theScore's Week 4 Fantasy Starting Pitcher Power Rankings

Here is the Week 4 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 Monday):

1. LHP Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers (LW: 3)

Look who's back on top. Kershaw claimed the No. 1 spot in style, tossing a complete-game three-hit shutout with 14 strikeouts against the Padres. He may not hold this ranking all year, but he's a weekly top-5 lock.

2. RHP Jake Arrieta, Cubs (LW: 1)

Arrieta gets a slight nod over Sale by virtue of his incredible ERA and WHIP rates, proving that the second half of 2015 was no fluke. Fantasy owners would like to see more Ks, but that's really a minor quibble at this point.

3. LHP Chris Sale, White Sox (LW: 2)

Concerned about the drop in strikeout rate? Don't be; by pitching to contact more, Sale is able to work deeper into games. His control has never been better, and he's in great position for his first 20-win season.

4. RHP Vince Velasquez, Phillies (LW: 7)

Velasquez continues rolling along, tossing six shutout innings while striking out six in a win over Cleveland. He has just 14 Ks in three starts since his 16-strikeout performance, but fantasy owners aren't complaining.

5. RHP Jordan Zimmermann, Tigers (LW: 13)

He's still got it. Zimmermann continues to work out of danger with a deft touch, keeping his ERA low while bolstering his win total. That said, expect some regression sparked by his still-low strikeout rate.

6. RHP Stephen Strasburg, Nationals (LW: 6)

Concerns over Strasburg's early-season K rate have proven to be overblown. He has racked up 29 punch-outs over his last three starts, winning two of them. He's also allowed just one home run over his first 36 innings.

7. RHP Rick Porcello, Red Sox (LW: 26)

Ignore the five home runs Porcello has allowed in five starts, and he has been one of fantasy's biggest surprises to date. The K rate is likely unsustainable, but there's no reason he can't wind up a top-30 starter the rest of the way.

8. LHP Drew Smyly, Rays (LW: 9)

Smyly has been out of this world, maintaining a 10+ K/9 rate while allowing just 18 hits in 34 2/3 innings. So why isn't he a top-5 option? A lack of wins fueled by his long-ball generosity (five home runs allowed in five starts).

9. RHP Kenta Maeda, Dodgers (LW: 5)

Maeda finally looked human last time out, allowing four runs over six innings in a loss to Miami. But fantasy owners should see it as nothing more than a blip in what has been an otherwise sensational introduction to the bigs.

10. RHP Carlos Martinez, Cardinals (LW: 29)

His strikeout rate is down to 2013 levels, but that's the only knock against Martinez in 2016. His walk rate has dropped by more than a full point, and he's limiting opposing hitters to a .184/.239/.304 slash line.

11. RHP Johnny Cueto, Giants (LW: 21)

Cueto moves up 10 spots despite allowing six runs over five innings to the Reds last time out. Prior to that, Cueto tossed a complete-game shutout with 11 Ks against the Padres. He's streaky, but those strikeouts are nice.

12. LHP Jon Lester, Cubs (LW: 11)

Despite being a bit win-unlucky, Lester remains one of the steals of mixed-league fantasy drafts. He has been hit-or-miss with the strikeouts, but has held opponents to five or fewer hits in four of his five starts.

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

Thor finally met his Loki in the form of the San Francisco Giants, who roughed him up for four runs in 5 2/3 innings. Syndergaard has now had back-to-back so-so outings, but with his arsenal, it won't take him long to rebound.

14. RHP Jason Hammel, Cubs (LW: 10)

What makes Hammel such an attractive fantasy option? His ability to keep the ball in the park. After allowing 46 home runs in 2014-15, he has been taken deep just once in 29 innings so far this season.

15. LHP Jose Quintana, White Sox (LW: 19)

Quintana continues his climb to the top 10, having not allowed a run in back-to-back starts against formidable offensive teams in Texas and Toronto. He's piling up strikeouts like never before, and has yet to yield a home run.

16. RHP Marcus Stroman, Blue Jays (LW: --)

Stroman's fantasy value hinges on his ability to get strikeouts - something that had eluded him until his start Sunday, when he racked up a career-high 9 Ks in a win over Tampa Bay. He had just 14 strikeouts in his previous four starts.

17. LHP Gio Gonzalez, Nationals (LW: --)

It's been a terrific bounce-back year for Gonzalez so far, with a BABIP against more than 100 points lower than in 2015. That won't last, but his home-run stinginess and improved control could mean 15 wins and a sub-3.00 ERA.

18. LHP Rich Hill, Athletics (LW: --)

He may take years off fantasy owner's lives, but Hill has been mostly fantasy relevant through six starts. The 11.5 K/9 rate is crazy good, and he has worked his way out of trouble. But the walks are still a major issue.

19. RHP A.J. Griffin, Rangers (LW: --)

Fantasy baseball is a weird thing sometimes. After allowing an MLB-high 36 homers pitching for Oakland in 2013, Griffin returns to the majors three years later with Texas - and has given up just two long balls in 31 innings.

20. RHP Danny Salazar, Indians (LW: 23)

No starter has been less charitable from a hits perspective than Salazar, who is allowing just 4.2 per nine innings. Unfortunately, the 4.5 BB/9 rate has suppressed his upside. Both numbers should normalize shortly.

21. RHP Felix Hernandez, Mariners (LW: 27)

King Felix may soon need a new nickname: The Magician. Hernandez has allowed just five earned runs all season despite an ugly 12:11 K:BB ratio over his last three starts. He's pitching to contact, but so far, it's working.

22. RHP Taijuan Walker, Mariners (LW: 16)

Walker has betrayed his surname, issuing just three free passes through his first 30 innings. That has kept his ERA and FIP in check despite 28 hits allowed, and bodes well for his case as a top-25 pitcher ROS.

23. RHP Jimmy Nelson, Brewers (LW: 30)

All the numbers say Nelson is pitching over his head. He has coughed up seven home runs in six starts, has a 4.0 BB/9 rate and boasts a 5.16 FIP. Sell now, if you can; things are about to get bumpy.

24. RHP Ian Kennedy, Royals (LW: 20)

Fantasy owners are no doubt encouraged by Kennedy's start, but warning signs persist. His BB/9 rate is up, his K/9 rate is down, and his FIP is 1.3 points higher than his ERA. Expect some regression in May.

25. RHP Max Scherzer, Nationals (LW: --)

Scherzer finally flashed elite form last time out, striking out nine over seven shutout innings in a decisive win over host St. Louis. We'll need to see a few more starts like this before we declare him "back" - but it's a start.

26. LHP Madison Bumgarner, Giants (LW: --)

That's more like it. Bumgarner has put a rocky start behind him, allowing just four earned runs while racking up 24 strikeouts over his last three starts. He's still laboring a bit, but a return to his typical form is coming.

27. RHP Aaron Nola, Phillies (LW: --)

Nola is apparently a fast learner. Two starts after getting lit up for seven runs in a loss to Washington, he limited those same Nats to two hits over seven shutout frames. He'll be up-and-down all season, but the K rate is solid.

28. RHP Mat Latos, White Sox (LW: 8)

That sound you hear is thousands of fantasy owners leaping from the Latos bandwagon and hopping on the regression train. His ERA and WHIP still look good, but a 4.6 K/9 rate is an abomination. More normalization is coming.

29. LHP Drew Pomeranz, Padres (LW: 22)

Pomeranz will never be a master of control, but the whopping jump in K rate looks largely sustainable. If it is, he could wind up in the same boat as Tyson Ross, who carries decent fantasy value even if the wins aren't there.

30. RHP Tanner Roark, Nationals (LW: 25)

Roark may not approach the lofty K totals he posted April 15 against Minnesota, but he looks legit. The 29-year-old already has three outings of 7 IP and 0 ER allowed; consistency may be an issue, but he's a solid option.