Two-start pitchers have been a messy situation to track this season with postponed games, schedule changes, and many players hitting the Injured List. Starts have changed from finishing this article one night to publishing the next morning. The moral of the story is, expect the unexpected.
This week, there is a great divide with plenty of must-start options, as well as a ton of sits. There is not much in between this week. With the season winding down and head-to-head playoffs in full swing, two-start pitchers will be more important than ever. Getting the two-starts right this week could end your season or send you to the championship round.
It is also important to note that just because a pitcher will make two starts does not make that pitcher more valuable than a single start pitcher. This week, one blow-up start could cost you a championship.
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Two-Start Pitchers Tier Description:
Must-Start: These pitchers are no doubters for the week. You should start most of these two-start pitchers every time they pitch.
Should-Start: Two-start pitchers in the should-start tier are good options for the week but may have some hesitations for different reasons.
Questionable: Two-start pitchers in this tier may be used for deeper leagues but should most likely sit.
Sit: Do not start these pitchers.
*Reminder that this article was published Friday morning; starters for the following week are subject to change.
The * beside player’s names indicates a left-handed pitcher. wRC+ listed are team splits against either right or left-handed pitching.
Week 7 Two-Start Pitchers
Must-Start
| Pitcher | Start 1 | wRC+ (L14) | Start 2 | wRC+ (L14) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clayton Kershaw* | @SD | 119 | @COL | 108 |
| Gerrit Cole | TOR | 122 | @BOS | 120 |
| Trevor Bauer | PIT | 78 | CWS | 122 |
| Carlos Carrasco | @CHC | 97 | @DET | 104 |
| Zack Greinke | TEX | 70 | ARI | 69 |
| Jack Flaherty | @MIL | 115 | @PIT | 78 |
| Marco Gonzales* | OAK | 12 | SD | 119 |
| Corbin Burnes | STL | 94 | KC | 76 |
| Jesus Luzardo* | @SEA | 64 | SF | 114 |
- Marco Gonzales may not be the flashiest pitcher, but he certainly gets the job done! In 50.2 inning pitched, he owns a 3.02 ERA, a 0.87 WHIP, and a career-high 23.5 percent strikeout rate. Gonzales is also only walking two percent of hitters faced. He finds his way into the must-start range of two-start pitchers not because of his matchups, but his consistent performance. He faces an Oakland team that has struggled against left-handed pitching, as well as the Padres. While it may be scary to start him against San Diego, I feel confident starting him in both outings next week.
- Are you burning up, or is it just me? Corbin Burnes is one of the hottest pitchers in baseball. He has not allowed an earned run in any of his last three starts and has 28 strikeouts over those three games. He now owns a 1.99 ERA with a 36.4 percent strikeout rate for the season. Burnes is one of the best two-start pitchers for next week with matchups against St. Louis and Kansas City, both who have struggled on offense recently.
Should-Start
| Pitcher | Start 1 | wRC+ (L14) | Start 2 | wRC+ (L14) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jose Berrios | @CWS | 122 | @CHC | 97 |
| Zach Davies | LAD | 112 | @SEA | 120 |
| Deivi Garcia | TOR | 122 | @BOS | 120 |
| Pablo Lopez | PHI | 88 | WAS | 94 |
| Sandy Alcantara | BOS | 120 | WAS | 94 |
| Dane Dunning | MIN | 128 | @CIN | 99 |
- Zach Davies has been a pleasant surprise in this shortened 2020 season. He is not a flashy pitcher, but he has gotten the job done every time out this season. He owns a 2.48 ERA and a career-high 23.7 percent strikeout rate. A whip below one at 0.96 is also quite impressive. Davies has a tough matchup with the Dodgers and a second against the Mariners. While some may be nervous about the start against Los Angeles, in his lone matchup with the Dodgers, Davies pitched seven innings and only allowed two earned runs. Davies has shown enough for me to put him in the start tier of two-start pitchers.
- Dane Dunning’s call-up did not create the buzz that many other top prospects have, but that has not affected his performance. Dunning has pitched like a high-end prospect, having a 2.70 ERA and 21 strikeouts in 20 innings. Even though he gets a matchup against the Twins and in Cincinnati, Dunning should be started. It is important to note that the Twins start will be Dunning’s first against a team that has over an 86 wRC+ for the season against righties. Regardless, Dunning looks the part finds himself as a “should-start” two-start pitcher.
Questionable
| Pitcher | Start 1 | wRC+ (L14) | Start 2 | wRC+ (L14) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Randy Dobank | @CWS | 122 | @CHC | 97 |
| Mike Minor* | @SEA | 64 | SF | 114 |
| Ryan Yarbrough* | WAS | 132 | @BAL | 87 |
| Joe Musgrove | @CIN | 99 | STL | 94 |
| Julio Teheran | ARI | 69 | TEX | 70 |
| Taylor Clarke | @LAA | 127 | @HOU | 112 |
- Julio Teheran is the most intriguing option of the questionable two-start pitchers for the week. Teheran has not been good at all this year. His 8.23 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 27.1 innings prove that. But, Teheran has two favorable matchups, one against Arizona and another against Texas. Both of those teams have been popular teams to stream against. I am not recommending starting Teheran, but if you are desperate for a two-start stream, he would be the guy.
Sit
| Pitcher | Start 1 | wRC+ (L14) | Start 2 | wRC+ (L14) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matthew Boyd* | KC | 118 | CLE | 122 |
| Jake Arrieta | NYM | 140 | TOR | 122 |
| Anibal Sanchez | @TB | 99 | @MIA | 77 |
| Carlos Martinez | @MIL | 115 | @PIT | 78 |
| Tanner Roark | @NYY | 82 | @PHI | 88 |
| Tommy Milone* | @BAL | 87 | @NYM | 110 |
| Kyle Gibson | @HOU | 112 | @LAA | 127 |
| Michael Wacha | @PHI | 88 | ATL | 141 |
| J.T. Brubaker | @CIN | 99 | STL | 94 |
| Keegan Akin* | ATL | 176 | TB | 120 |
| Jorge Lopez | ATL | 141 | TB | 99 |
| Chris Mazza | @MIA | 77 | NYY | 82 |
| Chi Chi Gonzalez | OAK | 106 | LAD | 112 |
- I was once a “Boyd Boy” in the preseason, but those days are long gone. Combining 2019 and 2020 stats, only one qualified pitcher has an ERA high than Matthew Boyd, and that is Rick Porcello. The strikeouts are nice, and Boyd is prone to have a good outing now and then, but don’t fall for it; it is a trap! Even with matchups against Kansas City and Cleveland, Boyd is still a sit for this upcoming week.
- Carlos Martinez is just not right, and it is unfortunate. I was high on Martinez coming into the year, but things just have not gone his way. He has pitched once since July 28, thanks to COVID-19, and it is unlikely he will build up enough innings to be Fantasy relevant. I feel comfortable sitting Martinez for the week, and if you do, I would drop him given he will likely only have one more start after next week.
Are you struggling to keep up with bullpens around the MLB? It is okay; we all are! Good thing Jorge Montanez writes an excellent weekly piece on “Closer Rankings and Bullpen Depth Charts.” Check it out as it is a must-read.
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