Top 20 Starting Pitchers Fantasy Baseball Rankings 2026

3. Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates

If he weren’t on the Pirates, he would beat the top of this list. Skenes is a beast on the mound at 6-foot-6 and 235 pounds, and he is magical. He was one short of having 30 more strikeouts than innings pitched, his ERA was ridiculously under 2.00 for a full season, and his WHIP of 0.95 is something you expect from a video game. Opponents hit just .205 against him, and his FIP was 2.36 last season. If he could just find a way to get a handful more wins, but regardless,  Skenes will absolutely help you win leagues.

4. Garrett Crochet, Boston Red Sox

What we saw from Crochet last season is what we would get from Skenes if he could get to a good team. There is nothing not to like here. It would be splitting hairs to say he gives up a few more home runs than the guys above him on this list, but Crochet’s stuff is absolutely nasty, and he is right there with the top three in almost every statistical category. He led the league in strikeouts, was one behind Max Fried for the win total, and are we really going to knock him for a 2.59 ERA? Crochet is a fantastic anchor for your pitching staff.

5. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers

As if his regular season wasn’t good enough with a 2.49 ERA and 200 strikeouts, Yamamoto was an absolute animal in the postseason. He not only threw two complete games but got the win and closed out the Blue Jays over 2.2 innings one day after throwing 96 pitches and getting the win in Game 6. He will carry over this momentum into 2026. He has a ridiculous repertoire of pitches and could easily be the top fantasy pitcher this year, and you can get him a little later than the rest.

High-End Tier: 6-10

6. Logan Gilbert, Seattle Mariners

It was a bit of a roller coaster season for Gilbert, but outside of a dreadful June coming back from injury, he was lights out, and at age 27 he could get better. Gilbert has four strikeout pitches, and his swinging strike rate is top-notch. He has been durable throughout his career outside of that elbow malady last season, and the Mariners appear to be a team that should help him rack up some wins. He does give up a few too many home runs (20 in 131 innings in 2025), but Gilbert is a bulldog who can give you near elite production in the categories that score in fantasy baseball.

7. Cristopher Sanchez, Philadelphia Phillies

We have watched Sanchez become a star since showing great promise a couple of seasons ago. His breakout last season was somewhat predictable, but I don’t know if many guessed how great he was. You would love to see a few more wins on a team as successful as the Phillies, but a 2.50 ERA and 212 strikeouts can help you forget about the 13 wins. There’s no reason to think he can’t replicate his 2025 success or perhaps get even a little bit better, as the NL East isn’t exactly loaded with powerhouse offenses. He just turned 29 and is in the prime of his career, and is a great start to your fantasy pitching staff.

8. Logan Webb, San Francisco Giants

Webb isn’t a sexy name and doesn’t jump off the page or blow you away, but he is a workhorse. Three straight seasons with 200 innings (and 192 the season before that), and although he was lacking in the strikeout category in recent years compared to the elite, he notched a career high of 224 last season. He keeps the walks down, doesn’t give up the long ball, and strands runners at a 75% clip. He isn’t the cream of the crop, but he is a very above-average starting pitcher.

9. Max Fried, New York Yankees

He certainly enjoyed his first season in the Bronx as Fried led the Majors in wins with 19 and again showed what he can do when healthy. His strikeout numbers aren’t bad by any stretch, but they are a full tick below the elite starting pitchers. Opponents hit just .230 against him last year, and he is still on one of the best offenses in baseball, so while 19 wins might not be attainable again, over 15 almost seems like a lock assuming he’s healthy.

10. Cole Ragans, Kansas City Royals

A groin injury followed by a rotator cuff problem completely torpedoed Ragans’ ascension in the ranks of the top starting pitchers, but he finished the year very strong, and I am not turning my back on him. He needs to limit the long balls somewhat and issue a few fewer walks, but Ragans has absolutely filthy stuff, and there’s no reason to think that he can’t return to his 225-strikeout range from 2024. You’ll probably get him at a bit of a discount this year, so reap those rewards.

Solid Mid-Tier & Value Picks: 11-20

11.  Bryan Woo, Seattle Mariners

He had teased us for a couple of years about what could have been if he stayed healthy, and then in 2025, he showed us exactly what that looked like with a dominant season. Despite making 30 starts last season, Woo still comes with injury concerns this year, but also a sky-high ceiling. You have to love how few walks he issues, and the swinging strike rate is very solid. Seattle looks to compete again this year, and Woo is a little riskier than some above him here, but should shine again.

12. Hunter Brown, Houston Astros

He showed improvement from his dreadful rookie season to his solid 2024, but Brown entered the stratosphere last season with an elite campaign. His ERA was under 2.50, his K/9 hit 10.0, and his WHIP was just a tick above 1.00. You’d like to see him give up fewer home runs and get the walks down another ten or so, and his swinging strike rate is not elite. However, Brown looks like a star. He is going to help you in almost every pitching category.

13. Hunter Greene, Cincinnati Reds

He had two stints on the IL with a groin strain last year, but when Greene was on the mound, he was electric. He has always had amazing strikeout stuff, as evidenced by his 16.1% swinging strike rate, but Greene showed he was more than just a guy who can throw 100 mph last season. He still gives up a bunch of home runs, but his walk rate was his lowest by a mile, and his strikeouts per nine hit 11.0. His home ballpark is not a pitcher’s best friend, but Greene certainly took the next step in 2025. At age 26, he could replicate, or even slightly improve on, his breakout last season.

14. George Kirby, Seattle Mariners

He started the season late because of shoulder inflammation, but his second half was pretty strong. After July 26, he allowed two earned runs or more just three times in his final 12 starts and struck out six or more ten times in his final 14 starts. He was also great in three of his four postseason starts. Kirby isn’t an elite ace, but he is an incredibly strong SP2 for your fantasy rotation.

15. Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves 

There is always some concern with a 36-year-old pitcher with over 2,000 innings on his arm, but Sale has really been amazing the past two seasons. He did lose two months of the year to a fractured rib cage, but he was equally good before and after the injury. He will be fully healthy coming into the season, so there are no lingering question marks based on that problem, it is just the age that is a concern. But his Ks/9 was over 13 for the second consecutive year, so if you can look past the age concern, Sale is a knockout choice.

16. Freddy Peralta, Milwaukee Brewers

He logged his third straight 30-start season as well as his third straight 200 strikeout effort, making Peralta a very reliable option in fantasy baseball. With the Brewers suddenly becoming unstoppable (can that happen again?), Peralta also bested his career high in wins by five in 2025. You don’t like to see a pitcher that goes this high in fantasy giving up 20+ home runs, but Peralta’s strand rate of 81% at least shows that when he isn’t giving up home runs, guys on base are struggling to come around. He doesn’t go deep in games often, which limits his quality starts, but Peralta is a rock and a great second pitcher for your squad.

17.  Jacob deGrom, Texas Rangers

I really want to rank him higher, but he is 37 years old, and his 30 starts last season were more than the previous three seasons combined, as he had just 20 from 2022-2024. In fact, 2025 was the first time he had more than 15 starts since 2019. Obviously, when he is on the mound, he is great. He is a far cry from his heyday with the Mets, but that was a level few ever attained. The injury history is very real, but deGrom still knows how to pitch, does it for a very good team, and can still be a fantasy baseball stud, he just isn’t a headliner anymore.

18. Nick Pivetta, San Diego Padres 

Not many guys have their best seasons at age-32 but Pivetta did just that in his first season in San Diego. In fact, his ERA was well over a run, lower than his previous best in a full year, and his WHIP was also easily a career low. He has never quite hit 200 strikeouts, and he consistently gives up more than 20 home runs per season, but Pivetta showed what he is capable of last year, and with a strong Padres offense, he should be able to be a strong second pitcher in your rotation.

19.  Joe Ryan, Minnesota Twins

He has 27 or more starts in three of the last four years, and his Ks/9 have never been under 9.2. Those two facts alone are enough to make Ryan a viable SP2. He keeps his ERA in the mid-3.00s, and his WHIP has never been above 1.17. He isn’t a flashy name that jumps off the page, but Ryan is a very reliable starter and a very good option for any fantasy team.

20. Eury Perez, Miami Marlins

His return from Tommy John Surgery wasn’t awesome, but it rarely is when a pitcher first comes back. We are shooting for the moon here with the potential we saw before the elbow problems. He wasn’t bad last season, and that is part of the reason for the optimism, as his WHIP was still just 1.05 and he struck out ten guys per nine innings. There might be a little rust to start 2026, but the sky is the limit for this kid, and the only thing holding him back is his win total on the Marlins.

Conclusion

If you can’t get your hands on one of the elites here, be sure to focus on getting multiple out of the next couple of tiers to not fall behind your league mates in pitching categories. You might also want to get one or two that just fell outside of the top 20, names like Blake Snell of the Dodgers, Spencer Schwellenbach of the Braves, Framber Valdez, who is still looking for a home, Kyle Bradish of the Baltimore Orioles, or Tanner Bibee of the Cleveland Guardians. Good luck with your starting pitchers and your leagues this upcoming season. 

More of Ryan Hallam's Fantasy MLB Top 20 position previews

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Top 20 Relief Pitchers

Top 20 Catchers

Top 20 First Basemen

Top 20 Second Basemen

Top 20 Third Basemen

Top 20 Shortstops

Top 20 Outfielders

Top 20 Designated Hitters

People Also Ask

Who is the top fantasy starting pitcher for 2026?
Tarik Skubal leads with elite ratios, strikeouts, and consistency.

Where does Shohei Ohtani rank among 2026 fantasy SP?
No. 2 overall for his unmatched ceiling when healthy.

Is Paul Skenes a top-3 fantasy pitcher in 2026?
Yes, his ratios and K rate make him a beast despite win concerns.

Why is Yoshinobu Yamamoto a value pick in 2026?
Postseason dominance and the Dodgers' support give him high upside.

How do tiers work in 2026 SP rankings?
Top 5 for elite anchors, mid-tier for reliable volume, lower for risk/reward upside.