September Starter Rankings

Time for some September rankings. If you’re hoping for a callup bonanza, I expect that you’ll be disappointed; most of the big names are either up or they’re not coming. There will be final-month surprises, of course, and predicting what any player is going to do over the course of 25 games or so is a fool’s errand. But, then, that’s why they pay me.

Remember that players are listed at the position at which they’re most valuable (C > SS > 2B > 3B > 1B/OF).

Click to see other September rankings:

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

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Starting pitcher Rankings

Sept	SP	Team	2018	July	Aug
1	Max Scherzer	Nationals	2	1	1
2	Corey Kluber	Indians	3	2	2
3	Clayton Kershaw	Dodgers	1	7	3
4	Jacob deGrom	Mets	8	4	6
5	Aaron Nola	Phillies	11	10	8
6	Noah Syndergaard	Mets	5	8	7
7	Gerrit Cole	Astros	39	9	9
8	Justin Verlander	Astros	10	5	5
9	Carlos Carrasco	Indians	7	13	11
10	Madison Bumgarner	Giants	26	11	12
11	Blake Snell	Rays	42	15	19
12	Luis Severino	Yankees	12	6	10
13	David Price	Red Sox	24	23	20
14	Zack Greinke	Diamondbacks	27	19	16
15	Miles Mikolas	Cardinals	74	17	15
16	Cole Hamels	Cubs	57	60	32
17	Charlie Morton	Astros	38	22	17
18	Patrick Corbin	Diamondbacks	61	33	29
19	Dallas Keuchel	Astros	18	26	21
20	Jack Flaherty	Cardinals	85	35	26
21	Kevin Gausman	Braves	50	66	45
22	James Paxton	Mariners	14	12	13
23	Kyle Hendricks	Cubs	15	21	25
24	Chris Archer	Pirates	16	25	18
25	Jose Quintana	Cubs	13	18	23
26	Rich Hill	Dodgers	32	39	33
27	Masahiro Tanaka	Yankees	23	27	22
28	Rick Porcello	Red Sox	51	37	31
29	Mike Foltynewicz	Braves	99	47	39
30	Chris Sale	Red Sox	4	3	4
31	Jameson Taillon	Pirates	43	45	36
32	Stephen Strasburg	Nationals	6	14	24
33	Walker Buehler	Dodgers	113	49	51
34	Mike Clevinger	Indians	81	43	35
35	Jon Lester	Cubs	22	24	27
36	Michael Kopech	White Sox	220	129	131
37	Jose Berrios	Twins	47	32	30
38	Jake Arrieta	Phillies	29	29	34
39	Alex Wood	Dodgers	21	31	37
40	Zack Wheeler	Mets	154	99	42
41	J.A. Happ	Yankees	63	41	47
42	Nick Pivetta	Phillies	146	54	49
43	Tanner Roark	Nationals	59	65	50
44	Carlos Rodon	White Sox	91	73	56
45	Zack Godley	Diamondbacks	19	50	43
46	Robbie Ray	Diamondbacks	17	30	28
47	Jon Gray	Rockies	36	92	44
48	Luis Castillo	Reds	25	55	46
49	Shane Bieber	Indians	219	48	58
50	Joe Musgrove	Pirates	48	69	63
51	Mike Montgomery	Cubs	80	63	71
52	Anthony DeSclafani	Reds	87	81	70
53	Austin Gomber	Cardinals	191	168	78
54	Anibal Sanchez	Braves	173	90	72
55	Andrew Heaney	Angels	52	53	48
56	Vince Velasquez	Phillies	94	78	57
57	Hyun-Jin Ryu	Dodgers	123	107	97
58	Gio Gonzalez	Nationals	55	51	54
59	Sean Newcomb	Braves	124	56	52
60	Eduardo Rodriguez	Red Sox	78	62	74
61	Dereck Rodriguez	Giants	NR	112	67
62	Nathan Eovaldi	Red Sox	144	97	64
63	Tyler Glasnow	Rays	107	108	100
64	Freddy Peralta	Brewers	287	64	65
65	Dylan Bundy	Orioles	65	57	62
66	Ross Stripling	Dodgers	92	34	40
67	Trevor Cahill	Athletics	120	105	85
68	Brad Peacock	Astros	67	82	60
69	Kyle Gibson	Twins	168	72	66
70	Trevor Williams	Pirates	148	147	112
71	Julio Teheran	Braves	72	86	91
72	Jake Odorizzi	Twins	62	70	81
73	Michael Fulmer	Tigers	60	59	93
74	Chase Anderson	Brewers	68	80	76
75	Marcus Stroman	Blue Jays	30	42	41
76	Joey Lucchesi	Padres	199	74	77
77	Zach Eflin	Phillies	388	77	79
78	Michael Wacha	Cardinals	54	71	84
79	Danny Duffy	Royals	71	67	69
80	Mike Fiers	Athletics	205	167	101
81	Trevor Bauer	Indians	46	16	14
82	Lance Lynn	Yankees	98	115	102
83	Mike Leake	Mariners	97	98	94
84	Ryan Yarbrough	Rays	208	NR	NR
85	Tyson Ross	Cardinals	186	75	82
86	Aaron Sanchez	Blue Jays	53	76	98
87	Daniel Poncedeleon	Cardinals	NR	NR	NR
88	Clay Buchholz	Diamondbacks	161	NR	120
89	Alex Cobb	Orioles	82	126	110
90	Mike Minor	Rangers	86	116	99
91	Matt Boyd	Tigers	176	135	126
92	Sonny Gray	Yankees	49	61	90
93	Dan Straily	Marlins	108	94	95
94	Matt Harvey	Reds	75	109	108
95	Junior Guerra	Brewers	140	88	73
96	Trevor Richards	Marlins	158	153	96
97	Felix Pena	Angels	156 RP	128	134
98	Steven Matz	Mets	88	68	105
99	Yonny Chirinos	Rays	153	NR	115
100	Jalen Beeks	Rays	281	NR	139
101	Erasmo Ramirez	Mariners	103	163	162
102	Marco Estrada	Blue Jays	77	101	92
103	CC Sabathia	Yankees	130	120	113
104	Jhoulys Chacin	Brewers	149	133	125
105	German Marquez	Rockies	127	156	152
106	Jacob Nix	Padres	NR	NR	NR
107	Framber Valdez	Astros	NR	NR	NR
108	Ivan Nova	Pirates	90	91	106
109	Tyler Skaggs	Angels	126	58	75
110	Jake Faria	Rays	56	114	119
111	Collin McHugh	Astros	118	124	80
112	Jefry Rodriguez	Nationals	NR	NR	NR
113	Corey Oswalt	Mets	222	NR	103
114	John Gant	Cardinals	167	118	151
115	Brad Keller	Royals	394	125	116
116	Ryan Borucki	Blue Jays	245	141	83
117	Luke Weaver	Cardinals	33	46	53
118	Jaime Barria	Angels	247	127	124
119	Drew Pomeranz	Red Sox	69	85	89
120	Bryse Wilson	Braves	NR	NR	NR
121	Nick Kingham	Pirates	184	79	118
122	Derek Holland	Giants	162	NR	130
123	Tyler Mahle	Reds	119	113	164
124	Pablo Lopez	Marlins	317	159	141
125	Sean Manaea	Athletics	66	52	55
126	Kyle Freeland	Rockies	178	NR	NR
127	Robbie Erlin	Padres	221	NR	142
128	Felix Hernandez	Mariners	79	100	123
129	Alec Mills	Cubs	147	NR	NR
130	Shohei Ohtani	Angels	35	96	128
131	Daniel Mengden	Athletics	143	134	153
132	Brock Stewart	Dodgers	100	143	NR
133	Jeremy Hellickson	Nationals	117	103	104
134	Matt Andriese	Diamondbacks	112	150	133
135	Brian Johnson	Red Sox	172	NR	149
136	Touki Toussaint	Braves	350	NR	NR
137	Adam Plutko	Indians	380	NR	161
138	Cody Reed	Reds	163	NR	NR
139	Marco Gonzales	Mariners	204	123	86
140	Sandy Alcantara	Marlins	275	145	155
141	Jordan Zimmermann	Tigers	336	162	156
142	Jake Junis	Royals	142	152	145
143	Adam Wainwright	Cardinals	110	NR	NR
144	Lance McCullers	Astros	28	28	68
145	Tyler Anderson	Rockies	89	111	109
146	Tyler Chatwood	Cubs	84	104	121
147	Edwin Jackson	Athletics	NR	NR	157
148	Lucas Giolito	White Sox	116	NR	NR
149	Wade LeBlanc	Mariners	213	142	137
150	Andrew Suarez	Giants	NR	132	135
151	Kolby Allard	Braves	190	NR	117
152	Wade Miley	Brewers	159	NR	147
153	Robert Stephenson	Reds	231	NR	122
154	Sean Reid-Foley	Blue Jays	383	169	159
155	Chris Bassitt	Athletics	233	140	NR
156	Reynaldo Lopez	White Sox	133	136	146
157	Brett Anderson	Athletics	188	NR	132
158	Chris Stratton	Giants	138	NR	NR
159	Max Fried	Braves	271	137	140
160	Brett Kennedy	Padres	NR	NR	127
161	Nick Tropeano	Angels	102	121	150
162	Dakota Hudson	Cardinals	378	138	111
163	Steven Wright	Red Sox	125	106	144
164	Frankie Montas	Athletics	182 RP	130	169
165	Jose Urena	Marlins	240	154	160
166	Fernando Romero	Twins	239	102	114
167	Jordan Lyles	Brewers	291	117	136
168	Zach Davies	Brewers	93	NR	166
169	Francisco Liriano	Tigers	145	160	143
170	Yusmeiro Petit	Athletics	121	170	158
171	Jerad Eickhoff	Phillies	129	144	148
172	Sam Gaviglio	Blue Jays	351	161	170
173	Wei-Yin Chen	Marlins	164	NR	NR
174	Matt Shoemaker	Angels	45	NR	NR
175	Jason Vargas	Mets	115	158	167

Dropping off: Yu Darvish (59th), Ervin Santana (87th), Jeff Samardzija (88th), Jimmy Nelson (107th), Adalberto Mejia (129th), Clayton Richard (138th), Brandon McCarthy (154th), Chance Adams (163rd), Luiz Gohara (165th), Mike Soroka (168th)

• Stephen Strasburg’s fluctuating velocity has me worried that a September shutdown might be on the way.

• Cody Reed is about to get his one last chance as a starter in Cincinnati. It should have happened three weeks ago after he finished up a three-start stretch for Louisville in which he allowed four runs and posted a 26/2 K/BB ratio in 22 1/3 innings, but instead he was called up to join the bullpen (he’s since pitched eight innings in three weeks). I don’t have high expectations, but Reed has always had the stuff to succeed. The Reds’ handling of him has been consistently terrible (see also Stephenson, Robert).

• A’s phenom Jesus Luzardo didn’t make the cut here. Given his innings restrictions, I’m guessing he pitches in relief if the A’s give him the call, even though it has to be a little more tempting to put him into the rotation with Sean Manaea down.