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Rest of Season Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Ranger Up

Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola were highly sought-after players in fantasy baseball drafts this offseason. Fantasy managers drafted Wheeler at the beginning of the third round in 12-team leagues, while Nola went early in the fifth. Those who drafted Wheeler are certainly not complaining, as he has been a top-five starting pitcher. Nola has started a bit slower but is still an SP3 so far. As you can see by my updated rest-of-season fantasy baseball rankings, I still think he will be fine. However, it is Ranger Suarez who leads all of baseball in year-to-date fantasy production among starting pitchers. How has he done it, and will it continue?

As the Beastie Boys once put it, “Slow and low, that is the tempo”. I don’t know Suarez’s taste in music, but it appears he at least follows that mantra when it comes to pitching. Suarez has an average fastball of 91.4 miles per hour, which measures in just the 13th percentile among pitchers. And that is nearly two MPH slower than last year. Suarez has always been a groundball pitcher, and this season has been no different. Per Fangraphs, Suarez ranks third among 80 qualified pitchers in ground ball rate (57.7 percent) and fourth in hard-hit rate (21.4 percent). Statcast credits him with slightly different percentages but has him in the 94th percentile among all pitchers in both categories. 

Regardless of which numbers you use, it is hard to argue with the results Suarez has produced through a quarter of the season. He enters the week with a perfect 7-0 record to go along with a 1.50 ERA and 0.72 WHIP. His ability to deceive hitters is a huge part of his early success. Despite not having overpowering stuff (Fangraphs gives Suarez an 84 on its “Stuff+” meter, which puts Suarez 72nd among the 80 qualifiers), Suarez ranks 13thin strikeout rate, fanning batters at a 28.1-percent clip. Suarez ranks eighth in O-Swing, which measures swing rates on pitches outside the strike zone. He also has the fifth-lowest Z-Swing, which accounts for swings inside the zone. In other words, Suarez is getting a lot of called strikes, then getting hitters to chase pitches outside the strike zone. 

Suarez has also displayed improved control so far this year. His best season-long walk rate was 7.9 percent, which came in his breakout 2021 campaign. This year his walk rate stands at 4.1 percent. 2021 was also the season in which Suarez posted his best strikeout rate (25.6 percent). It should be noted that in 2021, Suarez only made 12 starts. Most of his success that season came out of the Phillies bullpen. Therefore, it is fair to question whether Suarez can sustain this rate over a full season. The easy answer is to suggest that regression is in store. I don’t think you need me to tell you Ranger Suarez isn’t winning 25 games this season. The degree of regression is what is up for debate. 

His first start of the season when he faced the Atlanta Braves was his only start against a team that currently has a winning record or one that ranks in the top half in MLB in wRC+ versus left-handed pitchers. We cannot completely hold that against Suarez, but I do think it should be considered. I still think Suarez will be solid going forward, but not elite. I rank him as an SP4 in 12-team leagues in this week’s ROS rankings. Fantasy managers should probably continue to ride the wave considering where Suarez was drafted. However, I don’t mind shopping him around if you have a leaguemate who believes Suarez will continue to be among the game’s best starting pitchers. 

Rest of Season Fantasy Baseball Rankings

RANKPLAYERTEAMPOS
1Ronald Acuna Jr.ATLOF
2Bobby Witt Jr.KCSS
3Shohei OhtaniLADDH
4Mookie BettsLAD2B/SS/ OF
5Kyle TuckerHOUOF
6Fernando Tatis Jr.SDOF
7Juan SotoNYYOF
8Freddie FreemanLAD1B
9Julio RodriguezSEAOF
10Yordan AlvarezHOUOF
11Aaron JudgeNYYOF
12Jose RamirezCLE3B
13Matt OlsonATL1B
14Austin RileyATL3B
15Zack WheelerPHISP
16Elly De La CruzCINSS/3B
17Rafael DeversBOS3B
18Bryce HarperPHI1B
19Gunnar HendersonBALSS/3B
20Michael Harris IIATLOF
21Pablo LopezMINSP
22Corbin BurnesBALSP
23Ozzie AlbiesATL2B
24Tarik SkubalDETSP
25Luis CastilloSEASP
26Marcus SemienTEX2B
27Corey SeagerTEXSS
28Pete AlonsoNYM1B
29Freddy PeraltaMILSP
30George KirbySEASP
31Tyler GlasnowLADSP
32Jose AltuveHOU2B
33Yoshinobu YamamotoLADSP
34Francisco LindorNYMSS
35CJ AbramsWASSS
36Max FriedATLSP
37Joe RyanMINSP
38Logan GilbertSEASP
39Corbin CarrollARIOF
40Kevin GausmanTORSP
41Zac GallenARISP
42Dylan CeaseSDSP
43Randy ArozarenaTBOF
44Framber ValdezHOUSP
45Manny MachadoSD3B
46Logan WebbSFSP
47Adolis GarciaTEXOF
48Aaron NolaPHISP
49Ketel MarteARI2B
50Josh HaderHOURP
51Emmanuel ClaseCLERP
52Vladimir Guerrero Jr.TOR1B
53Jazz Chisholm Jr.MIAOF
54Marcell OzunaATLDH
55Josh NaylorCLE1B
56Sonny GraySTLSP
57Bo BichetteTORSS
58Christian WalkerARI1B
59Zach EflinTBSP
60Kyle SchwarberPHIOF
61Adley RutschmanBALC
62Teoscar HernandezLADOF
63Chris SaleATLSP
64Cole RagansKCSP
65Edwin DiazNYMRP
66Christian YelichMILOF
67Andres GimenezCLE2B
68Oneil CruzPITSS
69Nico HoernerCHC2B/SS
70George SpringerTOROF
71Bryan ReynoldsPITOF
72William ContrerasMILC
73Anthony VolpeNYYSS
74Camilo DovalSFRP
75Paul GoldschmidtSTL1B
76Alex BregmanHOU3B
77Tyler O’NeillBOSOF
78Jhoan DuranMINRP
79Jarren DuranBOSOF
80J.T. RealmutoPHIC
81Spencer SteerCIN1B/3B/ OF
82Gleyber TorresNYY2B
83Shota ImanagaCHCSP
84Justin VerlanderHOUSP
85Willy AdamesMILSS
86Will SmithLADC
87Carlos RodonNYYSP
88Cody BellingerCHC1B/OF
89Justin SteeleCHCSP
90Tanner BibeeCLESP
91Nolan ArenadoSTL3B
92Andres MunozSEARP
93Raisel IglesiasATLRP
94Jose BerriosTORSP
95Christopher MorelCHC3B/OF
96Jeremy PenaHOUSS
97Clay HolmesNYYRP
98Vinnie PasquantinoKC1B
99Riley GreeneDETOF
100Alec BohmPHI1B/3B
101David BednarPITRP
102Mason MillerOAKRP
103Bobby MillerLADSP
104Ryan HelsleySTLRP
105Nick CastellanosPHIOF
106Taylor WardLAAOF
107Bailey OberMINSP
108Yainer DiazHOUC
109Blake SnellSFSP
110Ezequiel TovarCOLSS
111Evan PhillipsLADRP
112Yandy DiazTB1B
113Jung Hoo LeeSFOF
114Evan CarterTEXOF
115Seiya SuzukiCHCOF
116Xander BogaertsSD2B/SS
117Luis ArraezSD2B
118Hunter GreeneCINSP
119Alexis DiazCINRP
120Anthony SantanderBALOF
121Chris BassittTORSP
122Rhys HoskinsMIL1B
123Salvador PerezKCC/1B
124Yu DarvishSDSP
125Grayson RodriguezBALSP
126Brandon NimmoNYMOF
127Mitch KellerPITSP
128Ha-Seong KimSD2B/SS/ 3B
129Dansby SwansonCHCSS
130Ryan MountcastleBAL1B
131Nathaniel LoweTEX1B
132Jordan MontgomeryARISP
133Ranger SuarezPHISP
134Ian HappCHCOF
135Bryson StottPHI2B
136Isaac ParedesTB1B/3B
137Cedric MullinsBALOF
138Kyle BradishBALSP
139Starling MarteNYMOF
140Joe MusgroveSDSP
141Jake BurgerMIA3B
142Lourdes Gurriel Jr.ARIOF
143Maikel GarciaKC3B
144Yusei KikuchiTORSP
145Trea TurnerPHISS
146Gerrit ColeNYYSP
147Nathan EovaldiTEXSP
148Nick LodoloCINSP
149Kenley JansenBOSRP
150Charlie MortonATLSP
151Walker BuehlerLADSP
152Bryce MillerSEASP
153Cal RaleighSEAC
154Aaron CivaleTBSP
155Craig KimbrelBALRP
156Cristian JavierHOUSP
157Jesus LuzardoMIASP
158Nestor CortesNYYSP
159Jordan RomanoTORRP
160Reid DetmersLAASP
161Daulton VarshoTOROF
162Lars NootbaarSTLOF
163Michael KingSDSP
164Spencer TorkelsonDET1B
165Royce LewisMIN3B
166Tanner ScottMIARP
167Nolan JonesCOLOF
168Ryan McMahonCOL2B/3B
169Ke’Bryan HayesPIT3B
170Jackson ChourioMILOF
171Steven KwanCLEOF
172Robert SuarezSDRP
173Pete FairbanksTBRP
174Jordan WestburgBAL2B/3B
175Brayan BelloBOSSP
176Max ScherzerTEXSP
177Matt ChapmanSF3B
178Jorge SolerSFOF
179Paul SewaldARIRP
180Jared JonesPITSP
181Carlos CorreaMINSS
182Thairo EstradaSF2B/SS
183Jonah HeimTEXC
184Brandon PfaadtARISP
185Cristopher SanchezPHISP
186Jonathan IndiaCIN2B
187Lane ThomasWASOF
188Hunter BrownHOUSP
189Jose AlvaradoPHIRP
190Josh LoweTBOF
191MacKenzie GoreWASSP
192Nick PivettaBOSSP
193Jack FlahertyDETSP
194Christian Encarnacion-StrandCIN1B
195Garrett CrochetCHWSP
196Luis Robert Jr.CHWOF
197Marcus StromanNYYSP
198Edouard JulienMIN2B
199Eloy JimenezCHWDH
200Max MuncyLAD3B
201Kutter CrawfordBOSSP
202Logan O’HoppeLAAC
203Wyatt LangfordTEXOF
204Andrew VaughnCHW1B
205Bryan WooSEASP
206Jeimer CandelarioCIN1B/3B
207Anthony RizzoNYY1B
208Jon GrayTEXSP
209Ceddanne RafaelaBOSSS/OF
210Vaughn GrissomBOSSS
211Kerry CarpenterDETOF
212Jordan HicksSFSP
213Ryan PepiotTBSP
214Tyler StephensonCINC
215MJ MelendezKCOF
216Mike TroutLAAOF
217Luis CampusanoSDC
218Tanner HouckBOSSP
219Ryan JeffersMINC
220Kodai SengaNYMSP
221Jorge PolancoSEA2B
222Gabriel MorenoARIC
223Brendan DonovanSTL2B/OF
224Zach NetoLAASS
225Kyle HarrisonSFSP
226Carlos EstevezLAARP
227J.D. MartinezNYMDH
228Kirby YatesTEXRP
229Keibert RuizWASC
230Brady SingerKCSP
231Max KeplerMINOF
232Willson ContrerasSTLC
233Jake CronenworthSD1B/2B
234TJ FriedlCINOF
235Jake FraleyCINOF
236Brendan RodgersCOL2B
237Justin TurnerTOR1B
238Bryan De La CruzMIAOF
239Bo NaylorCLEC
240Kyle FinneganWASRP
241Byron BuxtonMINOF
242Brenton DoyleCOLOF
243Paul SkenesPITSP
244Luis SeverinoNYMSP
245Taj BradleyTBSP
246Josh BellMIA1B
247Nolan GormanSTL2B
248Braxton GarrettMIASP
249Sean MurphyATLC
250Jack SuwinskiPITOF
251Andrew AbbottCINSP
252Masataka YoshidaBOSOF
253Jackson MerrillSDSS/OF
254Sal FrelickMILOF
255Luis GarciaWAS2B
256Luis RengifoLAA2B/SS/ 3B/OF
257Kyle GibsonSTLSP
258Brice TurangMIL2B/SS
259Jameson TaillonCHCSP
260Giancarlo StantonNYYOF
261Will BensonCINOF
262Merrill KellyARISP
263Eugenio SuarezARI3B
264Seth LugoKCSP
265Lance LynnSTLSP
266Tommy EdmanSTL2B/SS/ OF
267Dean KremerBALSP
268Leody TaverasTEXOF
269Alex VerdugoNYYOF
270Mitch GarverSEAC
271James OutmanLADOF
272Brandon MarshPHIOF
273Tim AndersonMIASS
274Jason FoleyDETRP
275Miles MikolasSTLSP
276James McArthurKCRP
277Trevor MegillMILRP
278Jo AdellLAAOF
279Elias DiazCOLC
280John MeansBALSP
281Brandon DruryLAA1B/2B
282Tommy PhamCHWOF
283Hector NerisCHCRP
284Gavin WilliamsCLESP
285Reynaldo LopezATLSP
286Colton CowserBALOF
287Ronel BlancoHOUSP
288Clarke SchmidtNYYSP
289Eduardo RodriguezARISP
290Jarred KelenicATLOF
291Zack GelofOAK2B
292Chas McCormickHOUOF
293Michael WachaKCSP
294Ty FranceSEA1B
295Devin WilliamsMILRP
296Griffin CanningLAASP
297Zack LittellTBSP
298Christian ScottNYMSP
299Alejandro KirkTORC
300Patrick SandovalLAASP
301Triston McKenzieCLESP
302Andrew BenintendiCHWOF
303Logan AllenCLESP
304Sean ManaeaNYMSP
305Joc PedersonARIOF
306Brent RookerOAKOF
307Junior CamineroTBSS/3B
308Connor WongBOSC
309Jose SiriTBOF
310Ryan O’HearnBAL1B/OF
311Kenta MaedaDETSP
312Wilyer AbreuBOSOF
313Adbert AlzolayCHCRP
314Jason AdamTBRP
315J.P. CrawfordSEASS
316Orlando ArciaATLSS
317Hunter HarveyWASRP
318Reese OlsonDETSP
319Triston CasasBOS1B
320Brandon LoweTB2B
321Shea LangeliersOAKC
322A.J. MinterATLRP
323Jeff McNeilNYM2B/OF
324Shane BazTBSP
325Chris PaddackMINSP
326Tyler AndersonLAASP
327Michael KopechCHWRP
328Michael BuschCHC1B/3B
329Erick FeddeCHWSP
330Jacob YoungWASOF
331JP SearsOAKSP
332Dane DunningTEXSP
333Alex KirilloffMIN1B/OF
334Danny JansenTORC
335Ryan PresslyHOURP
336Javier AssadCHCSP
337Jordan WalkerSTLOF
338Esteury RuizOAKOF
339Andy PagesLADOF
340Masyn WinnSTLSS
341James PaxtonLADSP
342LaMonte Wade Jr.SF1B/OF
343Jeff HoffmanPHIRP
344Griffin JaxMINRP
345Jose LeclercTEXRP
346Max MeyerMIASP
347Josh JungTEX3B
348Jurickson ProfarSDOF
349Frankie MontasCINSP
350Jose CaballeroTB2B/SS
351Justin LawrenceCOLRP
352Jackson HollidayBAL2B/SS
353Luis GilNYYSP
354Michael MasseyKC2B
355Charlie BlackmonCOLOF
356Francisco AlvarezNYMC
357Mark CanhaDETOF
358Joe RossMILSP
359Michael ConfortoSFOF
360Jacob deGromTEXSP
361Jose QuintanaNYMSP
362Willi CastroMINSS/3B/ OF
363Kevin GinkelARIRP
364Kris BryantCOLOF
365David RobertsonTEXRP
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