For the entire time I’ve been writing this column, I haven’t been keeping track of how many pitchers are featured overall each week, or in each section. Understandable, I hope, because frankly that would be a lot of work. Considering that, though, I do think this is one of the largest batches of pitchers scheduled for two starts I’ve seen. Kind of crazy, actually.
To the point of the column, then. Reflecting on last week, I had a Twitter convo with one Marty Tallman of Fantrax. Ultimately, he had chosen to put Yusei Kikuchi very low in his two-start pitchers column, where I had him near the top of The Well. My kudos to Tallman, then, as Kikuchi was terrible. Pitching just 2 1/3 innings, he gave up 2 hits and 4 earned runs, while issuing 5 free passes and striking out none.
Against Oakland. Like… dude… Yusei… my man. Who does that against my A’s? At least this year? You should be ashamed. Sunday’s (today’s) starter for Toronto is, as of this writing, “TBA”, so Yusei may not even get his second start.
The bold pitchers below are the most extreme version of each section. The best of the Top Shelf, the safest of the Well, the worst of the Bar Mat.
The Top Shelf
| Pitcher | First Start | Second Start |
|---|---|---|
| Gerrit Cole, NYY | CIN(TU) | BOS(SU) |
| Shane Bieber, CLE | CHW(TU) | DET(SU) |
| Max Scherzer, NYM | @ATL(MO) | @CHC(SA) |
| Aaron Nola, PHI | @STL(MO) | @MIA(SA) |
| Jose Berrios, TOR | PHI(TU) | KC(SU) |
| Logan Webb, SF | ARI(TU) | MIL(SU) |
| Jeffrey Springs, TB | BOS(MO) | BAL(SA) |
| Alex Cobb, SF | ARI(MO) | MIL(SA) |
Notes
- Lots of recognizable names, the usual suspects you might say, at the top of the Top Shelf this week.
- Jeffrey Springs is having a helluva season since converting to starter in May, and while Boston can be a tough matchup, Springs’ home-and-home this week includes the O’s as well. Definite start.
The Well
| Pitcher | First Start | Second Start |
|---|---|---|
| Dylan Cease, CHW | @CLE(TU) | @MIN(SU) |
| Corey Kluber, TB | BOS(TU) | BAL(SU) |
| Trevor Rogers, MIA | PIT(MO) | PHI(SA) |
| Max Fried, ATL | NYM(MO) | @WSH(SA) |
| Spencer Strider, ATL | NYM(TU) | @WSH(SU) |
| Miles Mikolas, STL | PHI(MO) | CIN(SA) |
| Chris Sale, BOS | @TB(TU) | @NYY(SU) |
| Spencer Howard, TEX | OAK(TU) | SEA(SU) |
| Lance Lynn, CHW | @CLE(MO) | @MIN(SA) |
| Glenn Otto, TEX | OAK(MO) | SEA(SA) |
| Josiah Gray, WSH | SEA(TU) | ATL(SU) |
| Daniel Castano, MIA | PIT(TU) | PHI(SU) |
| Merrill Kelly, ARI | @SF(MO) | @SD(SU) |
| Cal Quantrill, CLE | CHW(MO) | DET(SA) |
| Sean Manaea, SD | @COL(MO) | ARI(SU) |
Notes
- I’ll be honest, I don’t have much pithy to say about this group. They’re fine. They probably won’t hurt you.
The Bar Mat
| Pitcher | First Start | Second Start |
|---|---|---|
| Justin Steele, CHC | BAL(TU) | NYM(SU) |
| Jordan Lyles, BAL | @CHC(TU) | @TB(SU) |
| Brayan Bello, BOS | @TB(MO) | @NYY(SA) |
| David Peterson, NYM | @ATL(TU) | @CHC(SU) |
| Matthew Liberatore, STL | LAD(TU) | CIN(SU) |
| Brad Keller, KC | DET(MO) | @TOR(SA) |
| Kris Bubic, KC | DET(TU) | @TOR(SU) |
| Josh Winder, MIN | MIL(TU) | CHW(SU) |
| Chris Flexen, SEA | @WSH(TU) | @TEX(SU) |
| Adrian Martinez, OAK | @TEX(MO) | @HOU(SU) |
| Beau Brieske, DET | @KC(TU) | @CLE(SU) |
| Mitch Keller, PIT | @MIA(MO) | @COL(SA) |
| Austin Gomber, COL | SD(TU) | PIT(SU) |
| Michael Pineda, DET | @KC(MO) | @CLE(SA) |
| Graham Ashcraft, CIN | @NYY(TU) | @STL(SU) |
| Jason Alexander, MIL | @MIN(TU) | @SF(SU) |
| Tyler Beede, PIT | @MIA(TU) | @COL(SU) |
| Jose Urena, COL | SD(MO) | PIT(SA) |
Notes
- Don’t start these guys.
- The Colorado pitchers are at home; the Oakland pitcher is on the road. That kind of thing.
- Don’t.
