Foltynewicz is primed for a solid two-start week

Teams are making it difficult to predict which pitchers will get two-start weeks, but it’s an important time of the fantasy season. If you’re still reading this, you’re likely in the playoffs in head-to-head leagues or contending in rotisserie leagues. That said, this is a vital week and we have all the two-start analysis you need.

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Must Start

• David Price (9/13 BAL, 9/19 NYY)
• Kyle Hendricks (9/12 @STL, 9/17 MIL)
• Carlos Carrasco (9/12 @CWS, 9/17 DET)
• Danny Duffy (9/12 OAK, 9/17 CWS)

Price has been excellent since July so don’t overthink it. The strikeout upside is too much to pass up for Carrasco. Duffy has two good matchups this week and the strikeout upside is immense. Hendricks has been a sure thing all season.

High-End

• Mike Foltynewicz (9/12 MIA, 9/18 WSH)
• Jose Quintana (9/13 CLE, 9/18 @KC)
• Tyler Anderson (9/12 @ARI, 9/18 SD)
• Gerrit Cole (9/12 @PHI, 9/18 @CIN)
• Marcus Stroman (9/13 TB, 9/18 @LAA)
• Anthony DeSclafani (9/12 MIL, 9/18 PIT)
• Ervin Santana (9/12 @DET, 9/17 @NYM)
• Julio Urias (9/13 NYY, 9/18 @ARI)
• Jeff Samardzija (9/12 SD, 9/17 STL)

Things may have clicked for Mike Foltynewicz; it’s a small sample size but ride his strong performances while you can. Quintana has had two rough outings in a row but his performances from earlier in the season shouldn’t be forgotten. Anderson continues to get the job done at home and San Diego is a nice matchup there. Cole has had a problem throughout his career when facing Cincinnati but the start against the Phillies gives the opportunity to return value. Just when it looked like Stroman was turning a corner, he has let us down. However, this week he should pitch well given his matchups. DeSclafani has been very good this year and hasn’t gotten enough attention for it. Santana is solid and consistent which is always a value. Urias hasn’t been able to pitch deep into games but he’s pitched well and gotten plenty of strikeouts even so. Samardzija’s strikeout rate has bounced back and that gives him fantasy value, especially in a two-start week.

Low-End

• Robbie Ray (9/13 COL, 9/18 LAD)
• Drew Pomeranz (9/12 BAL, 9/17 NYY)
• Jason Hammel (9/13 @STL, 9/18 MIL)
• Miguel Gonzalez (9/12 CLE, 9/17 @KC)
• Dillon Gee (9/13 OAK, 9/18 CWS)
• Mike Leake (9/12 CHC, 9/17 @SF)
• Trevor Bauer (9/13 @CWS, 9/18 DET)
• Andrew Cashner (9/12 @ATL, 9/18 @PHI)
• C. Sabathia (9/13 LAD, 9/18 @BOS)
• Jake Odorizzi (9/12 @TOR, 9/17 @BAL)
• Matt Boyd (9/12 MIN, 9/17 @CLE)
• Jose De Leon (9/12 NYY, 9/17 @ARI)

The Dodgers have the lowest team OPS against left-handed pitching this season and that makes Ray an intriguing option for the week. Pomeranz has given up at least one home run in nine of his 10 starts as a Red Sox pitcher.  Hammel has gotten crushed in two of his past four starts and while the other two starts were good, it’s hard to trust him at this point. Gonzalez has held his own in the ratio stats but there is no strikeout upside. Gee has made it work this season but he’s only an option in deeper leagues. Leake is capable of delivering two quality starts but it probably won’t be any better than that. Since the All-Star Break, Bauer has had a 4.76 ERA. It’s either been really good or really bad for Cashner with the Marlins, and this week he has the matchups to make two really good starts. Sabathia has slowed but he is still capable of putting together two quality starts. Odorizzi has been good for long stretches this season but two road starts against two power-filled lineups could put him in for a rough week. Boyd is a solid streaming option but he lacks the strikeout upside to be a high impact player. De Leon looked great in his major league debut but I can’t jump fully on board after one start.

 Stay Away

• Shelby Miller (9/12 COL, 9/17 LAD)
• Wade Miley (9/12 @BOS, 9/17 TB)
• Anibal Sanchez (9/13 MIN, 9/18 @CLE)
• Alex Meyer (9/13 SEA, 9/18 TOR)
• Wily Peralta (9/12 @CIN, 9/18 @CHC)
• Alec Asher (9/13 PIT, 9/18 MIA)
• Albert Suarez (9/13 SD, 9/18 STL)
• Ariel Miranda (9/12 @LAA, 9/18 HOU)
• Ricky Nolasco (9/12 SEA, 9/17 TOR)
• Kyle Gibson (9/13 @DET, 9/18 @NYM)
• Doug Fister (9/12 TEX, 9/18 @SEA)
• Jharel Cotton (9/13 @KC, 9/18 @TEX)
• Rafael Montero (9/12 @WSH, 9/18 MIN)
• Bryan Mitchell (9/12 LAD, 9/17 @BOS)
• R.A. Dickey (9/12 TB, 9/17 @LAA)
• Martin Perez (9/12 @HOU, 9/18 OAK)
• Ross Detwiler (9/12 @KC, 9/17 @TEX)
• Jaime Garcia (9/13 CHC, 9/18 @SF)
• Jeremy Hellickson (9/12 PIT, 9/17 MIA)

Daniel Marcus is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Daniel, check out his archive, visit fantasy-phenoms.com, or follow him @danmarcus3.