Two-Start Pitchers: 8/26 – 9/1

Welcome to another edition of the 2024 two-start pitcher rankings!

My rankings have four tiers: Set and Forget, Probably Start, Questionable, and Avoid. Set and Forget starters are simply that; get them in your lineup and don’t think twice. The Most Likely Start tier includes players with the mix of skill and matchups that make them almost certainly two-start plays, but not without some elevated risk compared to the top tier. Questionable starters are those best suited for daily lineup leagues where you can bench them against the tougher of their two opponents or are more situation-dependent in weekly leagues. Finally, we have the Avoid tier, which includes two start SPs who should remain on your bench or the wire.

Each week, I’ll be selecting my Two-Start Streamer of the Week. The criteria for a streamer will be a rostered rate under 50% in Yahoo leagues. The Streamer of the Week will be highlighted in the tables in green. Reach out to me in the PL+ Discord or on Twitter @davithius  and let me know if you’d grade the weekly streamer as a win or loss.

As a friendly reminder, the projected starters are just that, projections and subject to change.

 

Set and Forget

 

 

• Pretty straight-forward here, if you drafted any of these SPs, you’ve largely enjoyed starting them every week. Why stop now?

 

Most Likely 

 

 

• Nestor Cortes is currently on a heater as he’s 3-1 with a 3.38 ERA and 21:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Furthermore, he’s gone seven innings in his previous two starts and kept the basepaths clean by only allowing six total baserunners. He’ll put up enough strikeouts to be a Set and Forget type of SP, and over the last 30 days, his matchups (@ WSN and STL) have been pedestrian in terms of production.

 

• The majority of our Most Likely tier has the same…matchups. While all of them flash tremendous skills to give you that boost with a two-start week, I’m the most skeptical with Ronel Blanco. First, he hasn’t collected a win since July 9th, and even though you’re enjoying a bounty of strikeouts, it’s come with quite a few walks (22:9 strikeout-to-walk ratio).

 

• By and large, Andrew Heaney is probably available in your 12-team leagues (16% rostered). For starters, these are two very winnable games(@CHW and OAK). I know, I know, but Heaney has lost 13 games. 13 GAMES!!!! However, Heaney has cleaned up the walk problem nicely and hasn’t issued more than a pair of walks since July 21st. Additionally, he should have an easier time keeping the ball in the yard against two lackluster offenses. In summation, he is your recommended Two-Start Pitcher of the Week.

 

Questionable

 

• The matchups scare the heck out of me for Tobias Myers and Brandon Pfaadt. Myers has been solid on the surface level (2.87 ERA), but a 3.99 FIP and 4.10 SIERA make me think he hasn’t truly earned the success. Pfaadt has somewhat been the opposite(4.08 ERA with 3.55 FIP and 3.78 SIERA). Again, matchups push them into the Questionable tier.

 

• If you’re hunting for strikeouts, Yariel Rodríguez and Kyle Harrison could find their way into your lineups. However, proceed with caution.