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Here are some final-month rankings. With only two extra roster spots per team limiting the influx of new players, this September shouldn’t be quite as crazy as usual, though COVID might have something to say about that. As always, players are ranked by position and then combined into an overall top 300 list.
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 | 2021 | Aug |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Scherzer | Dodgers | 5 | 1 |
| 2 | Walker Buehler | Dodgers | 4 | 4 |
| 3 | Gerrit Cole | Yankees | 3 | 6 |
| 4 | Joe Musgrove | Padres | 21 | 7 |
| 5 | Robbie Ray | Blue Jays | 102 | 15 |
| 6 | Corbin Burnes | Brewers | 22 | 8 |
| 7 | Kevin Gausman | Giants | 28 | 3 |
| 8 | Zack Wheeler | Phillies | 34 | 2 |
| 9 | Lucas Giolito | White Sox | 12 | 10 |
| 10 | Julio Urias | Dodgers | 31 | 11 |
| 11 | Luis Castillo | Reds | 9 | 5 |
| 12 | Brandon Woodruff | Brewers | 19 | 12 |
| 13 | Chris Sale | Red Sox | 64 | 31 |
| 14 | Aaron Nola | Phillies | 10 | 9 |
| 15 | Jose Berrios | Blue Jays | 24 | 13 |
| 16 | Frankie Montas | Athletics | 49 | 29 |
| 17 | Logan Webb | Giants | 55 | 48 |
| 18 | Sandy Alcantara | Marlins | 38 | 27 |
| 19 | Charlie Morton | Braves | 35 | 28 |
| 20 | Yu Darvish | Padres | 13 | 18 |
| 21 | Lance Lynn | White Sox | 32 | 14 |
| 22 | Freddy Peralta | Brewers | 60 | 21 |
| 23 | Kyle Hendricks | Cubs | 18 | 16 |
| 24 | Zac Gallen | Diamondbacks | 25 | 30 |
| 25 | Zack Greinke | Astros | 26 | 17 |
| 26 | Carlos Carrasco | Mets | 30 | 20 |
| 27 | Sean Manaea | Athletics | 54 | 19 |
| 28 | Carlos Rodon | White Sox | 140 | 39 |
| 28 | Max Fried | Braves | 39 | 41 |
| 30 | Marcus Stroman | Mets | 62 | 43 |
| 31 | Lance McCullers Jr. | Astros | 44 | 34 |
| 32 | Alek Manoah | Blue Jays | NR | 37 |
| 33 | Sonny Gray | Reds | 36 | 36 |
| 34 | Hyun-Jin Ryu | Blue Jays | 40 | 23 |
| 35 | Tyler Mahle | Reds | 73 | 38 |
| 36 | Shohei Ohtani | Angels | 80 | 42 |
| 37 | Blake Snell | Padres | 15 | 66 |
| 38 | Framber Valdez | Astros | 76 | 46 |
| 39 | Adam Wainwright | Cardinals | 138 | 54 |
| 40 | Ian Anderson | Braves | 37 | 61 |
| 41 | Trevor Rogers | Marlins | 142 | 44 |
| 42 | Jacob deGrom | Mets | 1 | 26 |
| 43 | Wade Miley | Reds | 167 | 65 |
| 44 | Nathan Eovaldi | Red Sox | 65 | 45 |
| 45 | Tarik Skubal | Tigers | 63 | 71 |
| 46 | Dylan Cease | White Sox | NR | 59 |
| 47 | Huascar Ynoa | Braves | NR | 85 |
| 48 | Anthony DeSclafani | Giants | 78 | 40 |
| 49 | Ranger Suarez | Phillies | NR | 100 |
| 50 | Luis Garcia | Astros | NR | 51 |
| 51 | Yusei Kikuchi | Mariners | 52 | 49 |
| 52 | Chris Paddack | Padres | 16 | 58 |
| 53 | Cal Quantrill | Indians | 135 | 142 |
| 54 | Shane McClanahan | Rays | NR | 70 |
| 55 | Jose Urquidy | Astros | 17 | 62 |
| 56 | Eduardo Rodriguez | Red Sox | 70 | 60 |
| 57 | Drew Smyly | Braves | 41 | 56 |
| 58 | Edward Cabrera | Marlins | NR | NR |
| 59 | Elieser Hernandez | Marlins | 48 | 90 |
| 60 | Joe Ryan | Twins | NR | 127 |
| 61 | Josiah Gray | Nationals | NR | 76 |
| 62 | Luis Patino | Rays | 123 | 55 |
| 63 | John Means | Orioles | 72 | 50 |
| 64 | Jordan Montgomery | Yankees | 75 | 74 |
| 65 | Bailey Ober | Twins | NR | 98 |
| 66 | Triston McKenzie | Indians | 66 | 92 |
| 67 | Steven Matz | Blue Jays | 139 | 82 |
| 68 | Johnny Cueto | Giants | 154 | 73 |
| 69 | Logan Gilbert | Mariners | 172 | 57 |
| 70 | Alex Wood | Giants | 136 | 64 |
| 71 | Marco Gonzales | Mariners | 67 | 105 |
| 72 | Jake Odorizzi | Astros | 61 | 67 |
| 73 | German Marquez | Rockies | 79 | 68 |
| 74 | James Kaprielian | Athletics | NR | 112 |
| 75 | Glenn Otto | Rangers | NR | NR |
| 76 | Taijuan Walker | Mets | 90 | 84 |
| 77 | Zach Plesac | Indians | 29 | 47 |
| 78 | Tylor Megill | Mets | NR | 83 |
| 79 | Kwang-Hyun Kim | Cardinals | 85 | 75 |
| 80 | Casey Mize | Tigers | 87 | 79 |
| 81 | Aaron Civale | Indians | 56 | 88 |
| 82 | Rich Hill | Mets | 95 | 93 |
| 83 | Drew Rasmussen | Rays | NR | NR |
| 84 | Clayton Kershaw | Dodgers | 7 | 25 |
| 85 | Matthew Boyd | Tigers | 84 | 113 |
| 86 | Kyle Gibson | Phillies | NR | 89 |
| 87 | Nestor Cortes | Yankees | NR | NR |
| 88 | Tanner Houck | Red Sox | NR | 104 |
| 89 | Jameson Taillon | Yankees | 100 | 95 |
| 90 | Chris Flexen | Mariners | 170 | 128 |
| 91 | J.A. Happ | Cardinals | 81 | 115 |
| 92 | Vladimir Gutierrez | Reds | NR | 122 |
| 93 | Jack Flaherty | Cardinals | 8 | 35 |
| 94 | Pablo Lopez | Marlins | 33 | 52 |
| 95 | Ryan Yarbrough | Rays | 59 | 87 |
| 96 | Zach Thompson | Marlins | NR | 77 |
| 97 | Shane Bieber | Indians | 2 | 33 |
| 98 | David Price | Dodgers | 47 | 78 |
| 99 | Jesus Luzardo | Marlins | 23 | 101 |
| 100 | JT Brubaker | Pirates | 89 | 80 |
| 101 | Daniel Lynch | Royals | NR | 156 |
| 102 | Madison Bumgarner | Diamondbacks | 105 | 123 |
| 103 | A.J. Alexy | Rangers | NR | NR |
| 104 | Michael Pineda | Twins | 83 | 81 |
| 105 | Carlos Hernandez | Royals | NR | 159 |
| 106 | Tyler Anderson | Mariners | 161 | 138 |
| 107 | Touki Toussaint | Braves | NR | 94 |
| 108 | Mitch White | Dodgers | NR | NR |
| 109 | Brady Singer | Royals | 68 | 106 |
| 110 | Shane Baz | Rays | NR | 102 |
| 111 | Reid Detmers | Angels | NR | 72 |
| 112 | Cole Irvin | Athletics | NR | 99 |
| 113 | Merrill Kelly | Diamondbacks | NR | 111 |
| 114 | Corey Kluber | Yankees | 71 | 132 |
| 115 | Miles Mikolas | Cardinals | 148 | 146 |
| 116 | Chris Archer | Rays | 156 | NR |
| 117 | Mike Minor | Royals | 91 | 118 |
| 118 | Andre Jackson | Dodgers | NR | NR |
| 119 | Kyle Freeland | Rockies | NR | NR |
| 120 | Reynaldo Lopez | White Sox | NR | NR |
| 121 | Bryse Wilson | Pirates | NR | NR |
| 122 | Adrian Houser | Brewers | 143 | 139 |
| 123 | Tyler Gilbert | Diamondbacks | NR | NR |
| 124 | Kyle Muller | Braves | NR | 69 |
| 125 | Trevor Williams | Mets | NR | 124 |
| 126 | Michael Wacha | Rays | 120 | 121 |
| 127 | Matthew Liberatore | Cardinals | NR | 151 |
| 128 | Taylor Widener | Diamondbacks | NR | NR |
| 129 | Adbert Alzolay | Cubs | NR | 125 |
| 130 | Alec Mills | Cubs | 117 | 141 |
| 131 | Matt Manning | Tigers | 169 | 143 |
| 132 | Dallas Keuchel | White Sox | 165 | 126 |
| 133 | Patrick Corbin | Nationals | 82 | 114 |
| 134 | Luis Gil | Yankees | NR | 155 |
| 135 | Dane Dunning | Rangers | 94 | 110 |
| 136 | Paul Blackburn | Athletics | NR | NR |
| 137 | Aaron Ashby | Brewers | NR | NR |
| 138 | Andrew Heaney | Yankees | 86 | 96 |
| 139 | Austin Gomber | Rockies | NR | 136 |
| 140 | Tony Gonsolin | Dodgers | 51 | 86 |
| 141 | Alex Cobb | Angels | 157 | 63 |
| 142 | Daulton Jefferies | Athletics | 116 | 145 |
| 143 | Ryan Weathers | Padres | NR | 97 |
| 144 | Zach Davies | Cubs | 93 | 130 |
| 145 | Sammy Long | Giants | NR | 153 |
| 146 | Reiss Knehr | Padres | NR | 147 |
| 147 | Taylor Hearn | Rangers | NR | NR |
| 148 | Luke Weaver | Diamondbacks | 122 | NR |
| 149 | Josh Fleming | Rays | 173 | 137 |
| 150 | Nick Pivetta | Red Sox | 175 | 149 |
| 151 | Keegan Thompson | Cubs | NR | NR |
| 152 | Kris Bubic | Royals | 132 | 150 |
| 153 | Connor Seabold | Red Sox | NR | NR |
| 154 | Wily Peralta | Tigers | NR | NR |
| 156 | Brad Keller | Royals | 88 | 133 |
| 156 | Randy Dobnak | Twins | 124 | NR |
| 157 | Logan Allen | Indians | 153 | NR |
| 158 | Jackson Kowar | Royals | NR | 144 |
| 159 | Jose Suarez | Angels | NR | NR |
| 160 | Danny Duffy | Dodgers | 174 | 109 |
Dropping off: Chris Bassitt (22nd), Kenta Maeda (34th), Patrick Sandoval (32nd), Zach Eflin (53rd), Joe Ross (91st), Luis Severino (103rd), Cole Hamels (107th), Michael Kopech (108th), Domingo German (117th), Dinelson Lamet (119th), Trevor Bauer (120th), Ross Stripling (129th), Caleb Smith (131st), Griffin Canning (134th), Brendan McKay (135th), Jon Gray (140th)
- Most of the injured pitchers are well down in the rankings at this point. Jacob deGrom is an exception, coming in at No. 42 in the hopes that maybe he’ll make two or three starts and resemble his usual self in the process. I’m also putting Jose Urquidy at No. 55. He should be back this weekend after missing a couple of months with shoulder problems.
- Lance Lynn was dropped from 15th to 21st after going on the IL with a sore knee, but it sounds like he’ll miss just the one start.
- Glenn Otto, who comes in at No. 75, was quite a bit more impressive than expected in his major league debut Friday against Houston, striking out seven and walking none in five scoreless innings for the Rangers. His slider is legit, and he’s taken a big step forward in the control department this year. I’m not going all in on him, but I’d be willing to give him a try in shallow leagues. He’ll face the Angels in his second big-league start Friday.
- The Twins are promoting Joe Ryan, who was picked up from the Rays in the Nelson Cruz deal, to start Wednesday against the Cubs. The 25-year-old Ryan has never been a favorite of scouts, but he had a 3.41 ERA and an exceptional 92/12 K/BB ratio in 66 innings in Triple-A this year. Even if his upside is limited, I expect that he’ll have some mixed-league value right away.
