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All due respect to Mitch Keller’s career renaissance, but it’s never a good sign when he’s at the very top of our daily starting pitcher rankings. It’s a pretty sketchy day around MLB, with plenty of intriguing options but very few sure things — even the biggest name scheduled to start today, Aaron Nola, has had his fantasy owners pulling their hair out for much of the year. Luckily, we’re here to help DFS and fantasy managers navigate it with a full breakdown of Tuesday’s slate plus streaming recommendations.
Starting pitcher rankings for Wednesday, May 31
Pitchers to stream
James Paxton, Boston Red Sox — Paxton hit a slight bump in the road last time out, coughing up five runs on four hits (including two homers) and a walk in just three innings. But don’t bail on Big Maple just yet; sure, his fastball was down a tick compared to his debut and produced far fewer whiffs — and he still hasn’t locked in with his curveball and cutter — but his feel and confidence will only improve with reps, and his first two starts of the season showed how electric he can be. A matchup with the weak-hitting Cincinnati Reds is well worth your time.
Alex Wood, San Francisco Giants — Wood did the job last time out, handling a weak Milwaukee Brewers squad to the tune of three hits and just one run in 5.2 innings of work. Now he gets a flagging Pittsburgh Pirates squad in the pitcher-friendly confines of Oracle Park, and the lefty’s sinker/slider/change combo should be more than good enough to get through five or six innings and snag a win.
Jared Shuster, Atlanta Braves — This one’s a bit riskier, but Shuster’s been better in his second go-round in the Majors, allowing seven runs on just seven hits over 16.2 innings since being brought back up in mid-May. Now the lefty gets to take on the Oakland Athletics in the spacious Coliseum, and with the Braves bats backing him, he should give you usable ratios, a handful of Ks and a very good chance at a win.
And now, without further ado, here are your full starting pitcher rankings for fantasy baseball on Wednesday, May 31.
Starting pitcher rankings 5/31
Rank | Pitcher | Matchup |
---|---|---|
Rank | Pitcher | Matchup |
Must-start | ||
1 | Mitch Keller | @ Giants |
2 | Hunter Brown | vs. Twins |
3 | George Kirby | vs. Yankees |
4 | Aaron Nola | @ Mets |
Strong plays | ||
5 | Shane Bieber | @ Orioles |
6 | Zach Eflin | @ Cubs |
7 | James Paxton | vs. Reds |
8 | Dane Dunning | @ Tigers |
9 | Lance Lynn | vs. Angels |
10 | Blake Snell | @ Marlins |
11 | Justin Steele | vs. Rays |
12 | Alex Wood | vs. Pirates |
Questionable | ||
13 | Jared Shuster | @ Athletics |
14 | Braxton Garrett | vs. Padres |
15 | Louie Varland | @ Astros |
16 | Tommy Henry | vs. Rockies |
17 | Jaime Barria | @ White Sox |
18 | Clarke Schmidt | @ Mariners |
19 | Austin Voth | vs. Guardians |
20 | Noah Syndergaard | vs. Nationals |
21 | Alek Manoah | vs. Brewers |
Don't do it | ||
24 | Carlos Carrasco | vs. Phillies |
25 | Patrick Corbin | @ Dodgers |
26 | Dinelson Lamet | @ Diamondbacks |
27 | Luke Weaver | @ Red Sox |
28 | James Kaprielian | vs. Braves |
29 | Julio Teheran | @ Blue Jays |
30 | Joey Wentz | vs. Rangers |