Strike Zone

July Starter Rankings

by Matthew Pouliot

June 30, 2014, 1:04 pm ET

Updated On: October 4, 2018, 4:09 pm ET

Here are the July Rankings. Players are ranked for the remainder of the season based on how I believe they’ll perform in 5x5 leagues. Players are also listed at the positions where they’re most valuable, so if you don’t see that third baseman you’re looking for, he’s probably listed at second or short.

Click to see other July rankings:

Top 300 | C | RP | OF | 1B | 2B | SS | 3B

Editor's Note: Rotoworld's partner FanDuel is hosting a one-day $30,000 Fantasy Baseball league for Monday night's MLB games. It's $25 to join and first prize is $5,000. Starts at 7:05pm ET on Monday. Here's the FanDuel link.

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Starting pitcher Rankings

July	SP	Team	2014	May	June
1	Clayton Kershaw	Dodgers	1	1	1
2	Adam Wainwright	Cardinals	7	3	2
3	Felix Hernandez	Mariners	5	4	3
4	Madison Bumgarner	Giants	6	5	4
5	Yu Darvish	Rangers	10	10	6
6	Stephen Strasburg	Nationals	3	9	5
7	Masahiro Tanaka	Yankees	20	12	9
8	Max Scherzer	Tigers	8	8	7
9	Zack Greinke	Dodgers	17	11	8
10	Johnny Cueto	Reds	30	18	16
11	Cole Hamels	Phillies	21	23	18
12	David Price	Rays	9	13	15
13	Doug Fister	Nationals	22	20	14
14	Jordan Zimmermann	Nationals	18	16	23
15	Chris Sale	White Sox	13	28	20
16	Cliff Lee	Phillies	2	2	11
17	Homer Bailey	Reds	19	22	24
18	Julio Teheran	Braves	26	27	21
19	Alex Cobb	Rays	12	21	13
20	Justin Verlander	Tigers	4	6	10
21	Jon Lester	Red Sox	34	25	25
22	Mike Minor	Braves	27	29	22
23	Gio Gonzalez	Nationals	23	19	33
24	Corey Kluber	Indians	60	51	26
25	Sonny Gray	Athletics	32	17	17
26	Garrett Richards	Angels	113	45	49
27	Hyun-Jin Ryu	Dodgers	28	41	27
28	Matt Cain	Giants	14	26	30
29	Anibal Sanchez	Tigers	42	36	31
30	James Shields	Royals	16	15	19
31	Jeff Samardzija	Cubs	37	32	32
32	Hisashi Iwakuma	Mariners	52	38	28
33	Mat Latos	Reds	25	49	38
34	John Lackey	Red Sox	45	34	35
35	Alex Wood	Braves	48	43	60
36	C.J. Wilson	Angels	39	35	34
37	Tim Hudson	Giants	61	33	37
38	Ervin Santana	Braves	47	30	40
39	Chris Archer	Rays	36	42	41
40	Michael Wacha	Cardinals	15	14	12
41	Gerrit Cole	Pirates	24	31	29
42	R.A. Dickey	Blue Jays	29	44	42
43	Tyson Ross	Padres	57	48	43
44	Scott Kazmir	Athletics	81	64	50
45	Ian Kennedy	Padres	40	37	39
46	Lance Lynn	Cardinals	46	47	47
47	Andrew Cashner	Padres	31	24	36
48	Rick Porcello	Tigers	55	59	45
49	Jered Weaver	Angels	44	65	54
50	Yordano Ventura	Royals	71	40	53
51	Kyle Lohse	Brewers	85	52	46
52	Jason Hammel	Cubs	141	105	58
53	Wily Peralta	Brewers	117	61	51
54	Dallas Keuchel	Astros	126	94	55
55	Josh Beckett	Dodgers	123	98	68
56	Jesse Chavez	Athletics	137	50	56
57	Jose Quintana	White Sox	58	63	61
58	Drew Smyly	Tigers	62	68	65
59	Trevor Bauer	Indians	205	71	48
60	Francisco Liriano	Pirates	41	53	52
61	Andrew Heaney	Marlins	165	146	102
62	Mike Leake	Reds	66	72	62
63	Yovani Gallardo	Brewers	79	73	74
64	Dan Haren	Dodgers	53	39	44
65	Marcus Stroman	Blue Jays	158	100	70
66	Nathan Eovaldi	Marlins	83	46	59
67	Jake Arrieta	Cubs	151	132	108
68	Matt Garza	Brewers	72	67	66
69	Jon Niese	Mets	109	83	84
70	Charlie Morton	Pirates	76	80	80
71	Hiroki Kuroda	Yankees	50	69	73
72	Derek Holland	Rangers	86	79	63
73	Danny Duffy	Royals	127	101	98
74	Jesse Hahn	Padres	NR	NR	NR
75	Phil Hughes	Twins	94	119	85
76	Alfredo Simon	Reds	135 RP	118	117
77	Tanner Roark	Nationals	135	90	92
78	Zack Wheeler	Mets	65	76	76
79	Henderson Alvarez	Marlins	88	89	83
80	Tim Lincecum	Giants	70	86	78
81	Bartolo Colon	Mets	74	88	96
82	Justin Masterson	Indians	56	60	79
83	Carlos Martinez	Cardinals	95	104	111
84	Kevin Gausman	Orioles	115	109	127
85	Mark Buehrle	Blue Jays	104	103	87
86	CC Sabathia	Yankees	54	62	99
87	Wade Miley	Diamondbacks	67	92	82
88	Taijuan Walker	Mariners	96	128	114
89	Odrisamer Despaigne	Padres	NR	NR	NR
90	Brandon McCarthy	Diamondbacks	90	78	71
91	Roenis Elias	Mariners	280	112	90
92	Jake Odorizzi	Rays	140	NR	118
93	A.J. Burnett	Phillies	69	66	77
94	Shelby Miller	Cardinals	51	70	75
95	Travis Wood	Cubs	93	77	91
96	Tommy Milone	Athletics	80	125	81
97	Marco Estrada	Brewers	64	57	57
98	Dillon Gee	Mets	82	82	103
99	Jarred Cosart	Astros	167	NR	146
100	Aaron Harang	Braves	171	87	86
101	Jason Vargas	Royals	112	95	94
102	Jeremy Hellickson	Rays	84	97	93
103	Clay Buchholz	Red Sox	35	56	88
104	Collin McHugh	Astros	298	NR	138
105	Chris Tillman	Orioles	100	91	97
106	Wei-Yin Chen	Orioles	99	102	109
107	Josh Tomlin	Indians	216	NR	134
108	Jake Peavy	Red Sox	63	58	72
109	Archie Bradley	Diamondbacks	89	93	115
110	Ryan Vogelsong	Giants	198	NR	104
111	Tyler Skaggs	Angels	125	111	110
112	Drew Pomeranz	Athletics	157	107	69
113	Drew Hutchison	Blue Jays	108	81	101
114	Kyle Gibson	Twins	134	124	143
115	Tom Koehler	Marlins	156	134	112
116	Rubby De La Rosa	Red Sox	279	NR	119
117	Edwin Jackson	Cubs	91	110	95
118	Joe Kelly	Cardinals	132	122	124
119	John Danks	White Sox	87	96	113
120	J.A. Happ	Blue Jays	186	NR	NR
121	Ubaldo Jimenez	Orioles	106	115	105
122	Jimmy Nelson	Brewers	185	NR	131
123	Chris Young	Mariners	225	NR	NR
124	Jeremy Guthrie	Royals	147	144	NR
125	Tony Cingrani	Reds	33	54	64
126	Jaime Garcia	Cardinals	97	99	67
127	Brandon Workman	Red Sox	77 RP	NR	122
128	Brandon Cumpton	Pirates	231	148	149
129	Ricky Nolasco	Twins	110	129	130
130	Bronson Arroyo	Diamondbacks	116	143	116
131	Edinson Volquez	Pirates	193	136	141
132	Matt Shoemaker	Angels	248	NR	NR
133	Scott Feldman	Astros	149	145	145
134	Bud Norris	Orioles	163	149	135
135	Danny Salazar	Indians	38	55	107
136	Jhoulys Chacin	Rockies	130	117	120
137	Trevor May	Twins	259	NR	NR
138	Dylan Bundy	Orioles	282	NR	NR
139	Dan Straily	Athletics	43	75	123
140	Robbie Ray	Tigers	266	NR	137
141	Miguel Gonzalez	Orioles	73	106	100
142	Roberto Hernandez	Phillies	146	130	125
143	Erasmo Ramirez	Mariners	68	114	129
144	James Paxton	Mariners	118	127	147
145	Brad Peacock	Astros	173	NR	NR
146	Daisuke Matsuzaka	Mets	183	32 RP	126
147	Alex Meyer	Twins	240	NR	NR
148	Robbie Erlin	Padres	101	84	106
149	Jorge De La Rosa	Rockies	142	138	121
150	Brad Mills	Athletics	NR	NR	NR

Dropping off: Gavin Floyd (89th), Felix Doubront (128th), Trevor Cahill (132nd), Chad Billingsley (133rd), Jonathan Gray (136th), David Hale (139th), Yusmeiro Petit (140th), Nick Tepesch (142nd), Michael Pineda (144th), Eric Stults (148th), David Phelps (150th)

I don’t suspect he’ll have a whole lot of staying power, but the Padres’ Odrisamer Despaigne is certainly one of the more fun to watch pitchers to enter the league recently. Like Livan and especially Orlando Hernandez before him, he throws everything but the kitchen sink. Unfortunately, the fastball comes with mid-career Livan-type velocity, but he could continue to make some noise his first time around the league anyway. He checks in at No. 89 for the rest of the season, but I’d have him higher than that for July alone.

Some other pitchers who would place higher in the rankings just for the month of July: Sale, Anibal Sanchez, Alex Wood, Kazmir, Beckett and Arrieta.

Kennedy is an odd one, with a trade pretty likely on the way before the deadline. He’d certainly get better run support playing for a contender, but he’d probably wind up in a significantly worse situation for his ERA and WHIP. So, when he does get moved, he might actually drop a few more spots.

Rubby De La Rosa would have been ranked third highest of Red Sox starters here, except the Red Sox went and sent him down in order to stick with Peavy a little longer. I imagine we’ll see De La Rosa back after the break, if not in place of Peavy then perhaps over Workman. The Red Sox will stick with Buchholz as long as he’s healthy, but I’m not sure whether that will end up paying dividends. Buchholz checks in at No. 102 for now, but that’s probably either 40 spots too low or 40 spots too high.

While Meyer remains the more exciting prospect, we should see May first in Minnesota, assuming he overcomes his current calf injury as quickly as anticipated. May is 8-4 with a 2.94 ERA and an 81/31 K/BB ratio in 79 2/3 innings in Triple-A. Meyer is 4-4 with a 3.61 ERA and an 86/35 K/BB in 77 1/3 innings.