theScore's Week 12 Fantasy Starting Pitcher Power Rankings

Here is the Week 12 edition of theScore's Fantasy Starting Pitcher Power Rankings, in which we list the top 30 starters in fantasy baseball using standard 5x5 scoring (Value Based Ranks (VBR) provided by FantasyPros; stats through Tuesday):

1. LHP Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers (LW: 1)

Kershaw owners needn't be alarmed - not over his surprisingly ineffective start against Pittsburgh, nor over news of back discomfort that could cost him his next start. He'll be fine, but if you want to try and sell high, go ahead.

2. RHP Jose Fernandez, Marlins (LW: 5)

Fernandez slides into the No. 2 spot for the first time this season thanks to a sensational 13-strikeout performance last time out. He'll see his innings managed down the stretch, so fantasy owners should keep that in mind.

3. RHP Jake Arrieta, Cubs (LW: 2)

Arrieta continues to rack up the victories, though he hasn't been as sharp over his last 30 days (2.86 ERA, 1.26 WHIP). He's still as steady as they come, and is as good a bet for 20 wins as anyone in the league.

4. LHP Chris Sale, White Sox (LW: 9)

Sale remains the class of the American League with victories in each of his past four starts. More significantly, he has a 9.96 K/9 over that stretch, satiating owners who have been concerned over his lower strikeout rate.

5. LHP Jon Lester, Cubs (LW: 7)

Lester continues to cruise along, though a lack of run support has left him stuck on nine victories since June 18. Home runs are a bit of a bugaboo, as he has been taken deep four times over his last three starts.

6. LHP Madison Bumgarner, Giants (LW: 3)

Bumgarner should be in the 10-win club, but he has just two victories in his previous six outings despite allowing a paltry six earned runs over that span. He hasn't allowed more than five hits in a start since May 6.

7. RHP Johnny Cueto, Giants (LW: 6)

Cueto has fared better than Bumgarner despite worse peripherals, and he has that Giants' offense to thank; Cueto ranks 21st among qualified pitchers in run support per game, while Bumgarner is tied with Kershaw for 55th.

8. RHP Steven Wright, Red Sox (LW: 12)

Wright remains one of the best waiver-wire acquisitions of the season, though his strikeout rate has fallen this month and the walks continue to be an issue. It may not be the worst thing to try and sell high on him.

9. RHP Julio Teheran, Braves (LW: 14)

How does a pitcher with just three wins through the end of June make it into the top-10? Simple: the rest of Teheran's fantasy stats are out of this world - and if he's traded to a contender, those victories should come in droves.

10. RHP Stephen Strasburg, Nationals (LW: 10)

Fantasy owners are holding their breath - again - following Strasburg's latest ailment. He likely won't come off the disabled list when he's first eligible, but he's expected to be back sometime next week.

11. RHP Noah Syndergaard, Mets (LW: 4)

Syndergaard is also being watched closely by fantasy owners amid reports he's pitching with a bone spur in his elbow. It isn't the catastrophic injury owners feared he had, but it could limit his work in the second half.

12. RHP Max Scherzer, Nationals (LW: 8)

It's time to accept that this is who Scherzer is in 2016: A strikeout machine who is prone to the occasional bad outing and will give up 35-40 home runs. That's still a borderline-top-10 fantasy pitcher, but not better.

13. LHP Drew Pomeranz, Padres (LW: 29)

Pomeranz is back on the winning track, piling up 13 strikeouts over 13 innings in wins over Cincinnati and Washington. Consistency may be an issue moving forward, but he'll remain a terrific source of strikeouts.

14. RHP Corey Kluber, Indians (LW: --)

Kluber is showing the kind of form reminiscent of his Cy Young days, winning back-to-back starts while allowing just two combined runs and striking out 16. He's certainly capable of a prolonged hot stretch, so ride the wave.

15. RHP Danny Salazar, Indians (LW: 13)

If you're going to walk as many hitters as Salazar does, you had better limit baserunners in other ways. And Salazar has been sensational at that, ranking second in the majors in fewest hits allowed per nine innings (5.8).

16. LHP Cole Hamels, Rangers (LW: 28)

Hamels continues his climb up the rankings, having gone 4-0 over his last four starts while allowing just two earned runs in that stretch. He's still at a strikeout per inning on the season, too. He might be a sell-high candidate.

17. RHP Marco Estrada, Blue Jays (LW: 15)

Estrada was on the verge of taming Coors Field last time out, but one bad inning was his ultimate undoing. Still, he struck out eight while extending his record streak of six-or-more-innings, five-or-fewer-hits-allowed to 12 consecutive starts.

18. RHP John Lackey, Cubs (LW: 11)

Lackey takes a big tumble after being touched up for seven runs on seven hits over four dreadful innings against Miami. That's 12 runs against over his last 16 innings, but he's likely just a blip - and the Ks are still coming.

19. RHP Tanner Roark, Nationals (LW: --)

Roark's up-and-down season is back on the upswing after he blanked the Brewers over seven effective innings last time out. The strikeout rate won't wow you, but the walk rate has dropped.

20. RHP Kyle Hendricks, Cubs (LW: 23)

Hendricks continues to produce tremendous value for his fantasy owners, limiting foes to one run while striking out 17 over his last two starts. He still walks too many hitters, but he's otherwise elite at keeping them off the bases.

21. RHP Jason Hammel, Cubs (LW: 20)

Hammel holds steady after settling for a no-decision last time out, extending his winless stretch to four games. With a falling strikeout rate and a climbing ERA, he's quickly losing steam as a quality fantasy starter.

22. RHP Zack Greinke, Diamondbacks (LW: 18)

Greinke has fantasy owners concerned after leaving his most recent start after just two innings with an oblique injury. He has come back to earth after a stretch of seven straight victories; monitor his status moving forward.

23. LHP Rich Hill, Athletics (LW: 19)

Hill sees another four-spot drop as he remains on the disabled list with a groin injury. He's expected to return to action Saturday against the Pirates, but fantasy owners may want to bench him for his first start back.

24. RHP Kenta Maeda, Dodgers (LW: 21)

Maeda was roughed up last time out, allowing four runs to the Pittsburgh Pirates; he surrendered a pair of homers in that one, the first time he has given up multiple longballs in a game since May 11. He should bounce back.

25. RHP Masahiro Tanaka, Yankees (LW: 24)

Tanaka has racked up consecutive victories following a three-start winless stretch - and with 12 strikeouts in 14 innings over his last two outings, fantasy owners can be cautiously optimistic that his K/9 rate will uptick further.

26. RHP Carlos Martinez, Cardinals (LW: --)

Martinez is on a tear, having allowed just five runs over five starts since getting torched for six in a May 25 defeat. The only concern: A mediocre 13:8 K:BB ratio over his previous three outings has limited his fantasy value.

27. RHP Trevor Bauer, Indians (LW: --)

Fantasy owners have waited patiently for Bauer to get here - and now that he is, it doesn't appear that he'll be leaving anytime soon. The walks are down, the strikeouts are up, and he's working deep into games. Pay up for him.

28. RHP Aaron Sanchez, Blue Jays (LW: --)

Sanchez has been mostly solid over his last five starts, limiting foes to two earned runs or fewer in four of them. But with that innings limit staring owners in the face, now is the time to begin looking for trade partners.

29. RHP Colby Lewis, Rangers (LW: 25)

Lewis is enjoying his last week on the list as he recovers from a strained right lat muscle, an injury that will likely keep him out until late August. He's safe to drop in redraft leagues, and probably shouldn't be held onto in keepers.

30. RHP Josh Tomlin, Indians (LW: --)

Yet another Indians starter to grace the list, Tomlin may be the most surprising of the bunch. He has allowed three earned runs or fewer in eight of his last nine starts, despite surrendering a whopping 14 home runs in that span.