You should be grinding the fantasy baseball 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 that are risky, but viable in deeper formats.
- Desperate Measures: Pitchers you shouldn’t use unless you have no other 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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- MLB Prop Bet Cheat Sheet
- Rest-of-Season Projections
Fantasy Baseball Two-Start Pitchers
Must Start
- Brayan Bello (SP – BOS) vs. KC at SD
- Max Fried (SP – NYY) at TEX, vs. HOU
- Bryan Woo (SP – SEA) vs. CWS, vs. TB
- Yusei Kikuchi (SP – LAA) vs. TB, at DET
- Casey Mize (SP – DET) vs. MIN, vs. LAA
- MacKenzie Gore (SP – WSH) vs. ATH, at SF
- Sonny Gray (SP – STL) at LAD, vs. CHC
- Nick Lodolo (SP – CIN) at CHC, at PIT
- Sean Manaea (SP – NYM) vs. CLE, at MIL
Should Start
Jeffrey Springs (SP – ATH) at WSH, at BAL
After a rough start to the year, Jeffrey Springs has quietly been really good, throwing 65 innings with a 3.32 ERA and 53 strikeouts since the beginning of June. Both of these matchups are pretty juicy after the Orioles sold at the deadline, and they are both away from Sacramento as well. You are starting Springs in most spots.
Adrian Houser (SP, RP – TB) at LAA, at SEA
Adrian Houser has been fantastic since he signed with the White Sox, throwing 68.2 innings with a 2.10 ERA and 47 strikeouts. He was traded to the Rays, which should give him a higher win potential, but there is regression coming. His xERA is 3.97, and he has been super lucky in the home run rate.
Slade Cecconi (SP, RP – CLE) at NYM, at CWS
Slade Cecconi has quietly been very good since joining the Guardians’ rotation, throwing 76.1 innings with a 3.77 ERA and 63 strikeouts. He has a tough matchup to start the week in New York, but then goes to Chicago to face the depleted White Sox. You are using him in most formats.
Sandy Alcantara (SP – MIA) vs. HOU, at ATL
Sandy Alcantara has been great over his last two starts, but there is always some risk with Tommy John surgery returnees. You have to use him if he is on your team, but the risk is present, even with a good back-half matchup.
Quinn Priester (SP, RP – MIL) at ATL, vs. NYM
Quinn Priester has been great so far this season, throwing 107.1 innings with a 3.27 ERA and 89 strikeouts. He is overperforming, but until he hits a bump in the road, you are using him, especially with a good matchup to start the week.
Here We Go
Eric Lauer (SP, RP – TOR) at COL, at LAD
Eric Lauer has been fantastic this season, and you should probably be using him everywhere, but these are tough matchups in Colorado and then versus a great Dodgers team. The Dodgers have been pretty mediocre recently, but on paper, they are still the best team in baseball. This one is risky.
Jesus Luzardo (SP – PHI) vs. BAL, at TEX
Jesus Luzardo has been up and down all season. He can look like an ace or just get pummelled. These matchups are just too good versus an Orioles team that just sold a ton of pieces and a Rangers team that has struggled this season. You are using him in most spots.
Michael Soroka (SP, RP – CHC) vs. CIN, at STL
Michael Soroka has been up and down this year. He has a ton of talent, but has also gotten unlucky when he allows too much contact. He now has the Cubs’ offense supporting him, but there is some risk with the Reds and their improved lineup coming to town.
Mike Burrows (SP, RP – PIT) vs. SF, vs. CIN
Mike Burrows has quietly pitched well, and we have seen his strikeout rate increase recently. He has a good matchup to start the week and then a mediocre one to end it, but Pittsburgh is a great place to pitch, so he is a great arm to stream.
Feeling Lucky
Zebby Matthews (SP – MIN) at DET, vs. KC
Zebby Matthews is an elite talent with a 29% strikeout rate. However, he struggles with command and control. There is a ton of upside in his arm, but the risk makes him hard to use unless you just need strikeouts.
Brandon Pfaadt (SP – ARI) vs. SD, vs. COL
Brandon Pfaadt is a high-risk/high-reward pitcher because of his home run problem. He has two good matchups at home this week, though, which is a great spot to stream him. Hopefully, he can keep the ball in the yard.
JP Sears (SP – SD) at ARI, vs. BOS
JP Sears has been up and down, but after being traded to the Padres, he gets a much more favorable home park. He has a great matchup in Arizona after they sold a lot of their thump, but a rougher one at home versus a good Boston offense.
Justin Verlander (SP – SF) at PIT, vs. WSH
Justin Verlander is no longer the ace he once was, but he has been much better as of late. He has two good matchups in great pitching parks, so he is a sneaky streamer this week where you could potentially pick up two wins.
Desperate Measures
- Cade Povich (SP – BAL) at PHI, vs. ATH
- Jason Alexander (SP, RP – HOU) at MIA, at NYY
- Erick Fedde (SP – ATL) vs. MIL, vs. MIA
- Joey Wentz (SP, RP – ATL) vs. MIL, vs. MIA
- Johan Oviedo (SP – PIT) vs. SF, vs. CIN
- Tanner Gordon (SP – COL) vs. TOR, at ARI
- Patrick Corbin (SP – TEX) vs. NYY, vs. PHI
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