Thursday's Starting Pitcher Value Rankings
Here are theScore's starting pitcher value rankings for Thursday, April 28:
Value Rankings
C | 1B/DH | 2B | SS | 3B | OF | SP
Top Options
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Tanner Roark (WAS) | vs. PHI | 9 |
| Jon Lester (CHC) | vs. MIL | 9 |
| Clay Buchholz (BOS) | vs. ATL | 8 |
| Kenta Maeda (LAD) | vs. MIA | 8 |
Roark has pitched 14 innings pitched of shutout baseball in his past two home starts, compiling 15 strikeouts in his last outing against the Twins. He's been a much more effective pitcher in his career at Nationals Park than elsewhere, and he'll have the pleasure of facing the second-worst offense in all of baseball.
Buchholz's inconsistency limits him to just tournaments, but he has huge upside against the Braves. Atlanta has the worst offense in the bigs. As of Wednesday, they've scored just 65 runs and hit just three round-trippers. Buchholz has the stuff the carve right through their lineup.
Lester and Maeda come with a much higher cost than Roark and Buchholz, but both are well worth it. Their ERA added together is just 2.34 and each starter is facing a below average offense at home. These are your cash games horses.
Mid-Tier Targets
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Wacha (STL) | at ARI | 7 |
| Anibal Sanchez (DET) | vs. OAK | 6 |
| Aaron Nola (PHI) | at WAS | 5 |
Wacha's ERA is a sparkling 2.82 this season, but his WHIP is a somewhat alarming 1.43. He's allowed 25 hits and seven walks in just 22 1/3 innings pitched. He's a solid tournament play, but you're better off sticking with the top options for cash games.
Nothing to See Here
| NAME | OPPONENT | VALUE |
|---|---|---|
| Jose Fernandez (MIA) | at LAD | 4 |
| Jhoulys Chacin (ATL) | at BOS | 4 |
| Rubby De La Rosa (ARI) | vs. STL | 3 |
| Chris Bassitt (OAK) | at DET | 3 |
| Tyler Chatwood (COL) | vs. PIT | 3 |
| Juan Nicasio (PIT) | at COL | 2 |
| John Danks (CWS) | at BAL | 2 |
| Tyler Wilson (BAL) | vs. CWS | 2 |
| Zach Davies (MIL) | at CHC | 1 |
There's always the off chance that Fernandez takes the mound and flirts with a no-no, but he's simply not worth the risk considering how astronomically high his price tag is. He has struggled in the early going, failing to exceed six innings pitched in all four of his starts. Fernandez has a a significantly higher ERA on the road (3.81) than at home (1.61) in his career.