The fantasy baseball season is slowly winding down and playoffs are just around the corner. You can still make up ground in your fantasy leagues by strategically picking up the best two-start pitchers. This week there aren’t as many two-start pitchers as usual so you may have to pay up for them in FAAB. As always, make sure you consistently check the Fangraphs Starting Pitchers Grid before you make any moves or transactions. Pitching rotations change daily. Let’s take a look at the two-start pitchers for Week 22 (8/29-9/4)!
Must-Start: These pitchers should be started regardless of match-up. They are a must-start in all leagues until further notice.
Should-Start: These pitchers should start in most leagues. This is based on the pedigree of the pitcher and/or favorable matchups.
Risky Business: Only start these pitchers if you are in a deep roto or points league, desperate for counting stats, or feeling lucky.
Must Sit: Do not start these pitchers.
Week 22 Two-Start Pitchers
Must Start
| Pitcher | xERA | Start 1 | wRC+ | Start 2 | wRC+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlos Rodon SF | 2.71 | SD | 101 | PHI | 116 |
| Corbin Burnes MIL | 2.95 | PIT | 82 | @ ARI | 94 |
| Max Fried ATL | 2.82 | COL | 103 | MIA | 66 |
| Shane McClanahan TB | 2.55 | @ MIA | 66 | NYY | 129 |
| Tony Gonsolin LAD | 3.11 | @ MIA | 95 | SDP | 101 |
Shane McClanahan is one of the best pitchers in baseball and he will be drafted as a top-five pitcher in all fantasy leagues next year. McClanahan has a 2.55 xERA with 182 strikeouts across 147.1 innings. His 32.5 K% is in the top sixth percentile and batters have only a .199 xBA against him. Simply put, he is a stud and he is match-up proof. Next week, he takes on the Miami Marlins and then he travels home to take on the New York Yankees.
Should Start
| Pitcher | xERA | Start 1 | wRC+ | Start 2 | wRC+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranger Suarez PHI | 3.58 | @ ARI | 89 | @ SF | 113 |
| George Kirby SEA | 3.30 | @ DET | 70 | @ CLE | 104 |
| Matt Manning DET | 3.38 | SEA | 103 | KC | 89 |
| Zac Gallen ARI | 3.43 | PHI | 100 | MIL | 109 |
Since returning from the IL, the Detroit Tigers’ Matt Manning has a 2.70 ERA with 27 strikeouts in 30 innings. Manning is coming off a season-high eight strikeout performance against the San Francisco Giants where he didn’t walk a single batter. He has two home starts next week against the Seattle Mariners and the Kansas City Royals. He should be started in all leagues.
Risky Business
| Pitcher | xERA | Start 1 | wRC+ | Start 2 | wRC+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pablo Lopez MIA | 3.90 | LAD | 126 | ATL | 106 |
| Lucas Giolito CHW | 4.13 | KC | 89 | MIN | 112 |
| Frankie Montas NYY | 3.96 | @ LAA | 94 | @ TB | 102 |
| Jose Berrios TOR | 5.26 | CHC | 98 | @ PIT | 82 |
| Cal Quantrill CLE | 4.39 | BAL | 101 | SEA | 103 |
| Taijuan Walker NYM | 4.24 | LAD | 126 | WSN | 92 |
| Mike Clevinger SD | 4.07 | @ SF | 96 | @ LAD | 126 |
| Cole Irvin OAK | 4.36 | @ WAS | 90 | @ BAL | 98 |
Starting Pablo Lopez next week is risky business to be sure. This is the first time in Lopez’s career that he has pitched more than 112 innings and it’s really starting to show. Over his last 24 innings, he has a 6.75 ERA with a 1.75 WHIP. Although his last outing was a six-inning shutout, it was against the abysmal Oakland Athletics. Next week he runs the gauntlet as he faces the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves. If you must start him, you will be in my prayers.
Must Sit
| Pitcher | xERA | Start 1 | wRC+ | Start 2 | wRC+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dane Dunning TEX | 4.18 | HOU | 111 | @ BOS | 97 |
| Dylan Bundy MIN | 3.98 | BOS | 111 | @ CHW | 95 |
| Kutter Crawford BOS | 4.60 | @ MIN | 112 | TEX | 96 |
| Spenser Watkins BAL | 4.83 | @ CLE | 104 | OAK | 82 |
| Brayan Bello BOS | 3.26 | @ MIN | 112 | TEX | 96 |
| Javier Assad CHC | 6.35 | @ TOR | 117 | @ STL | 113 |
| Madison Bumgarner SF | 5.30 | PHI | 116 | MIL | 87 |
| Jose Urena COL | 5.55 | @ ATL | 196 | @ CIN | 83 |
| Adrian Houser MIL | 4.92 | PIT | 82 | @ ARI | 94 |
Out of all the “must sit” pitchers this week, Adrian Houser has the two best matchups. With that said, Houser has a 4.92 xERA, and hitters have a .276 xBA against him which is in the eighth percentile in baseball. Another issue is that Houser hasn’t pitched more than 2.1 innings in his last two starts. Next week he faces the Pittsburgh Pirates at home and then travels to the desert to take on the Arizona Diamondbacks.