Analyzing Every Two-Start Pitcher For Week 9 (5/29 – 6/4)

Every Friday I look at every projected two-start pitcher for the week ahead and detail my thoughts about rolling with them on your roster. There are four tiers: Definitely, Probably, Questionable, Bench. Definitely Start features starters that are no doubters for the week ahead followed by Probably Start with pitchers that look like good plays but may create a hesitation or two. Players labeled as Questionable are for deeper leagues or have one-of-two outings that should be skipped. Pitchers under Bench should be avoided despite their two starts in the week ahead.

Definitely Start

Carlos Carrasco (OAK, @KCR)

Jose Berrios (HOU, @LAA)

Chris Sale (@CHW, @BAL)

Luis Severino (@BAL, @TOR)

Probably Start

David Price (@CHW, @BAL) – I imagine Price will be a Definite Start in the near future, but DLH exists for a reason. We need to give him time to get back into a groove and the Red Sox are sure to limit him in his first few turns of the rotation.

Mike Leake (LAD, @CHC) – Leake is bound to hit the wall at some point, but he did just handle the Dodgers and you really can’t say no to letting him fly at this point.

Charlie Morton (@MIN, @TEX) – Good times are ahead for Morton with his future schedule and that 10.00+ K/9 is too good to pass up.

Robbie Ray (@PIT, @MIA) – Did someone say K/9? Ray gets two excellent matchups and even with his horrible Hard Contact rates I want to start Ray twice.

Dylan Bundy (NYY, BOS) – We don’t really know what to expect from Bundy on a given night and pitching against both the Yankees and Red Sox doesn’t make me incredibly confident. Still, I think you need to throw him out there in a weekly lock league.

Kyle Hendricks (@SDP, STL) – Hendricks against the Padres and a middling offense to follow? Sign me up!

Marcus Stroman (CIN, NYY) – Even with Stroman’s latest blegh start, you can’t bench him for two starts.

Tanner Roark (@SFG, @OAK) – Normally in the lower tier, Roark gets elevated based on two excellent matchups in offense-suppressing parks.

Tyler Anderson (SEA, @SDP) – Anderson has been strikeout heavy over his last four starts and gets the nod over Chatwood as the Mariners are a notoriously poor team against left-handers, negating the Coors start, allowing him to take advantage of the Padres.

Questionable

Tyler Chatwood (SEA, @SDP) – I almost elevated Chatwood into the second tier considering the Padres start, but even a struggling Mariners offense could produce a major clunker for Chatwood in Colorado.

Jordan Montgomery (@BAL, @TOR) – Montgomery showed off his upside against the Royals and I like him as a good risk-reward play this week.

Sonny Gray (@CLE, WSH) – Gray exploded in a great way against the Marlins this week, but he has a bigger test against two solid offenses. I’m leaning start here, but there is clear risk.

Daniel Norris (@KCR, CHW) – I wouldn’t normally be endorsing Norris, but it’s completely possible he pulls off a pair of productive outings against the Royals and ChiSox.

Rich Hill (@STL, @MIL) – Ugh, the last Hill start featured seven walks and made me reconsider if the reward from Hill is worth the immense headache he gives us with his injuries. Still, the Cardinals and Brewers don’t impose a large enough threat to bench him.

Julio Teheran (@LAA, @CIN) – Teheran has been far from spectacular over the last month, but the Angels and Reds aren’t intimidating enough to turn down.

Matt Harvey (MIL, PIT) – I wouldn’t call myself one to endorse Harvey these days, yet he’s been handed two weak offenses that could pay dividends.

Trevor Bauer (OAK, @KCR) – Bauer’s strikeout upside paired with two weak teams means he’s in consideration if you need another arm for the week.

Michael Wacha (LAD, @CHC) – After getting on the Wacha bandwagon, it’s tough to see him face two stellar offenses. Starting Wacha is all about your options for the week ahead.

Jose Quintana (BOS, @DET) – Quintana would normally be in the second tier, but two good teams paired with his recent struggles have demoted him to borderline bench territory.

Bench

Jeremy Hellickson (@MIA, SFG) – Hellickson’s sub 4.00 ERA is a product of luck more than skill and I would hate trusting him in any capacity.

Ariel Miranda (@COL, TBR) – Despite providing some upside lately, I’m not sold on Miranda being an option I’d want to trust twice in a week, let alone including a start in Coors.

Chris Tillman (NYY, BOS) – You can’t spell Win with Tillman. In all seriousness, if he weren’t getting the Yanks and Red Sox I’d have Tillman in the third tier.

Jarred Cosart (CHC, COL) – Cosart will never be a good choice.

Jason Hammel (DET, CLE) – When getting a PQS is a big step forward, you know things are bad.

Edinson Volquez (PHI, ARI) – Even with a matchup against the Phillies I would prefer to roll the dice elsewhere.

Jesse Hahn (@CLE, WSH) – Hahn has the upside to provide value and get elevated to the third tier, though it’s too much of a risk against the Indians and Nationals.

Erasmo Ramirez (@TEX, @SEA) – There’s a chance Erasmo can agree to a Grave Mistake and be beneficial this week, but it’s not high enough for me to risk it while getting few strikeouts to salvage.

Jose Urena (PHI, ARI) – There’s a reason Urena is still on your wire.

Kyle Gibson (HOU, @LAA) – Gibson is in consideration for the Anti-List, which ranks the five worst starters to own in fantasy baseball. Needless to say, you don’t want to own Gibson.

Lisalverto Bonilla (@TOR, ATL) – I’m curious if Bonilla can add the polish at some point in the season to be a worthy stream here and there. Now is way to early to make that investment.

Matt Moore (WSH, @PHI) – Moore has been struggling quite a bit this year and even a start against the Phillies isn’t enough to wipe away the chance at disaster against the Nationals.

Martin Perez (TBR, HOU) – Perez is the poster child for a pitcher who gets celebrated for being mediocre instead of really bad on a given night.

Matt Garza (@NYM, LAD) – Garza had a good run to open the year, but he showed his true colors last time out and I’d hate to bank on a rebound.

Randall Delgado (@PIT, @MIA) – Delgado doesn’t have close to the command he needs to warrant a roster spot in any capacity.

Ricky Nolasco (ATL, MIN) – It has been a very long time since Nolasco was an option you wanted to consider.

Daniel Wright (ATL, MIN) – The wrong Wright still isn’t the right choice.

Robert Gsellman (MIL, PIT) – Gsellman still isn’t where we want him to be. Let him sit on the wire.

Sam Gaviglio (@COL, TBR) – The latest arm to join the decrepit Mariners rotation is Gaviglio, who is unfortunately a Cup of Schmo. 

Trevor Williams (ARI, @NYM) – Speaking of Schmos, let’s add Williams to that list.

Zach Davies (@NYM, LAD) – Davies has been incredibly disappointing across the board and it’s time to stop betting on him to recover.