We made it! The last week of the season is upon us. And this column, I’ll tell you up front, is not going to be worth much this week. Every team has a 6-game week, so the options would be lacking even if things were normal. But, of course, things aren’t normal. Some teams will be maneuvering things to have rotations set up for the playoffs. Others will be shutting guys down, pulling them early, or giving someone you’ve never heard of a random start. The last week of the season is the worst. At least, it’s the worst for fantasy baseball purposes. Playoff races and champagne celebrations are fun if you’re into that sort of thing, I suppose.
The point is, as of early Sunday morning, multiple teams have “TBD” listed as their starting pitchers for Sunday, much less the rest of the week. As a result, take the listed names below with the largest grain of salt you’ve ever seen. If you’re in a head-to-head matchup this week, my advice would be to simply start your best options in the assumption everyone is just starting once. (And next year, have your season end a week sooner.) Yes, there will be guys who go twice, but consider it a bonus if you get an extra one rather than something you’re counting on.
Thank you for joining me here each week throughout the season. I hope you found it more helpful than not. Let’s get to it one more time, until next spring!
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 | WSH | PIT |
| Christopher Sanchez, Phi | MIA | MIN |
| Cole Ragans, KC | @LAA | @ATH |
| Kevin Gausman, Tor | BOS | TB |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Nick Pivetta, SD | MIL | ARI |
| Justin Verlander, SF | STL | COL |
| Brandon Woodruff, Mil | @SD | CIN |
| Cade Horton, ChC | NYM | STL |
| Brady Singer, Cin | PIT | @MIL |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Ian Seymour, TB | @BAL | @TOR |
| Bryce Miller, Sea | COL | LAD |
| Merrill Kelly, Tex | MIN | @CLE |
| Lucas Giolito, Bos | @TOR | DET |
| Jack Flaherty, Det | @CLE | @BOS |
| Michael McGreevy, StL | @SF | @CHC |
| Luis Gil, NYY | CHW | BAL |
- If you care about WHIP even a little bit, do not start Luis Gil.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Shane Smith, ChW | @NYY | @WSH |
| Ryan Weathers, Mia | @PHI | NYM |
| David Peterson, NYM | @CHC | @MIA |
| Brandon Pfaadt, Ari | LAD | @SD |
| AJ Blubaugh, Hou | @ATH | @LAA |
| Mason Barnett, Ath | HOU | KC |
| McCade Brown, COL | @SEA | @SF |
| Jose Urena, LAA | KC | HOU |
Checked you out each week, thanks.
Of course Woodruff is out, the news came out after you posted.
thanks for the work all year, always helpful for me.