
Eric KarabellOct 2, 2025, 06:48 AM ET
- Eric Karabell is simply a elder writer for phantasy baseball, shot and hoops astatine ESPN. Eric is simply a charter subordinate of FSWA Hall of Fame and writer of "The Best Philadelphia Sports Arguments".
Nothing against Detroit Tigers LHP Tarik Skubal, Boston Red Sox LHP Garrett Crochet oregon Pittsburgh Pirates RHP Paul Skenes, but these fantabulous fellows were supposed to be rotation anchors successful fantasy baseball this season. Each was among the apical starting pitchers successful ESPN ADP for bully reasons and, portion they produced fantastic statistic for managers successful modular points formats and roto/categories leagues alike, they were not "draft-day bargains."
However, Seattle Mariners RHP Bryan Woo -- on mean a 16th-round enactment -- was rather the bargain. He gets our motion for phantasy starting pitcher MVP. Woo, 25, emerged arsenic a coagulated phantasy enactment during the 2024 season, erstwhile helium went 9-3 with a 2.89 ERA and an 0.90 WHIP, but helium did truthful for lone 22 starts (121⅓ innings), and his below-average strikeout complaint frightened imaginable investors.
Woo performed amended this season, shaking disconnected durability questions by making 30 starts, and helium raised his strikeout complaint from 21.4% to 27.1%. He whiffed 198 hitters and won 15 games. Woo astir matched the exalted Skenes for value, careless of format. He pitched similar a phantasy ace, the 4th Mariners starting pitcher disconnected the draught board, but easy No. 1 for phantasy value. Plus, he's the No. 4 starting pitcher (omitting Shohei Ohtani) connected the season-ending Player Rater.
Other MVP pitcher candidates
Jacob deGrom, Texas Rangers: Woo and deGrom were selected astir the aforesaid constituent of ESPN ADP, but Woo delivered amended numbers. Still, it was large to spot deGrom, 37, commencement 29 games -- his astir since the 2019 play with the New York Mets. He had outstanding phantasy numbers, though with a lesser strikeout complaint than successful seasons past. Rangers teammates Nathan Eovaldi (1.73 ERA successful 22 starts) and Merrill Kelly (acquired from the Diamondbacks) besides excelled successful examination to tempered expectations.
Nick Pivetta, San Diego Padres: Pivetta, agelong a tease successful phantasy circles for underperforming based connected charismatic metrics, delivered his champion play aft turning 32 years old. Pivetta finished among the apical 10 starting pitchers by winning 13 games, striking retired 190 hitters and fashioning an awesome 2.87 ERA and an 0.99 WHIP. San Diego is the 3rd halt successful his vocation and it's wherever helium yet became a phantasy ace.

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