Next week is a tricky week, looking at the two-start pitchers who are available for fantasy baseball managers. My no-brainer selections have been outstanding this season, but most of them have matchups I’m not particularly fond of. There are also more streamers and avoid players than I’ve had in any of my previous two-start pitcher articles.
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The Chicago Cubs have yet to name a starter when this article was written, due to their starting rotation’s failure to stay healthy. Both Ben Brown and Edward Cabrera went on the IL this week. They will likely be using a bullpen game or call up a prospect until Brown or Cabrera returns.
Regarding the other two-start pitching options available, I rank them in four categories based on their matchups and recent performance. I also highlight my favorite pitchers of the upcoming week.
MLB Two-Start Pitchers for June 29-July 5
My Favorite Two-Start Pitchers of the Week
Ranger Suarez, Boston Red Sox (vs Nationals, @ Angels)
Ranger Suarez has been dominant all season, allowing two earned runs or fewer in 10 of his 14 starts. In the other four starts, he allowed four or five earned runs. His 24.9% strikeout rate and his 17.5% strikeout-to-walk rate are his second-highest totals over his nine-year career.
Suarez gets an ideal matchup against the Los Angeles Angels, who lead the league in strikeouts. Plus, the game is on the road, which is where Suarez has been at his best. He has a 2.12 ERA over 46.2 innings away from Citizens Bank Park, compared to a 3.75 home ERA.
The Washington Nationals aren’t the best strikeout target, ranking 18th, but Suarez has held them to a .374 OPS. Even though the Nationals have had more success against lefties this season, Jacob Young is the only starter who has had success against Suarez. Regardless of matchups, you’d start Suarez, but the matchups push him to the top of my list.
Trey Yesavage, Toronto Blue Jays (vs Mets, @ Mariners)
I love next week’s matchups for Trey Yesavage. He gets two offenses that are shells of themselves at the plate, with the Mets and Mariners ranking in the bottom six of both OPS and runs per game. The runs per game numbers are even worse over the last three games, with the Mariners ranking last with a 1.67 total before the June 26 game.
These three games all came against the Pittsburgh Pirates, but Paul Skenes didn’t start a game. Along with the Mariners’ struggles, the righty has not faced any of the Mets hitters, which is a situation I always target, especially with how nasty Yesavage’s splitter is to hit.
Although Yesavage has had a rough go over his last six starts, allowing five or six runs in half the outings. However, in his other eight starts, he has allowed two or fewer earned runs in seven of them.
His K/9 is down this season because his whiff rates are down on both his fastball and splitter. However, he ranks in the 95th percentile in expected batting average (.187). I like Yesavage to dominate these two outings.
No-Brainers
Braxton Ashcraft, Pittsburgh Pirates (@ Phillies, @ Nationals)
Jacob deGrom, Texas Rangers (@ Guardians, @ Tigers)
Parker Messick, Cleveland Guardians (vs Rangers, vs White Sox)
Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers (@ Yankees, vs Rangers)
Peter Lambert, Houston Astros (vs Twins, vs Rays)
Nolan McLean, New York Mets (@ Blue Jays, @ Braves)
Eduardo Rodriguez, Arizona Diamondbacks (vs Giants, vs Brewers)
Next In Line
Sean Burke, Chicago White Sox (@ Orioles, @ Guardians)
Tanner Bibee, Cleveland Guardians (vs Rangers, vs White Sox)
Ryan Weathers, New York Yankees (vs Tigers, @ Twins)
Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins (@ Rockies, @ Athletics)
Gage Jump, Athletics (vs Dodgers, vs Marlins)
Griffin Jax, Tampa Bay Rays (@ Royals, @ Astros)
Erick Fedde, Chicago White Sox (@ Orioles, @ Guardians)
Shane Baz, Baltimore Orioles (vs White Sox, @ Reds)
Shane Drohan, Milwaukee Brewers (vs Reds, @ Diamondbacks)
Streamers
Bubba Chandler, Pittsburgh Pirates (@ Phillies, @ Nationals)
Aaron Nola, Philadelphia Phillies (vs Pirates, @ Royals)
Rhett Lowder, Cincinnati Reds (@ Brewers, vs Orioles)
JP Sears, San Diego Padres (@ Cubs, @ Dodgers)
Zebby Matthews, Minnesota Twins (@ Astros, @ Yankees)
Eury Perez, Miami Marlins (@ Rockies, @ Athletics)
Bryan Woo, Seattle Mariners (vs Angels, vs Blue Jays)
Eric Lauer, Los Angeles Dodgers (@ Athletics, vs Padres)
Grant Holmes, Atlanta Braves (vs Cardinals, vs Mets)
Noah Cameron, Kansas City Royals (vs Rays, vs Phillies)
Avoid
Miles Mikolas, Washington Nationals (@ Red Sox, vs Pirates)
Nick Lodolo, Cincinnati Reds (@ Brewers, vs Orioles)
Brandon Sproat, Milwaukee Brewers (vs Reds, @ Diamondbacks)
Griffin Canning, San Diego Padres (@ Cubs, @ Dodgers)
Sean Sullivan, Colorado Rockies (vs Marlins, vs Giants)
Kyle Freeland, Colorado Rockies (vs Marlins, vs Giants)
Ryan Johnson, Los Angeles Angels (@ Mariners, vs Red Sox)
Tyler Mahle, San Francisco Giants (@ Diamondbacks, @ Rockies)
Matthew Liberatore, St. Louis Cardinals (@ Braves, @ Cubs)
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