Two-Start Pitchers/Streaming Starters: Tough Week Ahead

These are interesting times when it comes to evaluating pitching with the mid-season implementation of the foreign substance rules by MLB, but even so, we have a baker’s dozen of top tier aces to use for two starts this scoring period. Not so many middle tier options with just eight arms to consider, although the lower group is chock full of hurlers to avoid.

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:

This collection of arms are those you insert into your lineups, no matter who they are opposing or where they are stepping onto the hill to take the ball. Ray makes this group based on his two home starts, actually, so there is that qualifier to consider. Kaprielian, the Oakland rookie right-hander, also benefits from a pair of home starts this week, but his production has been superb to date.

Flexen is working on a three-game quality start (QS) streak, and has a pair of good to great matchups this coming week in store, especially facing the lackluster Rangers at home. Although his 6.1 K/9 ratio over this season is not attractive, he has been more effective at missing bats lately, with 14 Ks over his past 14.2 IP. He also continues to demonstrate great control, limiting the free passes each time on the bump.

Ross has pitched four games where he has blanked the opponents over his last six outings. Of course, those where he was not so masterful, he gave up 9 earned runs. He is averaging nearly a K per inning (8.8 K/9 through 74.1 IP this season, and when he is on, he is well worth employing in your rotation. The risk is that he suffers one of the occasional blowup games, and thus, he populates the middle tier.

Marquez has collected four consecutive QS while also striking out 27 opposing hitters over those 26.0 IP. Although both his upcoming starts are at Coors Field, where he has struggled previously, he has been better at home than on the road this season. He has a pair of good NL Central matchups on tap, especially the first contest against the Pirates.

Pivetta was lifted from his no-hit effort due to his pitch count being reached. His ability to rack up Ks and also his below-average control (10.4 K/9, 4.2 BB/9 through his 81.0 IP) contributed to his departure as the team exercises caution with his workload. The best time to use him this week would be in his first outing at home against the Royals.

Smith has thrown a couple of QS in his past two times toeing the rubber for the Diamondbacks, and sports an attractive 3.03 ERA this year. He is striking out a boatload of batters, too, with a 10.2 K/9 ratio, but his command leaves a great deal to be desired with an inflated 4.6 BB/9 ratio through 59.1 IP. The opposing SPs in both his starts grace the bottom tier this scoring period.

Ober has been extraordinarily effective on the road in a small sample size this season, with a miniscule 1.13 ERA away from Target Field. The 25-year-old rookie righthander features a 5.75 K/BB ratio in 2021. He is facing a pair of division rivals this coming week, which may be some inspiration to step up his game, too.

Santillan twirled a QS for his first MLB victory, fanning eight Braves at home. He has two more home starts coming up in Week 14. The 10.5 K/9 rate over a small sample size is intriguing, but he needs to work on his control and keeping the ball in the yard, especially with his home park in Cincy

Eickhoff’s first start in the majors went well, holding the Braves scoreless on three hits and three walks over 4.0 IP. Until Carlos Carrasco is ready to return from the IL he is likely to stick in the Met rotation as the fifth starter, which gives him value going forward in the short term, at a minimum.

Of all the SP’s in this tier, Taillon has the most appeal. He has a pair of home games, but his performance is too erratic to be fully trustworthy, despite a couple of decent outings, at Yankee Stadium, against the A’s and Royals. If you feel that his most recent performance is indicative of what he can contribute in fantasy terms. Other than the Yankee righthander, though, you are best served avoiding all the rest of the denizens in this group if you value your counting and ratio stats.

Potential Streaming Options for Week 

There is no promise that each game day will provide a streaming option. First of all, the pitcher must be available in at least 50% of leagues to be a viable candidate to snag off the wire. Then, the pitchers discussed above are not included as they have a different sort of value, even though some might be available as free agents in your league. Plus, some days the matchups and/or venues just do not figure as positive enough factors to favor plugging the arm into your rotation, even for one start. That all being said, here are this week’s best streaming candidates:

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Zach Davies CHC @ MIL Freddie Peralta

Despite handing out five walks over 6.0 IP, Davies managed to hold the Dodgers hitless and scoreless in his most recent trip to the hill. He has been effective in keeping the ball in the park, which will be useful at the Brewer’s home field. Do not expect many Ks, despite Milwaukee’s free swinging propensities.

Wednesday, June 30, 2021

Vladimir Gutierrez CIN vs SD Joe Musgrove

Despite crafting a QS against the Braves, he was saddled with the loss in his last outing. He has twirled three QS among his six starts, and has yet to fail to notch 5.0 IP in an appearance this season. Facing the Padres while at home is a positive here, too.

Kolby Allard TEX @ OAK Chris Bassitt

The Texas 23-year-old southpaw was roughed up by Oakland in his last start, but had been effective overall in the prior four starts, allowing two or zero earned tallies in each game. Here he gets a chance to exact revenge against the A’s, albeit in the Oakland home park, although his home/road splits are not terrible.

Kwang Hyun Kim STL vs ARI TBD

 Kim has not been exceptional, merely decent as a SP option, with the burden on not being able to pitch deep into contests on a regular basis. He was also banged around in his last trip to the mound, allowing four earned runs on seven hits and a walk to the Pirates. He still possesses a useful 3.98 ERA although the 1.36 WHIP is not quite so useful for fantasy purposes. He does have the Diamondbacks at home, who are terrible outside of Arizona.

Thursday, July 1, 2021

Griffin Canning LAA @ NYY Jordan Montgomery

Canning has managed to again drive his ERA below 5.00 by holding opponents to just five earned runs over his past three contests. He strikes out better than a batter per inning (9.3 K/9 over 60.0 IP), which should play well against the Yankees, even on the road.

Friday, July 2, 2021

Zach Thompson MIA @ ATL Charlie Morton

The Miami rookie righty offers a stellar set of ratio stats, with a 1.50 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. Granted, a small sample size of just three starts is not necessarily a true representation of his future production, and he is on the road in a less pitcher friendly park in Atlanta, so some tempering of expectations is suggested. 

Saturday, July 3, 2021

Sam Long SF @ ARI Caleb Smith

Long has been effective in two of his three starts, and he is facing the team that handed him his worst outing to date when he heads to the Diamondback’s home park for this contest. He does have both good control and dominance on the hill, and has a propensity to keep the ball within the yard, and thus becomes the top streaming option for the day.

Patrick Sandoval LAA vs BAL Jorge Lopez

The Angel southpaw is also a good source of Ks, but is more generous with the free passes and long ball than the Giant SP profiled directly above. He does have an excellent matchup, facing the Orioles at home, so even as the second best streaming option on Saturday, he has potential to pump up your late week pitching stats.

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.