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Welcome to our fantasy baseball two-start pitcher streamers and waiver wire pickups article for the week ahead - May 1st through May 7th. If you're trying to figure out which pitchers to pick up and start this week, then you've come to the right place. Whether you are in leagues with daily or weekly moves, it pays to be prepared and plan out your pitching in advance!
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 33 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 first are those who are rostered over 50%, then those who are best available under 50%, and then risky options under 50%. Let's get started and help you get your pitching planned out for the coming week already!
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Two-Start Pitchers - Over 50% Rostered
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- Joe Ryan - Minnesota Twins: @CHW, @CLE
- Zac Gallen - Arizona Diamondbacks: @TEX, vs. WSH
- Sandy Alcantara - Miami Marlins: vs. ATL, @CHC
- Charlie Morton - Atlanta Braves: vs. @NYM, vs. BAL
- Logan Gilbert - Seattle Mariners: @OAK, vs. HOU
- Kodai Senga - New York Mets: vs. ATL, vs. COL
- Spencer Strider - Atlanta Braves: @NYM, vs. BAL
- Bryce Elder - Atlanta Braves: @MIA, vs. BAL
- Luis Garcia - Houston Astros vs. SF, @SEA
- Jose Berrios - Toronto Blue Jays: @BOS, @PIT
- Yusei Kikuchi - Toronto Blue Jays: @BOS, @PIT
- Blake Snell - San Diego Padres: vs. CIN, vs. LAD
- Tony Gonsolin - Los Angeles Dodgers: vs. PHI, @SD
- Max Scherzer - New York Mets: @DET, vs. COL
Best Available Two-Start Pitcher Streamers
MacKenzie Gore, Washington Nationals - 47% Rostered
Scheduled Starts: vs. CHC, @ARI
Gore has been piling up strikeouts this season and is coming off his best start of the season when he whiffed 10 Mets in six strong innings. He's now up to 35 strikeouts in 27 IP and has lowered his ERA to 3.00. Walks have been a bit of an issue for him, but he's been able to avoid trouble for the most part and pitch around the extra baserunners successfully. He's throwing his curveball more this season and getting some solid results in return.
The Cubs are a pretty solid offense against LHP, but Gore gets them at home tomorrow in a more pitcher-friendly environment than Wrigley at least and they do strike out a decent amount, too. He then faces Arizona on the road which ranks as a middling matchup overall. He's really coming into his own so far this year and reminding a lot of folks of the type of upside that he has as a former big-time prospect. He has the most talent of any pitcher on our under 50% list this week with the exception of Mason Miller who is still very raw.
Drew Smyly, Chicago Cubs - 46% Rostered
Scheduled Starts: @WSH, vs. MIA
I happen to have Smyly on a few of my rosters and I have been pleasantly surprised with what he's done so far this season. Other than a poor start back in his first start of the season against the Reds, Smyly has been quite effective, shutting down some pretty good offenses along the way (LA Dodgers twice, Seattle, and San Diego).
The 10-strikeout game against the Dodgers certainly got my attention. He's not likely to do that again all season, but it does prove that he still has a quality assortment of pitches and he's not the gas can that he once was years ago. He's really rebuilt his repertoire and is a fairly reliable back-end starter. The soft matchups with Washington and Miami make him really appealing this week, but just don't count on big strikeout totals - that's not really his game.
Mason Miller, Oakland Athletics - 27% Rostered
Scheduled Starts: vs. SEA, @KC
This is my guy this week and I am hoping it's the week we finally see Miller come into his own. The talented rookie has made two starts since being called up from Triple-A and has yet to make it through five innings yet. However, he had to face a tough Cubs team (especially tough on righties) and a very good Angels team in those two meetings. The strikeouts have been there so far (11 in 9.1 innings) but he has allowed six runs on nine hits, too, showing that he still needs to figure out how to "pitch" not just throw his 99 MPH fastball past hitters.
There is definitely a learning curve for starting pitchers in this league, and we usually see it click sooner for some guys than others. Miller really needs to throw his slider more often and mix up his pitches if he's going to have success against major leaguers. He will eventually need a third pitch, too, but we've seen guys with overpowering fastballs and solid sliders fare just fine without that third pitch, too, (Hunter Greene, Spencer Strider, etc) as long as they can locate their pitches and keep hitters off balance.
I mentioned already that KC is a plus matchup for pitchers and Seattle, while a dangerous lineup, can strike out a lot, too. I think the K-upside from Miller is well worth the risk to ERA and WHIP.
Domingo German, New York Yankees - 26% Rostered
Scheduled Starts: vs. CLE, @TB
If you are chasing strikeouts this week, then Miller and German are definitely two of the top targets. Just understand the risk you are taking with your ERA here as German has been allowing a ton of hard contact and giving up the long ball quite often. He has an 11-strikeout game under his belt already this year, but gets a Cleveland team first that strikes out fewer than most MLB teams (and bounced him after only three innings in a previous matchup) and then a red-hot Rays team that continues to pile up runs.
I prefer Miller between the two if you have the choice as he has at least one softer opponent, but German makes for a compelling play, too, and could be worth an investment if he can keep the ball in the ballpark!
Roansy Contreras, Pittsburgh Pirates - 28% Rostered
Scheduled Starts: @TB, vs. TOR
Roansy and the Pirates are rolling right now, but he's about to get his biggest challenge of the season this week as he will get the best team in baseball (Tampa Bay) and then another elite offense from the AL East in Toronto.
He struggled a bit in his first few starts, but he's been lights out now three times to the hill in a row, pitching well against the Cardinals, Reds, and Dodgers in his last three starts. At least he has some positive park factors working for him as Tampa and PNC Park in Pittsburgh both favor pitchers over hitters. I believe in his talent and I think he's going to be on our 50% rostered or higher list before long, but this week is definitely a tough combo of matchups and hopefully he can make it through that gauntlet successfully.
Tyler Wells, Baltimore Orioles - 21% Rostered
Scheduled Starts: @KC, @ATL
Wells wasn't really supposed to be in the rotation, but some early injuries to others forced him to take a spot and he's pitched well enough to keep that spot, at least for now as Cole Irvin has moved out of the rotation and onto the IL.
A matchup with the Royals is a dream come true for Wells, as the Royals have been one of the worst offensive units in the American League and they strike out plenty against righties. The second start against Atlanta will be the tough one as the Braves are one of the top offenses in baseball. If you can't afford to take a risk this week, then Wells might not be your guy as a good outing against KC could be negated if he gets hit hard by the Braves. I don't have a ton of confidence in him, but he's certainly in consideration here if the others on my list above are already taken.
Risky Two-Start Streamer Picks
- Taijuan Walker, 27%
- Cal Quantrill, 27%
- Eric Lauer, 24%
- Hayden Wesneski, 24%
- Ross Stripling, 24%
- Tanner Houck, 18%
- Michael Kopech, 15%
- Corey Kluber, 7%
- Trevor Williams, 2%
- Luke Weaver, 1%
- Ryan Feltner, 1%
- Josh Fleming, 1%
- Michael Lorenzen, 1%
Wesneski bounced back in his last start and I haven't given up on him entirely. Walker can be effective at times, as well as Lauer, but I want really nothing to do with Cal Quantrill. Stripling is boring, while Houck and Kopech are both boom/bust guys who have both been blown up at times this year. Again, try to avoid the guys on this last list unless you are in dire straights!
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