The sheer volume of projected two-start pitchers is pretty small this week. I guess that’s just how it goes sometimes. Still, that doesn’t mean they’re all worth starting. While you should definitely run out Chris Bassitt on two home starts, the fact that Cole Irvin pitches against Houston and will get next to zero run support from the A’s makes him an easy fade.
What about the rest of the field? Welcome to the Two-Start Dive Bar. Why don’t you and I dive right in?
Pitchers’ projected starts for the next week are sourced from Rudy Gamble’s Streamonator as of the update at 11:25am Eastern.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Bassitt, NYM | CIN(MO) | PHI(SU) |
| Shane Bieber, CLE | @DET(TU) | @TOR(SU) |
| Lance Lynn, CHW | @KC(TU) | DET(SU) |
| Zack Wheeler, PHI | MIA(TU) | @NYM(SU) |
| Jose Urquidy, HOU | TEX(TU) | OAK(SU) |
| Blake Snell, SD | SF(MO) | @WSH(SU) |
Notes
- A couple names you might not have expected this week (or maybe you did, I don’t know you).
- Jose Urquidy’s pair of home starts against Texas and Oakland, with their combined .414 winning percentage is hard to pass up this week.
- Similarly, Lance Lynn and his 5.87 ERA are up here. But, that number has been trending in the right direction the last three weeks, and a pair of starts against the lowest and third-lowest scoring offenses in the junior circuit could be just what he needs.
The Well
| Pitcher | First Start | Second Start |
|---|---|---|
| Alex Wood, SF | @SD(MO) | PIT(SU) |
| Martin Perez, TEX | @HOU(TU) | SEA(SU) |
| Yusei Kikuchi, TOR | @BAL(MO) | CLE(SU) |
| Brady Singer, KC | CHW(TU) | LAD(SU) |
| Zac Gallen, ARI | PIT(MO) | @COL(SA) |
| Jameson Taillon, NYY | @SEA(MO) | @BOS(SU) |
| Kyle Bradish, BAL | TOR(TU) | @TB(SU) |
| Keegan Thompson, CHC | WSH(MO) | @CIN(SU) |
Notes
- This group should be fine, but there are risks all around.
- Alex Wood is a perfect example of this: he has to go down to San Diego against a recently-reloaded Padres offense, but then he gets the Bucs. It should be worth the risk in SoCal to get the start back home.
The Bar Mat
| Pitcher | First Start | Second Start |
|---|---|---|
| Cole Irvin, OAK | LAA(MO) | @HOU(SU) |
| Braxton Garrett, MIA | @PHI(TU) | ATL(SU) |
| Jordan Lyles, BAL | TOR(MO) | @TB(SA) |
| Miles Mikolas, STL | @COL(TU) | MIL(SU) |
| Zach Thompson, PIT | @ARI(TU) | @SF(SU) |
| Rich Hill, BOS | ATL(TU) | NYY(SU) |
| Tommy Henry, ARI | PIT(TU) | @COL(SU) |
| Tyler Alexander, DET | CLE(TU) | @CHW(SU) |
| Anibal Sanchez, WSH | @CHC(MO) | SD(SU) |
| Tyler Beede, PIT | @ARI(MO) | @SF(SA) |
| Chad Kuhl, COL | STL(TU) | ARI(SU) |
Notes
- As per usual, the Bar Mat is full of bad pitchers, bad matchups, or a combination of the two.
- Like, who would start Chad Kuhl with two games in Coors, against league average scorers Arizona, and definitely above-average St. Louis? Yikes.
