Now that the season has really gotten going, it is time to start grinding the two-start pitchers to give you an advantage over your competition.

Each week, I will be giving you a breakdown of the two-start options for your fantasy leagues broken up into the following tiers:

• Must Start: The guys that you have to start because of their talent and/or matchups.
• Should Start: These are the guys that are rostered in most formats and probably should be in your lineup.
• Here We Go: Pitchers that you are probably starting in most formats but have some level of risk to them.
• Feeling Lucky: Pitchers available in less than 25% of leagues that are risky, but viable in deeper formats.
• Desperate Measures: Pitchers you shouldn’t use unless you have no other choice.

Two-Start Pitchers for July 3 – July 9

These are projected two-start pitchers and are subject to change.

Must Start

• Zach Eflin vs PHI, vs ATL
• Lucas Giolito vs TOR, vs STL
• Shane Beiber vs ATL, vs KC
• Joe Ryan vs KC, vs BAL
• Spencer Strider at CLE, at TB
• Braxton Garrett vs STL, vs PHI
• Aaron Nola at TB, at MIN
• Clayton Kershaw vs PIT, vs LAA
• Blake Snell vs LAA, vs NYM
• Logan Webb vs SEA, vs COL
• Bryce Elder at CLE, at TB
• Gavin Williams vs ATL, vs KC
• Logan Gilbert at SF, at HOU
• Brayan Bello vs TEX, vs OAK

Should Start

Mitch Keller at LAD, at ARI

Keller has been great this season, throwing 105 innings with a 3.34 ERa and a 27% strikeout rate. He has had some struggles this year, but for the most part, he has been really good. The only reason he isn’t a must-start is because of the matchups, which are a bit tough.

Jordan Montgomery at MIA, at CHW

After some bumps early in the season, Montgomery has posted a 1.71 ERA in 31.2 innings with 30 strikeouts. He has a tough matchup versus the Marlins, who are a top-five team versus left-handed pitching, but a nice one versus a White Sox team that has not been great versus lefties this season.

Cristian Javier at TEX, vs SEA

Javier has been struggling a bit as of late, and that is why he is not in the must-start tier. Add in the fact that he faces a fantastic offense in the Rangers makes him a bit more dangerous. That being said, most people are playing him this week.

Bryan Woo at SF, at HOU

Woo has been fantastic since his first bad start, though he has had issues with command and control separately at times. I think there is a bit of risk here, but he has been so good you should roll with him in most formats.

J.P. France vs COL, vs SEA

France has pitched really well this season and gets the Rockies in their first game on the road after a homestand which is typically when the Rockies hitters struggle the most.

Here We Go

Clarke Schmidt vs BAL, vs CHC

Schmidt has been really good over his last eight starts, throwing 42.1 innings with a 2.55 ERA and 31 strikeouts. There are some warning signs that things might not be so great in the future because he has stopped getting as many strikeouts, and he is working with a reducing velocity. That being said, you are probably rolling with him in most formats.

Kyle Hendricks at MIL, at NYY

Hendricks has been really good since coming off the IL, but I am very afraid of his high-contact, low-strikeout approach. However, these are really good matchups versus the Brewers, who have been the worst team in baseball versus left-handed pitching this year, and because the Yankees and Brewers have been the two worst offenses in baseball this month.

Dane Dunning at BOS, at WAS

Dunning has pitched really well this season, but the underlying numbers say there is a regression monster hiding around the corner. While he has a 2.69 ERA in 80.1 innings, he has a 4.58 xERA and a 4.62 SIERA. Now, I think guys like Dunning can outperform their metrics because the metrics do not capture what guys like Dunning, Miles Mikolas, and Merrill Kelly can do, so Dunning might be able to keep it going here, but there is risk here.

Tyler Wells at NYY, at MIN

Wells has been fantastic this season at home because Camden Yards protects Wells’ homer-prone ways. Unfortunately, while these are nice matchups, he is on the road for both, which makes this a riskier two-step than one would think just looking at his surface stats.

Feeling Lucky

Drew Smyly at MIL, at NYY

Smyly has not been good recently, but these are really good matchups versus the Brewers, who have been the worst team in baseball versus left-handed pitching this year, and because the Yankees and Brewers have been the two worst offenses in baseball this month.

JP Sears at DET, at BOS

I love Sears’ talent, and I am not worried about either of these matchups, but the A’s are so bad that he won’t get shots to get wins, and he is pitching away from the comfy confines of Oakland.

Domingo German vs BAL, vs CHC

I know he just threw a perfect game but don’t let that fool you. The only reason I didn’t put him lower is so I could warn you with this blurb.

Desperate Measures

• Kodai Senga at ARI, at SD
• Julio Teheran vs CHC, vs CIN
• Zach Davis vs NYM, vs PIT
• Luke Weaver at WAS, at MIL
• Alec Mills at WAS, at MIL
• Patrick Corbin vs CIN, vs TEX
• Jake Irvin vs CIN, vs TEX
• Johnny Cueto vs STL, vs PHI
• Martin Perez at BOS, at WAS
• Zack Greinke at MIN at CLE
• Trevor Richards at CHW, at DET
• Luis Ortiz at LAD, at ARI
• Tarik Skubal vs OAK, vs TOR

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