This week’s question: How do you rank these five starting pitchers for the rest of the season: Gerrit Cole, Paul Skenes, Robbie Ray, Garrett Crochet and Blake Snell?
Grey Albright (RazzBall, @razzball): Skenes………………..Snell, Crochet, Ray……..Gerrit Cole will need surgery before next Opening Day
Matt Truss (Razzball, @MattTruss): Skenes, everybody else (Snell, Ray, Crochet for K/9 only, Cole)
Sky Dombroske (Fantistics Insider Baseball, @SkyDombroske): Snell, Skenes, Ray, Cole, Crochet. Snell is on an absolute heater right now. Cole doesn’t look right at all, but trusting anything about the White Sox seems chancy.
Eric Samulski (Rotoballer, @SamskiNYC): Skenes, Snell, Cole, Ray, Crochet. Hard to say Cole is 100% back given we’ve seen the command of his pitches vary from start to start. The White Sox limiting Crochet’s innings is hurting his value
Doug Dennis (BaseballHQ, @dougdennis41): Skenes… gap… Ray, Snell or Snell, Ray (could go either way). Another gap. Gotta feel for Crochet situation. And don’t understand what is going on with Cole. If something is wrong with Cole, what are the Yankees even doing?
Carlos Marcano (Triple Play Fantasy, @camarcano): Skenes, Ray, Snell, Cole, Crochet. Skenes is just otherworldly as everybody knows, Ray looks like the CY version of himself, just older, Snell is on a roll, Cole feels iffy, and Crochet will continue being limited and 4 IP per game are not going to make it for me.
Nick Pollack (Pitcher List, @PitcherList): Paul Skenes, Blake Snell, Gerrit Cole, Robbie Ray, Garrett Crochet. It’s possible this changes next week if Cole is starting to use his slider more effectively or if Ray showcases more volatility or if Crochet is allowed to toss 90 pitches again. As of now, those questions put them in this order with Skenes’ consistency favoring him over Snell, despite #HotSnellSummer. We all know Snell’s curveball feel could disappear overnight, which would put the brakes on his explosive run (even if we don’t expect it to).
Patrick Davitt (BaseballHQ, @patrickdavitt): 1. Skenes/Snell …. 3. Ray/Cole … 5. Crochet. Clearly both Skenes and Snell have mitigating concerns, IP for Skenes if PIT drops back, injury risk for Snell because…well, he’s Snell. But all five of these guys look at least somewhat risky for various reasons, and since my Ouija board is at the garage for a tune-up, I’ll just go by what I see.
Todd Zola (Mastersball, @toddzola): Please don’t tell Nick, but I’m ranking Snell No. 1. I’ve been one of his biggest skeptics (Snell, not Nick, who can question Nick?) but I’ve seen enough to trust him down the stretch, and I don’t see Snell missing any starts. Skenes is just silly good (duh), but he could have his workload tempered. I’m torn on Cole versus Ray. It’s hard to judge whether Ray’s command and control is 100% back after rehabbing from TJS, since he rarely exhibits them solidly anyway. I think I’ll give Cole the nod, expecting him to figure it out, though Grey has a point with the health concern. That leaves Ray, then Crochet. That said, I am not running away from Ray (unless it’s Flowers or Murphy and they claim I owe them some money).
Tristan H. Cockcroft (ESPN, @SultanofStat): Has anyone considered that Skenes is on pace for 162 innings and change despite being on a strict five-days’-rest schedule, for a team that’s probably not making the playoffs? I’m as much of a fan as anyone, but it’s hard to fathom this much of a divide in opinion over worries about Crochet’s and Skenes’ potential September workloads. Snell, Skenes, Cole, Ray, Crochet (whose might already be done as a fantasy contributor) for me.
Vlad Sedler (FTN Fantasy, @rotogut): Skenes, Snell/Ray, Cole, Crochet. Wins are a roto category, and Crochet will be hard-pressed to earn them as the White Sox leave kid gloves on him and are cautious allowing him to pitch more than four innings per start. It was already difficult for White Sox’ pitchers to rack up wins, but this makes it near impossible. Snell and Ray will both be exceptional down the stretch and should be among the K% leaders the rest of this season.
Ryan Boyer (Rotowire, Baseball Prospectus, @RyanPBoyer): I’ve got Snell at the top, followed closely by Skenes. Snell presents obvious risk, but when he’s cooking, boy, does he cook. Additionally, the injuries he dealt with earlier in the season could be a blessing in disguise since he should be fresh down the stretch. I have him over Skenes because of the risk of Skenes’ workload being tempered if/when the Pirates fall out of playoff contention. Rounding out the five for me are Cole, Ray and Crochet.
Jeff Erickson (Rotowire, @Jeff_Erickson): I also have Snell at the top, followed by Skenes. Like Tristan suggested, I’m concerned about Operation Shutdown when it comes to Skenes, especially seeing what the Padres did to the Pirates this week. I’d follow that with Ray, then Cole, and then finally Crochet. The shutdown/White Sox concerns weigh way too heavily on Crochet – I wouldn’t be surprised if he doesn’t throw a single pitch in September.
Tim McLeod ( Prospect361, @RunTMcP361): Snell (On a roll and will be out there every fifth day), Skenes (The Pirates will shut him down at some point, one would think?), Cole ( Won’t overwork him with the playoffs looming), Ray (With his walk rates and on a pitch count, getting through 5 innings could prove a challenge), and finally Crochet (He’ll shut himself down if that hasn’t already started to occur). I agree with Jeff re:Crochet and wouldn’t be counting on much if anything in September.
Garion Thorne (DraftKings, @GarionThorne): Think you have to go Skenes at the top of the list. He’s leading MLB in ERA (1.99) and he’s sixth in strikeouts (107) since debuting on May 11. Snell and Ray feel like the next tier. Snell’s been incredible since using rehab as Spring Training, while Ray’s just a poor man’s version of his teammate. Not that poor, though, as evidenced by a 17.3% swinging strike rate. Finally, I’ll take Cole over Crochet to close things out. Cole’s numbers (and elbow) are worrisome, but Crochet might just be a glorified long man at this point. Who knows how he’ll be deployed in September.
Chris Clegg (Pitcher List, @RotoClegg): Snell, Skenes, Cole, Ray, Crochet. Snell has been the best second half pitcher in baseball since 2021 and looks like he is doing it again this year. He and Skenes are close at the top for me.
Scott White (CBS Fantasy Sports, @CBSScottWhite): The Pirates did a good job managing Paul Skenes’ innings at the front end, so I don’t think he’ll have any workload concerns and should be No. 1. I’ll admit it’s weird the way Blake Snell just turns on a dime midseason, going from being completely unusable to the best pitcher in baseball, but after three consecutive years of it, I’m inclined to bet on it happening again, making him No. 2. I’ll stick with Gerrit Cole at No. 3 for now, but he’ll need to get his act together soon. Let’s put Robbie Ray No. 4. I’ve mostly been happy with what I’ve seen in his handful of starts back from Tommy John surgery, but he’s been pretty erratic over the years, which makes for a wide range of possible outcomes. Garrett Crochet is No. 5, and it’s entirely because of workload concerns. Preserving his value should be the White Sox’s top objective to close out the season.
Jeff Boggis (Fantasy Football Empire, @JeffBoggis): It all depends on if the Pittsburgh Pirates shut down Paul Skenes early or not. I’m going to rank Paul Skenes first. Blake Snell is pitching well and is ranked a close 2nd. I have Ray 3rd, Cole 4th, and Garrett Crochet 5th. The wildcard here is Cole as he’s not pitching very well right now.
Howard Bender (Fantasy Alarm, @RotoBuzzGuy): Snell, Cole Skenes (I fear the shutdown), Ray, Crochet (another shutdown coming)
Phil Hertz (Baseball HQ, @prhz50): 1. Snell – the ace is back. 2. Skenes – a little risk of a September shutdown, but a risk I’ll take; 3. Ray – here because I prefer him to 4 and 5. 4. Cole – I don’t think he’s 100% and NYY will be careful with him. 5. Crochet – terrible team and a shutdown coming, perhaps before August is over.
Ron Shandler (RonShandler.com, @RonShandler): I’d rather have seen a ranking of how many innings everyone thinks these pitchers are going to get the rest of the way. That’s going to be the driving factor behind any other rankings. Once Pittsburgh falls out of wild card contention, Skenes’ value will drop. Snells’ heath will always be a question. I would not be the least surprised to see Ray as the most valuable the rest of the way.
Lauren Auerbach (Fantrax, @lkauerbach): Skenes/Snell/Ray/Cole/Crochet. Skenes has been successful pitching every six days, and I expect that to continue — especially while the Pirates are in the playoff hunt. Snell closes out seasons on a strong note and ranks as a close second for me. Ray can be volatile but brings strikeout upside and could surprise rest of season. Cole hasn’t looked very Cole-esque this season — Ks are down and command is shaky. He has the talent to turn things around, but color me concerned. Crochet hasn’t surpassed four innings in his last six starts while carrying a 13.9% K-BB% in that stretch. That’s not going to cut it moving forward.
Fred Zinkie (Yahoo/Rotowire, @FredZinkieMLB): Skenes, Snell, Ray, Cole, Crochet. To me, there is a big drop-off after the top two. And another drop-off before Crochet, who may not earn another win this season.
Larry Schechter (Winning Fantasy Baseball, @LarrySchechter): Skenes, Snell, Cole, Ray, Crochet. Crochet shouldn’t even be on this list, probably won’t pitch 5 innings again which means zero wins.
CJ Kaltenbach (Fantasy Guru, @TheSeigeDFS): Snell, Skenes (only #2 because of the shutdown risk) HUGE GAP, EVEN MORE OF A GAP, Then Cole (injury risk but will pitch rest of the way), then Ray (shutdown risk at end of the year) and Crochet is closer to a cut than being on this list thanks to him never pitching 5+ innings anymore
Scott Chu (Pitcher List, @ifthechufits): SKUBAL, Skenes, Snell…………… Ray, Cole…………. Crochet. One thing on shutdown risk – teams have gotten more creative on how they limit innings, and also, I tend to be more worried about injury/poor performance than the shutdowns themselves. I get too many questions about what to do when so-and-so gets shut down, and the reality is that unless that shut down is in the next 2 starts, there isn’t anything actionable. And why aren’t we asking about Skubal? People should be talking about Skubal all the time because that high leg kick and nasty stuff make this world a happier place.
Michael A. Stein (Fantasy Judgment, @FantasyJudgment): 1. Skenes – of course there is a risk he gets shut down, but if the Pirates remain on the periphery of a wild card position, then it is hard to imagine they pull the plug on him. 2. Snell – I have never been a fan of his but there is no denying that he has been dominant lately and is certainly pitching like he has something to prove. 3. Cole – he clearly does not seem right, but he is a gamer and will find some way to still be productive. However, if he is trying to fight through something more serious then all bets are off. 4. Ray – it is always tricky when immediately coming back from Tommy John surgery. Expect inconsistency and a possible shut down if the Giants truly fall out of playoff contention. 5. Crochet – he has been a nice story and the only positive aspect of the White Sox season, but I think it is all downhill from here.
Rick Graham (Pitcher List, @IAmRickGraham): Snell, Skenes…Cole, Ray…Crochet. I think Snell vs Skenes is a toss-up but I’m leaning Snell here because he’s peaking at the right time while there’s risk Skenes is limited down the stretch. Cole and Ray are close for the 3rd spot, both having their issues when it comes to health, but I’ll give Cole the edge given what his upside can be. Crochet will be limited down the stretch and there’s a very good chance he won’t get a win again this season.
Bret Sayre (Baseball Prospectus, @BretSayreBP): Snell, Skenes, Cole, Ray, Crochet. When Snell is on a heater, there’s almost no one better. I do think Cole turns it around over the last two months but without the same kind of strikeout numbers we usually come to expect from him. Crochet may not have more than 30 innings left in him the rest of the way.
Alan Harrison (The Fantasy Fix, @TheFantasyFix): Skenes, Snell, Ray, Cole and Crochet. Skenes has been and should continue to be a force for as long as the Pirates let him go. Second-half Snell is here – he’s been out of his mind. Ray is back. Is Cole okay? Crochet was a fun story while it lasted but the limited innings and team context makes him last on this list.
Glenn Colton (SiriusXM Fantasy, @GlennColton1): This is tough, and it is tough to feel super confident about any. Call me a homer but I think Gerrit Cole rises to the occasion as the Yankees desperately need him to be well, Cole. As to Paul Skenes and Garrett Crochet, tough to trust that their teams will fire that many more bullets and thus, their value for this year, is questionable. As to Ray and Snell, do you feel lucky? My ranks: Cole, Skenes, Ray, Snell, Crochet.
Dave Adler (Baseball HQ, @daveadler01): Cole rights the ship over the rest of the year, so I have him at 1. Snell second as his strand rate normalizes. Skenes and Crochet probably up against innings limit, so while they will pitch well, their usage is likely to be curtailed. Ray last…
Michael Govier (Pallazzo Podcast, @mjgovier): Skenes/Ray/Cole/Snell/Crochet for me. Crochet has to be looking at a reduction in innings here any day now. I can’t imagine they run him out there regularly ROS. Skenes is a god. I completely missed out incredible he would be right off the bat. I have no shares at all. He just got drafted last year for crying out loud! I am in awe of what he has done. Ray has looked good since returning & the Giants are on fire right now! Maybe I should have put Snell second & Ray 4th? I am always against Snell because I don’t trust his consistency, but is Ray really that much more consistent than Snell? I may need to check myself before I wreck myself.
Shelly Verougstraete (Fantasy Feud Podcast, @ShellyV_643): Snell, Skenes, Ray, Cole, Crochet. Snell appears to be on one of his patented hot streaks. I’m worried about Cole. Something just seems off.
D.J. Short (NBC Sports, @djshort): I’ll put them in tiers. Tier 1 – Snell, Skenes, Tier 2 – Cole, Ray, Tier 3 – Crochet. Snell has the least questions of anyone on this list, at least in terms of certainty through the end of the season. The Pirates are sliding and therefore the chances of a shutdown in September appears more likely.
Scott Engel (The Game Day, @ScottETheKing): Tough call on the top two as Skenes may fall off a bit and Cole will likely be the real Cole the rest of the way. I will lean to Cole first then Skenes. Snell would be third, as he has quickly recaptured good form. and Ray fourth, even though I like him. The shine has worn off Crochet and I will now be looking ahead to his 2025 campaign.
Brian Entrekin (Fantasy Pros, BaseballHQ, @bdentrek): Fun list here. I have 2H Snell leading the way. Give me Skenes second, hoping he can finish the season strong. Cole and Ray are a 3A/3B. Crochet is a distant 5th, I even dropped him in my leagues this week.
Corbin Young (Baseball HQ, Rotowire, @corbin_young21): Snell, Skenes, Ray, Crochet, Cole. Snell and Skenes have shown ace-like upside to carry your squads. Ray and Crochet have some volatility but still have above-average skills on a per-inning basis. It’s probably injury related, but Cole’s metrics look concerning. Cole’s skills went from elite to above average to mediocre in 2024, and it’s unlikely for him to bounce back completely.
Anthony Aniano (Rotoballer, @AAnianoFantasy): Skenes at the top of the list. He’s must watch TV at this point. I expect Cole to find his groove and remind people he’s a CY Young Winner at number 2. Snell sits 3rd since it seems he’s finally woken up and decided to pitch. Ray sits 4th and Crochet comes in last because on inning and obvious team concerns.
Frank Stampfl (SportsGrid, RotoExperts, @Roto_Frank): I’ll go Skenes, Snell, Cole, Ray, Crochet. Skenes has looked a touch more human recently but still boasts ridiculous K-BB% and GB%. Snell looks to be fully back to Cy Young form, which makes him a borderline ace. Skenes edges Snell out because of control but it’s close between the two. Gerrit Cole finally looked like himself this weekend, racking up 26 swinging strikes on 90 pitches against the Rangers. I need to see more consistency before I fully buy back in. Robbie Ray has mostly been solid but the velocity was down in his latest start plus I think Cole’s upside is still higher. Crochet checks in last because I have no idea what to expect moving forward. He got bombed in his latest start and hasn’t thrown more than four innings in a start since June 30. My guess is the White Sox continue to limit Crochet, perhaps even shut him down completely.
Joe Gallina (Fantasy Alarm, @joegallina): Snell is my number one. He’s hot, the Giants are hot, and he’s always been a very good second half pitcher (3.98 career first half ERA, 2.41 in the second half). I would have picked Skenes as my number one but with the Pirates tanking right now, wins might be tough to come by. Cole is number three, but he has been pitching much better lately and by the end of the season he’ll likely be performing like the ace that fantasy managers drafted him to be. Robbie Ray has pitched well but Cole has a better chance of giving fantasy managers wins. That leaves Crochet who is a good pitcher, pitching for a horrible team who will have his innings limited the rest of the way.
Matt Cederholm (Baseball HQ, @TheBigHurtHQ): Skenes, despite potential IP limit. Ray looks back to 2022 form. Cole should be heathy ROS. Snell is hot, until he’s not. Crochet has too many team-related questions to trust ROS.
Eric Cross (Rotoballer, @EricCross04): It feels weird to rank a rookie first here, but that’s how good Paul Skenes is. Gotta go with Gerrit Cole after that followed by Blake Snell, Robbie Ray, and Garrett Crochet. The only reason why Crochet is last is that I believe he gets shut down soon. He just went past the 120-inning mark after having 12.2 innings combined in 2022/2023 and a previous career high of 54.1 innings back in 2021. With the White Sox on pace for a million losses this season, it makes sense for them to shut down their prized lefty soon.
Seth Trachtman (SethRoto.com, Yardbarker, @sethroto): Snell, Skenes, Ray, Cole, Crochet. I find it really tough to put Skenes No. 1 because of the innings uncertainty, especially if Pittsburgh falls out of the race in early September. Snell is in a groove, so I’ll put him No. 1 and Ray’s velo has also shown promise. I’m not sure we will ever see peak Gerrit Cole again given the velo decline, and Crochet is struggling and on a pitch count.
Joe Orrico (Fantasy Pros, @JoeOrrico99): Snell, Skenes, Ray, Cole, and Crochet. Snell looks primed to be an SP1 down the stretch (as he seems to do every year). Skenes is great but I worry about some potential restrictions over the final month, and he’s also looked a bit more human as of late. Ray vs Cole is an interesting one, but I just don’t trust that Cole is fully healthy, on top of the signs of decline we have seen over the past year or so. Crochet would arguably be 1/2 on this list for me without the restrictions that CWS has put on him as of late. You could argue that he’s droppable in shallow formats at this point
Steve Gardner (USA TODAY Sports, @SteveAGardner): 1. Snell, 2. Skenes, 3. Cole, 4. Ray, 5. Crochet. All based on innings pitched, which translates to more strikeouts and wins. I believe in Snell finishing strong and in Skenes’ talent. Cole has been a mystery this season but can find the groove at any time. Not sure what Ray can give down the stretch. And there’s no reason for the White Sox to push Crochet at all ROS.
Greg Jewett (The Athletic, @gjewett9): Snell seems to be the consensus pick. I understand worries about Cole and his workload, but the Yankees have the third easiest remaining schedule, and Skenes’ workload will be tapered soon. Going against the groupthink a bit here: Snell, Cole, Skenes, Ray, and Crochet.
Ian Kahn (@IanKahn4): This is tough, and I keep moving guys around except for Crochet. He has to be the bottom no? Then Cole, because he could be actually hurt. Then Ray, because he looks like old Rob Ray out there, and that is grunty and good. Then Blake Snell, because he’s certainly got the guns, and hasn’t used many bullets, and he throws real good when he throws good. Right now he’s throwing real good. Then Skenes, but not by a mile, because yeah, he’s better by a mile, but he only could be running 1/2 of that mile. But he is really good at running metaphorical miles. SO Skenes, Snell, Ray, Cole and Crochet. Have an excellent day!
