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Pranav's two-start pitchers, fantasy baseball streamers and starts for Week 7 of 2025 (May 12 to May 18). His top waiver wire SPs with two starts coming up.
Hey, RotoBallers! We're back with another two-start pitchers - fantasy baseball waiver wire streamers and starts article for Week 7 of 2025, from May 12 to May 18. We have another week where several teams have six or seven games on the slate, meaning we get a nice variety of two-start pitchers.
Each week of the 2025 fantasy baseball season, this fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups column will identify starting pitchers in line to make two starts in the upcoming week. It will look at fantasy baseball streamers ahead of the Sunday night waiver wire run for leagues with weekly transactions.
There are 31 pitchers currently scheduled to make two starts during this period. We will examine the ideal options that have roster rates under 50 percent. Pitchers with roster rates over 50 percent will also be listed. The other two-start pitchers are available, but they are not listed as they should be avoided.
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Two-Start Pitchers - Over 50% Rostered
- Max Fried (@ SEA, vs. NYM)
- Shane Baz (@ TOR, @ MIA)
- Jose Berrios (vs. TB, vs. DET)
- Framber Valdez (vs. KC, @ TEX)
- Yusei Kikuchi (@ SD, @ LAD)
- Tyler Mahle (vs. COL, vs. HOU)
- Spencer Schwellenbach (vs. WAS, @ BOS)
- Cristopher Sanchez (vs. STL, vs. PIT)
- Paul Skenes (@ NYM, @ PHI)
- Michael King (vs. LAA, vs. SEA)
Best Available Two-Start Pitcher Streamers
Matthew Liberatore (46% Rostered), St. Louis Cardinals
Scheduled Starts: @ PHI, @ KC
Matthew Liberatore has been among the best pitchers in baseball this year, with a 3.07 ERA, 2.33 FIP, 0.95 WHIP, 23.8% strikeout rate, and 3.8% walk rate through seven starts and 41 innings.
Some offseason tinkering has vaulted Liberatore's six-pitch arsenal back into fantasy relevance, with a 12.7% SwStr rate, 31% CSW rate, and a 108 Location+ grade the most encouraging advanced marks of Liberatore's stellar season.
While Philadelphia (ranked 12th in runs scored this season) and Kansas City (23rd in runs scored this season) are talented offenses, they are not world-beaters. Liberatore's got a good shot at a clean two-start week.
Matthew Liberatore's 3Ks in the 1st. pic.twitter.com/dopISPgQA4
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) May 6, 2025
Colin Rea (25% Rostered), Chicago Cubs
Scheduled Starts: vs. MIA, vs. CHW
Colin Rea has filled in well as a starter and reliever for the Chicago Cubs, with a 2.43 ERA, 3.01 FIP, 1.21 WHIP, 20.3% strikeout rate, and 5.7% walk rate through 29 2/3 innings.
He toiled in mediocrity as a starting pitcher for Milwaukee, but a drastic change in pitch mix may have revitalized his game. While he had a fairly balanced pitch mix prior, the Cubs now have him throwing his four-seamer 53% of the time (19% usage in 2024), resulting in a 70.1% strike rate, 9.4% SwStr rate, 32.4% CSW rate, 40.8% ground-ball rate, and .301 wOBA.
A Miami offense ranked 17th in scoring this season features some threatening bats, but not enough to throw a solid pitcher into risky streaming territory. A start in Wrigley against a Chicago White Sox offense ranked 27th in runs scored may repair any deficiencies from the first start anyway.
Colin Rea's 7Ks. pic.twitter.com/9MToKX6axq
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 25, 2025
Riskier Two-Start Streamer Picks
Tanner Houck (44% Rostered), Boston Red Sox
Scheduled Starts: @ DET, vs. ATL
Tanner Houck's ratios will not recover quickly from his meltdown in a start against the Tampa Bay Rays (11 earned runs allowed in 2 1/3 innings), but he's made progress with a 3.57 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 21.9% strikeout rate, 5.2% walk rate, 11.2% SwStr rate, and .323 opponent xwOBA in his last four starts.
However, three out of the last four offenses he's faced rank among the seven worst-scoring lineups in the league. Even considering the terrible performances he had before his Tampa Bay start, Houck has yet to face an offense ranked in the top half of the league in scoring.
His next start against a Detroit Tigers offense ranked fourth in scoring this season may wipe away the progress he's made on repairing his ratios. Avoid Tanner Houck this week.
Michael Wacha (39% Rostered), Kansas City Royals
Scheduled Starts: @ HOU, vs. STL
Michael Wacha is still doing Michael Wacha things, with a 2.98 ERA, 3.11 FIP, 1.15 WHIP, 18.4% strikeout rate, and 7.6% walk rate through eight starts.
Wacha hasn't posted an ERA over 3.40 since 2021, so expecting another solid season from him isn't foolish. However, an 11.1% SwStr rate and 26.3% CSW rate signal that his abysmal strikeout rate isn't likely to improve without changes.
An Astros offense ranked 21st in runs scored isn't too difficult an opponent. However, a second start against a St. Louis Cardinals offense ranked 10th in scoring with the seventh-lowest strikeout rate in the league puts Wacha in a situation where his ratios may not be able to compensate for his low strikeout floor.
Jackson Jobe (39% Rostered), Detroit Tigers
Scheduled Starts: vs. BOS, @ TOR
A risky two-start stream pick last week, Jackson Jobe stays put this week after his second start (originally scheduled against the Texas Rangers) got moved up a day. While he got the Coors Field start out of the way (six runs allowed across 3 2/3 innings), his matchups this week aren't any better.
After that disastrous start against Colorado, he holds a 4.88 ERA, 5.64 FIP, 1.48 WHIP, 16.4% strikeout rate, and 12.3% walk rate through six starts.
With his next start against a Boston Red Sox offense ranked sixth in runs scored this season, don't look for Jobe this week.
Merrill Kelly (38% Rostered), Arizona Diamondbacks
Scheduled Starts: @ SF, vs. COL
While he's delivered some solid innings for the Diamondbacks this season, Merrill Kelly has been profoundly mediocre this season. Through eight starts, he holds a 4.09 ERA, 4.27 FIP, 1.05 WHIP, 18.4% strikeout rate, and 6.7% walk rate.
There's not much that points to his luck turning, with Kelly also sporting a 9.5% SwStr rate, 26.7% CSW rate, and .213 BABIP.
A Colorado offense on the road (.537 OPS) should be easy pickings for any pitcher, but a top-10 Giants offense presents too much risk to give Kelly the stream this week.
Grant Holmes (33% Rostered), Atlanta Braves
Scheduled Starts: vs. WAS, @ BOS
Grant Holmes has had an impressively difficult schedule up to this point in the season, facing the Dodgers (twice), Reds, and Diamondbacks for half of his starts. He's kept up a 4.58 ERA, 5.32 FIP, 1.25 WHIP, 24.5% strikeout rate, and 12.3% walk rate through eight appearances.
His first start against a Nationals offense ranked 14th in scoring this season doesn't qualify as a respite. Holmes' second start in Fenway against a Boston offense ranked sixth in scoring this season is enough to mark him as a risky stream.
David Peterson (32% Rostered), New York Mets
Scheduled Starts: vs. PIT, @ NYY
Arizona's offense got the best of him in their recent bout, but David Peterson is still maintaining another great season. Through seven starts, he holds a 3.52 ERA, 3.42 FIP, 1.38 WHIP, 21.6% strikeout rate, and 7.8% walk rate.
A Pittsburgh offense ranked dead last in runs scored should be a cakewalk, but a short trip to Yankee Stadium to take on the highest-scoring AL offense makes him a risky stream.
Jack Leiter (31% Rostered), Texas Rangers
Scheduled Starts: vs. COL, vs. HOU
While he's settled down, Jack Leiter's 5.09 ERA, 4.24 FIP, 1.30 WHIP, 18.2% strikeout rate, and 11.2% walk rate don't seem like the numbers of a pitcher on the verge of stardom.
His much-hyped fastball is currently meeting the hype, averaging 97 mph with a 10.8% SwStr rate, .171 xBA, and .247 xwOBA on 32% usage. However, most of his secondaries have performed terribly, with his curveball the worst of the bunch (10% usage, .745 wOBA).
He'll step into one of the easiest weeks you could draw up, with starts against a Rockies offense on the road (.537 OPS) and a Houston offense ranked 21st in scoring this season. Leiter may pull off a great two-start week, but it's too early in his career to bank on him doing well.
Justin Verlander (29% Rostered), San Francisco Giants
Scheduled Starts: vs. ARZ, vs. ATH
Justin Verlander is still giving teams innings in his 20th season as a major leaguer, but some bumps along the way in 2025 have him at a 4.50 ERA, 4.44 FIP, 1.31 WHIP, 19.7% strikeout rate, and 8.4% walk rate through eight starts.
His 13.8% SwStr rate indicates that there is still a special something in his game. Verlander has had good starts, he's simply struggled against good teams this season. A Diamondbacks offense ranked fifth in scoring this season is a good team. Verlander may have his weeks, but this won't be one of them.
Jeffrey Springs (23% Rostered), Athletics
Scheduled Starts: @ LAD, @ SF
Jeffrey Springs has disappointed in his first year with the Athletics, posting a 4.81 ERA, 4.91 FIP, 1.42 WHIP, 18.3% strikeout rate, and 10.9% walk rate through eight starts.
Two starts outside of Sutter Health Park should help his case, but you'd rather he not stay in California to square off against a Dodgers offense ranked second in scoring and a Giants offense in the top 10.
Jake Irvin (22% Rostered), Washington Nationals
Scheduled Starts: @ ATL, @ BAL
Jake Irvin has improved somewhat this season, with a 3.94 ERA, 5.11 FIP, 1.15 WHIP, 16.8% strikeout rate, and 7.1% walk rate. Baltimore's still fairly cold, but Atlanta is 14th in scoring since April 20. Don't risk streaming Irvin against two still-talented offenses.
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