Starting pitching is arguably one of the most important aspects to building a strong fantasy
baseball team, especially with many leagues often having almost as many pitching spots as they
do batting, having reliable starting pitching is essential in weeks when your hitters might fail
you. However, pitching projections have changed significantly since last season, with many
players either being traded or signed to different teams, as well as injuries and underperformers
affecting this year’s rankings.
3 Starting Pitchers to Avoid in Your 2025 Fantasy Baseball
The following are three starting pitchers we believe you might
want to stay away from in your Fantasy Baseball draft this upcoming March.
1. Kevin Gausman, Toronto Blue Jays
Kevin Gausman had an outstanding 2023 season, posting a 3.16 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in 31
games played, helping the Toronto Blue Jays reach the AL Wild Card round. However, the same
could not be said for last season with Gausman performing significantly below expectations.
Not only did Gausman post his highest ERA since 2019, but he proved to be unreliable struggling to string together wins and quality starts. Gausman also
suffered a shoulder injury at the beginning of spring training last season, which may have been the
reason for his disappointing campaign, with his strikeout rate dropping by nearly 10 percentage
points. In addition, with bullpen depth and run support showing little improvement for the Blue
Jays, the opportunity for wins could be scarce for the aging pitcher. Gausman
could still be a solid option against weaker opponents next year, but for fantasy managers
looking for more consistent starting pitching, especially when it comes to strikeouts, Gausman
might not be the best choice.
2. Carlos Rodon, New York Yankees
Despite having a strong start to last season, Carlos Rodon became one of the most frustrating
starting pitchers for fantasy managers this past summer. He was one of the most inconsistent
players throughout the latter half of the season. Rodon suffered a forearm strain of his left
brachioradialis during the 2023 campaign, making him a questionable option coming into last
season, but through the first two months of games, he proved to be a must-start fantasy option.
However, after the month of June, Rodon would pitch six games where he posted above 7.00
ERA, but still maintained solid numbers against weaker opponents.
Playing for the New York Yankees definitely helped in the wins category, but for managers who prioritize ERA and WHIP,
the 32-year old might not be the best option coming into the 2025 season, especially due to his
injury history.
3. Gavin Williams, Cleveland Guardians
After putting together a solid rookie season during the 2023 campaign, Gavin Williams was
unable to replicate that same success last season. Throughout his last two years playing for the
Cleveland Guardians, Williams has struggled to pump up his numbers in the wins category,
specifically last season when he won only three games in 16 games started. In addition, he
averaged a 4.86 ERA and 1.37 WHIP. Despite the disappointing effort in his latest campaign,
Williams could still be useful playing for one of the better teams in the league and could possibly
start adding more wins to his resume. However, for fantasy managers unwilling to take risks,
drafting a younger star such as Williams who will be desperately trying to bounce back might not
be worth the draft pick.
Gausman, Rodon, and Williams have all shown flashes of excellence in recent memory but
proved to be unreliable for extended periods of time in 2024. Although all three starting pitchers
could turn things around next season, taking a chance on Gausman or
Rodon who are both injury prone or even Williams who has yet to really prove himself,
could be a massive detriment to your team. Look toward pitchers in the same draft neighborhood who have fewer injury concerns and didn’t end 2024 with so many question marks.