Double Up! Two-Start Pitchers For May 14-20

This week we are blessed with a huge number of pitchers that gain a ton of value by making two starts. You won’t find a ton of flashy aces making two starts this week, but keep an eye out for those under-the-radar guys who could help give you an edge.

*As always, keep in mind that these are the probable two-start pitchers as of Saturday, May 12 and are subject to change. 

No-Brainers

It’s simple. These are the two-start guys that you should slot into your roster and not worry about them. These are the guys that have a pair of favorable matchups, are hot of late, or are just plain studs.

• Patrick Corbin – 5/14 vs. MIL, 5/20 @ NYM
• Carlos Carrasco – 5/14 @ DET, 5/20 @ HOU
• Lance McCullers – 5/14 @ LAA, 5/20 vs. CLE
• Rick Porcello – 5/14 vs. OAK, 5/19 vs. BAL
• Alex Wood – 5/15 @ MIA, 5/20 @ WAS
• Jose Quintana – 5/15 @ ATL, 5/20 @ CIN

Safe Bets

There’s no doubt that these guys could go out there and keep opposing hitters at bay. They’re the kind of guys that you can lean on to give you six quality innings while not putting crazy numbers on the board. They’re solid, safe bets and should be relied on to put forth respectable outings.

• Sean Manaea – 5/14 @ BOS, 5/19 @ TOR
  • Manaea was on top of the world to start the season. In his first six starts, he allowed just five runs over 43.2 innings. His torrid start was obviously highlighted by his no-hitter against the then-red-hot Red Sox, a game in which he struck out 10 batters. He has since cooled off a bit after allowing four runs in each of his last two starts. With a BABIP of .186, no one expected Manaea to keep up his hot start. That being said, he should still be able to give you at least six strong innings in his outings this week.
• Julio Teheran – 5/14 @ CHC, 5/19 vs. MIA
  • Teheran has been on a quest of self-correction all season. After the worst season of his career in 2017, Teheran has looked like the pitcher of old in his first eight starts. He’s posted a 3.15 ERA and 1.16 WHIP over 43 innings. While he’s notorious for struggling at home, he’ll catch a break in that he gets to face the Marlins at SunTrust Park.
• Miles Mikolas – 5/15 @ MIN, 5/20 vs. PHI
  • It’s hard not to get giddy after looking at Mikolas’ last five starts. He’s failed to make it through seven innings just once, fell one out shy, and has held his opponents to a little over a run per game. The strikeout numbers certainly don’t pop off the page, but Mikolas makes up for it by limiting the long ball and free passes. His ERA and WHIP sit at 2.51 and 0.96, respectively, and he matches up with two teams who rank in the bottom half of offense in Minnesota and Philadelphia.
• Trevor Williams – 5/15 vs. CWS, 5/20 vs. SD
  • Similar to Mikolas, Williams has quietly put together great starts without blowing anyone away. Five of his eight starts have been quality starts, and he’s made it through five frames in all of them. With a 5.7 K/9, though, he’s been awfully boring, but that’s perfectly fine when you can give your team six innings and a chance to win. With two outings against the free-swinging White Sox and strikeout-prone Padres, we could see Williams’ strikeout numbers creep up this week.
• Joey Lucchesi – 5/14 vs. COL, 5/20 @ PIT

Survive and Thrive

With two starts come two chances to put up big numbers. However, pitchers aren’t always fortunate enough to match up against two weak teams in a week. A lot of times, pitchers will be faced with one easier matchup and one tougher one. If they can so much as survive the tougher one, they have a chance to thrive on the weaker matchup and really help a fantasy team.

• Jake Faria – 5/15 @ KC, 5/20 @ LAA
  • Lefties have always had trouble against Faria, averaging just a .171 BA off him in his career. With a team like the Royals, a team whose power comes almost exclusively from their left-handed hitters, Faria should find success. Of course, he won’t be so lucky in his matchup against the Angels.
• Eduardo Rodriguez – 5/15 vs. OAK, 5/20 vs. BAL
  • Everyone wants a piece of the Orioles lately. They rank third-worst in baseball with just 147 runs scored and own a team average of .232. Rodriguez’s second matchup, while not the worst one in the world, comes against the homer-happy A’s. E-Rod has allowed six homers in 37.1 innings this season, so if he can survive the A’s power bats, he should be in line for a solid week.
• Nick Pivetta – 5/15 @ BAL, 5/20 @ STL
• Junior Guerra – 5/14 @ ARI, 5/19 @ MIN
• Tyler Mahle – 5/15 @ SF, 5/20 vs. CHC

Medium Risk, High Reward

It’s never a sure thing what you’re going to get from these guys. Their matchups aren’t overly challenging and could allow them to turn in some really solid numbers. There’s always risk with these guys, though, so don’t expect too much.

• Mike Foltynewicz – 5/15 vs. CHC, 5/20 vs. MIA
  • With Foltynewicz, you really have to decide what you value more. He won’t pitch deep into games, having made it through six innings in only two starts this season, but he makes it count when he’s on the mound. He boasts a 10.1 K/9, but also a 4.1 BB/9, which makes it unsurprising that he has trouble pitching deep into games.
• Jake Odorizzi – 5/14 vs. SEA, 5/20 vs. MIL
  • Odorizzi is clinging on for dear life when it comes to being a trustworthy starter. While his ERA isn’t awful at 3.83, it’s been day and night for Odorizzi. He can twirl six innings of one-run ball just as easily as he can get lit up before the fifth inning.
• Francisco Liriano – 5/15 vs. CLE, 5/20 @ SEA
• Tyler Anderson – 5/14 @ SD, 5/20 @ SF

Nothing To See Here

Stay away from these guys. I know the thought of two starts in a week is tempting, but it’s more likely these guys put you in the negative than help you.

• Reynaldo Lopez – 5/15 @ PIT, 5/20 vs. TEX
  • Don’t look at Lopez’s 2.44 ERA and think he’s a lock by any means. His .202 BABIP suggests he been one of the luckiest pitchers in baseball, and his 3.9 BB/9 certainly won’t help his cause when that comes down. Allowing under three runs a game is cool and all, but when you play for the White Sox, it doesn’t really help your cause. Lopez is a ticking time bomb, and I’d stay away for when he blows.
• Ty Blach – 5/15 vs. CIN, 5/20 vs. COL
• Andrew Heaney – 5/14 vs. HOU, 5/19 vs. TB
• Chris Stratton – 514 vs. CIN, 5/19 vs. COL
• Mike Minor – 5/15 @ SEA, 5/20 @ CWS
• Wade LeBlanc – 5/14 @ MIN, 5/20 vs. DET
• Wei-Yin Chen – 5/15 vs. LAD, 5/20 @ ATL
• Jamie Garcia – 5/15 @ NYM, 5/20 vs. OAK
• Daniel Mengden – 5/15 @ BOS, 5/20 @ TOR
• Sal Romano – 5/14 @ SF, 5/19 vs. CHC
• Eric Skoglund – 5/14 vs. TB, 5/20 vs. NYY
• Mike Fiers – 5/14 vs. CLE, 5/20 @ SEA
• Ryan Yarbrough – 5/14 @ KC, 5/19 @ LAA
• Andrew Cashner – 5/15 vs. PHI, 5/20 @ BOS
• Zack Wheeler – 5/15 vs. TOR, 5/20 vs. ARI