Now that the season is over halfway finished, 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.
Week 20 Fantasy Baseball Two-Start Pitchers
These projected two-start pitchers for next week are subject to change. Here we go.
Must Start
Yusei Kikuchi (TOR): at BAL, vs CLE
Jordan Montgomery (TEX): at ARI, at MIN
Zack Wheeler (PHI): vs SF, vs STL
Zac Gallen (ARI); vs TEX, vs CIN
Clayton Kershaw (LAD): CLE, at BOS
Blake Snell (SD): vs MIA, at MIL
Should Start
Bailey Ober (MIN): at MIL, vs TEX
Ober has been fantastic this season, throwing 113.2 innings with a 3.40 ERA and striking out 113 batters. He would normally be in the Must Start tier, but I have some concerns about the matchup second matchup.
The Rangers have one of the most potent offenses in baseball this season. I can’t imagine not using him, but there is some risk given his flyball propensity.
James Paxton (BOS): at HOU, vs LAD
Similarly to Ober, Paxton should be in the Must Start tier most weeks. However, he has two really tough matchups versus two great offenses in the Dodgers and Astros, so I understand some hesitation. I would also have a hard time sitting Paxton this week.
Bryce Elder (ATL): vs NYM, at SF
Elder is the opposite of Paxton and Ober. With some of his recent work being so shaky, I would usually have him in one of the lower tiers.
Elder is coming off of a nice rebound outing and now faces two offenses that have struggled mightily since the All-Star Break. The matchups and offense supporting him provide a green light in spite of recent performance and skill issues.
Here We Go
Javier Assad (CHC): at DET, at PIT
Assad has pitched very well since entering the Cubs’ rotation with one clear weakness; he hasn’t gotten many strikeouts. He has shown the ability to get strikeouts in the minor leagues and as a reliever, but it just hasn’t materialized as of yet as a Major League starter.
These are two really nice matchups that you should probably roll with in spite of the strikeouts. The upside is there for Assad if they do come.
Zack Littell (TB): vs COL, vs NYY
I don’t think Littell is a very good pitcher, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a place in fantasy. He has done a good job of getting weak contact and doing enough to win games.
This is a pretty nice two-step versus a Rockies’ team on the road and a struggling Yankees’ offense. I am rolling with Littell for now.
Paul Blackburn (OAK): vs KC, at CHW
Blackburn doesn’t offer a ton of win potential on the lowly A’s, but what he lacks for in that department, he makes up for in nice ratios and a little surge in strikeouts this season.
The matchups are pretty nice and someone has to win those games. So, maybe Blackburn can get a win out of one of these two outings.
Feeling Lucky
Carlos Rodon (NYY): vs WAS, at TB
It is weird to put Rodon this low, but it is for good reason. First, he has not been very good when he has been on the mound this season, posting a 7.33 ERA in 27 innings. Second, I don’t know how many innings he is expected to even pitch in either of these matchups.
Both Washington and Tampa Bay have been good against lefties this season, so Rodon doesn’t get help there. I think I would pass on him this week outside of deeper leagues.
Mike Clevinger (CWS): vs SEA, vs OAK
Clevinger has pitched well since returning from the IL, throwing 23 innings of a 1.57 ERA with 18 strikeouts. Now, he has been insanely lucky with a 3% HR/FB rate and a .250 BABIP, but the results have been there. He gets an atrocious A’s squad at the back end of the week.
Desperate Measure
Ross Stripling at PHI, vs ATL
Ty Blach at TB, at BAL
Drew Smyly at DET, at PIT
David Peterson at ATL, vs LAA
Johnny Cueto at SD, vs WAS
Alec Marsh at OAK, at SEA
Touki Toussaint vs SEA, vs OAK
Tanner Houck at HOU, vs LAD
Noah Syndergaard vs LAD, at TOR
Jose Urquidy vs BOS, at DET
Kyle Muller vs KC, at CHW
Matthew Liberatore at PIT, at PHI
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