Best and Worst Fantasy Baseball Pitchers in May | Andrew Abbott, Sandy Alcantara and More

After looking at fantasy baseball hitters who excelled and struggled in May, let's do the same for pitchers.

Again, we'll only focus on notable fantasy pitchers when discussing the guys who struggled.

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Best ERAs

Among qualified pitchers, Cincinnati's Andrew Abbott had the top earned run average in May at 0.55. He started six games, going 3-0 and covering 32 2/3 innings. Abbott allowed three runs (two earned) on 22 hits and 10 walks, while striking out 33 batters.

Abbott is still available in 16% of leagues right now, which I honestly can't wrap my head around. He's been fantastic this season and deserves to be held in all fantasy leagues right now. You can trust him against just about every opponent, and he's done nothing but impress all season - scoop him up before it's too late.

Kansas City's Kris Bubic had a 0.56 ERA over five starts and 32 1/3 innings in May. He went 3-0 and struck out 33 batters along the way. Bubic allowed two runs on 20 hits and eight walks.

Bubic has been one of the best fantasy pitchers this season, and was not really talked about coming into the season. Some might look to sell high on him, while others want to get as much value out of him as they can. Assess your team situation and see what benefits your team the most.

Pittsburgh's Bailey Falter finished May with a 0.76 ERA. He went 3-0 over six starts and 35 2/3 innings. Falter allowed four runs (three earned) on 17 hits and 13 walks, while striking out 19 batters.

He has some fantasy ceiling limitations, but he's been a pretty good option all season. Falter's highest own percentage over the past month has been 33%, so he's really overlooked and undervalued right now. He's at least worth some deep-league starts coming up, and should see his own percentage go up if he continues to excel on the bump.

Worst ERAs

Among pitchers with 20 innings worked in May, Colorado's Antonio Senzatela had the worst ERA at 9.10. He allowed 33 runs (29 earned) on 48 hits and 12 walks over 28 2/3 innings. Senzatela went 0-6 across his six starts.

Miami's Sandy Alcantara is a more notable fantasy arm. He went 0-4 with a 8.64 ERA over 25 innings in May. Alcantara allowed 25 runs (24 earned) on 30 hits and 12 walks, while striking out 21 batters.

Alcantara has struggled most of this season, and is only rostered in 50% of leagues right now. He's tough to trust in any matchup right now, and he's going to keep being dropped in redraft leagues if he keeps struggling each time on the mound.

Athletics' JP Sears had a 8.37 ERA over five May starts. He went 0-3 with 13 strikeouts over 23 2/3 innings. Sears allowed 22 runs on 32 hits and five walks.

Sears was working his way into standard leagues in early May, but he's back to being a deep-league option with standard league streaming potential. He allowed just two earned runs in his last start, so maybe June is going to be more kind to Sears.

Arizona's Brandon Pfaadt went 2-3, but had an 8.10 ERA across 26 2/3 innings last month. He gave up 25 runs (24 earned) on 33 hits and nine walks, while striking out 20.

He's allowed at least three earned runs in four straight starts, but his numbers weren't that bad until he gave up eight runs without getting an out on the final day of the month. Pfaadt is a drop candidate today, and has bounceback potential in June.

Best Relievers

St. Louis' Ryan Helsley led all MLB relievers with nine saves in May. He also got a win, avoided a loss or blown save and struck out 13 over 11 innings. Helsley allowed three runs on 11 hits and three walks.

Helsley re-emerged as a really good fantasy reliever in the month of May. He was elite in 2024, then got off to a bit of a slow start this season. Helsey is on the rise again and is back to being a fantasy closer to own and utilize in all leagues.

Kansas City's Carlos Estevez earned seven saves and had a 0.87 ERA in May. He allowed a run on nine hits and a walk over 10 1/3 innings, while striking out 10 along the way.

Estevez is up to 90% rostered, after being around 70% at the start of May. He's quietly been one of the better fantasy closers all season, and deserves more attention and utilization in June.

Milwaukee's Trevor Megill had seven saves and a 0.90 ERA in May. He allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits and six walks, while striking out nine over 10 innings.

Megill has also been kind of overlooked, and is owned in just 75% of leagues right now. Milwaukee has the longest winning streak in the big leagues, so Megill is on the rise and maybe is worth adding for the team's hot stretch.

Minnesota's Jhoan Duran had seven saves, four wins and a 0.60 ERA in May. He took a loss and allowed three runs (one earned) on 12 hits and five walks over 15 innings, while striking out 20 batters.

Duran had a fantasy month to remember. His fantasy value soared and now he's amongst the fantasy closer league leaders. Now could be a time to sell him high, depending on what other fantasy closers you have on your team.

Cleveland's Emmanuel Clase had a 0.84 ERA and seven saves in May. He worked 10 2/3 innings, allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks - he struck out 10.

Clase hasn't been nearly as dominant this season as he was in 2024, but he's gaining back value and looking like an elite fantasy closer again. 

Most Strikeouts

Detroit's Tarik Skubal was unsurprisingly the top strikeout pitcher in May. He punched out 59 batters, which was 14 more than anyone else. Skubal went 2-0 with a 2.20 ERA across 41 innings, allowing 10 runs on 22 hits and two walks.

Skubal is back to being the top fantasy pitcher in the game after a slow start to the season. He's only worth trading away if someone else overpays for him (and that takes a lot).

San Francisco's Robbie Ray had 45 punchouts over 39 innings pitched in May. He went 4-1 with a 1.38 ERA, allowing six runs on 23 hits and 11 walks.

Ray has been a really good fantasy pitcher most of the season. He's dealt with injury issues in the past, which is the only reason he'd be on my trade block.

Worst WHIPs

Among pitchers with 20 innings pitched, Senzatela had the worst WHIP at 2.09.

Colorado's Kyle Freeland was at 1.81 for May. Tampa Bay's Shane Baz had a 1.74 WHIP, while Pittsburgh's Andrew Heaney had a 1.70 WHIP.

Baz is the best fantasy asset of that bunch, and he dropped from over 90% rostered at the start of May to just 54% owned now. He's been better over his past two starts, so maybe June will be a bounceback month for Baz.

Other Excelling Pitchers

Philadelphia's Zack Wheeler, Ray, Tampa Bay's Zack Littell, Philadelphia's Ranger Suarez and Houston's Framber Valdez all had four wins in May.

Wheeler had a 4-1 record and 2.25 ERA across five May starts. He allowed eight runs on 17 hits and nine walks, while striking out 37 batters.

Littell was 4-0 with a 2.88 ERA over six starts in May. He allowed 13 runs on 37 hits and three walks, while punching out 26 batters.

Suarez went 4-0 with a 2.97 ERA over 30 1/3 innings. He gave up 10 runs on 26 hits and 10 walks, while striking out 31.

Valdez was 4-1 with a 2.36 ERA over 42 frames. He surrendered 11 runs on 29 hits and 11 walks, while striking out 42 batters.

Minnesota's Joe Ryan had a 0.72 WHIP last month, while LA Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto finished with a 0.80 WHIP. 

Other Struggling Pitchers

Pittsburgh's Mitch Keller lost five of his six starts despite posting a 3.50 ERA. 

Toronto reliever Jeff Hoffman had a 13.50 ERA over 12 appearances and 10 innings pitched.

Chicago Cubs' Jameson Taillon and Athletics' Gunnar Hoglund each allowed 10 homers in May. 

Houston's Ryan Gusto had a rough 2.50 WHIP, while Arizona's Eduardo Rodriguez was at 2.42.