Thursday's Starting Pitcher Value Rankings
Here are theScore's starting pitcher value rankings for Thursday, June 9 (all stats exclude Wednesday's games):
Value Rankings
C | 1B/DH | 2B | SS | 3B | OF | SP
Top Options
| Name | Opponent | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Martin Perez (TEX) | vs. HOU | 9 |
| Jhoulys Chacin (LAA) | at NYY | 9 |
| Jimmy Nelson (MIL) | vs. NYM | 8 |
| Tom Koehler (MIA) | at MIN | 8 |
Perez has delivered three consecutive quality starts and has finished at least six innings in each of his last six starts. He rarely strikes out many batters, but his K-upside increases with the Astros lining up. It's an unimpressive slate for starting pitchers, and Perez is probably the steadiest choice who will not cost much.
Chacin, prior to his no-decision against the Pirates, tossed a complete game against the Detroit Tigers, allowing four hits while striking out 10 - a season high. The Yankees have a .688 OPS against RHPs this season, making Chacin a solid under-the-radar choice.
Nelson is pricier despite coming off his worst start of the season where he lasted only four innings, allowing six runs and two home runs while striking out a season-low of one. He should be much better against the Mets as the bombing he weathered looks like the outlier. He's been consistently rolling out quality starts all season, though the walks are concerning.
Mid-Tier Targets
| Name | Opponent | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Nathan Karns (SEA) | vs. CLE | 7 |
| Gio Gonzalez (WAS) | at CWS | 6 |
| Josh Tomlin (CLE) | at SEA | 6 |
| Bartolo Colon (NYM) | at MIL | 6 |
| Miguel Gonzalez (CWS) | vs. WAS | 5 |
| Collin McHugh (HOU) | at TEX | 5 |
| Brandon Finnegan (CIN) | vs. STL | 5 |
Gio Gonzalez has solid K-upside, and the White Sox have been decidedly mediocre against LHPs this season. His salary should keep owners at bay, however. He has allowed 18 runs over his last three starts, all losses.
Colon has limited upside, but his floor has also been quite steady. Other than one start where he issued five free passes, the walks have been low. But, so have the strikeouts. He's not a bad cash game option on such a limited slate, but don't bother in GPPs.
Nothing to See Here
| Name | Opponent | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Marcus Stroman (TOR) | vs. BAL | 4 |
| Adam Wainwright (STL) | at CIN | 4 |
| Ivan Nova (NYY) | vs. LAA | 3 |
| Ervin Santana (MIN) | vs. MIA | 3 |
| Chad Bettis (COL) | vs. PIT | 2 |
| Jeff Locke (PIT) | at COL | 1 |
| Tyler Wilson (BAL) | at TOR | 1 |
Stroman hasn't shown much proclivity for strikeouts and he's been bounced around by the time he tries to get through his opponents the third time through the lineup. He can be very good, like he was against the Twins on May 22, but Baltimore's lineup features scarier bats.
Stay away from the Pittsburgh-Colorado pitching matchup. Neither Bettis nor Locke look primed for good outings. At Coors Field, neither may make it out of the fifth.