Fantasy Baseball Pitching Risers and Fallers: Cole Climbs Even Higher

First, a bit of housekeeping. This is risers and fallers. This is not added and dropped. What it is, instead, is a list of players who have climbed the ranks the most over the last 10 days. This is a list of players who have risen in the ranks or fallen because of their production over that period, not just the hot new prospect that was just called up, or the pitcher that just came off an injury.

Also, I have made these numbers fit a standard 5×5 scoring system. So, if your league has settings for hit batsmen or pickoffs or any of the other 70+ categories Fantrax allows, then your ranking may be different.

This list includes only players ranked in the top 300.

Also make sure to check out our latest starting pitcher rankings.

Fantasy Baseball Risers and Fallers

PITCHING RISERS

Gerrit Cole (SP, NYY)

For the second week in a row, Cole has made the biggest jump in the Fantrax rankings. We have seen absolute dominance over his last two starts, delivering a 1.29 ERA and 0.86 WHIP across 14.0 total innings. His K:BB ratio jumped from 2.80 to an elite 9.00. Statcast reveals a massive reduction in hard contact: opponent average exit velocity dropped from 90.2 mph to 85.1 mph, while his barrel rate fell from 8.8% down to 2.1%. The only thing that can slow him down at this point is if the Yankees limit his workload.

Current Rank: 131     Previous Rank: 224     Rostered: 98%

Martín Pérez (SP, ATL)

Pérez is a different riser. He’s moving up because he’s limiting damage and giving fantasy managers innings. He posted a 0.00 ERA and 0.33 WHIP over his last 10 days. Both are the best in all of MLB. He has only allowed one home run in his last four games, while lifting his ground-ball rate to 58.3%, which is second best during this period. He is keeping batters off balance, as shown by Statcast’s barrel percentage of zero. His hard-hit percentage was second best at 22.7%

Current Rank: 148     Previous Rank: 241     Rostered: 49%

Logan Webb (SP, SFG)

Webb’s ranking is rising because he is once again pitching deep into games and controlling contact without needing a huge strikeout total. He’s logged 65.7 innings with a 3.29 ERA and 50 strikeouts, ranking top five in innings pitched during that window. Webb’s hard-hit rate dropped from 37.8% to 24.1%, ranking in the top five among qualified starters for the lowest hard-hit rate over the past ten days. A ground ball rate north of 50 percent continues to make him a strong contributor in the ratio categories. He now has 14 quality starts for the year.

Current Rank: 109    Previous Rank: 179     Rostered: 99%

Kevin Gausman (SP, CHC)

After being traded from Toronto to Chicago, he immediately produced a strong Cubs debut, throwing seven innings against Kansas City and allowing only two runs on four hits and one walk. He has given up only one home run in his last six starts. Moving from Toronto to Chicago should see his rise continue. The Blue Jays have an OAA of nine and the Cubs are holding down the top spot with 57. The better defense should add to his already improving numbers

Current Rank: 211     Previous Rank: 272     Rostered: 99%

Ryan Weathers (SP, NYY)

Weathers has quietly posted top-tier numbers over the last 10 days. During this period, he’s posted a 2.25 ERA, sub-1.05 WHIP, and deeper outings—averaging 5.2 innings compared to 4.7 earlier in the season. He has been one of the Yankees’ most reliable starters with a chase rate near 29.7% and a whiff rate of 27.4%. Weathers has allowed only one home run over his last eight games and none in his last three. He also has at least five strikeouts in all but one of his last six games.

Current Rank: 168     Previous Rank: 219     Rostered: 90%

PITCHING FALLERS

Shane Drohan (SP, MIL) 

Over the last 10 days, Drohan’s ERA spiked from 3.59 to 10.80, while his WHIP ballooned from 1.21 to 2.60. That 2.60 WHIP ranks bottom-five among qualified starters over this 10-day window. His ERA ranks bottom four. His K:BB ratio cratered from 2.50 down to 1.00 (4 Ks, 4 BBs). The 27-year-old has now given up five or more runs in two of his last three starts and carries a 6.26 ERA across 23 innings since the All-Star break.

Current Rank: 240     Previous Rank: 149     Rostered: 68%

Davis Martin (SP, CWS)

Martin is sliding rapidly out of standard-league relevance due to eroding command and pitch quality. Across his last 10 days, his ERA rose from 3.25 to 6.75, while his workload per start shrank from 6.0 to 4.0 innings per game. Statcast shows his barrel rate doubling from 5% to 10%, and his hard-hit percentage climbing from 38% to 46%. Boston hammered him on Aug. 4, surrendering 15 runs.

Current Rank: 199     Previous Rank: 119     Rostered: 88%

Casey Mize (SP, SDP)

Mize illustrates why a player’s season numbers can become misleading almost overnight. Before the trade deadline, he owned a 2.70 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 85 strikeouts. Then came his San Diego debut on Aug. 5: 3⅓ innings, nine hits, eight runs, three walks and only one strikeout. Over his last 10 days, Mize’s ERA exploded from 2.70 to 21.60, while his WHIP surged from 1.05 to 3.60. When you give up eight runs, your numbers suffer enough to put you on the fallers list for the week.

Current Rank: 179     Previous Rank: 116     Rostered: 94%

Tomoyuki Sugano (SP, COL)  

His ERA over the last 10 days jumped from 3.40 to 5.60, and his WHIP moved from 1.20 to 1.38. Sugano’s innings per start fell from 6.0 to 5.1, and his K:BB ratio slid from 3.5 to 2.2. His underlying numbers show he has little margin for error, especially at Coors Field. He has given up at least one home run in nine of his last 10 games. His 5.39 FIP and 7.22 xERA are enormous warning signs, with a .316 expected batting average.

Current Rank: 273     Previous Rank: 232     Rostered: 34%

Michael McGreevy (SP, STL)

McGreevy has never been a big swing-and-miss guy, but now he is a swing-and-hit-hard guy. McGreevy’s season hard-hit percentage allowed stands at 43.4% with a 10.4% barrel rate. When paired with elevated hit totals (41 hits allowed across his last 36.2 IP), traffic on the bases constantly squeezed his fantasy ceiling. Because of this, McGreevy has gone five consecutive starts without recording a win, which in a standard 5×5 league with limited strikeouts, his ceiling has collapsed.

Current Rank: 288     Previous Rank: 258     Rostered: 98%