I have good news and bad news for you this week. The good news is that your lineup this week is probably going to have several high-quality pitchers lined up for two starts. The bad news is that your opponent’s lineup this week is probably going to have several high-quality pitchers lined up for two starts. So if you’re in a head-to-head league, hopefully your matchup is a case of best-on-best and you come out on top. If you look at your team and don’t see multiple names from the groups below…I’m sorry and hope you don’t need a win this week to qualify for the playoffs.
Let’s get to it!
What follows are our projections at time of writing as to who will be making two-starts this week, but weather, injuries, and secretive team management mean they are just that: projections. To stay as up-to-date as possible, consult Rudy Gamble’s invaluable Streamonator.
Chocolate Chip Cookies (Must Start)
They are kings of the cookie world for a reason. A warm, freshly baked chocolate chip cookie just makes you feel happy. Sort of like getting to set your rosters knowing you get two starts this week from these guys.
| Pitcher | First Start | Second Start |
|---|---|---|
| Paul Skenes, Pit | TOR | COL |
| Logan Gilbert, Sea | @PHI | ATH |
| Joe Ryan, Min | ATH | @CHW |
| Hunter Brown, Hou | @DET | @BAL |
| Kevin Gausman, Tor | @PIT | @MIA |
| Freddy Peralta, Mil | @CHC | SF |
|
Yoshinobu Yamamoto, LAD
|
@COL | @SD |
| Carlos Rodon, NYY | @TB | BOS |
| Matthew Boyd, ChC | MIL | @LAA |
| Nick Pivetta, SD | SF | LAD |
- See? I told you this week was full of goodness.
Sugar Cookies (Should Start)
They’re fine. You could certainly do worse than having these guys in your lineup, but don’t expect it to be remarkable.
| Pitcher | First Start | Second Start |
|---|---|---|
| Eury Perez, Mia | STL | TOR |
| Robbie Ray, SF | @SD | @MIL |
| Merrill Kelly, Tex | @KC | CLE |
| Trevor Rogers, Bal | @BOS | HOU |
| Cade Horton, ChC | MIL | @LAA |
| Brandon Woodruff, Mil | @CHC | SF |
| Ranger Suarez, Phi | SEA | WSH |
- By recent performance, Horton belongs higher than this. I admit, having to face the Brewers has me a little spooked. You’re still using him and not thinking twice about it. But he’s a few spots lower here regardless.
- There are a couple things to be aware of with Woodruff. First is that his last start was cut short. This was by design to manage his workload. If they did it once, they may do it again. Also, the Brewers play a doubleheader on Monday. I wouldn’t count on that messing with the rotation the rest of the week, but it is at least possible. He should still be in your rotation, just keep your eyes open for any announcements from the team before your rosters lock.
- Suarez comes with some risk, too, as three of his last five outings have seen him give up 5+ ER. Here’s hoping it was something he could and did get corrected, and not the bottom falling out on his season.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (Could Start)
These aren’t for everyone. These are the pitchers that may be a pleasant surprise, or they could ruin your week. Tread lightly.
| Pitcher | First Start | Second Start |
|---|---|---|
| Spencer Strider, Atl | CHW | NYM |
| Zac Gallen, Ari | CLE | CIN |
| Jack Flaherty, Det | HOU | KC |
| Michael Wacha, KC | TEX | @DET |
| Brady Singer, Cin | @LAA | @ARI |
| Jacob Lopez, Ath | @MIN | @SEA |
| Gavin Williams, Cle | @ARI | @TEX |
| Seth Lugo, KC | TEX | @DET |
| David Peterson, NYM | @WSH | @ATL |
- Trying to predict what these first three guys will do on a start-to-start basis is enough to drive a man to grab something harder than a glass of milk to go with his cookies. Though, to be honest, based on actual recent performance, you probably don’t want to use Strider and Flaherty, neither of whom have given up less than 5 ER or completed 5 IP in their last two starts. Gallen has had pretty good results his last three starts, but put up three complete duds before that. In conclusion…*shrug emoji*. Sorry. These guys have broken me.
- Wacha should be above those other guys. So go ahead an imagine that he is. He’s been solid. The matchups are fine. In other weeks he’d be in the tier above, but the cutoff has to go somewhere. I told you this week was loaded!
Fortune Cookies (Do Not Start)
Yeah, they’re technically cookies. Hold on, what does that little slip of paper say? “Bad times are heading your way.” Oh. Okay, then.
| Pitcher | First Start | Second Start |
|---|---|---|
| Spencer Arrighetti, Hou | @DET | @BAL |
| Nestor Cortes, SD | SF | LAD |
| Jack Leiter, Tex | @KC | CLE |
| Matthew Liberatore, StL | @MIA | @TB |
| Yoendrys Gomez, ChW | @ATL | MIN |
| Jake Irvin, Wsh | NYM | @PHI |
| Kai-Wei Teng, SF | @SD | @MIL |
| Victor Mederos, LAA | CIN | CHC |
| Austin Gomber, Col | LAD | @PIT |
| Bradley Blalock, Col | LAD | @PIT |
- Streamonator actually has Cortes significantly higher than this. Like, up in Sugar Cookie land. I know he’s looked decent his first two starts for the Padres, but I just can’t go there. The WHIP still wasn’t great, and he didn’t make it through the fifth inning either time. So if you want to use him, I can understand it. I’m just not going to recommend it.
- Once in a while there’s a guy my heart sort of wants to believe in enough to use, but I cannot in anything resembling good conscience recommend to you. You absolutely should not use Gomez. Don’t even add him. But…he looked pretty good in his first start for the White Sox after getting decent results in AAA (64 K in 46.2 IP!). It’s fool’s gold! You know it is. I know it is. And yet I’d be lying if a part of me didn’t want to throw reason to the wind and try it anyway. Don’t be like me.
I traded for Robbie Ray mid July, gave up a lot. I believe he’s now on 11 straight starts without a win, not all his fault of course, but he has not been close to the pitcher he was before the ASB. Some run support would be nice.