You should be grinding fantasy baseball two-start pitchers to give you an advantage over your competition during the season.
Each week, I will give you a breakdown of the two-start options for your fantasy leagues, broken up into the following tiers:
- Must Start: Pitchers you have to start because of their talent/matchups.
- Should Start: Pitchers rostered in most formats and who should probably be in your lineup.
- Here We Go: Pitchers you are probably starting in most formats, but who come with some level of risk.
- Feeling Lucky: Pitchers available in fewer than 25% of leagues that are risky, but viable in deeper formats.
- Desperate Measures: Pitchers you shouldn’t use unless you have no choice.
Make sure you are aware that when making fantasy baseball start or sit decisions that these projected two-start pitchers are subject to change.
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- Fantasy Baseball Trade Analyzer
- Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Assistant
- MLB Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
- Rest-of-Season Projections
Fantasy Baseball Two-Start Pitchers
Must Start
- Robbie Ray (SP – SF) vs. CLE, vs. BOS
- Dylan Cease (SP – SD) at LAD, vs. KC
- Kris Bubic (SP, RP – KC) at TEX, at SD
- Zach Eflin (SP – BAL) at TB, at NYY
- Ryan Pepiot (SP – TB) vs. BAL, vs. DET
- Casey Mize (SP – DET) vs. PIT, at TB
- David Peterson (SP – NYM) at ATL, at PHI
- Jesus Luzardo (SP – PHI) at MIA, vs. NYM
- Matthew Liberatore (SP, RP – STL) at CWS, vs. CIN
- Andrew Abbott (SP – CIN) vs. MIN, at STL
- Chris Bassitt (SP – TOR) vs ARI, vs. CWS
Should Start
Lance McCullers Jr. (SP – HOU) at ATH, at LAA
Lance McCullers has been excellent since the middle of May, throwing 25.1 innings over his last five starts with a 3.20 ERA and 35 strikeouts. McCullers’ health issues are always scary, but you should be using him while he’s healthy.
Logan Gilbert (SP – SEA) vs. BOS, at CHC
Logan Gilbert would normally be a must-start, but he is coming back from the injured list (IL), and these are two tough matchups. There is a risk, too, that he gets pushed back again and you lose a start or both, like last week.
Jack Leiter (SP, RP – TEX) vs. KC, at PIT
Jack Leiter has been up and down this season, but the stuff is good. While he struggles with control, he has two amazing matchups this week, so you are picking him up and rolling with him in most formats.
Mick Abel (SP – PHI) at MIA, vs. NYM
Mick Abel has pitched well since joining the Phillies’ rotation, and while the underlying numbers have been a little underwhelming, the stuff and his control ability have been good. With a matchup with the Marlins on deck, you have to play him.
Here We Go
Lucas Giolito (SP – BOS) at SEA, at SF
Lucas Giolito has struggled since returning from Tommy John surgery, but it has been more about blow-up outings than just being bad. He has five good starts and three terrible ones that have ruined his season line. These are two good matchups in good parks, so it is not a bad time to stream him and see if he can avoid another blowup.
David Festa (SP – MIN) at CIN, vs. MIL
David Festa is back in the Twins’ rotation with both Pablo Lopez and Zebby Matthews hurt, but unlike last time he was up in the Majors, this last start they let him go six innings, which is massive for his value. The stuff is good, and the opportunity is now here for him to take the next step.
Clarke Schmidt (SP – NYY) vs. LAA, vs. BAL
Clarke Schmidt has pitched well despite a mediocre overall line. He has good stuff and has done a good job of controlling and commanding it. He has a tough two-step, but the Yankees’ offense will give him plenty of support, and you should use him.
Will Warren (SP – NYY) vs. LAA, vs. BAL
Similar to Clarke Schmidt, Will Warren has good stuff and good command of it, but he does struggle with control. There is a bit more risk to him because of this, but with the Yankees’ offense behind him, he has a shot to pick up two wins this week.
Zack Littell (SP – TB) vs. BAL, vs. DET
It is always nerve-wracking pitching in Tampa these days with the tough dimensions; however, Zack Littell has been really good this season and is doing a good job of limiting homers in his new home ballpark.
Grant Holmes (SP, RP – ATL) vs. NYM, at MIA
Grant Holmes has been up and down this season, but he seems to have turned things around recently. He has a tough matchup to start the week, but gets a bad Miami team in a great pitcher’s park to end the week.
Bailey Falter (SP – PIT) at DET, vs. TEX
Bailey Falter has been really good this season, but a lot of it has been good luck. He has a tough matchup to start the week and a great one to end it, so he is probably worth gambling on and hoping he doesn’t get lit up by the Tigers.
Feeling Lucky
Slade Cecconi (SP, RP – CLE) at SF, at ATH
Slade Cecconi has good stuff and is doing a pretty good job of commanding and controlling it, but he is still prone to blow-ups at times. Going to Sacramento is scary, as the stadium has played terribly for pitchers.
Michael Soroka (SP, RP – WSH) vs. COL, at LAD
Michael Soroka has been up and down this season, but the stuff has been pretty good. He has an amazing matchup at the beginning of the week versus a terrible Rockies team that struggles on the road, but then he has to go to the Dodgers, which is one of the toughest matchups in baseball.
Chad Patrick (SP – MIL) at CHC, at MIN
Chad Patrick has pitched well, has good stuff and a full arsenal in his repertoire, but these are two tough matchups on the road. You should be using him in deeper formats, but in shallower formats, Patrick may be riskier than other options.
Desperate Measures
- Sandy Alcantara (SP – MIA) vs. PHI, vs. ATL
- Dean Kremer (SP – BAL) at TB, at NYY
- Sean Burke (SP – CWS) vs. STL, at TOR
- JP Sears (SP – ATH) vs. HOU, vs. CLE
- J.T. Ginn (SP, RP – ATH) vs. HOU, vs. CLE
- Kyle Hendricks (SP, RP – LAA) at NYY, vs. HOU
- Kyle Freeland (SP – COL) at WSH, vs. ARI
- Antonio Senzatela (SP – COL) at WSH vs. ARI
- Justin Wrobleski (SP, RP – LAD) vs. SD, vs. WSH
- Randy Vasquez (SP – SD) at LAD, vs. KC
- Jose Soriano (SP – LAA) at NYY, vs. HOU
- Brandon Pfaadt (SP – ARI) at TOR, at COL
- Jake Irvin (SP – WSH) vs. COL, at LAD
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