Well sports fans, after a nice stretch of games with a little thing called hits. The fun is over and on Saturday there was a No-Hitter. This time from the unlikeliest of sources, Tyler Gilbert of the Arizona Diamondbacks. The one-time electrician and first-time starter on Saturday made history against the Padres, the story is undoubtedly worth checking out. So, From new to old we go. Chris Sale also made his first start in two years against the Orioles and it was a promising start. So he should be rostered in all leagues. Lastly, we were treated to the Field of Dreams game between the White Sox and Yankees. The game most certainly did not disappoint, ending with a walk-off home run by Tim Anderson straight into the cornfields. It was truly a movie-made moment.
Onto the injury news of the week. Starting with Julio Urias being placed on the 10 day IL with a calf contusion. Those waiting on Luis Severino will have to wait longer as he suffered what seems like another setback, claiming “I didn’t feel right” before his scheduled rehab start. Michael Pineda was again placed on the IL with an oblique strain. I expect him to be out the rest of the year. Last but not least Huascar Ynoa of the Braves is scheduled to start Tuesday after missing most of the season. He’s worth rostering if you have a spot open, considering the way he pitched early in the year. That’s the injury news so let’s check out the rankings for this week’s two-start pitchers.
MUST STARTS
1. Corbin Burnes MIL: (8/17 @ STL)(8/22 vs WAS)
– In Burnes’s last start, he tied the MLB record for 10 consecutive Ks, a record also reached by Aaron Nola this year. He also had 15 Ks in that game against the Cubs. Burnes has been downright filthy all year and has 2 easy matchups this week making him the easy number one selection.
2. Kevin Gausman SF: (8/16 vs NYM)(8/21 @ OAK)
– Gausman has stated he hopes to find his feel for his splitter again. With that said he’s still not pitching terribly. He’s had a few bad games but a start at home against the Mets should cure his ills.
3. Framber Valdez HOU: (8/17 @ KC)(8/22 vs SEA)
– Valdez is a great pitcher. His downfall this year is his walks. In July, he had 24 BB in 33.1 innings. And already in August, he has 7 BB in 2 starts. Walks generally equal high-stress innings. But, these are two really good matchups for Valdez and I’m starting him no matter what with that offense behind him.
4. Wade Miley CIN: (8/16 vs CHC)(8/21 vs MIA)
– Miley finally met his match in his last start versus the Braves. I’m not worried about him at all though. He’s had 3 starts against the pre-trade deadline Cubs in which he was good. Miami has a terrible offense themselves. Expect a great week from Miley.
5. Sandy Alcantara MIA: (8/16 vs ATL)(8/21 @ CIN)
– Alcantara’s ERA took a massive hit when he was lit up for 10 ER in Colorado 2 starts ago. That can be forgiven and we know why. Hotlanta is cookin’ and Cincinnati is RED hot but Alcantara is a really good pitcher and can pretty much limit any team in the MLB. He’s got a high floor so I have no issues slotting him here at 5 even with the matchups.
6. Marcus Stroman NYM: (8/17 @ SF)(8/22 @ LAD)
– Two road games against two of the best teams in Baseball. Doesn’t sound good, does it? The Giants have struggled against really good pitchers this year in terms of run production and the Dodgers offense can disappear at times. Stroman is an easy bet to go at least 5 innings of 3 run ball or less this week because it’s what he does. Another high floor pick here.
7. Chris Bassitt OAK: (8/17 @ CHW)(8/22 vs SF)
– Bassitt has proved himself reliable this year. Averaging over a strikeout per inning for the first time in his career is the difference-maker. These are two tough matchups but Bassitt has been tough to square up himself this year and was going to bank on the body of work from this season.
8. Frankie Montas OAK: (8/16 @ CHW)(8/21 vs SF)
– Since July 2nd Montas has lowered his ERA 1.30 points in 7 starts. All of those starts were of the quality variety. It gets better, in that stretch he has 54 Ks in 43.1 innings. The splitter is working, and although these are tough matchups Montas has the hot hand and I’m riding it with him.
9. Adam Wainwright STL: (8/17 vs MIL)(8/22 vs PIT)
– His last start came against the Pirates in which he had an 88 pitch complete-game shutout. He gets Pit again this week. The Brewers’ offense isn’t that great either. Couple the matchups with the fact Wainwright has pitched like his former ace self for nearly 3 months, it makes him an easy must-start.
10. Kyle Gibson PHI: (8/17 @ ARI)(8/22 @ SD)
– Gibsons last start was weird. The Phillies were expecting a rain delay in the beginning of the game and opted to start with an opener and then use Gibby after the Delay. It played out exactly that way, but Gibson only went 4.1 innings against the Dodgers. That can be forgiven, given the weird circumstances of the game. He gets Arizona this week which should really get him back on track. The Padres seem a tad inconsistent right now and I get the feeling Gibson registers a quality start in that one as well.
11. Logan Webb SF: (8/17 vs NYM)(8/22 @ OAK)
– I’ve slept on Webb all season but he’s quietly put together a really nice campaign. He’s up to 4 straight quality-starts and in his last 2 he’s registered 8 and 9 Ks. Also, He’s allowed more than 3 runs only twice over 16 starts. The 24-year-old gets the Mets to start the week so that sets him up nicely for a productive week.
THE QUESTIONABLES
12. Nathan Eovaldi BOS: (8/17 @ NYY)(8/22 vs TEX)
– The roller coaster that is Nathan Eovaldi continues this week. He’s alternated good and bad starts frequently this year as he’s prone to do. This week seems to set up for a similar outcome. I’m starting him in daily leagues only. Leaving him on the bench for the Yankees and starting him versus Texas.
13. Touki Toussaint ATL: (8/16 @ MIA)(8/22 @ BAL)
– One of the best names in all of baseball. Toussaint has an arsenal at his disposal and it seems to all be coming together. He’s pitched well in his limited action against some tough opponents. The only team to really get to him was the Brewers. This week he gets his best matchups of the season. I’m starting him this week in all formats.
14. Vladimir Gutierrez CIN: (8/17 vs CHC)(8/22 vs MIA)
– The rookie has 4 straight QS where he’s looked pretty dominant. He rides his hot hand into 2 matchups that are extremely favorable even though they’re both at home. I’m also starting him in all formats.
15. Cal Quantrill CLE: (8/16 @ MIN)(8/22 vs LAA)
– Quantrill is quietly having himself a really good year. He hasn’t allowed more than 3 runs since June 30th, and is riding a 5 start QS streak. These are 2 good matchups for the 26-year-old so I’m starting him without hesitation.
16. John Means BAL: (8/17 @ TB)(8/22 vs ATL)
– Since coming off the IL Means has been very hit or miss. He did however have a decent start on August 6th against the Rays. For me, Means hasn’t shown enough to recommend starting him this week in anything but points leagues. We’re still waiting to see the pitcher we saw in the first half of the year. And the injury mixed with the sticky substance ban could be the reasoning for his decline.
17. Casey Mize DET: (8/17 vs LAA)(8/22 @ TOR)
– Mize is going through a rough patch right now after having a pretty dominant stretch in the middle of the year. The Angels don’t strike fear into me but the Blue Jays do. With the way Mize is currently pitching I’m only playing him in Daily Leagues.
18. David Price LAD: (8/16 vs PIT)(8/21 vs NYM)
– Price has mostly been used as a reliever or an opener but he’s beginning to be stretched out now. He’s not the strikeout pitcher he once was but these matchups can not be ignored. Price is a firm start in points leagues this week and if you want to take a shot in roto leagues on him, this is the week to do it.
19. Tyler Anderson SEA: (8/17 @ TEX)(8/22 @ HOU)
– In his debut for Seattle last week against Texas, Anderson did what he’s done all season. 5+ innings and 3 runs or less. While I most certainly expect that against Texas, Houston is a different story since they’re one of the best teams in baseball against left-handers. I have Anderson as a daily league play only for his start against Texas.
20. Jake Odorizzi HOU: (8/16 @ KC)(8/21 vs SEA)
– He’s had his ups and downs this year but Odorizzi showed some grit in his last start against Colorado though, and this week’s matchups can not be ignored. With that said, he’s worth a shot starting this week if you’re in a bind.
21. Antonio Senzatela COL: (8/16 vs SD)(8/22 vs ARI)
– Senzatela registered a QS against the Astros in his last outing at Minute Maid Ball Park. And 4 of his last 6 starts have been QS. So, I actually like both these matchups for him at home and I think you can start him in all formats this week. The reason he’s ranked so low is, they are both at Coors, where anything can happen.
NO THANKS
Dallas Keuchel CHW: (8/16 vs OAK)(8/21 @ TB), Rich Hill NYM: (8/16 @ SF)(8/21 @ LAD), Merrill Kelly ARI: (8/17 vs PHI)(8/22 @ COL), Josh Fleming TB: (8/17 vs BAL)(8/22 vs CHW), Carlos Hernandez KC: (8/16 vs HOU)(8/22 @ CHC), Griffin Jax MIN: (8/16 vs CLE)(8/21 @ NYY), Ryan Weathers SD: (8/16 @ COL)(8/22 vs PHI), Matt Harvey BAL: (8/16 @ TB)(8/21 vs ATL), Jose Suarez LAA: (8/16 @ NYY)(8/22 @ CLE), Justin Steele CHC: (8/16 @ CIN)(8/22 vs KC), Bailey Ober MIN: (8/17 vs CLE)(8/22 @ NYY), Spencer Howard TEX: (8/17 vs SEA)(8/22 @ BOS), Wil Crowe PIT: (8/16 @ LAD)(8/22 @ STL), Reynaldo Lopez CHW: (8/17 vs OAK)(8/22 @ TB), Mitch White LAD: (8/17 vs PIT)(8/22 vs NYM)
