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There is a first-rate set of arms to employ in your fantasy rotations as we head into the final month of the fantasy season dwelling in the top tier this week, and a handful to consider whether to use for both their starts in the middle tier. The bottom tier, as usually plays out, is stuffed full of hurlers to simply to ignore as you hopefully proceed toward your fantasy championship. Or play out the season to the best of your ability.
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:
Ten top SPs inhabit the top tier this week, and for the most part, they are the same arms that you have plugged into your lineups without question this season. The Tampa Bay representative, Mr. Yarbrough, has been simply superb since mid-July, posting the following stat line since collecting a victory at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 15th: 1.90 ERA, 0.65 WHIP, 51/3 K/9, and 0.7 HR/9 during the course of those 52.0 innings pitched (IP). That certainly earns him top-tier status going forward.
DeSclafani has been driving his ERA down after a disastrous outing in the nation’s capital on August 12th, where he allowed six earned runs to the Nationals on six hits and two walks over four IP. Since that game, he has held opponents to just two earned runs over 18 IP, with a 20:4 K/BB ratio and his ERA now sits at a useful 4.05 through his 135.2 IP on the season. He has two home starts on tap in Week Twenty-Four and has been more effective when pitching at Great American Ballpark this year. Expect him to continue to rack up significant K numbers, too, although neither opponent in the scoring period is known for being extraordinarily free-swinging at the plate.
Civale takes on a pair of division rivals this week, and has tossed five quality starts as part of his six MLB starts this season, missing going 6-for-6 by just one out. His ERA is a stellar 1.96 and the WHIP is spectacular, too, sitting at 0.90 through 36.2 IP in 2019 with the Indians. He continues to show the good control he exhibited in the minors with a 1.47 BB/9 rate through his six starts to date, although he is just an average K producer in the big leagues, with a 7.4 K/9, although facing the White Sox in his first start of the week should help, as the Pale Hose are ranked No. 5 in the MLB in terms of total strikeouts.
Samardzija has allowed just two or less earned runs in each of his last trips to the bump, a stretch of 41.1 IP. He has a pair of away games on the schedule, but his home/road splits are fairly close in 2019, so that is no reason to avoid slipping him into your rotation, especially with two starts in the seven day period. Since the beginning of July, he has tossed an eye-catching 1.99 ERA and 0.84 WHIP, ratios that nearly any fantasy owner should be salivating over.
Tanaka is coming off a great effort on the road against the Mariners, having shut out Seattle on just three safe knocks and one free pass through seven complete innings. Still, he has been inconsistent lately, making him less than dependable despite the allure of a dual-appearance week. He does face the Rangers at Yankee Stadium, where he has been much more effective this season, but then heads to Boston to oppose the SP who graces the final slot of this middle tier. He is more of a one dependable start option in Week Twenty-Four, as a result of the matchups.
Alcantara has not collected a victory since June 21st, although he has not pitched poorly during the stretch where he has gone 0-6 with five no-decisions. He is pitching deep into contests for the most part, compiling 66.0 IP during that period, and he has a couple of decent matchups lined up in Week Twenty-Four, with a game at PNC Park against the Pirates who occupy the cellar of the NL-Central, and then the Royals coming to Miami, who are graced with a fourth-place standing in the AL-Central, courtesy of the Tigers stinking up that division and firmly holding onto the bottom rung.
Houser has pitched well since rejoining the rotation in Milwaukee in late July. In his six appearances on the hill since July 30th, he has posted an extremely attractive 2.43 ERA and 1.08 WHIP over 33.1 IP. He has also been a nice source of strikeouts over that time, with an 8.9 K/9 rate, compiling 33 Ks. Both of his trips to toe the rubber in the coming scoring period are at home, which is a positive for those fantasy owners thinking about employing his services, although neither opponent is a pushover, the first visitor being the Astros and then the Cubs come to town, the Northsiders being the team that roughed up the 26-year old righty most over his recent stretch in the rotation for the Brewers.
Roark saw his three-game QS streak end when he took the ball in KC in his most recent start, but the veteran right-hander has a couple of good matchups in store this coming week, with the Angels and then the sad-sack Tigers on the schedule. His K rate has dropped since being dealt to the A’s, down to just an average ratio of 7.6 K/9 in his last four starts, a significant departure from the far more attractive 8.7 he has amassed over the entire 2019 campaign, but facing the Tiger hitters should remedy that situation in his second start of the week.
Odorizzi has managed to put up just two QS in his last six appearances, although if he had managed just one additional out in three of those games, things might be significantly different on that front. Over that stretch of starts, though, he has been a productive K producer, collecting 37 Ks in 34.0 IP, for a tasty 9.8 K/9 rate. He has also dampened his long-ball tendencies over the recent period, (not that it was exceptionally terrible before, sitting at 1.0 HR/9 through 26 starts), giving up just one crash-bomb to the Braves. He has the fortune to face the Tigers opening the week, then gets division-rival Cleveland at home on Saturday.
Porcello graduates to the middle tier, after scuffling about in the bottom group of late. His last three trips to the mound have been acceptable for fantasy purposes, although he was held to just five innings in each of his last two starts, limiting his ability to contribute counting stats for his fantasy owners. He has a pair of home starts this coming week, but Fenway has been a source of struggles on the hill for the veteran righty the past few seasons. Although he is gracing the middle tier, he is just a bad start away from returning to the bottom tier. Just a warning if you are swayed by his recent so-so efforts.
As per usual, these are the SPs to avoid despite their apparent value by taking the ball to open the contest twice in the pending scoring period. You may be enticed by the two Detroit arms that reside at the top of the tier, but consider that these two pitch for the worst team in all of MLB this year. At this stage of the fantasy season, it is no time to hitch your wagon to lame horses. The balance of these starting pitchers are best left on the wire as they are more likely to cause your team harm than provide any fantasy goodness.
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.