2017 MLB Two-Start Pitchers: Week 5

There are numerous two-start options available in the season’s fifth week, although most of them are likely already owned in your seasonal leagues (those in the top tier below), or are best left out of your starting roster, those 16 pitchers relegated to the bottom tier. Of more interest are the dozen SPs in the middle tier, and this article will devote most of its word count to those options..

Without further ado, here are this week’s two start pitchers:

It was difficult to purge this top tier, and there are some new residents joining the must start options this week. Severino is really coming on strong for the Yankees this season, and he finally had a game where he did not yield a round tripper to the opponents when he picked up a win over the Red Sox on the road. Harvey looked unprepared in his last start, which could be blamed on having to go with short rest against the visiting Braves. Cole has pitched four consecutive Quality Starts (QS), but only has one victory to show for the effort. If you own one or more of these starters, plan to plug them into your lineup for both their starts in Week 5.

Santiago is currently on the bereavement list, but is still scheduled to make two starts this upcoming scoring period. He will not provide a lot of swings and misses, but he has ramped up his control this season, at least until his last start where he was touched for four walks in just 5.0 innings. Getting Oakland and then Boston at home is a plus in his favor in Week 5.

Cahill gets two starts at home this upcoming week, although the second is against Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers, never a totally favorable matchup. He has been racking up strikeouts at an elite rate (11.25 K/9) but has hurt himself with his lack of control, walking hitters at a 4.13 BB/9 rate over his four starts. His .355 BABIP and 3.28 FIP both indicate he has been unlucky in terms of his inflated 4.50 ERA, and he should see some positive movement with his ratio stats going forward.

Ramirez now has started two games for the Rays, and is scheduled to face the Marlins on the road, and then host the Blue Jays at home to wind up the week. So long as he pitches well, he should stick in the rotation until Jake Odorizzi is ready to return from injury, which could happen as early as Monday. These two starts, therefore, could go up in smoke if Ramirez returns to the bullpen, so keep an eye on the Tampa Bay starting rotation schedule in Week 5.

Hellickson has been excellent as a fantasy SP if your league still uses wins as a counting stat, with four victories in five attempts. He also has a superb 1.80 ERA and 0.80 WHIP. Of course, an unsustainable .205 BABIP, an 81% strand rate and a 3.83 FIP all hint that some correction is due for him, especially taking on the Cubs on the road and the Nationals at home in Week 5.

Quintana’s ratios look awful: 5.22 ERA and 1.47 WHIP through 29.1 innings. He is coming off a pair of QS, however, and is striking out better than a hitter per inning (9.20 K/9). He has struggled with his control this season, but the White Sox have been winning games, and his first start is against the struggling Royals. The second start against the Orioles might be a time to sit him on the bench.

Anderson boasts a decent 3.54 ERA but also features a 1.57 WHIP, due in part to his inability to find the strike zone consistently. He will not provide a ton of Ks, either, with a weak 6.20 K/9 rate. He does have a pair of home starts this week, but as with Quintana above, his season start against a streaking Yankee squad might convince you to sit him down for that start.

Chen has been wildly inconsistent in 2017, pitching well then blowing up in his next start. Since he is coming off a poor effort against the Phillies on the road, allowing four earned runs on seven hits and two walks over five innings, if his trend holds he should pitch well when he takes on the Rays at home, with his second start in New York against the struggling Mets, another potentially good start. He is demonstrating good control with a 2.14 BB/9 ratio, but his strikeout rate is abysmal, at 5.57 K/9. He is a risky two start option in Week 5, as are the rest of this tier.

Shoemaker has allowed two earned runs in four of his five starts, but has only pitched past the fifth inning in two of those starts. The short stints hurt his ability to provide fantasy stats, although an 8.44 K/9 rate is useful. He looks better in his first start against the Mariners in Seattle before taking on the Astros at home. His first start would be the one to target him for in Week 5.

Davies is coming off a good effort against the Reds, where he held the visiting Cincinnati squad to no runs on six hits and a walk, while also retiring six on strikes. He has been working to reduce his awful ratios (currently 6.57 ERA and 1.86 WHIP over the 24.2 innings he has thrown this season). Having two road starts is not ideal, certainly, and with his struggles this season and the road starts, he dwells at the bottom of the middle tier as a desperation starter.

McCullers struggled to find the plate in his last start, where he allowed five earned runs on seven hits and three walks in just five innings against the Indians. He has generally been a strong strikeout artist, posting a 11.15 K/9 ratio, with an average 2.79 BB/9 rate. He consistently struggles on the road, so even facing the underwhelming Angels could be an issue for him. Fortunately, he is backed by a strong offense, but his results this season do not scream for you to slap him into the rotation without considering the opponent.

Dickey winds up the middle tier, and while he had to leave his last contest with a pulled left quadriceps, he is still on track to make two starts in Week 5. His control is shaky (3.42 BB/9) coupled with an inability to miss bats consistently (6.08 K/9), and thus he sits at the bottom of this group of semi-tolerable SPs. Two home starts is a positive for him, although the Cards have recovered from their early season slow start. Facing off against the Mets looks like the best chance for him to provide some value for his owners.

Despite being scheduled to head to the mound twice in Week 5, none of these SPs should grace your starting lineup. The word out of Oakland is that Manaea could be headed to the DL, and it is not as though he has been tearing it up this season anyhow. Pirate rookie Glasnow needs to pick up his game, too, or he could be headed back to Triple-A. Cobb, Norris and Peralta have all been huge disappointments instead of becoming solid back of the rotation fantasy options and as with all these guys stuck in the bottom tier, should be avoided until they can put together a couple of effective starts.

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