August is in full swing, kids are going back to school, and the MLB trade deadline has come and gone. If you’re a casual fantasy baseball player and not doing well this year, then you’ve by now moved on to football… but on the other hand, if not, then you should read on my friend.
This week we have two Points of Reference since both Lance Lynn and Max Scherzer project to precisely the same value as two-starter Grayson Rodriguez.
So, why don’t you and I dive right in?
Pitchers’ projected starts for the next week are sourced from Rudy Gamble’s Streamonator as of the update at 10:55am Eastern.
The bold pitchers below are the most extreme version of each section. The best of the Top Shelf, the safest of the Well, the worst of the Bar Mat.
The Top Shelf
| Pitcher | First Start | Second Start |
|---|---|---|
| Spencer Strider, ATL | @PIT(MO) | @NYM(SA) |
| Gerrit Cole, NYY | @CHW(MO) | @MIA(SU) |
| Freddy Peralta, MIL | COL(MO) | @CHW(SU) |
| Pablo Lopez, MIN | @DET(MO) | @PHI (SA) |
| Kodai Senga, NYM | CHC(MO) | ATL(SA) |
| Julio Urias, LAD | @ARI(TU) | COL(SU) |
| Zach Eflin, TB | STL(TU) | CLE(SU) |
| Dylan Cease, CHW | NYY(MO) | MIL(SU) |
| Grayson Rodriguez, BAL | HOU(TU) | @SEA(SU) |
| Lance Lynn, LAD | COL(FR) | Point of Reference |
| Max Scherzer, TEX | @OAK(TU) | Point of Reference |
| Sonny Gray, MIN | @DET(TU) | @PHI (SU) |
Notes
- Kodai Senga? Of the Mets? Even I’m questioning my own column here… but the numbers are what the numbers are. Throw caution to the wind and a Mets pitcher into your lineup!
The Well
| Pitcher | First Start | Second Start |
|---|---|---|
| Ranger Suarez, PHI | WSH(MO) | MIN(SU) |
| MacKenzie Gore, WSH | @PHI (TU) | OAK(SU) |
| Tanner Bibee, CLE | TOR(TU) | @TB(SU) |
| Tony Gonsolin, LAD | @SD(MO) | COL(SA) |
| Dane Dunning, TEX | @OAK(MO) | @SF(SU) |
| Mitch Keller, PIT | ATL(TU) | CIN(SU) |
| Kutter Crawford, BOS | KC(TU) | DET(SU) |
| Eduardo Rodriguez, DET | MIN(MO) | @BOS(SA) |
| Brayan Bello, BOS | KC(MO) | DET(SA) |
| Braxton Garrett, MIA | @CIN(MO) | NYY(SU) |
| Carlos Carrasco, NYM | CHC(TU) | ATL(SU) |
| Seth Lugo, SD | LAD(MO) | @ARI(SU) |
| Josiah Gray, WSH | @PHI (MO) | OAK(SA) |
| Gavin Williams, CLE | TOR(MO) | @TB(SA) |
Notes
- This feels like a sturdier group than usual. Especially guys like Ranger Suarez and Mitch Keller, with their home-and-home double dips.
The Bar Mat
| Pitcher | First Start | Second Start |
|---|---|---|
| Ken Waldichuk, OAK | TEX(MO) | @WSH(SU) |
| Alex Wood, SF | @LAA(MO) | TEX(SU) |
| Hyun Jin Ryu, TOR | @CLE(MO) | CHC(SU) |
| Cole Ragans, KC | @BOS(MO) | STL(SA) |
| Drew Smyly, CHC | @NYM(MO) | @TOR(SU) |
| Osvaldo Bido, PIT | ATL(MO) | CIN(SA) |
| Yonny Chirinos, ATL | @PIT(TU) | @NYM(SU) |
| Kyle Freeland, COL | @MIL(TU) | @LAD(SU) |
| Brandon Williamson, CIN | MIA(MO) | @PIT(SU) |
| Peter Lambert, COL | @MIL(MO) | @LAD(SA) |
| Beau Brieske, DET | MIN(TU) | @BOS(SU) |
Notes
- Even when Colorado pitchers get two starts in a week away from the thin air of Coors Field, they can’t catch a break.
- Avoid, as per usual.
