Two postponements due to poor air quality Wednesday makes for a heftier Thursday slate than usual, and it’s also one that features some of the best arms in baseball on the mound — from Spencer Strider vs. Justin Verlander to Clayton Kershaw, Zack Wheeler, Tyler Glasnow and more. And that’s not even to mention all the undercard options that still carry intriguing upside.
There’s a lot to sort through, is what we’re saying, and our daily starting pitching rankings are here to tell you who to start, who to sit and who to stream.
Starting pitcher rankings for Thursday, June 8
Pitchers to stream
Mike Clevinger, Chicago White Sox — Clevinger has been throwing the ball well of late, with five earned runs allowed in 17 total innings over his last three starts. When he’s keeping his fastball out of trouble, his slider is more than good enough to carry the day, and he’s a good bet to go five or six solid frames against a New York Yankees lineup that looks a lot less imposing without Aaron Judge in the middle of it.
Aaron Civale, Cleveland Guardians — Out since April with an oblique strain, Civale passed his return test with flying colors, spinning five shutout innings on the road against the Minnesota Twins last week. Now he’s back home taking on a Boston Red Sox offense that’s been sketchy lately, and the righty has a long track record of working deep into games that makes him a solid bet for a quality start now that he’s fully stretched out again.
Kyle Bradish, Baltimore Orioles — Bradish struggled on the road against the San Francisco Giants last time out, but the righty has three quality starts over his last five, and when his slider and curveball are on he has major strikeout upside. The Milwaukee Brewers aren’t scaring anyone at the plate right now, while the O’s should back him with plenty of run support against Brewers righty Colin Rea.
And now, without further ado, here are your full starting pitcher rankings for fantasy baseball on Thursday, June 8.
Starting pitcher rankings 6/8
| Rank | Pitcher | Matchup |
|---|---|---|
| Rank | Pitcher | Matchup |
| Must-start | ||
| 1 | Spencer Strider | vs. Mets |
| 2 | Zack Wheeler | vs. Tigers |
| 3 | Clayton Kershaw | @ Reds |
| 4 | Framber Valdez | @ Blue Jays |
| 5 | Tyler Glasnow | vs. Twins |
| 6 | Justin Verlander | @ Braves |
| 7 | Merrill Kelly | @ Naitonals |
| Strong plays | ||
| 8 | Luis Severino | vs. White Sox |
| 9 | Aaron Civale | vs. Red Sox |
| Questionable | ||
| 10 | Reid Detmers | vs. Cubs |
| 11 | Lance Lynn | @ Yankees |
| 12 | Kyle Bradish | @ Brewers |
| 13 | Bailey Ober | @ Rays |
| 14 | Mike Clevinger | @ Yankees |
| 15 | Jose Berrios | vs. Astros |
| 16 | Drew Smyly | @ Angels |
| 17 | Alex Cobb | @ Rockies |
| 18 | Josiah Gray | vs. Diamondbacks |
| Don’t do it | ||
| 19 | Colin Rea | vs. Orioles |
| 20 | Randy Vasquez | vs. White Sox |
| 21 | Chase Anderson | vs. Giants |
| 22 | Matt Dermody | @ Guardians |
| 23 | Tyler Holton | @ Phillies |
| 24 | Graham Ashcraft | vs. Dodgers |
