Two Start Cookie Shop: August 25-31

This week brings us what may be the largest selection of choices all season. However, that is something of a mixed bag. Considering how solid last week’s group was, that probably shouldn’t be surprising. So while there is a good batch of appealing options, there are a lot that are not so great. Some sound better than they actually look once you take a closer view, and others are just immediately unpalatable. In head-to-head matchups you might not have a choice but to hold your nose and take a bite on a few of these guys, particularly in points formats. In roto leagues, however, stay far away from those ones because there’s not enough time left in the season to undo the rotten taste they’re going to leave in your mouths. And by mouths, I mean your ratios.

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.

• Houston has been running a 6-man rotation. If that continues, Brown will only start once.
• Texas skipped deGrom’s last turn due to both innings management and shoulder fatigue. They say he’s good to go for his next outing, but that second start has to be in at least some jeopardy.

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.

• Woodruff was originally slated to go Sunday, but he got bumped a day for extra rest. Hopefully you didn’t need that Sunday start.
• Streamonator remains unconvinced by the young Brave, ranking him among the worst options out there. As you’ll see, he is not the last pitcher I disagree with it on this week.

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.

• Sandy has put up back-to-back excellent starts. The two before that were terrible. The two before that were good. I am not saying he is set for a pair of duds this week. But there is a reason he’s in this tier. (It’s because he has an ERA over 6 on the season.)
• Strider begins a run of guys with big games and even bigger question marks. Strider himself has given up 7, 8, and 5 runs in his last three starts. However, he had four consecutive quality starts before that. If you can tell me for sure what he’s going to do next, I’d appreciate it.
• Manaea, working backwards, has given up 4, 4, 4, and 5 ER. He has gotten outs in the 6th inning of one of them. Yet the machine has him near must-start status. I’d be utterly terrified to use him, myself.
• Miller and Gil are both freshly off the IL. Both looked really rough last time out. Neither gives me any reason to feel confident about using them this week. You can, but you probably don’t want to.
• The computer has Bibee on part with Joe Ryan. I don’t see it at all. He’s given up 4 ER in four of his last five starts, with bad WHIPs to boot.

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.

• Oviedo is a far less established name than the three ahead of him on this tier. Yet if you pushed me on it, I think I might gamble on him this week before them. Not because I think he’s that great, though he can flash glimpses, but because they haven’t given me a reason to trust them in a while.
• I wouldn’t be shocked if Perez and/or Smith had at least one decent outing this week. But they’re both low end enough, and the Yankees are the Yankees enough, that they belong here. Bummer.