Fantasy Baseball Two-Start Pitchers: Blake Snell Has Returned

The coming week features several fantasy baseball two-start pitcher matchups that I like. However, I have a larger-than-usual group in the “Next In Line” category. Each pitcher has either had recent hiccups or faces a team that makes me hesitant to feel confident enough to place the player in the “No Brainer” category.

In my fantasy baseball two-start pitcher report, I break eligible pitchers into four categories. The first tier is the “No-Brainers,” with ideal pitchers and matchups that require no thought. Next is the “Next In Line” tier, which includes other optimal matchups but carries some risk.

The third tier is the “Streamer” tier, as the name suggests: pitchers who can produce decent stats, but the matchups aren’t ideal, so start at your own risk. The last tier is the “Avoid” tier, which includes pitchers with terrible matchups or who have been pitching badly and can be left on the bench or on the waiver wire. I also highlight my favorite matchups for the week.

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MLB Two-Start Pitchers for August 17-23

My Favorite Two-Start Pitchers of the Week

Blake Snell, Los Angeles Dodgers (@ Rockies, vs Pirates)

Blake Snell has only made two starts this season due to surgery on his left elbow to remove loose bodies after his May 9 start. He returned August 11 in fantastic form, striking out 10 Kansas City Royals hitters and allowing one earned run over three hits. Impressively, the lefty only needed 84 pitches to get through six innings, with 55 of them being for strikes.

The Rockies are the better of the two teams against southpaws since the All-Star break, ranking 11th in OPS (.731), compared to the Pirates ranking 25th (.621). The Pirates also offer an ideal strikeout target for Snell, ranking fifth, while the Rockies are tougher to sit down, ranking 27th. Five of the Rockies starters have faced Snell before, but they combine for a .133 batting average and 17 strikeouts over 34 at-bats. The Pirates have had more success with five of their starters hitting .278 over 36 at-bats with 14 strikeouts.

Snell will likely pitch to a pitch count to stay fresh for the postseason, and because it’s his second start after three months on the IL. He only had one walk in his August 11 start, allowing him to go deeper into the game, so if he has a less consistent night, the lefty won’t go as deep into the game. However, both teams offer Snell a solid matchup, and I’m trusting the Dodgers’ pitcher.

Drew Rasmussen, Tampa Bay Rays (vs Blue Jays, @ Orioles)

Drew Rasmussen is one of the best pitchers in MLB when he can stay healthy. He pitched in 24 games combined over the 2023 and 2024 seasons before undergoing an internal brace procedure on his right elbow. He bounced back, starting in 31 games last season, and is on pace for 29 this season. He currently has a 2.78 ERA with 133 strikeouts, and only 23 walks over 129.1 innings. The impressive walk rate (4.5%) has Rasmussen in the 98th percentile among eligible MLB pitchers.

The righty faces two teams that have had success the last two weeks, but since the All-Star break, the Blue Jays rank 21st (.687) and the Orioles rank 27th (.636) in OPS against right-handed pitchers. The Blue Jays have seen Rasmussen a lot, with 11 players combining for 123 at-bats against the righty. However, only four batters have an OPS above .670: Ernie Clement (.800), Andres Gimenez (1.286), Josh Smith (1.000), and Kazuma Okamoto (.875).

Rasmussen has faced the Orioles 10 times over his seven-year career, but hasn’t gone against them this season, which is arguably his best season, already reaching his career-high strikeout total. All nine of the Orioles’ usual starters have only seen the Rays’ pitcher a combined 22 times in prior seasons, with a .364 batting average, but it’s heavily skewed by Gunnar Henderson (3-for-4) and Colt Cowser (2-for-3).

However, Henderson and Cowser are struggling this season, with batting averages under .220 and OPS under .700. Rasmussen looks dominant this season, so I’m riding with him despite the limited success some of the batters he will face have had.

Two-Start Pitcher No-Brainers

Cristopher Sanchez, Philadelphia Phillies (vs Marlins, vs Cardinals)

Ranger Suarez, Boston Red Sox (vs Diamondbacks, vs Giants)

Nolan McLean, New York Mets (vs Padres, @ White Sox)

Michael Wacha, Kansas City Royals (vs Athletics, vs Tigers)

Next In Line Two-Start Pitchers

Mitch Bratt, Arizona Diamondbacks (@ Red Sox, vs Reds)

Jose Soriano, Toronto Blue Jays (@ Rays, @ Yankees)

Nick Martinez, Tampa Bay Rays (vs Orioles, @ Orioles)

Foster Griffin, Cleveland Guardians (vs Giants, @ Rockies)

Bryce Miller, Seattle Mariners (@ Brewers, vs Cubs)

Cal Quantrill, Texas Rangers (vs Nationals, vs Angels)

Martin Perez, Atlanta Braves (@ Twins, @ Brewers)

Kyle Leahy, St. Louis Cardinals (@ Reds, @ Phillies)

Andrew Abbott, Cincinnati Reds (vs Cardinals, @ Diamondbacks)

Andre Pallante, St. Louis Cardinals (@ Reds, @ Phillies)

Framber Valdez, Detroit Tigers (@ Pirates, @ Royals)

Carmen Mldozinski, Pittsburgh Pirates (vs Tigers, @ Dodgers)

Will Warren, New York Yankees (@ Orioles, vs Blue Jays)

Two-Start Pitcher Streamers

Shane Baz, Baltimore Orioles (@ Rays, vs Rays)

Luis Castillo, Chicago White Sox (@ Cubs, vs Mets)

Janson Junk, Miami Marlins (@ Phillies, vs Nationals)

Walker Buehler, San Diego Padres (@ Mets, vs Twins)

David Peterson, Chicago Cubs (@ White Sox, @ Mariners)

Merrill Kelly, Arizona Diamondbacks (@ Red Sox, vs Reds)

Avoid These Two-Start Pitchers

Mason Barnett, Athletics (@ Royals, @ Astros)

Jack Perkins, Athletics (@ Royals, @ Astros)

Rhett Lowder, Cincinnati Reds (vs Cardinals, @ Diamondbacks)

Jackson Kent, Washington Nationals (@ Rangers, @ Marlins)

Carsen Whisenhunt, San Francisco Giants (@ Guardians, @ Red Sox)

Daniel Lynch IV, Kansas City Royals (vs Athletics, vs Tigers)

Tomoyuki Sugano, Colorado Rockies (vs Dodgers, vs Guardians)

Christian Javier, Houston Astros (vs Angels, vs Athletics)