Now that the season has really gotten going, it is time to start grinding the two-start pitchers to give you an advantage over your competition.
Each week, I will be giving you a breakdown of the two-start options for your fantasy leagues broken up into the following tiers:
- Must Start: The guys that you have to start because of their talent and/or matchups.
- Should Start: These are the guys that are rostered in most formats and probably should be in your lineup.
- Here We Go: Pitchers that you are probably starting in most formats but have some level of risk to them.
- Feeling Lucky: Pitchers available in less than 25% of leagues that are risky, but viable in deeper formats.
- Desperate Measures: Pitchers you shouldn’t use unless you have no other choice.
Two Start Pitchers for June 12 – 18
These are projected two-start pitchers and are subject to change.
Must Start
- Spencer Strider (ATL) at DET, vs COL
- Zack Wheeler (PHI) at ARI, at OAK
- Zach Eflin (TB) at OAK, at SD
- Logan Webb (SF) at STL, at LAD
- Jon Gray (TEX) vs LAA, vs TOR
- Charlie Morton (ATL) at DET, vs COL
- Chris Bassitt (TOR) at BAL, at TEX
- Logan Gilbert (SEA) vs MIA, vs CHW
- Joe Musgrove (SD) vs CLE, vs TB
Should Start
Jesus Luzardo (MIA) at SEA, at WAS
Luzardo has been up and down this season, but he has only really had two really bad starts for the most part. What you do get is a lot of strikeouts and while the Nationals are good against lefties, Seattle has struggled versus southpaws this season. There is always the risk of a blow up, but the upside is immense.
Pablo Lopez (MIN) vs MIL, vs DET
Lopez has struggled recently, but as I wrote in my most recent “Buy Low, Sell High” column, the underlying numbers are better than the surface stats. He has a 3.48 SIERA, is getting a lot of strikeouts and limiting walks and hard contact. The only reason he is not a “Must Start” is because of those surface numbers, but he probably deserves to be higher.
James Paxton (BOS) vs COL, vs NYY
Outside of one bad start versus the Angels, Paxton has been really good, getting strikeouts while limiting home runs. There is no better matchup than the Rockies in their first series on the road and the Yankees are just not scary without Aaron Judge, so I would be riding with him in almost every format.
Here We Go
Dane Dunning (TEX) vs LAA, vs TOR
Dunning has been great this season, but it is a lot of smoke and mirrors. He has a 2.52 ERA and a 4.62 SIERA which don’t matchup very well. Add in the fact he is coming off of his worst start of the season and lining against two of the best offenses in baseball versus right handed pitching.
Aaron Civale (CLE) vs CHW, vs SF
Civale has been really good since returning from the IL, but it is very much like Dunning’s line where he is getting lucky in the result department. He has a 2.31 ERA and a 4.75 SIERA which don’t matchup very well. Civale has better matchups than Dunning, but there is risk with little upside because of the lack of strikeouts.
Matthew Liberatore (STL) vs SF, at NYM
Since his brilliant debut, Liberatore has struggled throwing 10 innings with a 9.00 ERA and just five strikeouts. However, the velocity and talent are still there and he is facing a Giants team that has struggled this year versus left handed pitching and a Mets offense that was mediocre against lefties before Pete Alonso got hurt. I think I am rolling with this one.
Luis Severino (NYY) at NYM, at BOS
All of sudden, it looks like something is wrong with Severino. He went from throwing 98 to 95 really quickly and his fastball is getting murdered. I think the Boston start is a scary enough matchup that you may want to skip this entirely, but the Met without Pete Alonso might be juicy enough to risk it. Either way, I am worried about Severino.
Feeling Lucky
Reese Olson (DET) vs ATL, at MIN
Olson feels like an AI generated name, but he has been pitching very well, posting a 2.70 ERA in 10 Major League innings. This is not the best of matchups, but Olson has done a good job at limiting walks and fly balls so far, so I can understand taking the shot on him. There is risk here because of his command and control difficulties he has shown throughout his minor league career though.
Tommy Henry (ARI) vs PHI, vs CLE
We finally got a Henry regression game. The underlying skills are bad and there aren’t enough strikeouts to warrant the potential downside, but Philadelphia and Cleveland have been two of the worst teams in baseball versus left handed pitching this season, so if you like to gamble, this isn’t the worst spot.
Desperate Measure
- Lance Lynn (CWS) at LAD, at SEA
- Zach Davies (ARI) vs PHI, vs CLE
- Jake Irvin (WSH) at HOU, vs MIA
- Connor Seabold (COL) at BOS, at ATL
- James Kaprielian (OAK) vs TB, vs PHI
- Hogan Harris (OAK) vs TB, vs PHI
- Jameson Taillon (CHC) vs PIT, vs BAL
- Roansy Contreras (PIT) at CHC, at MIL
- Chase Anderson (COL) at BOS, at ATL
- Tyler Anderson (LAA) at TEX, at KC
- Zack Greinke (KC) vs CIN, vs LAA
- Dean Kremer (BAL) vs PHI, vs CLE
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