If you have Tarik Skubal, this looks it should be a really good week for you. Though it almost always is. He’s really good! But you get a double serving this week! As for everyone else…it could be worse. It’s not that it’s a bad week for two start options; it’s just that it isn’t a particularly exciting group. You’ll see. Let’s get into 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Tarik Skubal, Det | @STL | CLE |
- Skubal gets a tier unto himself. It’s not that the next group is bad or that you should bench any of them; it’s that the gap between them and the reigning Cy Young winner is just comically large.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Robbie Ray, SF | KC | @WSH |
| Dylan Cease, SD | @TOR | @ATL |
| Kris Bubic, KC | @SF | @MIN |
| Cristopher Sanchez, Phi | @COL | @ATH |
| Bailey Ober, Min | CLE | KC |
| Luis Castillo, Sea | @CHW | @HOU |
| Nick Lodolo, Cin | @PIT | CHC |
| Jesus Luzardo, Phi | @COL | @ATH |
| Kodai Senga, NYM | @BOS | LAD |
| Ryan Pepiot, TB | HOU | TOR |
| Logan Henderson, Mil | BAL | @PIT |
| Ben Brown, ChC | @MIA | @CIN |
| Sonny Gray, StL | DET | ARI |
- See what I mean? You’re obviously using Ray this week. He’s very good! He’s just not Skubal, that’s all.
- A seven-game week should mean two starts for two of the Philly arms you love to see line up for two starts. The location of those starts this week, however, is something of a downer. Not nearly enough to consider not using them, but enough to lower your expectations and excitement a smidge.
- At some point Henderson will probably need a third pitch if he wants long-term success at the big league level. But he’s looked legit in his first couple outings, and the matchups aren’t overly frightful. Brown is more inconsistent and unreliable than I usually like to put in this tier. The Marlins are really bad, though.
- Streamonator actually has Gray rated as the second-best option this week. My inclination is to put him somewhere in the middle of the next tier down. He’s here because while I wouldn’t really consider benching him if I had him, I also don’t feel confident about the results.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Jose Soriano, LAA | @ATH | MIA |
| Chris Bassitt, Tor | SD | @TB |
| Gavin Williams, Cle | @MIN | @DET |
| Mitch Keller, Pit | CIN | MIL |
| Will Warren, NYY | TEX | @COL |
| Edward Cabrera, Mia | CHC | @LAA |
| Gunnar Hoglund, Ath | LAA | PHI |
| Davis Martin, ChW | SEA | TEX |
| Brandon Pfaadt, Ari | @LAD | @STL |
| Tomoyuki Sugano, Bal | @MIL | @BOS |
- This might be the most Oatmeal Raisin-y batch of Oatmeal Raisin Cookies we’ve ever seen. Top to bottom, I don’t know how you could possibly be confident you know what you’re getting with these guys. Shuffle them up and rearrange them in any order you want. You may get something delicious, you may want to vomit. One bite might be divine, the next might break a tooth. Prepare for heartburn.
- At the time of submission, the Yankees haven’t confirmed their rotation to start the week. My assumption is Warren goes on regular rest, but you should double check to be sure.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Quinn Priester, Mil | BAL | @PIT |
| Dean Kremer, Bal | @MIL | @BOS |
| J.T. Ginn, Ath | LAA | PHI |
| Mitchell Parker, Wsh | ATL | SF |
| Kyle Hendricks, LAA | @ATH | MIA |
| Walker Buehler, Bos | NYM | BAL |
| Logan Allen, Cle | @MIN | @DET |
| Colton Gordon, Hou | @TB | SEA |
| Keider Montero, Det | @STL | CLE |
| Hunter Dobbins, Bos | NYM | BAL |
| Bailey Falter, Pit | CIN | MIL |
| Landon Knack, LAD | ARI | NYM |
| Patrick Corbin, Tex | @NYY | CHW |
| Kyle Freeland, Col | PHI | NYY |
| Antonio Senzatela, Col | PHI | NYY |
- Knack is this week’s Dodger lined up to start on Monday of a six-game week. He’s not going to start twice.
I’ve been wrong literally every week this season with my start/sit of Gavin Williams so far. I’m sitting him this week, so anyone else rostering him should strongly consider starting him.
Thank you for your service to the community.
H2H 6×6 Holds. Would you start two step Hoglund v Phil v LAA over any one start guys like….Burnes @ LAD, Kelly @ StL, Libby v AZ, Olsen v Clev, Sears v LAA or Zebby v KC?
The questions for me would be Olson and Burnes. The rest are “yes.” Hate Burnes’ matchup, but I’m not sure I’d actually have it in me to bench him. Since it’s H2H…I’d probably do Hoglund over Olson. The Philly matchup isn’t fun, but Olson isn’t such a definite lock for better ratios that I’d avoid chasing the quantity of Ks. Roto might be a different story.
SON has Pfaadt (@LAD; @StL). .
Weekly league: I need to start either Pfaadt or Warren (Tex; @Col). I assume Warren..
I do have Warren higher, but they’re part of that shake ‘em up and pick your favorite group I don’t know how to make heads or tails of this week. Absolutely nothing would surprise me from either. I know that’s not helpful, but I just have no feel for that tier this period.
Streamonator seems to like both Soriano and Ben Brown next week (at least for Y! points). But @ATH scares me for the former, and @CIN scare me (a little) for the latter…
Yeah, I don’t love disagreeing so much with SON, but I don’t get its love for Soriano this week. His upside is probably higher than Brown’s, and he’s a little more steady, but they’re both pretty boom or bust and the Athletics matchup is the worse of the two you mentioned. Who saw that coming preseason?
I think it’s healthy to disagree with Streamonator sometimes. I mean I’d be ecstatic if Sonny Gray really was the second-best pitcher this week, but I won’t be shocked if he’s not…
A lot of pundits were speculating about the differences between the Sacramento stadium and the old Coliseum, but mostly I remember a lot of talk about less foul territory, and a little about how the air will heat up in the summer. But I’m very happy now to be rostering 2-3 ATH batters in all of my teams.
Other (more desperate) managers scooped up Brown & Soriano, so I can now just sit back and observe…
While not two starts, and probably his next this coming Friday or Saturday- is it time to say goodbye with Shane Baz?
Feels like he’s been scouted out and being hit too often or too afraid to throw strikes towards being ahead in counts and Ks
Loved the hype on him early but I’m losing the faith
There’s enough there that I’d try not to cut him just yet, but I wouldn’t want to start him until he showed me something positive. It’s been pretty bad.
It really has. I feel like I’m really hanging onto those first few starts to keep justifying, but something feels very shaken in this kid that isn’t what he was in those starts and I feel like he’s just a couple tweaks from getting it back. I’d hate to cut him to open a streaming spot since I had to make an SP drop recent to get back my space for a 2B position