Slim pickings, once again.
We're used to it this time of year, right?
About a third of the league has resorted to six-man rotations now, and with most teams playing only six games this week ... well, you can imagine where that leaves us in terms of two-start options.
Not only is this week's number small but it's also lacking in high-end hurlers. The ones we'd unanimously trust in a one-start week might end at No. 4, but because we're talking two-start weeks, I'd consider any of the top 11 to be musts.
If you want to dig a little deeper, German Marquez's matchups make him a fine gamble this week, and Lucas Giolito has shown upside off and on. Even Mike Leake is good for a quality start more often than not and has fared better since joining the Mariners. I don't know that you'd want to reach as far down the list as him if you're looking to protect ERA and WHIP, but if you're chasing wins and strikeouts or play in a points league, he gets a thumbs up from me.
| Two-start pitchers for Week 25 | ||||||||
| Rank | Pitcher | Start 1 | Start 2 | |||||
| 1 | Clayton Kershaw, LAD | at PHI | vs. SF | |||||
| 2 | Gio Gonzalez, WAS | at ATL | at NYM | |||||
| 3 | Jon Lester, CHC | at TB | at MIL | |||||
| 4 | Marcus Stroman, TOR | vs. KC | vs. NYY | |||||
| 5 | Patrick Corbin, ARI* | at SD | vs. MIA | |||||
| 6 | Ervin Santana, MIN | at NYY | at DET | |||||
| 7 | Mike Clevinger, CLE | at LAA | at SEA | |||||
| 8 | Chris Archer, TB | vs. CHC | at BAL | |||||
| 9 | Jose Berrios, MIN | at NYY | at DET | |||||
| 10 | Dylan Bundy, BAL* | vs. BOS | vs. TB | |||||
| 11 | Chase Anderson, MIL | at PIT | vs. CHC | |||||
| 12 | German Marquez, COL | at SF | at SD | |||||
| 13 | Lucas Giolito, CHW | at HOU | vs. KC | |||||
| 14 | Dan Straily, MIA | vs. NYM | at ARI | |||||
| 15 | Mike Leake, SEA | vs. TEX | vs. CLE | |||||
| 16 | Tyler Skaggs, LAA | vs. CLE | at HOU | |||||
| 17 | Doug Fister, BOS | at BAL | at CIN | |||||
| 18 | Luiz Gohara, ATL | vs. WAS | vs. PHI | |||||
| 19 | Martin Perez, TEX | at SEA | at OAK | |||||
| 20 | Jack Flaherty, STL | at CIN | at PIT | |||||
| 21 | Luis Perdomo, SD* | vs. ARI | vs. COL | |||||
| 22 | Brent Suter, MIL* | at PIT | vs. CHC | |||||
| 23 | Matt Harvey, NYM | at MIA | vs. WAS | |||||
| 24 | Buck Farmer, DET* | vs. OAK | vs. MIN | |||||
| 25 | Jharel Cotton, OAK | at DET | vs. TEX | |||||
| 26 | Nick Pivetta, PHI | vs. LAD | at ATL | |||||
| 27 | Jackson Stephens, CIN | vs. STL | vs. BOS | |||||
| 28 | Chad Bell, DET* | vs. OAK | vs. MIN | |||||
*RP-eligible
