Justin Mason | Sun, Mar 30th 2025, 7:14am EDT

Fantasy Baseball Two-Start Pitchers: Rankings & Waiver Wire Pickups (Week 1)

Fantasy Baseball Two-Start Pitchers: Rankings & Waiver Wire Pickups (Week 1)

You should be grinding two-start pitchers to give you an advantage over your competition during the season.

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

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

Make sure you are aware that when making fantasy baseball start or sit decisions that these projected two-start pitchers are subject to change.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Assistant Analyze Moves Who To Pick Up

Fantasy Baseball Two-Start Pitchers: Week 1

Must Start

Should Start

Cristopher Sanchez (SP – PHI) vs. COL, vs. LAD

Cristopher Sanchez looked fantastic in spring with the addition of a new pitch that helped him get more swings and misses. The only reason you might sit him here is because the Phillies face the Dodgers on the back end. However, the Rockies’ start is well worth the gamble of the tougher matchup. You are starting him in most formats.

Ronel Blanco (SP – HOU) vs. SF, at MIN

Ronel Blanco had amazing and terrible moments last year, but he is a pretty stable pickup this week versus a bad Giants offense and a mediocre Twins one. You get the Astros’ great offense supporting him as well, so you could be in line for two wins.

Casey Mize (SP – DET) at SEA, vs. CWS

Casey Mize looked amazing in spring, and now you get a dream two-step. First in Seattle, which is one of the toughest parks for hitters, and then against a terrible White Sox offense at home. He is a must-stream this week.

Drew Rasmussen (SP, RP – TB) vs. PIT, at TEX

Drew Rasmussen looked fantastic in spring and is another year removed from Tommy John surgery. I think he could be the breakout pitcher of the year, so he is a stream-and-hold candidate. Rasmussen faces a terrible Pittsburgh lineup and has a scarier matchup at Texas, but one I am willing to risk with the Pirates at the beginning of the week.

Here We Go

Kumar Rocker (SP – TEX) at CIN, vs. TB

Kumar Rocker made the Rangers’ rotation out of camp because of injuries to Cody Bradford and Jon Gray. The strikeout upside is huge, but he can struggle with command and control. The start in Cincinnati is a bit scary being in Great American Ball Park, but the Rays’ one is pretty juicy considering they lost one of their best hitters in Josh Lowe to an apparent oblique injury.

Grant Holmes (SP, RP – ATL) at LAD, vs. MIA

Grant Holmes was one of the more popular sleeper picks this season, and for good reason. He was great last year when he moved from the bullpen to the rotation and carried that into spring training. He has a tough matchup in Los Angeles against the Dodgers, but the back end of the week against the Marlins is too juicy to pass up. He is another stream-and-hold pitcher.

Kris Bubic (RP – KC) at MIL, vs. BAL

Kris Bubic was another popular sleeper as he was making strides before suffering an injury in 2023 that cost him a ton of time over the last two seasons. He looked great in spring as well and is another stream-and-hold pitcher. Bubic has tough matchups, but these are ones I would risk considering Milwaukee’s offense isn’t as strong as it was last season, and he gets the Orioles at home.

Will Warren (SP – NYY) vs. ARI, at PIT

Will Warren won a job in the Yankees’ rotation because of injuries to Luis Gil and Gerrit Cole, but he is intriguing in his own right. He is a top-100 prospect who has a ton of strikeout upside if he can keep the command and control under wraps.

Warren has a tough matchup against the Diamondbacks to start the week, but a great one in Pittsburgh to end it. He is another stream-and-hold pitcher because of his massive upside and that the Yankees will give him a lot of chances to win games.

Feeling Lucky

Ben Brown (SP, RP – CHC) at ATH, vs. SD

Ben Brown is another interesting prospect who has shown a lot of strikeout upside but can struggle with control. I don’t know how long he will be in the rotation for, but he is a fun gamble when he is. Brown will be one of the first pitchers to test out the Athletics’ new park, which could be dangerous for pitchers. He then heads home for a tough matchup versus the Padres, but one with massive upside.

David Peterson (SP – NYM) at MIA, vs. TOR

David Peterson has never been able to deliver on the hopes many have had for him, but a big part of that has been injury. He has two nice starts versus a terrible Miami offense and a mediocre Toronto one. The Mets should support him with plenty of runs, so I am willing to take this gamble.

Bowden Francis (SP, RP – TOR) vs. WAS, at NYM

Bowden Francis had an amazing second half last year, but a lot of it was built on really good luck. That said, the results were good. While these aren’t great matchups, they aren’t terrible either. You could do worse in deeper formats.

Desperate Measures


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