Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Tier 11 Starting Pitchers

Shawn Childs | Feb 12, 2025

New York Yankees pitcher Luis Gil / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

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We continue to rank the top starting pitchers heading into the 2025 fantasy baseball season. Fantasy on SI breaks down the next tier of pitchers:

51 – Luis Gil, NYY (ADP – 188.0)

Over his first five seasons in the minors, Gil had a 3.08 ERA, 1.317 WHIP, and 381 strikeouts over 286.1 innings. Despite success in ERA, he walked too many batters (5.3 per nine) while offering an elite strikeout rate (12.0).

New York gave him six starts in 2021, and he almost repeated his minor league resume (3.07 ERA, 1.330 WHIP, BB/9 – 5.8, and K/9 – 11.7). His major league career started with 15.2 shutout innings with 18 strikeouts, but his lack of command caught up to him in September (11 runs, 23 baserunners, 12 walks, and four home runs over 13.2 innings).

His 2022 season ended in early May with TJ surgery and no success on the mound (8.06 ERA, 1.675 WHIP, and six home runs over 25.2 innings).

Gil made the Yankees starting rotation out of spring training in 2024. He showed strikeout ability in April (35 over 24.2 innings), but he walked 19 batters, leading WHIP risk (1.378) and a below-par ERA (4.01). Gil’s arm was special over his next nine starts (8-0 with a 1.14 ERA, 0.791 WHIP, and 61 strikeouts over 55.1 innings). He gave away his gains over his following three appearances (16 runs, 23 baserunners, and three home runs over 9.2 innings with only six strikeouts). Over his final 12 appearances, Gil pitched well over 10 starts (5-2 with a 2.65 ERA, 1.275 WHIP, and 59 strikeouts over 51.0 innings) while struggling in his last two outings (10 runs, 14 baserunners, and four home runs over 11.0 innings with 10 strikeouts).

His average fastball (96.6) was elite in velocity and success (four-seamer – .206 BAA), but 48 of his league-high 77 strikeouts came off this pitch. Batters struggled to hit his slider (.174 BAA) and change up (.183 BAA), and both pitches were electric against right-handed (.170 BAA) and left-handed (.210 BAA) batters. Gil pitched up in the strikeout zone (fly-ball rate – 46.7%).

Luis Gil getting some pitches in! pic.twitter.com/fx5G0UcWoZ
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) February 12, 2025

Fantasy Outlook: When searching for a special pitcher, they must be challenging to hit, throw strikes, and offer plus velocity. Gil checked two of those boxes in 2024. If he can shave off 15 walks (3.7 per nine), his strikeout should push over 235 with 180.0 innings pitched. As an SP4 in 15-team leagues, Gil fits many fantasy team structures, especially if his command improves. The only concern in 2025 is his jump from almost no innings to 151.2 last year. He ranked 24th in FPGscore (1.86) for starting pitchers. I expect him to move up draft boards once the fantasy world sees the clarity of his starting job. Potential great investment.

52 – Ryan Pepiot, TB (ADP – 163.7)

In 2023, Pepiot was expected to offer buy-and-hold value in the fantasy market, but he suffered an oblique injury at the end of March. He didn’t make his AAA debut until July 14th. After an elite start (no runs and one hit over six innings with 11 strikeouts), the Dodgers called him up on August 19th. Despite allowing seven home runs over 42 innings, Pepiot pitched at a higher level (2.14 ERA and 0.762 WHIP) than expected. His improved command (1.1 walks per nine) was a sign of a rising arm if repeated.

Pepiot was up and down over his first three starts (10 runs, 14 baserunners, and three home runs over 10.2 innings with nine strikeouts in two games ~ a three-hit shutout with 11 strikeouts in his other matchup) last season. He posted a 2.25 ERA, 0.850 WHIP, and 21 strikeouts over his following 20.0 innings before landing on the injured list for 16 days with a leg issue (hit by a line drive). His arm lost value over his subsequent five outings (5.81 ERA and six home runs over 26.1 innings). Pepiot missed a month midsummer with a right knee infection while shining over his final 67.0 innings (2.69 ERA, 1.224 WHIP, and 70 strikeouts).

Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Ryan Pepiot / Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

His average fastball (95.0) was up one mph. Pepiot added a losing slider (.345 BAA) and a show-me curveball (.167 BAA). He brings three winning pitches (four-seamer – .176 BAA, changeup – .214 BAA, and cutter – .193 BAA). Pepiot is a fly-ball pitcher (45.6%).

Fantasy Outlook: Three seasons into his major league career, Pepiot has a 13-9 record with a 3.28 ERA, 1.128 WHIP, and 222 strikeouts over 208.1 innings. His success and direction paint an intriguing arm in 2025. His missed time last year wasn’t arm-related, which is a good sign that he’ll add length to his season in 2025. With 30 starts, 13+ wins and 200 strikeouts are within reach for Pepiot while offering help to fantasy teams in ERA and WHIP.

53 – Kevin Gausman, TOR (ADP – 168.1)

When WHIP underperforms ERA, it tends to be a sign of an overachieving arm. Gausman turned in an elite season in 2021 (14-6 with a 2.81 ERA, 1.042 WHIP, and 227 strikeouts over 192.0 innings), followed by two competitive seasons in ERA (3.35 and 3.16) and strikeouts (205 and 237). Unfortunately, his WHIP (1.207) didn’t come along for the ride.

Last year, Gausman saw the bottom fall out of his strikeout rate (8.1 – 21.4% ~ 11.5/31.1 in 2023). Batters hit .238 against him, compared to .233 in 2023. He had an atrocious home (5.02 ERA and 1.337 WHIP) – road (2.51 ERA and 1.093 WHIP) split.

Gausman went 6-7 over his first 17 starts in 2024 with a 4.75 ERA, 1.340 WHIP, and 14 home runs over 91.0 innings with 91 strikeouts despite allowing one run or fewer in eight games. He went 8-4 over his final 90.0 innings with a 2.90 ERA, 1.110 WHIP, .207 BAA, and 71 strikeouts.

His average fastball (94.0) was a career low. Gausman threw fewer sliders (.268 BAA) and added a sinker (.289 BAA). His ticket to success comes from his split-finger fastball (.170 BAA with 81 strikeouts). His four-seamer’s decline (.275 BAA with 64 strikeouts) from 2023 (.246 with 110 strikeouts) was the reason for his lost strikeouts.

Fantasy Outlook: I questioned whether a drop of 75 strikeouts is worth more than allowing a much higher batting average against (.272 in 2022). In the second half of last season, Gausman showed he could still get batters out even with a sharp decline in strikeouts (7.1 per nine). This fantasy season, I wanted to avoid pitchers with a decrease of more than one strikeout per nine innings, and he beat that number by a wide margin. At the same time, his price point is much lower, with no hint of a significant injury. Buying his expected innings isn’t a bad gamble, and if his strikeouts rebound in some way, Gausman will outperform his ADP.

54 – MacKenzie Gore, WAS (ADP – 189.8)

Gore teased over his first 11 starts in 2023 (3.57 ERA and 74 strikeouts over 58.0 innings), but his WHIP (1.414) and home runs allowed (8) showed a riskier side to his game. He was up and down over his final 16 games (5.06 ERA, 1.391 WHIP, 19 home runs, and 77 strikeouts over 78.1 innings). His season ended in early September with blisters.

Despite showing growth in his ERA (3.90) and home runs allowed (0.8 per nine – 1.8 in 2022) in 2024, Gore finished with a poor WHIP (1.419), with some improvement in his walk rate (3.5). He hit 11 batters and threw 14 wild pitches (NL high). His arm was a liability against left-handed batters (.282 BAA) with only league-average value vs. righties (.257 BAA).

Other than a down day on June 3rd (six runs and 11 baserunners over 4.1 innings with two strikeouts), Gore pitched well in 14 games (3.26 ERA and 98 strikeouts over 80.0 innings) despite a poor WHIP (1.375). He didn’t belong in the majors over his next 10 games (7.09 ERA, 1.949 WHIP, and five home runs over 45.2 innings). Hidden in his 2024 season was “fantasy hope” over his final 40.2 innings (1.55 ERA, 0.910 WHIP, and 45 strikeouts), helped by a much lower walk rate (2.4).

His average fastball (96.1) was a career-best, but batters hit .279 against his four-seamer. Gore threw a losing changeup (.280 BAA) while having one pitch of value against right-handed (slider – .174 BAA) and left-handed (curveball – .217 BAA) batters. For comparison, here’s the success of his pitches over his final seven starts:

MacKenzie Gore with a nasty first K as a National. pic.twitter.com/Suofsjltke
— MLB (@MLB) April 2, 2023

Fantasy Outlook: Gore’s sample size of success was short last year, but he did come to pro ball with pedigree (drafted third overall in 2017). Over his first three seasons in the majors, his stats (21-26 with a 4.20 ERA, 1.422 WHIP, and 404 strikeouts over 372.2 innings) suggest waiting for him to prove it for an entire season before running down his arm. Is Gore a tease, or is he ready to help fantasy teams? I’m more interested than in 2024, but I need positive reports about his direction this spring. Within range of 200 strikeouts with length in his start, his success begins with better location in and out of the strike zone.

55 - Cristopher Sanchez, PHI (ADP – 175.9)

Sanchez started 2023 at AAA with losing stats (4.35 ERA, 1.450 WHIP, and 44 strikeouts over 49.2 innings) while walking 5.3 batters per nine. Somehow, after a promotion to the majors, he threw the most strikes of his career. Over eight starts in June and July, Sanchez posted a 2.30 ERA, 0.837 WHIP, .194 BAA, six walks, and 38 strikeouts over 43.0 innings. He struggled on August 5th (six runs, seven baserunners, one home run, and seven strikeouts over five innings), followed by a competitive final 47 innings (3.45 ERA, 1.149 WHIP, and 48 strikeouts over 47.0 innings).

In his first full season in the majors, Sanchez outperformed his WHIP (1.244) in ERA (3.32) while having a weaker strikeout rate (7.6 – 20.3%). On the positive side, he continues to show command (first-pitch strikeout rate – 66 and walk rate – 2.2).

Sanchez went 6-3 over his first 16 starts, leading to a 2.41 ERA, 1.189 WHIP, and 79 strikeouts over 93.1 innings. He had three disaster showings (20 runs, 31 baserunners, and two home runs over 14.1 innings with 14 strikeouts) over his next seven games (6.63 ERA and 1.658 WHIP). His arm rebounded over his final 50.1 innings (2.50 ERA, 1.033 WHIP, and 49 strikeouts).

Christopher Sanchez was FIRED UP after finishing off the complete game shutout 🔥pic.twitter.com/Nn4QHE6eGB
— DraftKings (@DraftKings) June 29, 2024

His average fastball (94.6) gained more than two mph. Sanchez had an electric changeup (.179 BAA) while throwing a winning slider (.219 BAA). Batters banged around his four-seamer (.338 BAA – .287 vs. lefties). He is a high-volume groundball pitcher (57.4) with a much-improved HR/FB rate (9.3 – 22.2% in 2023).

Fantasy Outlook: Sanchez is an interesting backend starter in 2025. His added velocity gives him a sneaky ceiling if he can continue to throw strikes at a high level and locate his four-seamer better in and out of the strike zone. His hard-hit rate against (34.2) was favorable, and he kept the ball down, helping him avoid disastrous innings via the home run. I’d take a 3.50 ERA with an uptick in strikeouts. Last season, he ranked 45th in FPGscore (-0.46) for starting pitchers. I’ll be watching his fastball velocity this spring.

51 – Luis Gil, NYY (ADP – 188.0)

52 – Ryan Pepiot, TB (ADP – 163.7)

53 – Kevin Gausman, TOR (ADP – 168.1)

54 – MacKenzie Gore, WAS (ADP – 189.8)

55 - Cristopher Sanchez, PHI (ADP – 175.9)

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