and-ditch option |
38 | Jake Arrieta | PHI | at SD | |
39 | Jason Vargas | NYM | vs. SF | |
40 | German Marquez | COL | at CHC | |
41 | Kenta Maeda | LAD | at ARI | |
42 | Sonny Gray | CIN | at PHI | |
43 | Jack Flaherty | STL | at CHC | |
44 | Jose Urena | MIA | vs. ATL | |
45 | Jimmy Nelson | MIL | vs. MIA | Slated to make his 2019 debut |
46 | Jose Quintana | CHC | vs. COL | |
47 | Antonio Senzatela | COL | at NYM | |
48 | Mike Foltynewicz | ATL | at PIT | |
49 | Anthony DeSclafani | CIN | at STL | |
50 | Kevin Gausman | ATL | at PIT | |
51 | Jerad Eickhoff | PHI | at SD | |
52 | Yu Darvish | CHC | vs. COL | |
53 | Chris Archer | PIT | vs. ATL | |
54 | Cal Quantrill | SD | vs. WAS | |
55 | Shaun Anderson | SF | at NYM | |
56 | Tyler Mahle | CIN | at STL | |
57 | Jon Gray | COL | at CHC | |
58 | Peter Lambert | COL | at NYM | |
59 | Jordan Lyles | PIT | at MIL | |
60 | Tanner Roark | CIN | at PHI | |
61 | Jeff Samardzija | SF | vs. LAD | |
62 | Merrill Kelly | ARI | at TOR | |
63 | Anibal Sanchez | WAS | vs. CWS | |
64 | Jon Duplantier | ARI | vs. LAD | |
65 | Genesis Cabrera | STL | vs. CIN | |
66 | Nick Margevicius | SD | vs. WAS | |
67 | Steven Brault | PIT | vs. ATL, at MIL | |
68 | Sandy Alcantara | MIA | at MIL | |
69 | Alex Reyes | STL | at CHC | |
70 | Dakota Hudson | STL | vs. CIN | |
71 | Jeff Hoffman | COL | at CHC, at NYM | |
72 | Adam Wainwright | STL | at CHC | |
73 | Erick Fedde | WAS | at SD | |
74 | Drew Pomeranz | SF | vs. LAD | |
75 | Taylor Clarke | ARI | vs. LAD | |
76 | Nick Kingham | PIT | at MIL | |
77 | Tyler Beede | SF | at NYM |