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Two-Start Pitchers: Week of June 5, 2017

After a short hiatus, we are back with our look at projected two-start pitchers for Week 10 of the fantasy baseball season. As a reminder, two-start pitchers are a great way to maximize pitching points in fantasy leagues. Taking advantage of two-start weeks is a great way to get a leg up on your competition. This will also help determine those pitchers that might not be useful even in the event they have a dual start week. There are several unannounced starts out there this week as of the writing of this article. Stay tuned for a sneaky two-start week from a potential spot starter.

I will tier these pitchers into groups for you. These projected starts are subject to change due to rainouts, injury, performance issues, or managerial whims. I only offer my the opinion on the matchups; there are no guarantees on the actual starts.

Should you be holding any of these aces in your deck, you are in great shape…

  • Max Scherzer – (6/6 @ LAD-Brandon McCarthy; 6/11 vs. TEX-Martin Perez)
  • Jacob DeGrom- (6/6 @ TEX-Nick Martinez; 6/11 @ ATL-Mike Foltynewicz)
  • Chris Archer – (6/7 vs. CHW-Mike Pelfrey; 6/11 vs. OAK-Jharel Cotton)
  • Carlos Martinez – (6/5 @ CIN-Asher Wojciechowski; 6/10 vs. PHI-Ben Lively)
  • James Paxton – (6/6 vs. MIN-Hector Santiago; 6/11 vs. TOR-J.A. Happ)
  • Adam Wainwright – (6/6 @ CIN-Tim Adleman; 6/11 vs. Aaron Nola)

Is there ever really a time you would sit Scherzer, deGrom, or Archer? Scherzer is coming off two very strong starts. deGrom’s last start was a stinker, but that’s an outlier. Archer’s ERA and win-loss record aren’t great, but his WHIP and K rate reveal a dominant arm. The White Sox and A’s should not be tough competition at home. The Cardinals’ starting pitchers have been lights-out this year. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said about their offense and defense. And don’t get me started on the Manager Mike Matheny’s in-game management. Both Martinez and Wainwright have come on strong after very bad April performances. Waino might have trouble maintaining his 2.64 May ERA, but Philly and Cincy shouldn’t be huge tests for either starter. I’m a big believer in Paxton thus far. His first start coming off the DL for a forearm strain was very encouraging.

Questions here shouldn’t keep from starting this week…

  • Jake Arrieta – (6/6 vs. MIA-Jeff Locke; 6/11 vs. COL-Antonio Senzatela)
  • Jeff Samardzija – (6/5 @ MIL-Junior Guerra; 6/10 vs. MIN-Jose Berrios)
  • Drew Pomeranz – (6/6 @ NYY-Masahiro Tanaka; 6/11 vs. DET-Daniel Norris)
  • Sean Manaea – (6/5 vs. TOR-J.A. Happ; 6/10 @ TB-TBD)
  • Dinelson Lamet – (6/6 @ ARI-TBD; 6/11 vs. KC-TBD)
  • Dan Straily – (6/5 @ CHC-Eddie Butler; 6/10 @ PIT-Trevor Williams)
  • Ivan Nova – (6/6 @ BAL-Kevin Gausman; 6/11 vs. MIA-Jeff Locke)

[the_ad id=”384″]Just because I have these guys a tier lower does not mean they shouldn’t be automatically started. Arrieta has not been very Arrieta-like. That said, Miami should not be too tough a task at home. The Rockies offense may be a better test. Shark’s numbers do not tell the true story of his performance. Be looking for a big June. Pomeranz would not usually be ranked this high for me, but I like what I’ve seen from his last two starts. Manaea, on any other team, would be a huge story. Toronto’s bats are starting to heat up and might give him a tough matchup at home, but his matchup against the Rays is very favorable. I am not huge on Lamet, as the sample is pretty small. However, if he gets past the D-backs offense, he should be well on his way. Straily is having a very nice year. His last five starts have been solid, if not great, on an otherwise weak Marlins team. Ivan Nova will not blow you away, but he is a workhorse. Baltimore will be a tough road matchup.

Average fill-ins could be useful with extra start…

  • Gio Gonzalez – (6/5 @ LAD-Hyun-Jin Ryu; 6/10 vs. TEX-Andrew Cashner)
  • J.A. Happ – (6/5 @ OAK-Sean Manaea; 6/11 @ SEA-James Paxton)
  • Mike Fiers – (6/5  @ KC-Ian Kennedy; 6/10 vs. LAA-Ricky Nolasco)
  • Chase Anderson – (6/6 vs. SF-Matt Cain; 6/11 @ ARI-TBD)
  • Mike Foltynewicz – (6/7 vs. PHI-Jerad Eickhoff; 6/11 vs. NYM-Jacob deGrom)
  • Jaime Garcia – (6/6 vs. PHI-Aaron Nola; 6/10 vs. NYM-Tyler Pill)
  • Hyun-Jin Ryu – (6/5 vs. WAS-Gio Gonzalez; 6/11 vs. Cin-Tim Adleman)
  • Antonio Senzatela – (6/6 vs. CLE-Danny Salazar; 6/11 @ CHC-Jake Arrieta)
  • Junior Guerra – (6/5 vs. SF-Jeff Samardzija; 6/10 @ ARI-Robbie Ray)

Depending on the game, there may be some bargains in this group that might get overlooked or unused in a single-start scenario. If Gonzalez were on any other team, he would not be that compelling. However, because the Nats are one of the best teams in baseball, he needs to be considered. Happ is coming off injury and the jury may still be out, but history suggests he is a solid option. I really like Anderson’s last two starts and think he may have moved himself up a tier. The Giants offense won’t be a huge test, but Arizona’s will. Braves pitchers Folty and Garcia have quietly strung together some useful starts over the last few weeks and are sneaky options. Ryu has been the epitome of an average performer this season and potentially could be headed for the pen. I like the early run Senzatela went on, but I’m not yet a big believer. These two games could be a tough week for him. Guerra is another coming off injury who has to prove last year’s performance was no fluke.

Meh, would probably not use unless there are no other options…

  • Jose Quintana – (6/6 @ TB-TBA; 6/11 @ CLE-Trevor Bauer)
  • Jesse Chavez – (6/6 @ DET-Daniel Norris; 6/11 @ HOU-Joe Musgrove(?))
  • Hector Santiago – (6/6 @ SEA-James Paxton; 6/11 @ SF-Matt Cain)
  • Ian Kennedy – (6/5 vs. HOU-Mike Fiers; 6/10 @ SD-Jared Cosart)
  • Jeff Locke – (6/6 @ CHC-Jake Arrieta; 6/11 @ PIT-Ivan Nova)
  • Masahiro Tanaka- (6/6 vs. BOS-Drew Pomeranz; 6/11 vs. BAL-Kevin Gausman)
  • Kevin Gausman – (6/6 vs. PIT-Ivan Nova; 6/11 @ NYY-Masahiro Tanaka)
  • Tim Adleman – (6/6 vs. STL-Adam Wainwright; 6/11 @ LAD-Hyun-Jin Ryu)
  • Joe Musgrove – (6/6 @ KC-TBD; 6/11 vs. LAA-Jesse Chavez)

I believe these guys could be useful in other situations, but this week patience is warranted. Quintana was the subject of trade rumors over the offseason, but he has not pitched like himself. Chavez and Santiago are more likely pitchers you plug in for one start as a filler, not two-start targets. Kennedy has talent, but he has been very sporadic to start the season and has not fulfilled expectations. The Astros are not a team you want to mess with, but at least he gets the Padres in San Diego and could be an option in a spot start for that game. Locke is an interesting case now that he’s returned from his bout with biceps tendinitis. He seems to fancy himself a strikeout pitcher now, and it will be interesting if he continues with it. Tanaka was very hard for me to put this far down, but four of the last five starts have been horrible.  The AL East matchups this week worry me. Gausman has not done anything thus far this season. Adleman has had a few surprise starts and could be a decent spot starter against the weak-hitting Cardinals. Musgrove is currently on the DL. If he returns on time this, will be his first available start. Keep watch.

No way, no how, no chance…

  • Bartolo Colon – (6/5 vs. PHI-Ben Lively; 6/10 vs. NYM-Robert Gsellman)
  • Eddie Butler – (6/5 vs. MIA-Dan Straily; 6/10 vs. COL-Tyler Anderson)
  • Daniel Norris – (6/6 vs. LAA-Jesse Chavez; 6/11 @ BOS-Drew Pomeranz)
  • Matt Cain – (6/6 @ MIL-Chase Anderson; 6/11 vs. MIN-Hector Santiago)
  • Jharel Cotton – (6/6 vs. TOR-Marco Estrada; 6/11 @ TB-Chris Archer)
  • Aaron Nola – (6/6 @ ATL-Jaime Garcia; 6/11 @ STL-Adam Wainwright)
  • Asher Wojciechowski- (6/5 vs. STL-Carlos Martinez; 6/10 @ LAD-Kenta Maeda)

As long as Bartolo Colon is in a uniform, I am a fan and will root for him to succeed.  From a fantasy standpoint, I have no faith, even against a struggling Philly team. I would not consider using any other pitcher in this tier. I believe Cotton has talent, but he is struggling with his command and needs to show some consistency before he can be trusted in fantasy.

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