Razzball, we are back with another week’s edition of Two-Start pitcher rankings!
Fortunately for baseball, we are starting to see some arms returning from early IL stints, but to very mixed results.
As I write this, Casey Mize returned for the Tigers and had an impressive outing for a team that desperately needed it, 6IP, 2H, 0R, 0BB, and 4K.
On the flipside, May 12th Tatsuya Imai returned for the Astros (too soon), and the results were not promising with 4IP, 5H, 6R, 6ER, 2HR, 3BB, and 3K.
It is good process to track the injured pitchers rehab starts (if they have any), and that can temper some of our expectations for their return. There is a lot of information on the internet, and while we want to look into more than just the boxscore a quick search on the MILB website for a player’s stats can be quite helpful.
Good luck this upcoming week!
Now onto this week’s rankings…
Start Your Studs–
Nolan McLean: @WSH, @MIA – Big week in store for McLean, but @MIA proving to be a tough matchup. He leads this week as the SP1.
Dylan Cease: @NYY, vs PIT – The K’s will be there, but I drop him from SP1 due to the risk of getting shelled by the Yankees.
Shota Imanaga: vs MIL, vs HOU – Tough matchups for Shota.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto: @SD, @MIL
Jacob Misirowski: @CHC, vs LAD – Miz is a stud, and I will be anxious to watch the matchup vs LAD.
Shane McClanahan: vs BAL, @NYY – McShane has been good, so good that he hasn’t given up an ER since April 19th.
Best Of the Rest-
Framber Valdez: vs CLE, @BAL – First pitcher below the stud rankings, and that’s due to his mixed results. He can be elite, but even if he is, will the bats give him enough run support?
Parker Messick: @DET, @PHI
Reid Detmers: vs ATH, vs TEX
Will Warren: vs TOR, vs TB
Ryan Weathers: vs TOR, vs TB
Michael King: vs LAD, vs ATH
Sonny Gray: @KC, vs MIN
Max Meyer: vs ATL, vs NYM – Big test for the breakout season of Meyer.
Trevor Rogers: @TB, vs DET
Zac Gallen: vs SF, vs COL – A get right week for ARI arms?
Ryne Nelson: vs SF, vs COL – See above.
Nick Lodolo: @PHI, vs STL
(Two) Start At Your Own Risk– (High Risk/High Reward)
MacKenzie Gore: @COL, @LAA – @COL is what I’m worried about for Gore.
Foster Griffin: vs NYM, @ATL
Seth Lugo: vs BOS, vs SEA
Mitch Keller: @STL, @TOR
Matthew Liberatore: vs PIT, @CIN – Can he survive the GABP?
Martin Perez: @MIA, vs WSH
Jacob Lopez: @LAA, @SD
Keider Montero: vs CLE, @BAL – Due to injuries I see why you start Montero, but as a Tigers fan I have minimal expectations.
Andrew Painter: vs CIN, vs CLE
Tatsuya Imai: @MIN, @CHC – I don’t think he’s quite right post injury, and he wasn’t impressive in his rehab starts.
Do Not Start- Not a lot here I would start, but maybe for one matchup only.
Slade Cecconi: @DET, @PHI
Braxton Garrett: vs ATL, vs NYM
Jake Irvin: vs NYM, @ATL
Simeon Woods Richardson: vs HOU, @BOS
J.T. Ginn: @LAA, @SD
Christian Scott: @WSH, @MIA
Noah Schultz: @SEA, @SF
Patrick Corbin: @NYY, vs PIT
Jose Quintana: vs TEX, @ARI
Walbert Urena: vs ATH, vs TEX
Robbie Ray?
Well I’m going to be the sicko who starts Lodolo, Max Meyer, J.T. Ginn, and Christian Scott this week, though I understand I’m doing it against the fantasy doctor’s recommendation.
We’ll see next week if I survive my custom dosages of questionable starting pitching.
Always enjoy your column!
1. Who has more upside in a Yahoo points league Ryne Nelson or Noah Schultz?
2. Will they always be streamers?
Thanks!
Imai ahead of Christian Scott is bananas.
Even Trevor Rogers ahead of Scott is bananas.
Consecutive 4.2 starts kind of limits the upside (imo), especially if it’s a points league. That was my thought process.
Rogers, I’m always high on a lefty vs the Tigers plus he’s been getting unlucky with balls in play.
Imai is on his last week above a do not start if he doesn’t regain his control, but his upside is high if he bounces back.
Thanks for the comment!
Fair play.