Fantasy Baseball 2024 Two-Start Pitchers & Streaming Starters For Week 2

After the first full week of fantasy baseball action providing scanty two-start options in the top tier and also the second tier, we head into Week 2 where the choices are happily more plentiful. There are also a boatload of SPs that should not be relied upon for fantasy goodness in the bottom group, an occurrence we can expect on a regular basis as the fantasy baseball season plays out.

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 week, we have a baker’s dozen of arms occupying the top tier of dual start SP options available to plug into your rotations. Plug any of these hurlers that you are fortunate enough to have inhabiting your team’s slate of available pitchers, and do not fret about the opponent or the venue.  Plus, enjoy the return of Blake Snell to the ranks of active starters.

Montas came within one out of putting together a pair of quality starts (QS) to open the season, but is the owner of a couple wins in his two starts to date. His stat line is extraordinarily appealing presently, having allowed just a single earned run over his 11.2 IP: 0.77 ERA, 1.03 WHIP. He is going to be hot commodity if he is not already owned in your league, with a home game against the Brewers to open the scoring period, then an attractive road game against the not exactly intimidating White Sox.

Javier has not yet allowed a runner to cross home while he is toeing the rubber, and did so against a pair of tougher opponents in the Yankees and the Blue Jays. He takes his act on the road for his next outing, heading to Kansas City before returning home to face the reigning World Champs. The five walks he yielded to the Toronto hitters in his most recent appearance on the bump is alarming, although he never has been a pitcher with superior control. The Astros are going to rely on him to help get through the early-season injury issues they are experiencing with their rotation, so expect him to get plenty of time on the mound to work on his game.

Paxton did not make the trip across the Pacific when the Dodgers opened the season against the Padres in Japan, but he stepped onto the hill and acquitted himself quite nicely, picking up the victory against the visiting Giants while collecting five Ks. He also handed out five free passes, but managed to keep the San Francisco baserunners away from the dish over his 5.0 IP. He might not be good for a season-long role as a full-time member of the Dodger rotation, but he will be relied upon a s backend rotation member while the various injured arms on the staff rehab and recover.

Ashcroft looked none the worse for having a condensed spring as he came back to action after off-season toe surgery, pitching well against the Phillies in a loss. Except for being touched twice by Bryce Harper with dingers in the first and fourth innings of his initial start of the 2024 season. As with his teammate Montas profiled above, his tougher matchup is at home against the visiting Brewers, and then he ends his week in Chitown facing the Pale Hose. If you trust him, go out and pick him up off the wire as his ownership is not such that he is not potentially available to add as a streamer or back of the rotation arm currently.

Olson is not exactly an SP that excites with skillset, but he does offer above-average control and strikes out nearly a batter per frame if his 2023 results are to be trusted. He came an out short of collecting a QS in his no-decision outing against the host Mets. Last season, he was more of a road warrior than a pitcher who preferred home cooking, but the Pirates have been hot coming out of the gate, so he will need to bring the road A-game to open the season before taking on the division-rival Twins at home to close out the scoring period. 

Heaney took a tough-luck loss in his first start of the season, causing some hardship by deflecting a ball that could have been a out but which went for a hit and which drove in a run for the host Rays. He did strike out seven over 4.2 IP without allowing a walk. This week, he gets to face the Astros twice, at home and in Houston, so not exactly tempting matchups, but his team is not filled with slouches, either.

Assad opened the 2024 campaign strong, tossing 6.0 scoreless innings while racking up five Ks. He was dominant, throwing 60 of his 89 pitches for strikes. It was against the Rockies at home, so there is some discount on the results. His next two scheduled trips to toe the rubber are on the road, but he has been much more effective away from Wrigley Field the past couple of seasons, so that plays in his favor this week.

There is a huge collection of pitchers that you would be best served by not inserting into your lineup(s), despite the allure of two starts in Week 2. If the venue or opponent are sufficiently enticing, a few of these hurlers could be considered for a streaming choice, such as Reynaldo Lopez of the Braves against the Mets or Julio Teheran at home against the Royals, but for the most part, these SPs should be left on the wire or the free agent arena of your leagues. The potential damage to your ratios without substantial consequence or effect in terms of counting stats is an unwise path to take.

Fantasy Baseball Streaming Options for Week 2

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, April 9, 2024

Martin Perez Pittsburgh Pirates

The veteran southpaw lines up to provide the Pirates some inning-eating production to kick off the 2024 campaign, while the young arms such as Paul Skenes and Bubba Chandler hone their craft in the high minors. He was inefficient in his initial trip to the hill, walking three Marlins while only gathering two Ks. Facing the Tigers at home in his third start is a decent matchup for a plug-in start.

Logan Allen Cleveland Guardians

Allen’s second start of 2024 should be something to build on, as he tossed 6.2 IP without allowing an earned tally by the host Mariners and racking up six strikeouts, although there was the blemish of three free passes. Two victories and a QS to open the season will make him a popular addition to fantasy rotations, and rightly so given his successful rookie season in 2023.

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Erick Fedde Chicago White Sox

Returning to the MLB after a successful season with the KBO, the veteran righthander looked sharp against the visiting Tiger squad, holding Detroit to two earned runs over 4.2 IP while collecting an impressive seven Ks against one walk and five hits. Handing out a pair of wall-clearing shots dampens enthusiasm for his prospects, naturally, as does pitching on the road, where he has struggled in the past, but the ability to generate whiffs is enticing.

Cody Bradford Texas Rangers

The second-year southpaw was efficient in this start against the visiting Cubs, aside from the two-run homer he allowed to Dansby Swanson. Six strikeouts against a single walk and just three hits (one being Swanson’s dinger) gives hope he will continue to develop as a back of the rotation option, at least until the injured hurlers on the Texas roster return to action, although attention must be paid to Michael Lorenzen’s pending return from the IL.

Thursday, April 11, 2024

Nick Martinez Cincinnati Reds

The Reds brought the veteran righthander over from San Diego, hoping he could replicate his results as a member of the Padre rotation and roll up some substantial Ks to go along with useful ratio stats. The strikeout rate should improve as the year progresses, and unfortunately, the walk rate is likely to negatively regress as well. 

Friday, April 12, 2024

Paul Blackburn Oakland A’s

Blackburn’s first outing of the season was a 7.0 IP scoreless event, where the Oakland bullpen cost him a win. He only struck out three Guardian hitters, but his 2023 efforts indicate that he should be a better source of Ks going forward. His results last season also hint that he is more comfortable pitching at home, and he gets to face the Nationals in Oakland this week.

Colin Rea Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewer righthander did not have to be dominant to take home a win in his first outing of the season, holding the Mets to just a single earned run over 5.0 IP. As with Blackburn above, he racked up limited whiffs (two) and is heading to Baltimore who are not exactly profiling as a free swinging group of hitters to open the season

Andrew Abbott Cincinnati Reds

Another SP who did not dominate in his first start, although he did collect four Ks over his 5.1 IP. He was on the road in Philly, not an easy assignment, but things look up at the end of the week when he heads to the bump in Guaranteed Rate Field to face the White Sox. 

Saturday, April 13, 2024

Kyle Gibson St. Louis Cardinals

Continuing a trend in streaming options, Gibson was not dominant in his 7.0 IP victory over the Padres in San Diego, allowing 2 round trippers while only striking out four, but he pitched deep into the contest and came out of the game with a victory for his new team. He faces the Diamondbacks, again on the road, at the end of the scoring period.

Max Meyer Miami Dolphins

Coming back from TJS, he took a no decision while twirling 5.0 IP and striking out four Angels in his first action in the MLB since he was sidelined in 2022. If you seek to use him as a SP, the time to act is now as the team will likely limit his time on the mound in this, his first season back from surgical repair of his throwing arm. He could find a role in the bullpen if he cannot handle a starter’s workload, where he would be valuable but not for streaming purposes, obviously.

Alec Marsh Kansas City Royals

The 25-year-old righty has not demonstrated superb control previously, but held the Orioles to just one walk while collecting five Ks in his first outing of 2024, picking up the win on the road. He has a better matchup, on the road, when he faces the Mets at Citi Field at the end of this coming scoring period.

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.