We’ve made it to the final month of the season! If you’re still here rather than being entirely focused on football, congratulations! Both on your taste in sports, but also on your (presumably) successful season as you chase either roto or playoff glory. I am happy to report that this week has a fair number of quality arms lined up for double duty. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Sale, Atl | COL | TOR |
| Logan Gilbert, Sea | @OAK | @STL |
| Corbin Burnes, Bal | CHW | TB |
| Freddy Peralta, Mil | @OAK | @STL |
| Paul Skenes, Pit | @CHC | WSH |
| Joe Musgrove, SD | DET | SF |
- I am trusting that Pittsburgh isn’t going to start giving Skenes the Crochet treatment this week. As long as he’s getting five innings, you’re using him.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Gerrit Cole, NYY | @TEX | @CHC |
| Luis Castillo, Sea | @OAK | @STL |
| Jack Flaherty, LAD | @ARI | CLE |
| Brayan Bello, Bos | @NYM | CHW |
| Michael Wacha, KC | CLE | MIN |
- Other weeks Bello might give me pause this high, but the White Sox are just so incomprehensibly bad.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Nathan Eovaldi, Tex | NYY | LAA |
| Jeffrey Springs, TB | MIN | @BAL |
| Jared Jones, Pit | @CHC | WSH |
| Osvaldo Bido, Oak | SEA | DET |
| Ryne Nelson, Ari | @SF | @HOU |
| David Festa, Min | @TB | @KC |
| Andrew Heaney, Tex | NYY | LAA |
| Andre Pallante, StL | @MIL | SEA |
- This ranking might be unfair to Jones, who looked rough in his first start back after having been must-start during the early part of the season. If I had him, I’d use him. But he’s not without some risk.
- On recent results and with those matchups, Bido has a good case for being in the tier above. But I have just enough questions about his legitimacy to have him here, though I’d be using him if I had him.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Luis Severino, NYM | BOS | CIN |
| Kyle Harrison, SF | ARI | @SD |
| Simeon Woods Richardson, Min | @TB | @KC |
| Eduardo Rodriguez, Ari | LAD | @HOU |
| Gavin Williams, Cle | @KC | @LAD |
| Jameson Taillon, ChC | PIT | NYY |
| Tyler Phillips, Phi | @TOR | @MIA |
| Tyler Alexander, TB | MIN | @BAL |
| Ty Madden, Det | @SD | @OAK |
| J.T. Ginn, Oak | SEA | DET |
| Patrick Corbin, Wsh | @MIA | @PIT |
| Griffin Canning, LAA | LAD | @TEX |
| Kyle Freeland, Col | @ATL | @MIL |
| Jakob Junis, Cin | HOU | @NYM |
| Chris Flexen, ChW | @BAL | @BOS |
| Max Meyer, Mia | WSH | PHI |
- Streamonator would have Severino all the way up among the Sugar Cookies. I disagree. If you want to roll with him, it’s your team, and it may work out nicely for you. I, personally, do not trust him at all.
- Originally it was Justin Steele set to make two starts for the Cubs this week, but the activation of Jordan Wicks pushes everyone back a day. Cross your fingers and hope the Cubs remove Taillon from the rotation. To be abundantly clear, I have no reason at all to believe this will happen. I would just really like Justin Steele to have two starts this week. Sigh.
- Alexander may be the bulk reliever rather than actual starter, technically. But since you shouldn’t be using him anyway, it doesn’t really matter.
- Detroit wins the award for Most Obnoxious Team this week. As of 7 am Sunday, they still haven’t announced who’s starting on Sunday, much less Monday. With Madden having previously been slotted for Sunday, the assumption being made is he simply shifts back a day. But it could also be Brant Hurter in this spot. Or basically anyone else. You don’t want to use any of them.
- Like Detroit, Cincinnati’s upcoming rotation is as clear as mud. If it was confirmed that it’s Junis, he’s probably a slightly fresher fortune cookie but still a fortune cookie.
First round playoff. Need a fifth SP. Keller v Wash, Taj v Minnesota, Sanchez @ Tor and Herz @ Pitt?