Welcome to the 24th edition of the 2026 two-start pitcher rankings!
Each week, I’ll break down all the projected two-start starters into four tiers: Set and Forget, Most Likely Start, Questionable, and Avoid. Set-and-Forget starters are simply that: get them in your lineup and shift your focus to other positions. The Most Likely tier includes players with a mix of skill and matchups that make them almost certainly two-start plays, though they carry 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; they’re more situation-dependent in weekly leagues. Finally, the Avoid tier includes the pitchers who should remain on your bench or the wire.
I will also be highlighting one Two-Start Streamer of the Week. The criteria for a streamer will be a rostered rate under 50% in Yahoo & ESPN leagues. The streamer of the week for this upcoming week is Jacob Lopez, and he will have (STOW) next to his name.
As a friendly reminder, the projected starters are just that, projections, and are subject to change
- Cam Schlittler is half of the AL Cy Young race, and the Yankees will be relying on him to continue doing what he’s done all season. Against the Rockies at home is a great start to the week.
- Dylan Cease is the other half of the AL Cy Young race. Even pitching in Sacramento shouldn’t be a deterrent with how effective he’s been this season
- Troy Melton struggled his last time out, but the velocity was up across the board. Both games at home and one against the Rockies prime him for a strong week
- Jesús Luzardo has quietly been one of the best pitchers in the sport. He’ll face Atlanta twice this week, but he’s more than capable of dominating them twice.
- Trevor Rogers navigated the Coors altitude to strike out 11 over 6.2 IP. Over his last 10 starts, he’s running a comically low 3.3% walk rate while striking out 27.5% of batters he faces.
- Noah Cameron took a step back in his last outing against the Marlins, allowing 4 ER over 5 IP. He still struck out 7. Over his last 10 starts, he has a WHIP under 1 (0.90) while averaging over 6 innings per start.
- Jacob Lopez (STOW) has been elite over his last 10 starts. Over that stretch, he has a 2.28 ERA and 1.05 WHIP, with a 20.6% K-BB and 31.5% CSW. This is even more impressive when considering that half his starts are in the Sacramento launching pad.
- Eury Pérez has allowed 11 ER over his last two starts, but the upside is still so fresh. His previous 8 starts totaled 48 IP, 11 ER, with 48 K. I’m relying on him reverting more to that pitcher than the one that’s struggled with control over his past two outings.
- Andrew Painter is a completely different pitcher since returning from AAA. He was one more start with the improved fastball away from being in the Set-and-Forget tier this week. He and Lopez are the top two options in this tier, with Lopez having a stronger track record but Painter providing a higher likelihood of pitching deeper into games.
- Joey Cantillo allowed 9 ER in his last start after walking 7 in the start prior. Facing an Orioles team featuring Pete Alonso, Coby Mayo, Luis Robert Jr. Jr., and Blaze Alexander is a tough proposition coming off his last two outings. I’d like to see some positives against the Orioles before trusting him against the Twins.
- Hayden Wesneski has allowed only 1 ER over his last 3 starts (17 IP). The results have been better than the underlying numbers, as he’s allowed a .059, .250, and .091 BABIP in those 3 outings. Eventually, the batted-ball luck will turn.
- Cody Bradford is a deeper streaming option, preferably against the Mariners in Seattle. He doesn’t walk hitters (94th percentile BB%), but that’s about the end of the positives, as he doesn’t miss many bats (11th percentile SwStr%) and still allows too many baserunners (10th percentile WHIP).
- Sean Manaea has allowed 4 ER or more in his last four starts. The Mets are still letting him pitch, though, as he’s completed 5.2 IP or more in each of those outings. Against the Marlins and LHH-heavy Yankees, he could be an option in deeper leagues given the Mets will let him throw his 90-100 pitches, and he will strike out a decent amount (21.7% strikeout rate, 52nd percentile) of hitters in each outing.
- David Peterson needs command and the Cubs defense to be successful. He did not have it against the Brewers last time out, which will happen. He’s been solid for the Cubs and is a higher-floor streaming option.
- Chase Burns is going on a pitch count. It’s probably the right call for the Reds organization, but it hurts fantasy owners. The few innings he pitches will probably be the best of anyone in this tier, but his two starts might not even equate to the innings total of 1 start from Peterson, Manaea, etc.
- Michael McGreevy is an interesting option in San Francisco. He’s done a good job for the Cardinals in his role, eating ~5 innings a start while allowing a few runs. He’s a low-ceiling pitcher, but without the swing-and-miss stuff, I’m not too confident against the White Sox’s boom-or-bust offense.
- Landen Roupp is a better version of McGreevy this week. He doesn’t have the highest ceiling, but will pitch about 5 innings, allowing a run or two and just over a baserunner per inning for the most part.
I’m looking for better options on the days these pitchers start. There’s not much to say about any of them here, but I’m happy to elaborate on any of the two-start starters this week! Just reply to Nick’s post with the article on Twitter/X, and I’ll answer any questions!
