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With the beginning of the season, we usually have an odd setup to the schedule. Some leagues will consider March 30 to April 9 a single scoring period, and during that time there will have been lots of two-start pitchers. But for this article, we will focus on the week ahead of MLB games - April 3rd through April 9th.
For those new to this recurring column, each week this fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups column will identify starting pitchers expected to make two starts in the upcoming week, and can be considered as fantasy baseball streamers ahead of the Sunday night waiver wire runs for leagues with weekly transactions.
There are 29 pitchers currently scheduled to make two starts during this period. We will be looking at pitchers who are less than 50% owned in Yahoo leagues. Listed will be those who are rostered over 50%, those who are best available under 50%, and risky options under 50%. There are other two-start pitchers available, but they should be avoided.
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Two-Start Pitchers - Over 50% Rostered
- Jose Berrios - Toronto Blue Jays: @ KC, @ LAA
- Nestor Cortes - New York Yankees: vs. PHI, @ BAL
- Reid Detmers - Los Angeles Angels: @ SEA, vs. TOR
- Jon Gray - Texas Rangers: vs. BAL, @ CHC
- George Kirby - Seattle Mariners: vs LAA, @ CLE
- Charlie Morton - Atlanta Braves: @ STL, vs. SD
- Freddy Peralta - Milwaukee Brewers: vs. NYM, vs. STL
- Drew Rasmussen - Tampa Bay Rays: @ WSH, vs. OAK
- Brady Singer - Kansas City Royals: vs. TOR, @ SF
Best Available Two-Start Pitcher Streamers
Carlos Carrasco, New York Mets - 47% Rostered
Scheduled Starts: @ MIL, vs. MIA
Carrasco has a 243 rank on RotoBallers, so he has the talent to be streamed. He has a tough matchup at Milwaukee but a solid one versus the Marlins. He struck out a batter per inning last season and won 15 games, so he has those working in his favor. His 3.97 ERA wasn't terrible, but his 1.33 WHIP leaves something to be desired.
Taijuan Walker, Philadelphia Phillies - 30% Rostered
Scheduled Starts: @ NYY, vs. CIN
A bit under-owned because he doesn't have great strikeout totals, Walker comes in with a career 3.89 ERA. He posted a 3.49 ERA last season with the New York Mets and won 12 games, both numbers he could again hit as a member of the rival Phillies. He cut down on his walks and home runs last year, which are two things to worry about against the Yankees. The matchup against the Reds should be much easier, making at least one matchup a plus.
Michael Kopech, Chicago White Sox - 28% Rostered
Scheduled Starts: vs. SF, @ PIT
Kopech finished with solid face numbers last season with a 3.54 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 25 starts for the White Sox. However, his 4.49 FIP and 21.3% strikeout rate were less than acceptable. Kopech has been a strikeout pitcher his whole career, so last season's numbers were a bit baffling. He lost MPH on his fastball and break on his slider last year, indicating why he wasn't such a strikeout artist. The former first-round pick has two-plus matchups, however, and still has the potential for big games, so he's a solid option for these two starts.
Tyler Mahle, Minnesota Twins - 25% Rostered
Scheduled Starts: @ MIA, vs. HOU
A start against the Astros may not be appealing, and the Marlins may be a bit better than last season, but Mahle is a solid option this week. He's been a solid starter for a few seasons and had a superb 2021, going for 33 starts and striking out 210 over 180 innings. Mahle had shoulder issues late last season and didn't pitch well after a trade to Minnesota, so that's a big reason for his low ownership.
Yusei Kikuchi, Toronto Blue Jays - 17% Rostered
Scheduled Starts: @ KC, @ LAA
Two road games are always tough, but the Royals and Angels scored the 24th and 25th most runs last season, respectively. Kikuchi has good stuff but hasn't put it all together in the majors. He had a 27.3% strikeout rate last season but it came with a bloated 12.8% walk rate. The Royals were 14th last season in team batting average while the Angels were 24th, so neither team is approaching the top of the league, but Kikuchi does give up his fair share of hits.
Kutter Crawford, Boston Red Sox - 1% Rostered
Scheduled Starts: vs. PIT, @ DET
The matchups are too juicy to ignore here. Without a ton of great options this week, Crawford is a dart throw for your team. He should only be picked up in the deepest of leagues looking for two starts, but he is streamable. He's struck out 79 batters in 79 1/3 career MLB innings, so he has swing-and-miss stuff, but it may come with some downfall in other categories. It was between Crawford and Ryne Nelson for the dart throw, and Crawford had much better matchups.
Risky Two-Start Starting Pitcher Streamers
- Kyle Bradish, 8% Rostered: @ TEX, vs. NYY
- Johnny Cueto, 5% Rostered: vs. MIN, @ NYM
- Matthew Boyd, 4% Rostered: @ HOU, vs. Bos
- Ryne Nelson, 2% Rostered: @ SD, vs. LAD
- Johan Oviedo, 1% Rostered: @ BOS, vs. CHW
The first week is an interesting one and there are a handful of good options out there to stream. Hopefully, your team is helped by this article and we will be doing it all year, so make sure to check back.
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