Fantasy baseball starters #3: Jacob deGrom
On a pitch-by-pitch, inning-by-inning, or game-by-game basis, Jacob deGrom is still the most dominant pitcher in baseball. However, his inability to stay on the field over the last three seasons is concerning (and he’s already had concerns this spring), so he slides down to #3 this year. Last year, he made his season debut in early August, so he only made 11 starts and pitched 64.1 innings. He allowed 40 hits, 22 earned runs, just eight walks, and struck out 102 batters, good for a crazy K/BB of 14.3. His ERA was 3.08, his FIP was 2.13, his WHIP was 0.75, and his ERA+ was 126. He’s still putting up other-worldly numbers, so if he can just stay healthy, he could reclaim his place as the best fantasy baseball starter.
Fantasy baseball starters #2: Corbin Burnes
The 2021 Cy Young Winner was brilliant again in 2022. In his league-leading 33 starts, he pitched 202 innings, allowed 144 hits, 66 earned runs, 51 walks, and struck out an MLB-best 243 batters. His ERA was 2.94, his FIP was 3.14, his WHIP was 0.97, and his ERA+ was 134. One thing that makes him particularly attractive is that if the Brewers are out of playoff contention at the deadline, which they likely will be, they could look to tear it down and go into a rebuild. After some of the incredibly misguided things the Brewers told Burnes at his arbitration hearing, Burnes might benefit from a trade to a team that actually values him and his production.
Fantasy baseball starters #1: Sandy Alcantara
The reigning NL Cy Young winner takes the #1 spot in this year’s rankings. Alcantara is an absolute workhorse, making 32 starts and pitching an MLB-best 228.2 innings. He allowed 174 hits, 58 earned runs, 50 walks, and struck out 207 batters. His ERA was 2.28, his FIP 2.99, his WHIP was 0.98, and his ERA+ was 178. He also led MLB in complete games (six), shutouts (one), and batters faced (886). He’s distanced himself from every other starter in terms of innings pitched because he consistently goes deeper into games than anyone else. That is super valuable in fantasy baseball, so that’s why he tops this year’s list.
How would you rank your top fantasy baseball starters? Let us know in the comments.