Ready for another week of dashed expectations?
That's September baseball for you. We got our first taste in Week 24 (Sept. 3-9), and it wasn't good. If everyone who you expect to make two starts at the beginning of the week actually does, consider yourself lucky.
It's why you need to be especially careful when streaming two-start pitchers this time of the year. The probables are always subject to change, but with rosters expanded and innings swelling, those changes are to be expected now. If you're actually playing for something — and anyone who bothers to click on this article is — you have to weigh what you're giving up by sitting a superior one-start option, because that comparison will likely be apples to apples (as in an equivalent number of starts) by week's end. Also, when choosing between two-start options, you'll want to keep in mind that the first matchup is the one that matters most.
Even with the added qualifiers, there are still a number of worthy sleepers available on the waiver wire this week. Jake Junis, who (case in point) was expected to be a two-start pitcher in Week 24, is now expected to be in Week 25 (Sept. 10-16). Hopefully it'll come through this time. Lucas Giolito stumbled in his last outing but has offered better ratios for over month now. His matchups are just too tasty to pass up. And then there's Brad Keller, who doesn't have the upside of those first two but is plenty safe as one of the top ground ball generators in the league.
One oddity that's worth noting: Chris Sale is technically in line for two starts, but that's after missing much of the second half with a shoulder issue. He's expected to go only two innings in his first start back and three innings in his second, so what you'll be getting from him is a maximum of five innings with zero chance for a win. The ratios should be great, though. Nathan Eovaldi figures to get the majority of the innings in those games even though he won't technically be starting.
The must-starts extend through Trevor Williams, and points league owners will want to consider every pitcher up through Sean Newcomb at 20.
Two-start pitchers for Week 25 | ||||||||
Rank | Pitcher | Start 1 | Start 2 | |||||
1 | Corey Kluber, CLE | at TB | vs. DET | |||||
2 | Jacob deGrom, NYM | vs. MIA | at BOS | |||||
3 | Justin Verlander, HOU | at DET | vs. ARI | |||||
4 | Zack Greinke, ARI | at COL | at HOU | |||||
5 | German Marquez, COL | vs. ARI | at SF | |||||
6 | Miles Mikolas, STL | vs. PIT | vs. LAD | |||||
7 | Dereck Rodriguez, SF | vs. ATL | vs. COL | |||||
8 | Jake Junis, KC | vs. CHW | vs. MIN | |||||
9 | Alex Wood, LAD | at CIN | at STL | |||||
10 | Jake Arrieta, PHI | vs. WAS | vs. MIA | |||||
11 | Trevor Williams, PIT | at STL | at MIL | |||||
12 | Zack Godley, ARI | at COL | at HOU | |||||
13 | Lucas Giolito, CHW | at KC | at BAL | |||||
14 | Kyle Gibson, MIN | vs. NYY | at KC | |||||
15 | Jon Lester, CHC | vs. MIL | vs. CIN | |||||
16 | Tanner Roark, WAS | at PHI | at ATL | |||||
17 | Brad Keller, KC* | vs. CHW | vs. MIN | |||||
18 | Hyun-Jin Ryu, LAD | at CIN | at STL | |||||
19 | Chris Sale, BOS | vs. TOR | vs. NYM | |||||
20 | Sean Newcomb, ATL | at SF | vs. WAS | |||||
21 | Mike Minor, TEX* | at LAA | at SD | |||||
22 | Alex Cobb, BAL | vs. OAK | vs. CHW | |||||
23 | Jose Urena, MIA | at NYM | at PHI | |||||
24 | Wade Miley, MIL | at CHC | vs. PIT | |||||
25 | Daniel Mengden, OAK | at BAL | at TB | |||||
26 | Jaime Barria, LAA | vs. TEX | vs. SEA | |||||
27 | Ryan Borucki, TOR* | at BOS | at NYY | |||||
28 | Jason Vargas, NYM | vs. MIA | at BOS | |||||
29 | Antonio Senzatela, COL* | vs. ARI | at SF | |||||
30 | Cody Reed, CIN* | vs. LAD | at CHC | |||||
31 | Kohl Stewart, MIN | vs. NYY | at KC | |||||
32 | Adam Wainwright, STL | vs. PIT | vs. LAD | |||||
33 | Francisco Liriano, DET* | vs. HOU | at CLE | |||||
34 | Erick Fedde, WAS | at PHI | at ATL | |||||
35 | Jeff Brigham, MIA* | at NYM | at PHI |
*RP-eligible