Week 11 is almost here! Like we do every week, we’re going to look at the two-start pitchers you should lock in or at least consider using for the upcoming slate of games.
Like I do every week, I’ll break the pitchers down the two-start pitchers into six categories:
- Don’t Think Twice – These are the aces you start no matter what.
- Widely-Rostered Options – Players rostered in most leagues who should provide a positive return.
- In the Danger Zone – It’s a dice roll to start them given matchups or other factors.
- Streamers Rostered in Under 50% of Leagues – These guys should live on the waiver wire, but you can start them this week.
- Streamers Rostered in Under 25% of Leagues – Same as above but applied to deeper leagues.
- Not Unless You’re Desperate – I don’t recommend these guys unless you’re swinging for the fences.
Let’s take a look at those pitchers scheduled to make two starts for the upcoming week, as projected on CBS as of Saturday morning.
Don’t Think Twice
Zack Wheeler (PHI) (6/28 vs. ATL, 7/3 vs. STL)
Robbie Ray (SEA) (6/28 vs. BAL, 7/3 vs. OAK)
Kevin Gausman (TOR) (6/27 vs. BOS, 7/2 vs. TBR)
Pablo Lopez (MIA) (6/27 @STL, 7/3 @WAS)
Charlie Morton (ATL) (6/28 @PHI, 7/3 @CIN)
Jameson Taillon (NYY) (6/28 vs. OAK, 7/3 @CLE)
Jordan Montgomery (NYY) (6/27 vs. OAK, 7/2 @CLE)
Luis Castillo (CIN) (6/28 @CHC, 7/3 vs. ATL)
George Kirby (SEA) (6/27 vs. BAL, 7/2 vs. OAK)
Sonny Gray (MIN) (6/27 @CLE, 7/1 vs. BAL)
Tarik Skubal (DET) (6/28 @SFG, 7/3 vs. KCR)
Widely-Rostered Options
Miles Mikolas (STL) (6/29 vs. MIA, 7/1 @PHI)
Maybe Mikolas will finally make two starts. It’s been two straight weeks where he’s lost his second outing. Mikolas has been a revelation for fantasy managers this year, and while the ceiling is low, the high floor is exactly what you want from a two-start pitcher – even with the tough matchup in Philadelphia.
Adam Wainwright (STL) (6/27 vs. MIA, 7/3 @PHI)
I hate the Philadelphia matchup, but the Miami matchup is too good to pass. You’re starting Uncle Charlie, and I just hope he can limit the damage against the Phillies.
Frankie Montas (OAK) (6/28 @NYY, 7/3 @SEA)
It’s time to move Montas down a bit in our rankings to around SP30. Still good, yes, but a slight bump down. The matchup against the Yankees is terrible, but it’s hard to bench him. I’m rolling with him and hoping he can make quick work of the Mariners.
Luis Garcia (HOU) (6/28 @NYM, 7/3 vs. LAA)
I hate the Mets’ matchup, but I’d lean starting Garcia overall despite his rough outing at the hands of the Mets his last time out. His stuff still looked good with his swing-and-miss arsenal, even if the results didn’t follow.
Eric Lauer (MIL) (6/28 @TBR, 7/3 @PIT)
He was going to be in the tier below for me, but we saw his velocity back up in his previous start. Neither matchup scares me enough to bench him, so consider him a start and hope the velo stays up.
In the Danger Zone
Clayton Kershaw (LAD) (6/28 @COL, 7/3 vs. SDP)
It’s great seeing Kershaw back, but given the game in Colorado, I have no choice but to move him to this tier. We’re seeing the workload ramp up, which is great, but I’m hesitant to start him with the Coors date, and I’d rank him just below Giolito in this tier.
Tyler Anderson (LAD) (6/27 @COL, 7/2 vs. SDP)
I bump pitchers down a tier when they head to Colorado. The Padres matchup isn’t terrible right now, but if Manny Machado returns, I’m leaning toward sitting him.
Martin Perez (TEX) (6/27 @KCR, 7/3 @NYM)
We are seeing signs of the pumpkin that Perez is. The Mets matchup is terrible, and you’re running out of time to sell him for a decent return.
Lucas Giolito (CWS) (6/27 @LAA, 7/3 @SFG)
Javier Baez is outscoring Giolito in points leagues. Javy. Baez. I don’t mind the matchups for Giolito here, but the movement on his pitches seems to be shifting badly. It’s a tough call, but I’m benching if I have better options.
Triston McKenzie (CLE) (6/27 vs. MIN, 7/2 vs. NYY)
I like Sticks as a pitcher and the step forward he’s taken this week, but these are two offenses I tend to fade pitchers against.
Michael Wacha (BOS) (6/27 @TOR, 7/3 @CHC)
The peripherals don’t back up the surface stats, and I’d hate to start him in a two-start week – especially against the Jays.
Paul Blackburn (OAK) (6/27 @NYY, 7/2 @SEA)
It’s still bizarre just how good Blackburn has been. I hate the Yankees matchup, though – especially in New York, and I prefer to sit him with his two road starts.
Shane Baz (TB) (6/29 vs. MIL, 7/3 @TOR)
I’m a big Baz guy, and the strikeouts have been there – even if the innings haven’t been as reliable. However, these two starts scare me against two offenses that can get it going at the snap of a finger. I prefer to bench him this week despite the high ceiling.
Noah Syndergaard (LAA) (6/27 vs. CHW, 7/3 @HOU)
The White Sox are comically bad, so the matchup isn’t terrible there. But the Houston matchup, paired with the inconsistency with Syndergaard, has me benching him in non-points leagues.
Streamers Rostered in Under 50% of Leagues
Keegan Thompson (CHC) (6/28 vs. CIN, 7/3 vs. BOS)
I recommend not starting Thompson in non-points leagues, but he fits the parameters here.
Streamers Rostered in Under 25% of Leagues
Devin Smeltzer (MIN) (6/28 @CLE, 7/2 vs. BAL)
I just needed someone to put in this category, if I’m completely honest. There’s limited upside, but he’s viable against two offenses that won’t hurt you. Better left for deep leagues.
Not Unless You’re Desperate
Zach Plesac (CLE) (6/28 vs. MIN, 7/3 vs. NYY)
Ross Stripling (TOR) (6/28 vs. BOS, 7/3 vs. TBR)
Chad Kuhl (COL) (6/27 vs. LAD, 7/3 vs. ARI)
Madison Bumgarner (ARI) (6/28 vs. SDP, 7/3 @COL)
Tyler Wells (BAL) (6/27 @SEA, 7/3 @MIN)
Jose Quintana (PIT) (6/28 @WAS, 7/3 vs. MIL)
Dylan Bundy (MIN) (6/28 @CLE, 7/3 vs. BAL)
Erick Fedde (WAS) (6/27 vs. PIT, 7/3 vs. MIA)
Jalen Beeks (TB) (6/28 vs. MIL, 7/2 @TOR)
Kris Bubic (KC) (6/27 vs. TEX, 7/3 @DET)
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Michael Waterloo is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Michael, check out his archive and follow him @MichaelWaterloo.