September Starter Rankings

Here are some final-month rankings. I’m a little short on comments, since I’ll be hopping on a plane awfully early Monday morning. Please try not to get too bent out of shape if your star player isn’t listed where you like ... anything can happen in a month.

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

Starting pitcher rankings

Sept	Starting Pitchers	Team	2023	July	Aug
1	Spencer Strider	Braves	9	2	1
2	Gerrit Cole	Yankees	1	3	2
3	Corbin Burnes	Brewers	2	9	3
4	Max Scherzer	Rangers	5	7	14
5	Kevin Gausman	Blue Jays	14	6	6
6	Luis Castillo	Mariners	13	13	8
7	Justin Verlander	Astros	15	12	4
8	Pablo Lopez	Twins	31	26	18
9	Framber Valdez	Astros	26	8	7
10	Zac Gallen	Diamondbacks	23	14	11
11	Zack Wheeler	Phillies	24	11	10
12	Logan Gilbert	Mariners	10	10	9
13	Max Fried	Braves	6	40	19
14	Brandon Woodruff	Brewers	7	36	24
15	George Kirby	Mariners	29	27	26
16	Sandy Alcantara	Marlins	8	23	17
17	Aaron Nola	Phillies	16	15	13
18	Blake Snell	Padres	39	38	15
19	Tyler Glasnow	Rays	28	17	12
20	Logan Webb	Giants	41	24	22
21	Freddy Peralta	Brewers	44	54	47
22	Joe Ryan	Twins	22	4	31
23	Clayton Kershaw	Dodgers	25	22	25
24	Zach Eflin	Rays	58	19	28
25	Sonny Gray	Twins	54	32	33
26	Yu Darvish	Padres	20	25	21
27	Julio Urias	Dodgers	12	31	29
28	Tanner Bibee	Guardians	213	37	30
29	Lance Lynn	Dodgers	35	63	36
30	Jesus Luzardo	Marlins	36	35	27
31	Carlos Rodon	Yankees	30	30	23
32	Aaron Civale	Rays	91	59	34
33	Jordan Montgomery	Rangers	34	43	40
34	Kodai Senga	Mets	82	60	37
35	Justin Steele	Cubs	110	44	39
36	Hunter Brown	Astros	66	28	32
37	Eury Perez	Marlins	162	58	49
38	Charlie Morton	Braves	52	56	53
39	Mitch Keller	Pirates	72	29	43
40	Jose Berrios	Blue Jays	68	45	35
41	Tarik Skubal	Tigers	120	68	67
42	Yusei Kikuchi	Blue Jays	105	75	60
43	Grayson Rodriguez	Orioles	85	90	62
44	Nathan Eovaldi	Rangers	53	20	41
45	Hunter Greene	Reds	33	91	78
46	Bobby Miller	Dodgers	124	53	46
47	Eduardo Rodriguez	Tigers	93	104	75
48	Chris Sale	Red Sox	38	99	73
49	Cristian Javier	Astros	18	21	48
50	Dylan Cease	White Sox	19	18	20
51	Bryce Miller	Mariners	NR	55	65
52	Cole Ragans	Royals	176	NR	87
53	Kyle Bradish	Orioles	115	72	66
54	Jon Gray	Rangers	60	49	71
55	Merrill Kelly	Diamondbacks	104	77	81
56	Lucas Giolito	Angels	46	33	42
57	Bryce Elder	Braves	164	52	56
58	Bailey Ober	Twins	75	51	44
59	Chris Bassitt	Blue Jays	49	71	57
60	Logan Allen	Guardians	147	67	61
61	Alex Cobb	Giants	56	50	50
62	Gavin Williams	Guardians	NR	41	64
63	James Paxton	Red Sox	127	61	54
64	Michael Wacha	Padres	121	88	96
65	Andrew Abbott	Reds	NR	66	59
66	Braxton Garrett	Marlins	142	65	69
67	Brady Singer	Royals	62	145	109
68	Kenta Maeda	Twins	103	102	51
69	Zack Littell	Rays	NR	NR	139
70	Reid Detmers	Angels	47	42	38
71	Brandon Pfaadt	Diamondbacks	136	100	79
72	Seth Lugo	Padres	87	83	74
73	Mike Clevinger	White Sox	96	130	90
74	Jose Quintana	Mets	202	106	84
75	Brayan Bello	Red Sox	119	73	76
76	Bryan Woo	Mariners	NR	78	86
77	John Means	Orioles	152	151	118
78	Jack Flaherty	Orioles	77	113	63
79	Dean Kremer	Orioles	133	112	95
80	Sean Manaea	Giants	59	93	94
81	J.P. France	Astros	NR	89	82
82	Kyle Hendricks	Cubs	145	119	85
83	Kutter Crawford	Red Sox	173	109	89
84	Ryan Pepiot	Dodgers	146	NR	157
85	Taijuan Walker	Phillies	94	85	58
86	Patrick Sandoval	Angels	61	76	72
87	Jameson Taillon	Cubs	65	108	88
88	Jose Urquidy	Astros	51	92	92
89	Dane Dunning	Rangers	184	117	112
90	Mason Miller	Athletics	NR	103	113
91	Michael Lorenzen	Phillies	191	149	100
92	Andrew Heaney	Rangers	69	79	80
93	Clarke Schmidt	Yankees	76	82	77
94	Cristopher Sanchez	Phillies	215	131	91
95	Chase Silseth	Angels	196	NR	105
96	Kyle Wright	Braves	57	133	117
97	MacKenzie Gore	Nationals	89	70	106
98	Luis Severino	Yankees	55	48	108
99	Hyun Jin Ryu	Blue Jays	NR	153	138
100	Kyle Harrison	Giants	168	125	164
101	Javier Assad	Cubs	203	NR	NR
102	Alek Manoah	Blue Jays	17	98	83
103	Nick Pivetta	Red Sox	156	NR	101
104	Taj Bradley	Rays	149	46	110
105	Josiah Gray	Nationals	117	97	93
106	Griffin Canning	Angels	170	84	129
107	Jordan Wicks	Cubs	NR	NR	NR
108	Alex Wood	Giants	99	95	120
109	Graham Ashcraft	Reds	112	137	131
110	Ranger Suarez	Phillies	81	74	103
111	Kyle Gibson	Orioles	151	129	114
112	Wade Miley	Brewers	172	121	128
113	Pedro Avila	Padres	NR	NR	NR
114	Reese Olson	Tigers	NR	116	140
115	Tanner Houck	Red Sox	116	135	132
116	David Peterson	Mets	71	107	104
117	Drew Smyly	Cubs	123	62	99
118	Brandon Williamson	Reds	NR	NR	160
119	Zack Thompson	Cardinals	187	NR	NR
120	Edward Cabrera	Marlins	86	114	134
121	Dallas Keuchel	Twins	NR	NR	107
122	Miles Mikolas	Cardinals	95	115	119
123	Noah Syndergaard	Guardians	78	142	115
124	Tyler Anderson	Angels	100	127	116
125	Ken Waldichuk	Athletics	118	NR	136
126	Johnny Cueto	Marlins	198	NR	102
127	Alex Faedo	Tigers	188	NR	144
128	Joe Musgrove	Padres	27	16	16
129	Hayden Wesneski	Cubs	73	140	111
130	Michael Kopech	White Sox	111	81	122
131	JP Sears	Athletics	175	122	124
132	Johan Oviedo	Pirates	158	123	137
133	Matt Manning	Tigers	160	NR	130
134	Joey Cantillo	Guardians	217	NR	133
135	Bailey Falter	Pirates	90	NR	145
136	Paul Blackburn	Athletics	200	NR	NR
137	Dakota Hudson	Cardinals	NR	NR	NR
138	Walker Buehler	Dodgers	NR	NR	141
139	Xzavion Curry	Guardians	211	NR	NR
140	Adrian Houser	Brewers	218	NR	166
141	Triston McKenzie	Guardians	64	NR	152
142	Allen Winans	Braves	NR	NR	NR
143	Ryan Yarbrough	Dodgers	NR	NR	153
144	Ben Brown	Cubs	NR	154	149
145	Will Warren	Yankees	NR	NR	NR
146	Nick Lodolo	Reds	48	101	98
147	Ross Stripling	Giants	92	132	97
148	Jake Irvin	Nationals	NR	NR	NR
149	Shane Bieber	Guardians	21	34	159
150	Marcus Stroman	Cubs	63	39	70
151	Jhony Brito	Yankees	NR	NR	NR
152	Mike Soroka	Braves	102	94	135
153	Alec Marsh	Royals	NR	NR	NR
154	Tylor Megill	Mets	114	NR	154
155	Cole Irvin	Orioles	174	NR	NR
156	Slade Cecconi	Diamondbacks	NR	NR	168
157	Emmet Sheehan	Dodgers	NR	80	163
158	Matthew Liberatore	Cardinals	153	111	150
159	Kyle Muller	Athletics	129	NR	NR
160	Carlos Carrasco	Mets	88	138	148

Dropping off: Shohei Ohtani (fifth), Shane McClanahan (45th), Tony Gonsolin (52nd), Nestor Cortes (55th), Steven Matz (68th), Luis Medina (121st), AJ Smith-Shawver (123rd), Garrett Whitlock (125th), Randy Vasquez (126th), Yonny Chirinos (142nd), Quinn Priester (143rd), Rich Hill (146th), Joey Lucchesi (147th)

• Nathan Eovaldi had a setback in his return from a forearm strain, buying Andrew Heaney more time in the Texas rotation. However, while Heaney is sporting a nice ERA of late, it’s largely due to quick hooks that have left him ineligible for wins his last three times out. Maybe if the Rangers used an opener in front of him.
• Kenta Maeda would have ranked around 50th again, but I’m concerned that the Twins will shift him to the pen in the coming weeks.
• John Means’ velocity isn’t quite all of the way back as he finishes up his rehab from Tommy John surgery, but I still like the idea of taking a chance on him in September. Camden Yards is perfect for the left-hander’s flyball tendencies these days, and he’ll be pitching in front of a far better team than he ever has previously.