Hey there Bar patrons… I’m on vacation in beautiful Lake Tahoe with my family this weekend, so I’m going to make this one short and sweet. Spencer Strider is your single-start Point of Reference this week, worth in one start almost exactly what Jon Gray will be worth in two.
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 12:45pm 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Charlie Morton, ATL | @DET(MO) | COL(SA) |
| Pablo Lopez, MIN | MIL(TU) | DET(SU) |
| Logan Gilbert, SEA | MIA(MO) | CHW(SU) |
| Zack Wheeler, PHI | @ARI(TU) | @OAK(SU) |
| James Paxton, BOS | COL(MO) | NYY(SU) |
| Zach Eflin, TB | @OAK(MO) | @SD(SA) |
| Lance Lynn, CHW | @LAD(TU) | @SEA(SU) |
| Jesus Luzardo, MIA | @SEA(MO) | @WSH(SU) |
| Joe Musgrove, SD | CLE(TU) | TB(SU) |
| Jon Gray, TEX | LAA(TU) | TOR(SU) |
| Spencer Strider, ATL | COL(FR) | Point of Reference |
| Logan Webb, SF | @STL(MO) | @LAD(SU) |
Notes
- It’s a big “bottom half” of the Top Shelf this week. These guys are still absolutely worth starting. Rock’n’roll.
The Well
| Pitcher | First Start | Second Start |
|---|---|---|
| Tony Gonsolin, LAD | CHW(TU) | SF(SU) |
| Chris Bassitt, TOR | @BAL(TU) | @TEX(SU) |
| Bryce Elder, ATL | @DET(TU) | COL(SU) |
| Jameson Taillon, CHC | PIT(TU) | BAL(SU) |
| Logan Allen, CLE | @SD(TU) | @ARI(SU) |
| Dean Kremer, BAL | TOR(TU) | @CHC(SU) |
Notes
- It’s feast or famine in the Dive Bar this week. These guys are still generally startable, with Tony Gonsolin giving me a little more confidence than the others.
The Bar Mat
| Pitcher | First Start | Second Start |
|---|---|---|
| Matthew Liberatore, STL | SF(MO) | @NYM(SU) |
| Zack Greinke, KC | CIN(MO) | LAA(SU) |
| Shawn Armstrong, TB | @OAK(TU) | @SD(SU) |
| Luke Weaver, CIN | @KC(MO) | @HOU(SU) |
| Reese Olson, DET | ATL(MO) | @MIN (SA) |
| Dane Dunning, TEX | LAA(MO) | TOR(SA) |
| James Kaprielian, OAK | TB(MO) | PHI(SA) |
| Hogan Harris, OAK | TB(TU) | PHI(SU) |
| Tyler Anderson, LAA | @TEX(MO) | @KC(SU) |
| Zach Davies, ARI | PHI(TU) | CLE(SU) |
| Tommy Henry, ARI | PHI(MO) | CLE(SA) |
| Matt Strahm, PHI | @ARI(MO) | @OAK(SA) |
| Jake Irvin, WSH | @HOU(TU) | MIA(SU) |
| Tyler Holton, DET | ATL(TU) | @MIN (SU) |
| Connor Seabold, COL | @BOS(MO) | @ATL(SA) |
| Chase Anderson, COL | @BOS(TU) | @ATL(SU) |
Notes
- The Bar Mat rolls deep this week!
- Even with home-and-home starts in the cavernous Coliseum this week, Oakland’s James Kaprielian and Hogan Harris are must-avoids, given the quality of their opposition.
- Similarly, even though the two Colorado pitchers on this list, Connor Seabold and Chase Anderson, get a pair of starts away from the launching pad in Denver, you can’t start them at Fenway and on the road in Atlanta. You just can’t.
