Sunday's Starting Pitcher Value Rankings
Here are theScore's starting pitcher value rankings for Sunday, May 29 (all stats exclude Saturday's games):
Value Rankings
C | 1B/DH | 2B | SS | 3B | OF | SP
Top Options
| Name | Opponent | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Clayton Kershaw (LAD) | at NYM | 10 |
| Chris Sale (CWS) | at KC | 9 |
| John Lackey (CHC) | vs. PHI | 8 |
| Edinson Volquez (KC) | vs. CWS | 8 |
| Michael Wacha (STL) | at WAS | 8 |
With 26 innings pitched and just one run allowed over his past three starts, Kershaw will continue to be the top option, regardless of price and matchup, whenever he starts. The Mets rank 21st in team wOBA against lefties and strike out a NL-worst 27.2 percent of the time. The Royals don't provide the same strikeout upside of Sale, but they have the 25th-ranked wOBA.
Volquez is the cheapest option of the tier, and the White Sox have a wOBA of just .306 against righties. Volquez doesn't have the strikeout upside of the top options, but he owns a sparkling 2.06 ERA through six starts at home. The Nationals haven't hit righties well, outside of OF Bryce Harper and 2B Daniel Murphy, making Wacha a slightly sneaky play.
Mid-Tier Targets
| Name | Opponent | Value |
|---|---|---|
| David Price (BOS) | at TOR | 7 |
| Jake Odorizzi (TB) | vs. NYY | 7 |
| Julio Teheran (ATL) | vs. MIA | 7 |
| Stephen Strasburg (WAS) | vs. STL | 7 |
| Archie Bradley (ARI) | vs. SD | 7 |
| Francisco Liriano (PIT) | at TEX | 7 |
| Nick Tropeano (LAA) | vs. HOU | 7 |
| Jimmy Nelson (MIL) | vs. CIN | 7 |
| Rich Hill (OAK) | vs. DET | 6 |
| Taijuan Walker (SEA) | vs. MIN | 6 |
| Johnny Cueto (SF) | at COL | 6 |
| Bartolo Colon (NYM) | vs. LAD | 6 |
| Brandon Finnegan (CIN) | at MIL | 6 |
Price makes his Red Sox debut in Toronto one day after the Blue Jays scored 10 runs. They're not the lefty killers they were in 2015, but they still pose enough of a threat to drop Price into the second tier. Only Boston has a better team wOBA against righties than the Cardinals, presenting significant risk for Strasburg at a high cost.
Bradley has surrendered nine earned runs in 10 1/3 innings this year, but he'll have a chance to impress against a Padres team incapable of hitting right-handed pitching. Liriano has rebounded after giving up eight runs to the Chicago Cubs, he's allowed a total of three runs in his past two starts.
| Name | Opponent | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Tillman (BAL) | at CLE | 5 |
| Nathan Eovaldi (NYY) | at TB | 5 |
| Tom Koehler (MIA) | at ATL | 5 |
| Doug Fister (HOU) | at LAA | 5 |
| Vince Velasquez (PHI) | at CHC | 4 |
| Mike Clevinger (CLE) | vs. BAL | 4 |
| Drew Pomeranz (SD) | at ARI | 4 |
Tillman hasn't allowed more than three earned runs since April 14, but he's struck out just 11 batters in 13 1/3 innings in his past two starts. Eovaldi always comes with risk, but his reward is worth a reasonable salary with the Rays 26.1 percent strikeout rate against righties.
Pomeranz continues to raise his salary as the result of his impressive play, but he's a risk in the hitter-friendly Chase Field against a Diamondbacks team with the fifth-best wOBA against lefties.
Nothing to See Here
| Name | Opponent | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Ricky Nolasco (MIN) | at SEA | 3 |
| R.A. Dickey (TOR) | vs. BOS | 3 |
| Mike Pelfrey (DET) | at OAK | 2 |
| Chris Rusin (COL) | vs. SF | 2 |
| Martin Perez (TEX) | vs. PIT | 1 |
Five unpredictable pitchers with poor matchups. The Mariners lineup is built to mash right-handed pitching, and the Twins aren't likely to back Nolasco to a win even if he shuts down the opposing offense. The Red Sox have become well accustomed to Dickey's knuckle ball.