Fantasy Baseball 2024 Two-Start Pitchers & Streaming Starters For Week 3

Not as many starting pitchers filling out the top tier this particular scoring period, but still plenty of two-start goodness for your fantasy baseball experience. There are plenty of potential dual start options in the middle group for your consideration, as well. As will undoubtedly be the case on a weekly basis going forward through the 2024 fantasy season, there is also a considerable assemblage of bottom tier arms to avoid using unless desperation requires that you insert one or more of these less than desirable hurlers in your active lineups.

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.

There are 10 arms featured in the top tier this week, and as ever, these are the best options to plug into your lineups for pitching production. These are the pitchers that you start, without concern about venue where they are toeing the rubber or the opposing batters digging in at the plate. As the heading to this group suggests, if you are fortunate enough to have them as part of your fantasy rotation, take advantage of their dual start versatility this coming week.

Bradford had been seen as a candidate to be removed from the Texas rotation when Michael Lorenzen is activated off the IL, but compiling a stellar 1.40 ERA and 0.62 WHIP, coupled with a 17:2 K/BB ratio over his three starts (19.1 IP) has lodged him in the Ranger starting staff for the nonce. He does have to take his act on the road for both of the Week 3 starts, and his superb ratio and counting stat line has been developed solely at home in 2024.

Lugo is another SP that is dealing to open the season, racking up an appealing set of ratio stats over his three starts: 1.45 ERA, 1.18 WHIP. He does have minimal strikeouts to his credit thus far over his 18.2 IP, with just nine punchouts of opposing hitters on the stat sheet, but his sub-par 4.2 K/9 rate is likely to improve as the season progresses, given his prior success in that department over his career. He splits his starts between Kansas City and Baltimore this scoring period, but his home/road splits over the past couple of seasons does not give much concern as far as setting where he climbs the hill.

Perez was dominant in tossing eight one-run frames against the visiting Detroit offense in his last start, and has been stingy with the runs allowed, holding opponents to just four earned tallies over his 19.0 IP this year. He also has a 15:5 K/BB ratio over his three starts to date, not spectacular but certainly useful for fantasy purposes from a back of the fantasy rotation starter. The Mets have been struggling at home so his road game comes against a favorable opponent. 

Gray held the Phillies scoreless over 5.0 IP in collecting a win in his first 2024 start for the Cards. Five Ks against no walks was impressive. He will look to stretch out and pitch deeper in games going forward. The veteran righthander has his tougher opponent at home when the Brewers come to St. Louis for a visit at the end of the week.

Lopez picked up his first win, tossing six frames while holding the Mets scoreless, racking up six Ks. He pitched well in his first start, as well, holding the White Sox to a single earned run over 6.0 IP. His Week 3 starts with a road contest in Houston, and then the Rangers come for a visit to wrap up his week. He could help himself by limiting the free passes, but is a decent source of Ks in any event. 

Ross, the 30-year-old veteran righthander, has been effective over his early work as a fill-in starter for the Brewers, holding opponents to just two earned tallies over 10.0 IP for a tempting 1.80 ERA. He also has gathered a K per frame, although the six walks have inflated his WHIP (1.30). A home/road week ahead against not the most intimidating opponents gives hope his initial 2024 success will continue.

Bassitt has been a much better pitcher at home than on the road over the recent campaigns, so facing the Yankees at home puts him in play for this week, at least for his first start. He has been wild, walking nine over his 16.0 IP, yet the 17 Ks are desirable from a mid-rotation SP. If you were to be cautious in his deployment in your rotation, sitting him when he heads to San Diego has some appeal.

There are arms in this group that are expected to turn things around as the season progresses, but at present, you would be best served not to rely on any of these dual-start SPs to join your fantasy squad’s rotation. The potential damage to your ratio stats without an offsetting counting stat benefit argues against relying on any of these hurlers at present. If necessary because you need innings, pick and choose carefully, looking at venue and opponent when taking the risky action of employing a Tier 3 pitcher this scoring period 

Potential Streaming Options for Week 3

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:

Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Paul Blackburn, Oakland Athletics vs Seattle Mariners

The 30-year-old righty has yet to allow an earned run (or any runs, in point of fact) over his first two starts comprising 13.0 IP. He has also handed out but a single free pass, although the Ks are accumulating at less than a desirable rate (4.2 K/9). Facing the Mariners at home is a positive prospective to continue his early success on the bump.

Jordan Wicks, Chicago Cubs @ Arizona Diamondbacks

If you are seeking Ks, then Wicks has some appeal. He has yet to last five innings in either of his starts this season, so that limits his value in leagues that emphasize victories or quality starts (QS). Thus, aside from a skillset that allows him to miss bats, he is not tremendously prized as a fantasy SP. The Ks are tasty, though.

Ryan Feltner, Colorado Rockies @ Philadelphia Phillies

The Rockie righthander picked up a victory at home, but gets to pitch away from Coors Field for this start, providing him with some additional merit as a streaming option. He managed to strike out double digit Tampa Bay hitters in that home start, providing potential as the Phillies have been free-swingers to open this year.

Thursday, April 18, 2024

Max Meyer, Miami Marlins @ Chicago Cubs

The Miami second-year SP picked up his first career win at the major league level, beating the host Cards while allowing just a single earned tally on three hits and one walk. He has another chance to pick up a road victory when he faces the Cubs at Wrigley Field. 

Friday, April 19, 2024

Javier Assad, Chicago Cubs vs Miami Marlins

Assad appeared on his way to notch his second victory of the season, but the bullpen let him down. He was inefficiently effective in holding the host Padres to just a pair of earned runs over 5.0 IP, where he racked up seven Ks. Taking on the struggling Marlins at home has potential as a streaming opportunity for the 26-year-old righty to make a case to stick in the Cub rotation while Jameson Taillon and Justin Steele recover from their injuries.

Tyler Anderson, Los Angeles Angels @ Cincinnati Reds

Two trips to the hill have yielded excellent results in 2024 for the veteran southpaw, going 7.0 IP in both starts to open the campaign for the Angels. He has only handed out three free passes to opposing hitters thus far, resulting in an appealing 0.79 WHIP to accompany his unmarred ERA (0.00). He heads to Cincinnati, where his ability thus far to avoid allowing a hitter to go deep on him may be tested (not wanting to jinx him).

Matt Waldron, San Diego Padres vs Toronto Blue Jays

The second-year knuckleball-tossing righty bounced back big time in his second start this season, allowing just one run (unearned) over 5.1 IP in San Francisco. That followed a brutal opening start at home against the Cardinals where he was touched for four earned tallies over 4.0 IP. He does feature an attractive 12:2 K/BB ratio to open the year. He gets to face the Blue Jays at home, a team that has not come out of the blocks looking strong.

Marco Gonzales, Pittsburgh Pirates vs Boston Red Sox

The veteran southpaw picked up his first QS as a member of the Pirate rotation, holding the Orioles to just two earned runs in a home start. He has another home start on tap at the end of Week 3, and although his K rate is following suit with his previous performance over the past several years, the Red Sox have proven to be free-swingers in the early going of 2024 so perhaps there is the potential he can improve on a sub-standard 4.9 K/9 rate he currently possesses.

Saturday, April 20, 2024

Colin Rea, Milwaukee Brewers @ St. Louis

The 33-year-old righthander has not been overpowering in picking up a couple of victories to open the season, but has been effective in keeping opposing runners from touching the plate, allowing just two earned runs over his 11.0 IP. Handing out better than a hit per inning is not ideal, and has resulted in an inflated 1.27 WHIP to oppose his stellar 1.64 ERA. He is not much of a K producer, either, with just five punchouts thus far into the season, but the opponent here, the Cards, are ranked ninth in the majors in whiffs.

Jose Butto, New York Mets @ Los Angeles Dodgers

The righty was promoted from Triple-A to make a start against the visiting Tigers and went 6.0 IP, allowing just one earned run on three hits. He also allowed three walks in the no-decision. With Tylor Megill still on the mend, he looks to be counted upon to make a couple more starts for the Mets. An end of the week trip to Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers is not an ideal matchup, but he gets another home start at the end of Week 2 against the Royals to continue to settle in as a rotation member with the Mets.