When factoring in that we are entering September, this is an excellent list of two-start pitchers for fantasy baseball. After all, many rotations are running on fumes at this time of year. The first name on the list is an exciting option, and the next two pitchers are quite appealing as well. There is also a pair of innings eaters who can meet the needs of some fantasy baseball managers. The hitting options are less appealing this week, although Matt Wallner should be added everywhere.
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Two-Start Pitchers (listed in order of preference)
Parker Messick, Guardians, 28% (@ BOS, @ TB): Messick has enjoyed one of the best debuts in recent memory, allowing one run while posting a 12:1 K:BB ratio across 13.2 innings during his initial two starts. The left-hander visits two difficult road venues this week, but he should still be started in most leagues. It helps that the Rays are 17-22 since the All-Star break.
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Ryne Nelson, Diamondbacks, 42% (vs. TEX, vs. BOS): Although August was Nelson’s worst month of the season (4.60 ERA) in terms of run prevention, he logged an excellent 27:4 K:BB ratio and finished the month by holding the Brewers to one run over six innings. The right-hander has matchups that are slightly harder than average this week, but it helps that they both come at home, where Nelson has logged a 2.42 ERA this year.
Luis Morales, Athletics, 26% (@ STL, @ LAA): Morales has looked great in three starts with the Athletics, posting an 18:4 K:BB ratio while allowing just two earned runs over 18 innings. The success at the major league level comes on the heels of a strong minor league season that included a 3.73 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 107 strikeouts over 89.1 innings. Morales hasn’t received as much attention as the likes of Messick or the Mets rookie starters (Jonah Tong, Nolan McLean), but deserves a spot in most lineups for a two-start week with matchups that are slightly better than average.
Taijuan Walker, Phillies, 12% (@ MIL, @ MIA): After spending much of the season in the bullpen, Walker returned to the rotation on July 8 and has logged solid results that include a 3.61 ERA and a 27:10 K:BB ratio. The right-hander has just one win in that nine-start stretch but has often deserved a better fate while pitching for a division-leading team. His matchups are a mixed bag this week, as the Brewers are a difficult matchup but he should handle the Marlins. I can see his appeal in deeper formats.
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Colin Rea, Cubs, 25% (vs. ATL, vs. WSH): The Cubs have received exactly what they expected from Rea, who has logged a below-average 4.60 ERA over 23 starts while averaging just under five innings per outing. The right-hander would not normally find a spot on this list, but he has some win potential this week when he faces two teams that sit far below .500. He’s only for those who are desperate for wins.
Slade Cecconi, Guardians, 12% (@ BOS, @ TB): Cecconi bounced back from a pair of subpar outings to log quality starts in each of his past two starts. With a 7.3 K/9 rate, the 26-year-old has a low ceiling, and his matchups this week are slightly more difficult than average. Cecconi can be used in 15-team leagues, but that’s the height of his appeal.
Patrick Corbin, Rangers, 13% (@ ARI, vs. HOU): Corbin entered August with a reasonable stat line before producing a 7.17 ERA and 1.83 WHIP in five starts. And his 16:11 K:BB ratio suggests that he deserved his poor stat line. The D-backs and Astros are slightly better than average against left-handed pitching, which is the final reason to leave the southpaw on waivers.
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One-Start Streamers
In order, here are the best streamers for the week, with their start date and Yahoo roster rate in brackets.
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Payton Tolle vs. CLE (Wednesday, 30%)
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Emmet Sheehan @ PIT (Tuesday, 30%)
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Jonah Tong @ CIN (Friday, 47%)
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Ryan Bergert vs. LAA (Thursday, 28%)
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José Soriano vs. ATH (Friday, 40%)
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Ian Seymour vs. CLE (Friday, 30%)
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Zebby Matthews vs. CWS (Wednesday, 13%)
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Jack Leiter @ ARI (Wednesday, 42%)
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Cade Cavalli vs. MIA (Tuesday, 7%)
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Braxton Ashcraft vs. LAD (Wednesday, 18%)
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Shane Smith @ MIN (Thursday, 14%)
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J.T. Ginn @ LAA (Saturday, 7%)
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Michael Lorenzen vs. LAA (Wednesday, 8%)
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Nestor Cortes vs. BAL (Wednesday, 20%)
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Joey Wentz @ CHC (Tuesday, 6%)
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Luis Severino @ STL (Tuesday, 20%)
Hitters with favorable matchups this week
Matt Wallner, OF, Twins, 11%: Wallner has benefited from a recent schedule with a lot of right-handed starters, and his good fortune should continue this week when the Twins face righties in six of their seven games. The slugger has a lifetime .902 OPS against righties, and to put that mark into perspective, there are only seven qualified hitters with an overall OPS of .902 this year. He should be the No. 1 option for anyone who needs power production.
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Casey Schmitt, 1B/2B/3B/SS, Giants, 3%: Schmitt and his teammates could score plenty of runs at the outset of the week when they travel to Coors Field to face a Rockies pitching staff that has a 6.52 ERA at home. And the second series is a manageable one in St. Louis, as the Cardinals are rolling out plenty of mediocre starters down the stretch. Schmitt was used heavily in August (98 at-bats), and with four eligible positions, he is easy to fit into a lineup.
Tyler Freeman, 2B/SS/OF, Rockies, 9%: The Rockies present a tough decision for fantasy managers this week. The club is set to play the entire scoring period at their hitter-friendly home park, which normally means that they should join fantasy lineups. However, Colorado has been merely average in terms of scoring runs at home this year, and this week they are scheduled to face above-average starters in most of their games. Still, in deeper formats, Freeman or some of his teammates make sense.
Jo Adell, OF, Angels, 45%: The matchups aren’t perfect for Adell this week, as he fares best against lefties and the Angels face seven right-handed starters. Still, I wanted to mention someone on the Angels, as the club not only plays seven games but will spend one series against an Athletics staff that ranks 28th in baseball in ERA. I chose to mention Adell because his roster rate is too low for someone who has produced 23 homers and 58 RBI since the beginning of June.