Two-Start Pitchers for Week 23 (August 25 – 31)

It’s crunch time, folks. September is around the corner, and there are limited weeks left on the fantasy baseball calendar. As such, we need to keep grinding to finish the season on a strong note. One strategy that can benefit our fantasy squads down the stretch is keeping tabs on the week’s two-start pitchers. Tracking two-steppers can provide added oomph to our strikeout and win columns, assuming we choose our two-start pitchers wisely. Looking ahead in the week also gives us a leg up on the waiver wire.

This weekly write-up helps determine the best two-start pitchers of the week. Some two-starters are easy calls, while others require more deliberation. To help you decide, I rank the two-start pitchers into tiers, along with brief notes on each player.

Keep in mind that starting rotations often aren’t finalized until late in the weekend. As this write-up gets submitted on Saturday, you’ll want to check the league’s latest schedule of probable pitchers to make sure you’re up to date with the correct starters. With that, let’s look at the two-start pitchers for Week 23.

Don’t Overthink These Two-Start Pitchers

These are your set-it-and-forget-it arms for the week. Most are elite starting pitchers with strong matchups.

Tarik Skubal (SP — DET)

First Start: @ ATH
Second Start: @ KCR
Tarik Skubal twirled a gem in his latest outing against the Astros. He tossed seven shutout frames with 10 punchies and two walks. His performance was encouraging, as Skubal allowed at least three earned runs in each of his last three starts. The good times should keep rolling for the ace in Week 23.

Cristopher Sanchez (SP — PHI)

First Start: @ NYM
Second Start: vs. ATL
Cristopher Sanchez brings smooth ratios, a 13.4% swinging-strike rate and 56.4% ground ball rate to the fantasy table. Easy must-start.

Hunter Greene (SP — CIN)

First Start: @ LAD
Second Start: vs. STL
Hunter Greene hasn’t skipped a beat. In his two starts since returning from the IL, Greene allowed a combined three earned runs over 12.1 frames while racking up 18 punchouts and issuing no walks. His strong performance resulted in a superb 39.1% K-BB rate. With Greene back in business, he returns to must-start status.

Joe Ryan (SP — MIN)

First Start: @TOR
Second Start: vs. SDP
Joe Ryan is flexing a sub-3.00 ERA and sub-1.00 WHIP this season with 159 punchouts over 143 innings. Must-start, despite a tougher-than-not two-step.

Jacob deGrom (SP — TEX)

First Start: vs. LAA
Second Start: @ ATH
Jacob deGrom hit a bumpy patch recently and had his last start skipped due to shoulder fatigue. He allowed a combined 13 earned runs over his last four starts (22 IP), and posted an elevated 5.32 ERA (3.28 SIERA). But the WHIP and Ks didn’t regress in this stretch, so we should continue to roll out deGrom as we usually would.

Jesus Luzardo (SP — PHI)

First Start: @ NYM
Second Start: vs. ATL
It’s been smooth sailing for Jesus Luzardo lately. He registered a sub-3.00 ERA and sub-1.00 WHIP across his last five starts to go with a healthy 24.6% K-BB rate. He also earned a quality start in each of those outings to go with four wins. Fire up Luzardo with confidence this week.

Roll With These Two-Start Pitchers

These are solid two-starters for the week. While they come with more risk than the arms above, you’re likely rolling with these two-steppers in Week 23.

Quinn Priester (SP — MIL)

First Start: vs. ARI
Second Start: @ TOR
Quinn Priester has become a lineup staple this season. He keeps our ratios smooth, and what Priester lacks in strikeouts (20.7%), he makes up for with win upside. While a start against the Blue Jays could prove tricky, Priester has become an easy start at this point.

Sandy Alcantara (SP — MIA)

First Start: vs. ATL
Second Start: @ NYM
Sandy Alcantara may finally be rounding into form. Outside of two blowup starts, Alcantara has allowed one earned run or fewer in four of his last six appearances. He’s also sporting a 3.16 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in that stretch to go with 33 punchouts over 37 frames. Now we’re talking! With the Braves and Mets on the docket, Alcantara is an easy two-stepper in shallow formats this week.

Matthew Boyd (SP — CHC)

First Start: @ SFG
Second Start: @ COL
As long as Matthew Boyd isn’t facing the Brewers, we should expect more of the same from the veteran: a sub-3.00 ERA, few walks (2.01 BB/9) and an average-ish amount of strikeouts (7.84 K/9). Boyd’s two-step is mixed. The Rockies have lit up lefties since June, while the Giants are bottom-of-the-barrel. However, Boyd is still a solid play in 12-teamers and offers increased win opportunity.

Lucas Giolito (SP — BOS)

First Start: @ BAL
Second Start: vs. PIT
Lucas Giolito has been cruising since June, sporting a 3.29 ERA and 1.20 WHIP across 14 starts. The strikeouts are a little light (7.37 K/9), but with win opportunity, there’s enough there that makes Giolito a solid two-stepper this week. Both the Orioles and Pirates are bottom-five in OPS against righties, and Giolito should benefit.

Max Scherzer (SP — TOR)

First Start: vs. MIN
Second Start: vs. MIL
It’s been a mixed bag of starts for Max Scherzer this month. He’s done a great job of limiting earned runs, and he picked up four quality starts and three wins in his last four appearances. But a 5.33 xFIP and 5.15 SIERA suggest he’s been lucky. Plus, Scherzer’s strikeouts fell off in this stretch as he fanned only 17 batters over 25 innings (16.8% K%). Regression likely won’t hit hard against the Twins, but the Brewers could be another story. However, Scherzer offers win upside and is still an advisable start in shallow leagues.

Edward Cabrera (SP — MIA)

First Start: vs. ATL
Second Start: @ NYM
Edward Cabrera has been rolling for most of the season with a 3.52 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 25.4% strikeout rate over 117.2 frames. But he’s hit a speed bump in his last two starts. Cabrera surrendered a combined nine earned runs across 9.2 innings against the Guardians and Cardinals, and killed our WHIPs with a 2.28 mark. I’m inclined to trust the track record here and roll Cabrera out. But if you want to play it safe or need to guard your ratios, sitting Cabrera in shallow formats is understandable.

Cam Schlittler (SP — NYY)

First Start: vs. WAS
Second Start: @ CWS
Cam Schlittler has limited opponents to three earned runs or fewer in all of his seven starts. He’s also fanned more than a batter per inning with 38 Ks across 36.1 innings. Schlittler doesn’t rock the ratios, brings the Ks and has a tasty two-step. Sign me up.

Luis Gil (SP — NYY)

First Start: vs. WAS
Second Start: @ CWS
Luis Gil holds a 4.26 ERA and 1.68 WHIP across four starts this season (19 IP), and is K-ing batters at a 20% clip. Up next is a nice two-step, and Gil is a decent option if you’re hunting Ws. But if you’re tight in the standings on the ratio front, Gil’s 15.3% walk rate could bite you.

Noah Cameron (SP — KCR)

First Start: @ CWS
Second Start: vs. DET
On the whole, Noah Cameron is light on the punchouts (7.25 K/9). But he also limits the free passes (2.71 BB/9) and doesn’t rock our ratios. And while wins are fluky, Cameron has notably snagged five in his last eight starts — and is a good bet to net more this week. Cameron is a solid play in 15-teamers or points leagues.

How Lucky Do You Feel About These Two-Start Pitchers?

This is the tier of tough decisions, with most of these two-start options best suited for 15-team leagues. These are primarily riskier starters who could bloat your ratios if things go south. Tread carefully.

Sean Manaea (SP — NYM)

First Start: vs. PHI
Second Start: vs. MIA
Sean Manaea had a strong July, but has faltered in August. He’s given up at least four earned runs in each of his last four starts, registering a 7.91 ERA and 1.34 WHIP in that 19.1-inning stretch. On the plus side, we should expect some positive regression (4.18 xFIP), and Manaea still maintained a strong strikeout rate in that span (10.71 K/9). Rolling with Manaea comes down to risk tolerance and team context. If you need Ks in deeper formats, Manaea isn’t a bad option. Just know that he doesn’t pitch deep into games, which could harm your ratios.

Michael McGreevy (SP — STL)

First Start: vs. PIT
Second Start: @ CIN
Michael McGreevy is a low-to-mid 4.00 ERA talent who is stingy with the free passes. He doesn’t bring many strikeouts to the table (5.21 K/9), but he’s a solid option if you’re chasing wins this week. McGreevy has picked up four Ws in his last six starts and is a solid bet to pick up more with the Pirates and Reds on tap.

Shane Baz (SP — TBR)

First Start: @ CLE
Second Start: @ WAS
On paper, Shane Baz’s two-step is appealing. But Baz has unraveled recently, surrendering at least four earned runs in five of his last six starts. In that 28-inning stretch, he holds a 9.32 ERA (3.74 SIERA) and 1.82 WHIP. Some positive regression is due, and a 26.5% strikeout rate is tough to ignore. If you’re chasing Ks, Baz isn’t the worst option. Just make sure you can absorb the potential ratio blowup.

Jacob Misiorowski (SP — MIL)

First Start: vs. ARI
Second Start: @ TOR
Jacob Misiorowski is both awesome and risky. While he delivers the Ks (35.3%), he hasn’t pitched more than four frames in his last four starts. He also has an ugly 6.92 ERA (3.50 SIERA) and 1.54 WHIP in that 13-inning span. Toronto has pummeled righties of late, and both clubs are top-10 in OPS against them. Combine that with limited innings, and your ratios could get torpedoed. Tread carefully here.

Forget About These Two-Start Pitchers

This tier is pretty straightforward. If you roll with these two-start pitchers, you’re playing with fire. Fuhgeddaboudit!

Shane Smith (SP — CWS)

First Start: vs. KCR
Second Start: vs. NYY
Shane Smith has been solid since the All-Star break with a 3.54 ERA and 1.23 WHIP across his last four starts (20.1 IP). The problem is he doesn’t pitch deep into games, and his 10.2% walk rate on the year can be troublesome. That could prove to be the case this week as the Royals and Yankees are top-10 in OPS against righties since July 1. Smith fans just under a batter per inning, but even if you’re chasing Ks, this isn’t the two-step to target.

Brad Lord (SP — WAS)

First Start: @ NYY
Second Start: vs. TBR
Brad Lord has looked sharp in his transition to the rotation. In six starts, he maintains a 3.45 ERA and 1.24 WHIP across 31.1 frames with a 21:8 K:BB. Lord also kept the ball on the ground with a near 62% ground ball rate. However, given the lack of strikeouts and diminished win opportunity, Lord likely isn’t worth the stream, especially with the Yankees on tap.

Tomoyuki Sugano (SP — BAL)

First Start: vs. BOS
Second Start: @ SFG
Tomoyuki Sugano has pitched well of late. He’s allowed one earned run or fewer in four of his last five starts and posted a sub-1.00 WHIP. He’s also upped his Ks a smidge from 14.2% to 19.5% in this stretch. Despite the strong performances, Sugano doesn’t offer a ton for fantasy managers. Specifically, the Ks and win opportunities are lacking, and he doesn’t pitch deep into games.

Tanner Bibee (SP — CLE)

First Start: vs. TBR
Second Start: vs. SEA
There’s not much Tanner Bibee is doing lately that makes him an attractive two-stepper. He’s allowed exactly four earned runs in four of his last five starts (26.1 IP). Additionally, his 3.79 BB/9 in this stretch has fueled an inflated 1.63 WHIP and 4.67 FIP. Bibee’s 30 Ks may seem appealing, but it’s somewhat misleading given his sub-par 8.4% swinging-strike rate. All this to say, Bibee is more risk than reward right now.

Kodai Senga (SP — NYM)

First Start: vs. PHI
Second Start: vs. MIA
In seven starts since returning from the IL with a hamstring strain, Kodai Senga hasn’t looked good. His control issues have persisted, with a 13.1% walk rate feeding an elevated 1.58 WHIP and 6.11 FIP in that stretch. Yuck. Plus, Senga has yet to complete six frames. Up next, Senga gets a tough two-step against the Phillies and Marlins — both top-eight in OPS against righties since July. There’s a ton of risk here.

Martin Perez (SP — CWS)

First Start: vs. KCR
Second Start: vs. NYY
Martin Perez is coming off his first start since April and was more than solid. He tossed 5.1 scoreless frames against the Braves with five strikeouts and no walks. While the performance is encouraging, it’s worth noting that Perez is a mid-4.00 ERA talent with a career 1.44 WHIP and 16.3% strikeout rate. I wouldn’t be targeting Perez as a two-start option this week with less-than-ideal matchups on the docket.

Brandon Pfaadt (SP — ARI)

First Start: @ MIL
Second Start: @ LAD
Brandon Pfaadt’s 4.35 FIP, 1.34 WHIP, and 18.5% strikeout rate this year aren’t terrible. But he also gives up a ton of contact, with both his 11.6% barrel rate and 45.7% hard-hit rate in the bottom-15th percentile. I’m not wild about that with the Brewers and Dodgers on the Week 23 slate.

Andre Pallante (SP — STL)

First Start: vs. PIT
Second Start: @ CIN
Andre Pallante isn’t a trusted two-stepper right now, as the earned runs and walks have piled up recently. He’s allowed 4+ earned runs in six of his last eight starts, posting an inflated 4.98 FIP and 1.71 WHIP over those 39.2 innings. While the friendly two-start may be tempting, you’re playing with fire by starting Pallante.

Kyle Hendricks (SP — LAA)

First Start: @ TEX
Second Start: @ HOU
Kyle Hendricks maintains a near 5.00 ERA and 1.30 WHIP on the year (126 IP) with an underwhelming 7.7% swinging-strike rate. His Texas two-step isn’t particularly scary, but Hendricks is a fringey streamer in the most favorable matchups. He’s a benchwarmer in Week 23.

Eduardo Rodriguez (SP — ARI)

First Start: @ MIL
Second Start: @ LAD
Eduardo Rodriguez has been an arm to avoid for most of the season with a 4.69 FIP and 1.61 WHIP across 22 starts. An unenviable two-step against the Brewers and Dodgers (yikes!) shouldn’t change that.

Bryce Miller (SP — SEA)

First Start: vs. SDP
Second Start: @ CLE
Bryce Miller returned from the IL this week and looked, well, like he did before being shelved with elbow inflammation. He allowed four earned runs across five frames against the Phillies with four strikeouts and a couple of walks. He also surrendered two dingers. Miller maintains an uninspiring 5.87 ERA (4.97 SIERA) and 1.51 WHIP across 11 starts this year with a 43:25 K:BB over 53.2 innings. It’s best to leave Miller on the bench in all formats.

J.T. Ginn (SP — ATH)

First Start: vs. DET
Second Start: vs. TEX
You need to be selective about where to start J.T. Ginn, and this isn’t the week to roll him out. Ginn has significant home/away splits, and Sutter Health Park hasn’t been kind. At home, Ginn maintains a 6.94 FIP, 1.68 WHIP, and a 12.2% K-BB rate across 28 IP. On the road, Ginn has a much more appealing 3.18 FIP, 1.09 WHI,P and 23.6% K-BB rate across 32 IP. Keep Ginn on the bench in Week 23.

Bryce Elder (SP — ATL)

First Start: @ MIA
Second Start: @ PHI
Bryce Elder has been one of the more up-and-down arms of late. Since the All-Star break, his earned runs allowed in his last six starts are: 3, 8, 2, 5, 2, 8. That rollercoaster of runs comes with an undesirable 7.88 ERA (5.19 SIERA), 1.69 WHIP, and 4.1% K-BB rate across 32 innings. There are much better two-start options out there, folks.

Mitch Keller (SP — PIT)

First Start: @ STL
Second Start: @ BOS
Mitch Keller has hit a wall. He has a 5.77 FIP and 2.25 WHIP over his last five starts (20 IP). Easy avoid.

Tanner Gordon (SP — COL)

First Start: @ HOU
Second Start: vs. CHC
Nothing against Tanner Gordon, but Rockies starters are never an option for two-start weeks.