Every Friday I look at every projected two-start pitcher for the week ahead and detail my thoughts about rolling with them on your roster. There are four tiers: Definitely, Probably, Questionable, Bench. The first tier features starters that are no doubters for the week ahead followed by a tier of pitchers that look like good plays but may create a hesitation or two. Players inside Questionable Starts are for deeper leagues or have one-of-two outings that should be avoid. Pitchers labeled Bench should be avoided despite their dual week ahead.
Definitely Start
David Price (@KCR, CLE)
Marcus Stroman (@TBR, @MIN)
Danny Salazar (CIN, @BOS)
Jordan Zimmermann (MIN, TBR)
Cole Hamels (@OAK, @HOU)
Noah Syndergaard (WSH, MIL)
Kenta Maeda (LAA, @SDP)
Clayton Kershaw (LAA, @SDP)
Max Scherzer (@NYM, @MIA)
Madison Bumgarner (@SDP, CHC)
Probably Start
Rick Porcello (@KCR, CLE) – Porcello is looking great and could easily continue the trend against the Royals and Indians.
Adam Conley (@PHI, WSH) – These are solid matchups for Conley and he has the stuff to take advantage.
J.A. Happ (TBR, @MIN) – Happ has been as productive a Toby as ever and could easily collect two wins against weak opponents.
Jaime Garcia (COL, ARI) – These are tough outings, but Garcia is cruising right now.
Kyle Hendricks (@MIL, @SFG) – Hendricks is looking great and while the Giants aren’t ideal, it’s doable + a matchup with the Brew Crew is always welcome.
Nathan Eovaldi (@ARI, @OAK) – Both Eovaldi and Pineda are in the gray area between Probable and Questionable, as heading to Arizona could be a bit of a bump in the road. Eovaldi has a better chance of not completely blowing up in your face and I’d take him over Pineda if given the choice for this week.
Questionable
Michael Pineda (@ARI, @OAK) – It’s been a really tough year for Pineda thus far, though there are indications that it could turn around moving forward. I nearly stuck him in the PS tier with Eovaldi, but I have to acknowledge the low floor for the struggling Yankee.
John Lamb (@CLE, SEA) – I would normally stick Lamb in the tier above, but I’m worried that his lack of proper routine will mean that he needs a few starts to start cooking.
Chris Archer (@TOR, @DET) – Archer is a definite start most of the time, but this could be a really tough week for Archer, especially when he didn’t look so hot last time out.
Juan Nicasio (ATL, COL) – That Colorado start isn’t pretty, but I’m completely game for Nicasio against the Braves.
Jerad Eickhoff (MIA, ATL) – I really wanted to elevate Eickhoff into the Probable tier, but he has been shaky lately and performed poorly against the Braves earlier this week.
Tim Adleman (@CLE, SEA) – He’s not recommended in standard roto or in 10 team H2H, but if you’re desperate for a pair of starts, it’s possible Adleman has some magic left as he faces a pair of mangable lineups.
Doug Fister (@CHW, TEX) – I battled with this one for a while, but at the end of the day, I can understand someone rolling with him hoping he produces a good floor against average offenses.
Bench
Carlos Rodon (HOU, KCR) – Normally this would be in the questionable tier, but Rodon hasn’t come close to being what we want him to be in the past few weeks.
Cody Anderson (CIN, @BOS) – It’s a week of 5th starters and normally good-to-go starters getting faced with difficult opponents. Anderson is in the former category as a date with the Red Sox is enough to steer clear entirely.
Tyler Wilson (SEA, @LAA) – I know he gets a pretty smooth week, but this is Wilson we’re talking about here who makes owners scream at him more than Tom Hanks. I don’t trust his early success as his xFIP is 4.53, which is higher than his K/9 of 4.40, making it too boring of a ceiling to ignore the floor.
Yordano Ventura (BOS, @CWS) – Yordano is like Rodon where he’s struggling to exhibit the upside he holds. Match that with the hottest offense in the majors and I want no part of Ventura.
Jose Berrios (@DET, TOR) – For the third week in a row, Berrios is two-start guy since A) he was pushed back after Ervin Santana returned and B) last week’s Monday game rained out. Unfortunately, this week lines up Berrios with two of the toughest offense around. Match that with the fact that Berrios hasn’t fully clicked and you have a reluctant move to the bench.
Phil Hughes (@DET, TOR) – You guys don’t need me to tell you that you don’t want anything to do with Hughes against the Tigers nor Blue Jays.
Matt Shoemaker (LAD, BAL) – I’d only consider Shoemaker as a two-start guy if he’s getting a pair of bottom tier offenses. These aren’t bottom tier offenses.
Jered Weaver (LAD, BAL) – You know the Angels are really struggling with injuries when Weaver is still in their rotation.
Sean Manaea (TEX, NYY) – Manaea has a lot of work left to do and I wouldn’t bank on it coming together this week.
Wade Miley (@BAL, @CIN) – I almost put Miley in the higher tier due to his start in Cincy, though in the end you really don’t know what you’re going to get and his ceiling is too low to take the risk.
Derek Holland (@OAK, @HOU) – This would have Questionable written all over it if Holland didn’t allow 15 ER across his last two outings.
Aaron Blair (@PIT, @PHI) – Blair hasn’t looked sharp as of late and while I wouldn’t be too upset with someone riding him for Week 7, I would prefer not to.
Williams Perez (@PIT, @PHI) – Keep in mind, this is a bit speculative but given Perez’s start this week is safe to assume he has a two-start week ahead of him, taking the spot of the recently traded Jhoulys Chacin. Nevertheless, I won’t suggest throwing him out there.
Alfredo Simon (@CLE, SEA) – As if I would endorse Simon. Ever.
Chase Anderson (CHC, @NYM) – It’s conceivable that Anderson has a serviceable outing against the Mets, but throw in the Cubs and I’m out like Cuban.
Jon Niese (ATL, COL) – That start against Colorado is way too dangerous for a guy like Niese, while he doesn’t have the upside to make a start in Atlanta soften the blow.
Robbie Ray (NYY, @STL) – Ray is still walk friendly and too volatile to carry through the week.
Chris Rusin (@STL, @PIT) – Despite both of these starts are outside of Coors, I don’t like Rusin enough to roll with him.
Colin Rea (SFG, LAD) – Rea is way too unreliable to trust against the Giants and while I could be okay with an outing against the Dodgers, it’s not enough to lift him out of the bottom tier.