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Welcome back to our Two-Start Pitcher Streamers article - Waiver Wire Streamers and Starts for Week 14, from June 26 to July 2. With plenty of teams with seven games on their schedule this week, we're looking at a bunch of two-start pitchers. There are a few risky starts this week, but there are also ample chances for you to get ahead with some of this week's two-start pitchers.
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. It can be considered as 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 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 a few other two-start pitchers available, but they should be avoided.
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Two-Start Pitchers - Over 50% Rostered
- Andrew Heaney (vs. DET, vs. HOU)
- Dylan Cease (@ LAA, @ OAK)
- Justin Verlander (vs. MIL, vs. SF)
- Sonny Gray (@ ATL, @ BAL)
- Sandy Alcantara (@ BOS, @ ATL)
- Spencer Strider (vs. MIN, vs. MIA)
- Julio Teheran (@ NYM, @ PIT)
- Kevin Gausman (vs. SF, vs. BOS)
- Yu Darvish (@ PIT, @ CIN)
- Clayton Kershaw (@ COL, @ KC)
- Framber Valdez (@ STL, @ TEX)
- Michael Kopech (@ LAA, @ OAK)
- Zac Gallen (vs. TB, @ LAA)
- Taj Bradley (@ ARZ, @ SEA)
- Luis Castillo (vs. WAS, vs. TB)
Best Available Two-Start Pitcher Streamers
Ranger Suarez (39% Rostered), Philadelphia Phillies
Scheduled Starts: @ CHC, vs. WAS
Ranger Suarez continued dealing last week with six innings of one-run ball against the juggernaut Atlanta Braves.
He'll head into a two-start week with matchups against the Cubbies and the Nationals.
After a rough start to the season, Suarez has a 1.38 ERA in his last five starts. While his only matchup this season against the Cubs went terribly (allowing four runs while lasting just two innings), Suarez has visibly settled in since then. The Nationals are a bottom-10 offense, making Suarez a viable two-start streamer this week.
Garrett Whitlock (38% Rostered), Boston Red Sox
Scheduled Starts: vs. MIA, vs. TOR
While he did surrender four runs in his last start against Minnesota, Garrett Whitlock was still impressive, as he went seven innings deep with a 20.5% SwStr rate and 38% whiff rate. Since his return from an elbow injury, Whitlock has a 3.11 FIP and 19.8% strikeout-to-walk ratio (both ranking 15th in the league among starters since May 27).
Whitlock will step into two home starts this week. While Fenway is a hitter-friendly park, Whitlock has a .273 opponent wOBA at home compared to a .306 opponent wOBA on the road.
While he faces off against two solid offenses, the Marlins hold just a .697 OPS against right-handers like Whitlock. The Blue Jays are on a skid, with four wins and six losses in their past 10 games, and they'll come into Whitlock's start after a series against the red-hot San Francisco Giants.
Whitlock is a premier streaming option this week with favorable matchups.
Paul Blackburn (6% Rostered), Oakland Athletics
Scheduled Starts: vs. NYY, vs. CWS
Paul Blackburn looks like an entirely different pitcher this season. In his career, Blackburn has a 16.5% strikeout rate, but through five starts this season, he holds a 25.6% strikeout rate.
Much of that is due to his recently introduced slider, which boasts 51 inches of drop and 15.4 inches of horizontal break.
With matchups against the Judge-less Yankees and a bottom-five White Sox offense, Blackburn is worth streaming this week.
Risky Two-Start Streamer Picks
Martin Perez (45% Rostered), Texas Rangers
Scheduled Starts: vs. DET, vs. HOU
Martin Perez has had a distinctly up-and-down season. He's gone at least six innings deep in seven starts this season, allowing just nine runs collectively in those starts. But he's had three terrible starts, with 20 runs allowed collectively in those three starts.
Through 15 starts this season, Perez sports an unsavory 4.38 ERA and a 15.3% strikeout rate.
This week's matchups are dangerous. While the Tigers haven't been world-beaters this year, one of Perez's worst starts came against them. He allowed six runs in four-and-two-thirds innings on May 30. His second matchup is against a currently mediocre Astros offense, but Houston is far too talented to pencil them in as an easy start for Perez.
With a 45% rostered percentage, he may not even be on your wires, but avoid him as a stream this week if he's available.
Gavin Williams (38% Rostered), Cleveland Guardians
Scheduled Starts: @ KC, @ CHC
Gavin Williams made his first major-league start Thursday. While allowing four runs in five-and-two-thirds innings with just four strikeouts is less impressive than expected from the top-50 prospect, Williams' stuff played well.
His fastball was expectedly impressive, with a 110 Stuff+ score. His changeup had a 134 Stuff+ score. And while his slider had a subpar 70 score, it did not get hit once.
His command has been the problem since he came into the pros, and it was the problem on Thursday with a Location+ score of 93. He missed over the plate with his curveball against Ryan Noda in the third inning, and Noda made him pay with a three-run homer.
While the Royals have become an easy start for most pitchers, Williams needs to show command improvements before he becomes safe to stream.
Rich Hill (19% Rostered), Pittsburgh Pirates
Scheduled Starts: vs. SD, vs. MIL
Rich Hill's 3.33 ERA in four starts this month is a streamable number -- especially with upcoming matchups against a middling Padres offense and a bottom-five Brewers offense. But with this Pirates team on a 12-game losing streak, none of their pitchers are worth streaming.
Kyle Bradish (18% Rostered), Baltimore Orioles
Scheduled Starts: vs. CIN, vs. MIN
While his 3.88 ERA and 1.26 WHIP are reliable enough to stream, Bradish doesn't have the ideal matchup this week. His first matchup is against a red-hot Reds offense (no pun intended). While his second start is against a Twins offense that leads the league in strikeouts, it won't be enough if he struggles in his first start. This Cincinnati offense is a freight train, do not try to stand in their way.
Jaime Barria (9% Rostered), Los Angeles Angels
Scheduled Starts: vs. CHC, vs. MIA
Jaime Barria has been fantastic for the Angels, both out of the bullpen and as a starter. In 46 innings, the 26-year-old has a 2.11 ERA and a 21.5% strikeout rate.
Barria's role as the sixth starter in this Angels rotation means he's never truly guaranteed the starts he's lined up for. For example, Los Angeles skipped over his start last week so he could be used as a long reliever a few days later.
He's scheduled for two starts this week, but with no guarantee he will get those two starts, it's best to avoid Barria.
Matthew Boyd (6% Rostered), Detroit Tigers
Scheduled Starts: @ TEX, @ COL
While Matthew Boyd has collected 15 strikeouts in 12 innings over his past two starts, he is a firm no-go this week. His last two performances become less impressive when you realize they came against Kansas City and Minnesota. This week, he'll take starts against a Texas offense that leads the league in scoring and the next in Coors Field.
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