Fantasy Baseball Two-Start Pitchers/Streaming Starters Week 6: Tony Gonsolin In Action Twice

When setting your fantasy baseball lineups, it is helpful to identify those arms that can provide either a pair of effective starts or those starting pitchers that can be snapped up off the fantasy baseball waiver wire or as free agents for a streaming opportunity in your rotation during the current scoring period. Keep your eye on the MLB injury report, as news of players heading to the injury list can throw a monkey wrench into the machinery of your finely tuned roster when least expected.

This week, there exists a fine set of top tier SPs to employ for dual appearances, if you are lucky enough to have them gracing your squads. A good group is to be found in the middle tier with two start potential that may or may not be available for rostering. In addition, look to the single start streamers down below if you need a pitching boost beyond your current bench options.

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:

As per usual, these are the starting pitchers to plug in and essentially turn your attention elsewhere in Week 6. Congratulations on your drafting acumen if your roster has one or more of these pitchers gracing its ranks.

Zach Logue tossed a quality start (QS) in his second MLB start against the struggling Tigers, striking out six over seven frames while not allowing a free pass and only five hits. Lest you get too giddy, many pitchers are looking like aces when facing the Detroit offense of late. This week’s opponents are likely tougher tests, although the A’s have been known for their ability to develop young arms (but not hold onto them, the better for other teams down the road), so no reason not to look to the rookie southpaw for some fantasy pitching goodness in Week 6.

Brad Keller is coming off an ineffective performance, to be charitable, but has been dependable over the course of this season for the most part, and his ratios are still looking good: 2.70 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, 2.2 BB/9. His peripherals do hint strongly that negative regression looms in the 26-year-old’s future, with an unsustainable BABIP of .215, a FIP of 4.08 and a below average 5.40 K/9 rate over his 36.2 IP. This coming week finds him toeing the rubber at home for two contests, where he has been superb over 19.1 IP.

Kyle Bradish was called up from Triple-A at the end of last month, and has tossed a pair of QS with a semi-clunker in between the two superior efforts on the bump. He was nearly untouchable in his last start, collecting 11 whiffs against the Cardinal hitters, which is more in line with his minor league stats than what he demonstrated in the first two MLB starts this season. Despite taking on a couple of tough division opponents, he does get to pitch at home, no longer a negative situation with the alterations to Camden Yards that have been untaken by the team.

Beau Brieske pitches for the Tigers, whose offense seems non-existent most games of late, so he needs to be firing on all cylinders to be in the neighborhood of a victory. He carries an acceptable 3.86 ERA and 1.19 WHIP into this week’s games. He has yet to allow more than three earned runs in a start, and has not left a game before finishing at least five innings on the hill.

Logan Gilbert, after being extraordinarily stingy with runs during his first five starts in 2022 (witness the superb 0.64 ERA), he has now been touched for 7 runs over the last 10 frames pitched, pushing his ERA to a still sterling 2.13, and his WHIP sits at a desirable 1.11. He gets to take to the mound on the road for both his Week 6 outings, but has been a true road warrior this season, so that is not as dramatic as would appear.

Jesús Luzardo, on the other hand, gets to climb the hill at home for both his starts this coming scoring period. In addition, both his opponents are currently playing sub-.500 ball. Despite seeing his control desert him recently (5.0 BB/9 through 29.0 IP), his strikeout production is through the roof with an enviable 12.7 K/9 in his tool kit. 

Corey Kluber was beat up in his last outing, allowing eight earned runs on 11 hits over just 3.0 IP. Prior to that, though, he had been mostly effective, posting a 2.36 ERA through those prior 26.2 IP. He has a couple of good matchups on tap, especially facing the Tigers at home to open Week 6.

Luis Severino has yet to toss a QS, as his only start lasting longer than five innings saw him allow four earned runs to the Orioles. He is striking out plenty of opponents (9.7 K/9 through his 28.2 IP so far this season), but he has also allowed a dinger in each of his last three outings. 

Alex Wood’s inflated WHIP (1.37) is a result of his allowing better than a hit per inning this season, as his walk rate sits at a reasonable 2.7 BB/9 (a tad high, but not necessarily fatal). He is coming off a 5.1 inning shutout effort against Colorado at home, who he now faces at Coors Field to open Week 6, before heading home to take on the Padres.

There may be an individual game or two among this two-start group that is worth considering for a streaming opportunity, but for the greater part, these are SPs you do not want to corrupt your lineup with if at all possible. Kikuchi at home against the lackluster Reds at the end of the week could yield some good results, but the balance of the contests are better not considered if you value your fantasy pitching production.

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, May 17. 2022

Reid Detmers LAA @ TEX Taylor Hearn

It would be difficult not to recommend Detmers, as he comes off a no-hitter against the visiting Rays. He dropped his ERA to a much more palatable 3.77, and his WHIP (0.84) benefited as well, although that ratio was already in good shape. He has a nice matchup, against a team playing sub-.500 ball at home in the Rangers.

Wednesday, May 18. 2022

Dane Dunning TEX vs LAA Patrick Sandoval

Dunning is working on a two consecutive QS streak, and gets to face a tough opponent at home, where he has been far more effective in a small sample size to open the 2022 campaign. His K rate is just under a hitter per inning at 8.72, and is facing the team with the second most Ks to date.

Zach Davies ARI @ LAD Walker Buehler

Davies had to settle for a no-decision despite holding the visiting Rockies to no runs on just three hits. He has not allowed an earned run over his last 11.1 IP, and his ERA now sits at 3.34, a useful ratio stat to go along with a good WHIP of 1.21. This is a hot hand recommendation, as the opponent is not ideal nor is the venue.

Thursday, May 19. 2022

Bruce Zimmerman BAL vs NYY Jordan Montgomery

The Oriole pitching staff’s improved performance this season (as opposed to recent history) has been a pleasant surprise, and the 27-year-old southpaw Zimmerman has opened some eyes, striking out a batter per frame while allowing just nine earned tallies over his six starts to date, resulting in a stellar 2.67 ERA and useful 1.19 WHIP. Now that the home park plays more pitcher friendly, he has a better chance to continue his success against the division leading Yankees here.

Jake Odorizzi HOU vs TEX Glenn Otto

Glenn Otto TEX @ HOU Jake Odorizzi

This contest features hurlers on both sides that have some streaming appeal. The Houston veteran Jake Odorizzi is working on a three-game win streak, where he has limited opponents to a single earned run over his most recently pitched 17.2 innings. Glenn Otto has been increasing his pitch count as his season progresses, and boasts an attractive 3.14 ERA and 0.98 WHIP, albeit over just 14.1 IP, and he did collect five Ks over just 4.1 IP when he faced the Astros earlier last month.

George Kirby SEA @ BOS TBD

The rookie righthander’s first MLB start went well, as he held the Rays to just four hits and no runs over six innings for a QS to open his big-league career. This start will be his third, after facing the Mets this weekend, so before jumping on his train, see how that appearance plays out. His next two trips to the hill are on the road, so there is that potential issue to consider as well.

Friday, May 20. 2022

Tyler Wells BAL vs TB Ryan Yarbrough

Another Baltimore arm that has been part of their limited surge toward being a more respectable ballclub, Wells has been effective at limiting runs over his last three outings, yielding just four earned tallies over those 16.0 IP. He has been effective at Camden Yards, where this contest plays out, and the Red Sox are currently residing at the bottom of the division below the Orioles.

Martín Pérez TEX @ HOU Justin Verlander

Perez does not have an ideal matchup here, pitching on the road against Verlander, but he has been dealing from the mound lately, so he is another hot hand to ride. He has twirled four QS in a row heading into the weekend’s scheduled tilt against the Red Sox at home, before taking the hill on the road in Houston. His peripherals do not hint at negative regression, either.

Saturday, May 21. 2022

José Quintana PIT vs StL Miles Mikolas

The Pirate veteran southpaw has yet to allow more than three earned runs in any of his six starts this season, which is necessary for his success as his 25:13 K/BB ratio is not exactly stellar. His 2.70 ERA and 1.20 WHIP are useful ratios for fantasy purposes and he has a home game here to continue to work on holding opponents off the scoreboard even while not be extraordinarily efficient on the bump.

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.

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