The page on the calendar has flipped to September, and the final run to fantasy championships kicks into high gear. Fortunately, there are a significant number of good-to-great options in the two-start pitching realm to choose from in Week Twenty-Five. Naturally, there are also a whole slew of dual-start choices that it is better to avoid, although one or two have streaming potential for one of their two appearances on the hill.

Please realize that these articles feature most recent rotation information available when the article is written, but that circumstances do change due to weather conditions, injuries and general craziness with managers. If a pitcher listed here as having two starts ends up with one (or perhaps none) in the upcoming week, apologies but this article is meant to provide analysis, it is up to the manager to set the lineups or rotations.

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

Start 'em If You Own 'em

Starting Pitcher

1st Start/Opponent/Date

2nd Start/Opponent/Date

Shane Bieber CLE

@ LAA Patrick Sandoval 

vs. MIN José Berríos  

 

Mon 9/9 10:07 PM ET 

Sun 9/15 1:10 PM ET 

Jacob deGrom NYM

vs. ARI Merrill Kelly  

vs. LAD Walker Buehler  

 

Mon 9/9 7:10 PM ET 

Sat 9/14 7:10 PM ET 

Aaron Nola PHI

vs. ATL Mike Foltynewicz  

vs. BOS Eduardo Rodríguez  

 

Mon 9/9 7:05 PM ET 

Sun 9/15 1:05 PM ET 

Zack Greinke HOU 

vs. OAK Mike Fiers  

@ KC Mike Montgomery  

 

Mon 9/9 8:10 PM ET 

Sat 9/14 7:15 PM ET 

James Paxton NYY 

@ BOS Eduardo Rodríguez  

@ TOR Jacob Waguespack  

 

Mon 9/9 7:10 PM ET 

Sat 9/14 3:07 PM ET 

Madison Bumgarner SF

vs. PIT Trevor Williams  

vs. MIA Robert Dugger 

 

Mon 9/9 9:45 PM ET 

Sat 9/14 9:05 PM ET 

José Quintana CHC 

@ SD Chris Paddack  

vs. PIT Dario Agrazal  

 

Tue 9/10 10:10 PM ET 

Sun 9/15 2:20 PM ET 

Lance Lynn TEX 

vs. TB TBA

vs. OAK Mike Fiers  

 

Tue 9/10 8:05 PM ET

Sun 9/15 3:05 PM ET 

Eduardo Rodríguez BOS

vs. NYY James Paxton  

@ PHI Aaron Nola  

 

Mon 9/9 7:10 PM ET 

Sun 9/15 1:05 PM ET 

Max Fried ATL 

@ PHI Jason Vargas  

@ WAS Aníbal Sánchez  

 

Tue 9/10 7:05 PM ET 

Sun 9/15 1:35 PM ET 

Zac Gallen ARI 

@ NYM Zack Wheeler  

vs. CIN Trevor Bauer  

 

Tue 9/10 7:10 PM ET 

Sun 9/15 4:10 PM ET 

The bulk of these SPs are of the variety that you will want to plug into your fantasy rotation for the coming week and forget about them, reaping the benefits from their performances. Gallen has burst onto the scene this season, and has earned his spot in the top tier by pitching like an ace: 2.50 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 10.8 K/9, 0.7 HR/9 over 68.1 innings pitched (IP). His main issue is control (4.2 BB/9 through 13 starts) but his minor league stats indicate that may be a temporary issue.

Maybe Yes, Maybe No

Starting Pitcher

1st Start/Opponent/Date

2nd Start/Opponent/Date

Jon Lester CHC

@ SD Cal Quantrill  

vs. PIT Trevor Williams  

 

Mon 9/9 10:10 PM ET 

Sat 9/14 2:20 PM ET 

José Berríos MIN 

vs. WAS Aníbal Sánchez  

@ CLE Shane Bieber  

 

Tue 9/10 7:40 PM ET 

Sun 9/15 1:10 PM ET 

Jordan Lyles MIL 

@ MIA Robert Dugger 

@ STL Jack Flaherty  

 

Mon 9/9 7:10 PM ET 

Sat 9/14 7:15 PM ET 

John Means BAL 

vs. LAD TBA

@ DET Edwin Jackson  

 

Tue 9/10 7:05 PM ET 

Sun 9/15 1:10 PM ET 

Mike Foltynewicz ATL

@ PHI Aaron Nola  

@ WAS Max Scherzer  

 

Mon 9/9 7:05 PM ET 

Sat 9/14 4:05 PM ET 

Wade Miley HOU 

vs. OAK Tanner Roark  

@ KC Jake Junis 

 

Tue 9/10 8:10 PM ET 

Sun 9/15 2:15 PM ET 

Mike Fiers OAK

@ HOU Zack Greinke  

@ TEX Lance Lynn  

 

Mon 9/9 8:10 PM ET 

Sun 9/15 3:05 PM ET 

Chris Paddack SD

vs. CHC José Quintana  

@ COL Chi Chi González  

 

Tue 9/10 10:10 PM ET 

Sun 9/15 3:10 PM ET 

Michael Wacha STL 

@ COL Chi Chi González  

vs. MIL Chase Anderson  

 

Tue 9/10 8:40 PM ET 

Sun 9/15 2:15 PM ET 

Lester has tallied three wins in his last four outings, allowing just a single earned run over those 18.0 IP. He has two good matchups in store, heading to San Diego and then taking on the Pirates at home to wind up the scoring period. He whiffed a season-high nine batters in his latest trip to toe the rubber and is striking out nearly a batter per inning on the season, with an 8.8 K/9 rate through 150.1 IP in 2019.

Berrios has twirled nine quality starts (QS) out of his last dozen contests and has not allowed an opponent to collect more than three earned runs since May 18th. In those 110.1 IP, he has demonstrated both dominance and control, with a 109/34 K/BB ratio. He has a pair of tough matchups in store for Week Twenty-Five, but his steady production lends him to regular usage as a fantasy arm. 

Lyles has been extremely effective since landing in Milwaukee earlier this summer, posting nice ratios over those seven appearances: 2.56 ERA, 1.06 WHIP coupled with a 5-1 record. He strikeout production has been down, however, and he does have one poor matchup on the horizon, heading to St. Louis for a Saturday evening confrontation against the division-leading Cardinals.

Means has righted his ship after suffering through a stretch where he was getting banged around early and often from mid-July to mid-August. Since then, though, he has strung together four times on the bump where he has limited opponents to two or fewer earned runs and handing out just two free passes. He is a mediocre strikeout arm, though, with a 7.1 K/9 rate through 131.0 IP to date. He gets to face the Dodgers at his home park, then heads to Detroit to see if he can have some road luck against the woeful 2019 Tigers.

Foltynewicz has failed to last five innings in two of his last four times toeing the rubber, which makes him a significant risk if you are looking for victories or QS in your league. Neither of his Week Twenty-Five matchups scream to use him in your rotation, but he has been pitching better since returning in August, dropping his ERA nearly a whole run (it still sits at an ugly 5.28 currently). He does pitch for Atlanta, which is a point in his favor.

Miley was recently roughed up by the Mariners to the tune of five earned runs before getting lifted and not recording an out. Ouch. Prior to that debacle, however, he has been remarkably consistent and dependable, with an attractive set of ratio stats: 3.35 ERA and 1.26 WHIP over the course of 29 starts. Chalk up the most recent start to bad luck, and use the veteran Astro southpaw going forward.

Fiers season numbers are nice, with his ERA sitting at 3.51 and his WHIP looking styling at just 1.17 through his accumulated 169.0 IP this campaign so far. He relies on his control, as he does not miss many bats: 2.7 BB/9, 6.1 K/9 over 29 starts. Be advised that both his starts, against top-level opponents, are on the road this coming scoring period.

Paddach gets the Cubs at home, which is favorable, but then has to head to Coors Field, a tough venue even with the underwhelming 2019 version of the Rockies as the hosts. He is a top-level K producer (9.5 K/9) who features excellent control as well (2.0 BB/9 through 129.2 IP), so despite the late week trip to the Mile High City, he is an arm to consider employing this week. 

Wacha winds up the middle tier this week, and his lack of appearances where he tosses significant innings makes him a less than ideal starting option. He recently was a limited opener in a designated bullpen day game, and may be used similarly going forward as the Cards work to wrap up their division. His schedule opens with a trip to the bump in Coors, never a truly positive situation for a SP, but then gets the Brewers at home, a much better matchup on paper.

Not On My Roster

Starting Pitcher

1st Start/Opponent/Date

2nd Start/Opponent/Date

Merrill Kelly ARI 

@ NYM Jacob deGrom  

vs. CIN Anthony DeSclafani  

 

Mon 9/9 7:10 PM ET 

Sat 9/14 8:10 PM ET 

Zack Wheeler NYM

vs. ARI Zac Gallen 

vs. LAD TBA

 

Tue 9/10 7:10 PM ET 

Sun 9/15 7:05 PM ET 

Trevor Bauer CIN 

@ SEA Félix Hernández  

@ ARI Zac Gallen 

 

Tue 9/10 10:10 PM ET 

Sun 9/15 4:10 PM ET 

Aníbal Sánchez WAS

@ MIN José Berríos  

vs. ATL Max Fried  

 

Tue 9/10 7:40 PM ET 

Sun 9/15 1:35 PM ET 

Jake Junis KC

@ CHW Iván Nova  

vs. HOU Wade Miley  

 

Tue 9/10 8:10 PM ET 

Sun 9/15 2:15 PM ET 

Cal Quantrill SD 

vs. CHC Jon Lester  

@ COL Peter Lambert 

 

Mon 9/9 10:10 PM ET 

Sat 9/14 8:10 PM ET 

Chase Anderson MIL 

@ MIA Elieser Hernandez  

@ STL Michael Wacha  

 

Tue 9/10 7:10 PM ET 

Sun 9/15 2:15 PM ET 

Iván Nova CHW 

vs. KC Jake Junis 

@ SEA Félix Hernández  

 

Tue 9/10 8:10 PM ET 

Sun 9/15 4:10 PM ET 

Logan Webb SF 

vs. PIT Dario Agrazal  

vs. MIA Elieser Hernandez  

 

Tue 9/10 9:45 PM ET 

Sun 9/15 4:05 PM ET 

Elieser Hernandez MIA 

vs. MIL Chase Anderson  

@ SF Logan Webb 

 

Tue 9/10 7:10 PM ET 

Sun 9/15 4:05 PM ET 

Patrick Sandoval LAA

vs. CLE Shane Bieber  

vs. TB TBA

 

Mon 9/9 10:07 PM ET 

Sun 9/15 4:07 PM ET

Robert Dugger MIA

vs. MIL Jordan Lyles  

@ SF Madison Bumgarner  

 

Mon 9/9 7:10 PM ET 

Sat 9/14 9:05 PM ET 

Félix Hernández SEA

vs. CIN Trevor Bauer  

vs. CHW Iván Nova  

 

Tue 9/10 10:10 PM ET 

Sun 9/15 4:10 PM ET 

Dario Agrazal PIT 

@ SF Logan Webb 

@ CHC José Quintana  

 

Tue 9/10 9:45 PM ET 

Sun 9/15 2:20 PM ET 

Edwin Jackson DET 

vs. NYY TBA

vs. BAL John Means  

 

Tue 9/10 6:40 PM ET

Sun 9/15 1:10 PM ET 

Chi Chi González COL

vs. STL Michael Wacha  

vs. SD Chris Paddack  

 

Tue 9/10 8:40 PM ET 

Sun 9/15 3:10 PM ET

Trevor Williams PIT

@ SF Madison Bumgarner  

@ CHC Jon Lester  

 

Mon 9/9 9:45 PM ET 

Sat 9/14 2:20 PM ET

Merrill is simply too erratic to be trusted against tough competition, but the game against the Reds at home at the end of the week might be a potential streaming option. In an early week start, Bauer at Seattle is also tempting if you are desperate for a start. The rest of these arms are best left on the sidelines for your fantasy efforts.

Feel free also to send any starting pitching or other fantasy baseball questions to ia@fantasyalarm.com for a private response to your specific issue. The more detail you can provide about your team and league, including settings (H2H vs roto, points or categories, weekly or daily moves, roster size, league size, etc.) the better the response will be suited to your individual situation. As ever, good luck and Godspeed in all your fantasy endeavors.