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With the top 80 starters for 2020 fantasy baseball, we are so close to the end of the rankings, I can almost taste it! Wait, that’s not rankings I taste, I bit my lip and it’s blood. I wonder if when Dracula bites his lip it’s like when Cougs goes out with her friends and I’m left at home while Emmanuelle is on Cinemax. I’ll go over exactly how to draft starters in a few days, but there are so many ways to skin a cat we should have PETA breathing down our necks. Also, I’m hoping to do the RCL signups next Monday. Stay tuned! Or not, your call. All the 2020 fantasy baseball rankings are there. Here’s Steamer’s 2020 Fantasy Baseball Projections for Hitters and 2020 Fantasy Baseball Projections for Pitchers. Here’s all the 2020 fantasy baseball auction rankings. At the top of that page there’s about 20 different league types to choose from. All projections listed are mine and I mention where I see tiers starting and stopping. Anyway, here’s the top 80 starters for 2020 fantasy baseball:
ALL PROJECTIONS ARE BASED ON 60 GAMES PLAYED, DUE TO COVID-19. BE SAFE OUT THERE!
CLICK TO SEE TOP 60 STARTERS FOR 2020 FANTASY BASEBALL
61. Caleb Smith – This is a new tier. This tier goes from here until Gray. I call this tier, “Your significant other saying, ‘That’s fine.'” When Cougs says, “That’s fine,” she should have subtitles, because whatever that is is not fine. It’s the exact opposite of fine. It couldn’t be further from fine. If your wife says, “That’s fine,” you may as well order some new bedding from Amazon because you’re sleeping on the couch. If you hear, “That’s fine,” then my suggestion to you is buy some flowers, chocolates and say you’re sorry between heaving sobs. That’s this tier. It is anything but fine. On an actual related side note, if I’m being honest, the rankings in the tiers I don’t want aren’t labored over. I don’t want anyone in this tier, it doesn’t matter if I have Smith before McKay. To go another level, if two pitchers are in different tiers, but both tiers are guys I don’t want, it also doesn’t matter. All that matters is if I like or don’t like a guy, i.e., it doesn’t matter if German Marquez is before Smith. A German before a Smith only matters in The Man in the High Castle (which is a TV show that should be in a tier of things I wish I didn’t watch). As for Smith, the Marlins pulled in their outfield fences a few feet this offseason. It reminds me of the old joke about a man named Jose going to the ball game, and having such terrible seats that he had to sit on the flag pole. Wouldn’t you know it, he told his friends, everyone was so nice that before the game started, everyone stood and sang to him, “Jose, can you see?” The Marlins did one better. They had one fan in the outfield bleachers all year and they brought the fences in so he had better seats. I’m not too concerned about the shorter outfield porch; it’s still far. I am concerned about Caleb Smith, who gave up 33 homers, and the 2nd worst HR/9, behind only Kikuchi, and Smith had the league worst fly ball rate. That’s gonna be a no from me, dawg. 2020 Projections: 3-4/4.32/1.26/72 in 66 IP
62. Brendan McKay – I’m starting to think I might be a herbathrowdite-phobe. I hate McKay almost as much as Ohtani. Dot dot dot. For the price. (I love both of them in a vacuum.) Some people call guys who can pitch and hit unicorns. Well, I’m thinking of unicorns right now, but it’s because fantasy baseballers (<–my mom’s term!) are like 12-year-old girls with unicorns when they see a guy can throw 100 IP and hit homers. “Did you see his 10-K game with a home run? He’s so dreamy, can I get a sticker of his face for my Trapper Keeper so, when I scratch it, it smells like Doritos?” That’s a fantasy baseballer if they were a 12-year-old girl. Anyway, here’s my Brendan McKay fantasy. I wrote it while counting my cabbage (for a German recipe). 2020 Projections: 3-2/3.87/1.18/49 in 41 IP
63. Chris Archer – I saw Archer had 1200+ career innings and randomly thought of comparing his stats vs. Sandy Koufax and Siri said, “No.” That was it. Okay, it is ludicrous, Siri, but–“Please stop, Grey.” Fine. …Quickly, “Archer has a career 9.8 K/9 and 3.86 ERA!” Siri just stares at me. Fine, you’re right, Siri, it is silly. Archer’s career isn’t hideous if not amazing — Siri, “Better.” — but last year was such a mess, I can’t go back in on him. Just too many starters to draft to be effin’ with someone who had a 5.19 ERA last year and a serious home run allowed problem. Even if Ray Searage is no longer there whispering, “Just throw the ball to the good part of the hitter’s bat.” Actually, this whole tier has major home runs allowed issues. This whole tier is screaming “Franks ‘n beans!” with too many fly balls. UPDATE: He was removed from the rankings, due to surgery on his shoulder and neck. The Pirates also have to call the Rays “daddy.” 2020 Projections: 6-8/4.23/1.31/116 in 106 IP
64. Jon Gray – His last two years are pretty much indicative of all the problems drafting Rockies pitchers (similar to Marquez, because, well, dur, he pitches for the Rockies too). Gray (him, not me) had a decent peripherals year in 2018 and a 5.12 ERA, then last year he repeated a decent peripherals year and had a 3.84 ERA. Coors is just like your father, very unforgiving. First draft of Purple Rain, “Maybe I’m just like my father too unforgiving…Maybe I’m just like my mother, she’s……barely making the cost of living…” Whew, glad Prince rethought that rhyme scheme. 2020 Projections: 4-3/4.28/1.34/62 in 61 IP
65. Anthony DeSclafani – This is a new tier. This tier goes from here until Keuchel. I call this tier, “Dollar Store condoms.” The condom tier is the glue that holds everything together. My rankings and your fantasy team. Without the condoms, you’re just going sexy time with upside pitchers and you have nothing stopping you from having it all blow up in your face. You need these starters. By this tier name I mean, these guys are a mix of sorta safe, sorta cheap and worth a flyer. “Wow, I’ve seen lambskin condoms before, but I never knew they made hedgehog skin condoms.” That’s you going through the Dollar Store condom assortment. For those who have studied in Grey’s Gardens for a while, you will know this is a tier name I’ve used in past years. It helps me get a feel for where I am in the pitcher rankings. Odd that condoms helps me get a better feel. To explain further because I explain everything further, I like to build my pitching staffs the same every year. I’ll go over this more in my pitching tool I will release in a few days. The gist is, I like to try to work in a starter that can be reliable late in the game that won’t cost a ton that I can just discard if it comes down to it. That’s this tier. Not crazy upside, like the next tier, and not safer and upsidey like the Dew Barrymore tier. Usually this tier is cheap, older guys. As for DeSclafani, a small part of me wanted to rank him even higher. It’s appropriate to talk about the small part of me in the condoms tier. I think it might be confirmation bias why I like DeSclafani more than most, but at least I’m aware of it, so what’s that? Confirmed confirmation bias? The reason for the undying love for DeSclafani while most don’t care for him is because I owned him last year for his 3.89 ERA in Tout Wars, which is a 12-team NL-Only league. If you get 3.89 ERA from all your starters in a 12-team NL-Only, you might just win the ERA title. I know most of you need better in mixed leagues, but I am RealiStically excited for DeSclafani. His fastball went up from 93.6 to 94.7, which made his slider better. His curve is still garbage that he needs to throw, like, never. 2020 Projections: 4-5/3.76/1.18/64 in 64 IP
66. Ryan Yarbrough – Already gave you my Ryan Yarbrough sleeper. It had a private detective following it for six months. 2020 Projections: 5-2/3.42/1.03/48 in 57 IP
67. Yonny Chirinos – Bit of a weird year for ‘safe’ pitchers in 2020, which might be…WHY NO ONE’S SAFE!!! *runs up the stairs even though the obvious escape route is out the front door, slams the bathroom door shut, a door which was telegraphed earlier as having a broken lock* “Nooooooooooo, stupid Chekhov’s lock!” I scream at myself in the mirror, when I notice my full head of hair and smile. Yonny is 25 with one year under his belt. Also, he could possibly be a middle reliever for at least half the season and he’s safe? Okay, cool. Counterpoint: He doesn’t give up any walks, averages 94 MPH and, like I mentioned in the Yarbrough sleeper, coming into the 2nd inning for five innings works for me, as long as they’re good innings. Hopefully, he’s not just a middle reliever. I’m not in the habit of ranking middle relievers as starters, so here’s to new beginnings. *checks off New Year’s resolution to rank middle relievers as starters* I’ve really accomplished something in 2020! First, I’d like to thank my much older wife, Cougs. Without you, I’d take out the trash, but I’d have no one asking me to do it. Incessantly. *makes heart sign with hands by chest* 2020 Projections: 3-2/3.72/1.08/45 in 51 IP
68. Aaron Civale – Going with Civale in the safe tier of unsafe condoms feels totally appropriate once I explain it in a 400-word, long-winded rant. Young starters are not safe. They’re the opposite of a Dollar Store Condom. They shouldn’t be though, because they lead to so many roofies you’re gonna wish you have a beaver-skin on your beaver bat when you’re yelling, “Damn, girl!” But Civale lost his rookie eligibility so he doesn’t qualify for a roofie, and his command also should’ve kept roofies at bay; anyway, hey, hey, now I’m just a rhyming, Simon; “On the Diamond with Cole” will be at least fifteen Yankees broadcast segments each game, for shame. Rhymes out! Civale is one of those safe young starters that has great command. He had a 2.5 B/9 his rookie year and had a barely 1.9 BB/9 in the minors. This is especially impressive when you see he commands five pitches. He’s still the last man in the Indians’ rotation and he only has 57 2/3 IP in the majors, so there’s risk, which is why he’s not even higher in the rankings. So, he’s at once risky and an attempt at safety, the ultimate chinchilla-skin condom. 2020 Projections: 3-2/3.66/1.07/39 in 47 IP
69. Garrett Richards – Without researching it at all, I’m gonna guess Richards is in the condoms every year. Good ol’ Garrett Dicks, thinking safety first. So, any chance Garrett Dicks actually throws a full season? I have a better question for you, what’s your definition of a full season? *before you can speak, I put my fingers on your lips* Don’t speak. Dicks is a lot like Shoemaker, you should get great innings, just not many of them. Dicks just feels a tad safer, which is why Shoemaker hasn’t even been ranked yet. Prior to ranking Shoemaker, I have to call his podiatrist and general practitioner. Hopefully, Dicks doesn’t burn us again with a short season. Or, eff it, let’s don that jellyfish-skin condom and get burned again! By the way, you know how they say you should pee on a jellyfish sting to take away the pain? What happens if you’re stung on your penis? That’s a riddle for the Sphinx! 2020 Projections: 3-1/3.64/1.28/53 in 47 IP
70. Johnny Cueto – Okay, I know what you’re thinking, and, no, these guys aren’t safe safe (stutterer!), they’re safe relative to their draft spot, and if things go right, they’re gonna have a safe, if unremarkable year. Meaning, they won’t suddenly strikeout 200 guys and contend for a Cy. Best case scenario is a decent ratio year that won’t kill you. For a 4th to 5th starter, that’s something. If you want really safe, turn to the Hendricks tier in the top 60 starters. Cueto’s a ‘return to old’ bet and his home park limits at least most of the damage without feeling icky by putting The Samardzika Virus on your fantasy team. 2020 Projections: 3-3/3.77/1.22/50 in 62 IP
71. Dallas Keuchel – Here’s what I said this offseason, “Signed by the White Sox. In 1300+ IP, he has a 3.67 ERA. So, which hat does he wear going into Cooperstown? No, not as an inductee. I’m asking about his sartorial choices when he’s visiting. Go with the porkpie, Dallas! He is never a guy I’m excited about drafting, but, if his price is cheap enough, he does always seem to keep his ratios down, even if his 7.3 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 show some smoke and mirrors. More mirrors, better to see that hat, fella!” And that’s me quoting me! 2020 Projections: 4-2/3.86/1.32/53 in 68 IP
72. Mitch Keller – This is a new tier. This tier goes from here until the top 100 starters for 2020 fantasy baseball. I call this tier, “Getting a microwave tan.” The Italian side of me loves to tan; the Jewish side of me thinks I might get melanoma. The dichotomy of self! When I was younger, I used to put my face up against the microwave door to try to get a cheap tan. Hey, don’t judge, everyone looks better with a tan, and when you’re single and poor, you have to improvise. So, this tier is cheap, and could make your team look good like a tan, but these guys are risky and might cause some serious illness down the road. As for Keller, rookie pitchers give me the heebie jeebies! I know, I know, Chris Paddack! But he’s in San Diego and, for every Chris Paddack, we have Lucas Giolito taking four years to look the part. Keller does look solid, so we might have to wait four years for him to be traded to the Astros. His 95 MPH fastball and 10-ish K/9 with decent command is worth the flyer, which is what this tier is. 2020 Projections: 3-1/4.17/1.30/61 in 55 IP
73. Kevin Gausman – Here’s what I said this offseason, “Signed by the Giants. Mostly due to his new park and guaranteed role in the rotation, this is an interesting flyer. Someone has likely done this research already, but it would be fascinating to see how long it takes a starter to get stretched out again after spending an extended period of time in middle relief. Mike Minor comes to mind as a guy who needed one full year back in the rotation before he was fixed, but Gausman didn’t spend the whole year in middle relief. Well, by contemplating it we are not going to figure it out, so moving on!” And that’s me copying and pasting me! 2020 Projections: 3-2/4.09/1.30/47 in 49 IP
74. Jose Urquidy – The positives for Urquidy are his over-140 IP last year and a scooch over 1.5 BB/9. Going against him: You really think the Astros will start Urquidy for 25+ starts or 160+ IP? Urquidy’ing yourself. That was my deciding factor for why I ranked him this low. Originally, I had Urquidy in the Nirvinyl tier in the top 60 starters for 2020 fantasy baseball, then briefly had him in the Fourcast with Rainn Wilson and Dew Barrymore tier at the top of this post. I just can’t wrap my head around the Astros giving Urquidy real innings. And I keep rapping my head everywhere…my wall, my desk, the Apollo theater. By the way, if you have some leftover wrapping paper tubes, they’re great as cat stilts or megaphones at “Stop using plastic” demonstrations. *insert GIF of NBC’s The More You Know* 2020 Projections: 3-1/4.07/1.14/47 in 48 IP
75. Pablo Lopez – Like a homeless hoarder, Lopez’s got stuff and nothing else. Pab-Lo doesn’t even have great minor league results. He feels to me a little like a guy who could succeed with a change to his pitch arsenal. Hello, Googlers of “pitch Arsenal,” I’m told it’s Emirates Stadium. I hope that was helpful! We welcome all types here, but Premier has an E at the end of it, and don’t be putting U’s after your O’s here. Here, the O’s have L’s. I say the arsenal change of Lopez could be all he needs because he induces a ton of weak contact (top 42 for exit velocity), and his curve elicited a .201 BA and 32% whiff rate, but his four seamer is just not setting it up well, even though it’s just under 94 MPH on average. Also, he doesn’t walk many guys (2.2 BB/9), but he had the third worst first-strike percentage in baseball. So, either he needs to stop throwing strikes or start opening up at-bats with them. There’s a path here for success, but I’ll be damned if I know what it is, which is why they pay me the no bucks. 2020 Projections: 3-2/4.11/1.19/49 in 56 IP
76. Dustin May – It cracked me up that when I googled Dustin May, one of the first suggestions was, “Dustin May parents,” like people were hoping to see the Flyers’ mascot, Gritty, holding hands with Lucille Ball. Justin Turner and Christina Hendricks? Strawberry Shortcake and Ronald McDonald? Whomever his parents are, he surely was conceived out of red-locks. Okay, okay, OKAY! We get it, googlers. You can’t believe two people mated to make one Dustin May. It’s insulting to Dustin May and Dustin May’s parents. Shame on you. His parents are obviously loving and completely invisible with no pigment. Last year, May threw 106 2/3 IP in the minors, putting up a near-8.5 K/9 (totally doing the math in my head) and a mid-2-ish BB/9. He chucks the fastball pretty, uh, fast at 96 MPH, and throws three pitches. (Technically, four pitches, but only threw his change 1.2% of the time, so either it’s a rounding error or he doesn’t trust it.) Then, he threw 34 2/3 IP last year in the majors (141 1/3 IP total) with a 3.63 ERA, 8.3 K/9, 1.3 BB/9 and 2.90 FIP — zoinks! His fastball and slider produced the best results, and everything else seems to still need some work. Two out of three pitches might be all he needs, Meatloaf. His goofy leg kick, which makes it seem like he’s a baby giraffe learning to walk, will allow baserunners to steal, but he could still be effective in the majors, as soon as 2020. Biggest hurdle for 2020 with Dustin May and his fantasy value is what will his role be. The Dodgers have locked into the rotation Walker Buehler and Clayton Kershaw. That’s it of this writing. There’s, of course, Urias, Stripling, Jimmy Nelson and Alex Wood, if they want, and I’d imagine they’ll all, at worst, bounce to and fro the rotation. If the Dodgers need another arm, May, uh, may be their man. I see depth charts with Wood and Nelson, and those guys seem so wildly unlikely. At 141 1/3 innings last year, May could safely throw 170 IP in 2020. At 22 years old, that’s pretty effin’ impressive. There’s some guys who have been in the league for five years who I’d worry about throwing that many innings. The way the Dodgers have been jerking around Urias worries me, but maybe they were jerking him around because he’s a jerk. So might be fitting. Dustin May…may just be at the right place at the right time. Dodgers have some turnover in their rotation for the first time in about five years and May could step in and give them 150+ IP easily. He’ll face a decent amount of weaker offenses, and, besides Coors, there’s no real parks that are worrisome. He could go out and have a year like Chris Paddack just had, with likely about a K per nine off the strikeout rate. Think 8.8 vs. 9.8. Everyone is complaining about not being able to find pitchers for their fantasy teams, but May-be they don’t know where to look. Will also gave you his Dustin May fantasy. 2020 Projections: 2-2/3.48/1.09/36 in 39 IP
77. Zach Eflin – Here’s what I wrote last year, “Okay, (Eflin is a guy) I seriously considered writing sleeper post on. As the Steve Miller Band once said, “Time keeps on slippin’ slippin’.” No wonder that guy got into music, his last name is Band. Eflin’s velocity popped from 92 to 94 last year; he started throwing his slider a lot more, and it worked for him, and he stopped using his curve as much because it wasn’t working. His K/9 went from garbage (under 5!) to 8.7 K/9 last year and he’s always had great command. I really need to write a sleeper on this guy. The only drawback, and, of course, there’s one since he’s this late, he might not be in the rotation all year, and could struggle to throw more than 160 IP.” And that’s me quoting me! Well, bad news 2019 Grey, Eflin threw 160+ IP, lost velocity and Ks. So, why go back in on him? Well, it’s super late, his velocity was still 93.6 MPH and he added a cutter. He feels on the cusp of breaking out still; he just needs to put his 2018 K/9 with his minor league command and this will be his third full year, the time when I like to look for pitcher to breakout. Want a prediction I will talk about non-stop if it comes true while ignoring if it doesn’t? Eflin will be the Phils’ ace this year. 2020 Projections: 4-2/4.04/1.29/58 in 66 IP
78. Zach Plesac – A little mini tier of Zachs here. You best Zach up, son! Plesac has a 94 MPH fastball with four pitches and he has incredible control, like his dad who held his baby batter longer than most. How old was Dan Plesac when he had him? 54? *Googling it* He was 33, and I have no concept of time. Super hard to know what exactly to expect from Zach Plesac. Could he be a #2 or #3 or unownable? ExZachly! He had an under-7 K/9 last year and 3+ BB/9, which is undraftable, but his minor league numbers tell us he should be much better. Maybe if we’re polite he will. Plesac, we’re begging. 2020 Projections: 4-2/4.12/1.19/49 in 53 IP
79. Steven Matz – Last year he had a 2.31 home ERA and a 6.62 away ERA. Imagine he was traded to the Rockies. He’d curl up into a ball and cry. And that ball would be juiced and the juice would be tears. 2020 Projections: 4-2/4.16/1.29/58 in 59 IP
8o. Chris Bassitt – Pinch your fingers together. See that space between your fingers? That’s how close I was to putting Bassit in the top 60 starters. He’s got four pitches — or bitches since he’s a Bassitt — and gained almost two miles on his fastball, up to 93.5 MPH. Shouldn’t surprise you that his fastball went from an average fastball to the 11th best in the majors. Or maybe that would surprise you. He doesn’t have a strong 2nd pitch, which is why he’s this late, but I can think of worse flyers. *casually looks down the list* Oh, about fifty worse flyers. 2020 Projections: 4-2/3.96/1.23/57 in 60 IP
CLICK TO SEE TOP 100 STARTERS FOR 2020 FANTASY BASEBALL
