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Pranav's two-start pitchers, fantasy baseball streamers and starts for Week 3 of 2025 (April 14 to April 20). His top waiver wire SPs with two starts coming up.
Welcome back to two-start pitchers - fantasy baseball waiver wire streamers and starts for Week 3 of 2025 from April 7 to April 13. Several teams get seven games on their schedule this week, giving us a good mix of two-start pitchers.
Each week of this fantasy baseball season, this fantasy baseball waiver wire pickups column will identify starting pitchers expected 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.
34 pitchers are currently scheduled to make two starts during this period; we will look at the best options with roster rates under 50%. Pitchers with roster rates over 50% will be listed. Other two-start pitchers are available, but they should be avoided.
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Two-Start Pitchers - Over 50% Rostered
- Tanner Houck (@ TB, vs. CHW)
- Max Fried (vs. KC, @ TB)
- Clarke Schmidt (vs. KC, @ TB)
- Ryan Pepiot (vs. BOS, vs. NYY)
- Tarik Skubal (@ MIL, vs. KC)
- Jack Flaherty (@ MIL, vs. KC)
- Seth Lugo (@ NYY, @ DET)
- Jeffrey Springs (@ CHW, @ MIL)
- Framber Valdez (@ STL, vs. SD)
- Yusei Kikuchi (@ TEX, vs. SF)
- Luis Castillo (@ CIN, @ TOR)
- Clay Holmes (@ MIN, vs. STL)
- Tylor Megill (@ MIN, vs. STL)
- Jesus Luzardo (vs. SF, vs. MIA)
- Nick Lodolo (vs. SEA, @ BAL)
- Paul Skenes (vs. WAS, vs. CLE)
- Sonny Gray (vs. HOU, @ NYM)
- Dylan Cease (vs. CHC, @ HOU)
Best Available Two-Start Pitcher Streamers
Easton Lucas (16% Rostered), Toronto Blue Jays
Scheduled Starts: vs. ATL, vs. SEA
Easton Lucas has been among the season's early surprises, blanking the Nationals and Red Sox in his first two starts. Through 10 1/3 innings, he holds a 1.72 FIP, 0.68 WHIP, and 28.9% strikeout rate with no runs or barrels allowed.
The numbers mostly hold up when you peek under the hood, with Lucas keeping a 14.7% SwStr%, 30.1% CSW%, and 1.84 xERA. His fastball (57% usage) has impressed, with a 74.2% strike rate, 15.7% SwStr%, 32.6% CSW%, and .186 xwOBA on the year.
Atlanta is still ice-cold, ranking ahead of only Colorado in scoring this season. Seattle hasn't turned it around from last year, ranking only 22nd in runs scored this year. Lucas should be able to handle a relatively easy two-start week.
Easton Lucas, 6th and 7th Ks thru 5. pic.twitter.com/NacPNOjJ69
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 9, 2025
Riskier Two-Start Streamer Picks
Max Meyer (36% Rostered), Miami Marlins
Scheduled Starts: vs. ARZ, @ PHI
Max Meyer has been fantastic in his third season, with a 2.00 ERA, 2.59 FIP, 1.11 WHIP, 25.7% strikeout rate, and 6.8% walk rate through three starts. The advanced numbers are less impressive but still solid as he sports a 3.50 xERA, 13.5% SwStr%, 30% CSW%, and 44.9% hard-hit rate.
It's hard to trust anyone against two offenses that ranked in the top five in scoring in 2024. Meyer did well enough against a talented Mets offense that he's got a chance this week, but you're asking a lot from a guy with only 16 career starts under his belt.
Max Meyer, Filthy 90mph Slider...and Sword. ⚔️ pic.twitter.com/X1VSfvtixu
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 9, 2025
Michael Wacha (31% Rostered), Kansas City Royals
Scheduled Starts: @ NYY, @ DET
Michael Wacha will always give you innings, but you can't rely on the quality of those innings being up to your standard. It should be the end of Wacha's improbable string of sub-3.40 ERA seasons going back to 2022, as he holds a 4.20 ERA, 3.98 FIP, 1.40 WHIP, 17.5% strikeout rate, and 12.7% walk rate through three starts.
It isn't likely to be one of Wacha's better weeks, as he'll have to square off against a Yankees offense leading the league in runs scored per game.
Justin Verlander (30% Rostered), San Francisco Giants
Scheduled Starts: @ PHI, @ LAA
20 seasons into a storied MLB career, Justin Verlander doesn't look too much like his old self anymore. Through three starts with the Giants, Verlander holds a 6.92 ERA, 3.90 FIP, 1.69 WHIP, 25.8% strikeout rate, and 9.7% walk rate.
A 17.6% SwStr%, 31.9% CSW%, and 3.91 xERA indicate he'll look more like Verlander when luck swings back his way. However, a week with starts against a red-hot Angels offense (eighth in runs scored) and a talented Phillies offense is less likely to even out the 42-year-old's season.
Grant Holmes (27% Rostered), Atlanta Braves
Scheduled Starts: @ TOR, vs. MIN
Grant Holmes has gotten the short end of the stick for matchups this season, but he'll finally slide into a fairly advantageous two-start week.
Holmes held a 3.56 ERA, 3.20 FIP, 1.19 WHIP, 24.8% strikeout rate, and 5.3% walk rate through 68 1/3 innings in 2024. He did enough in spring training to earn a crack at a rotation spot, and he has managed to start the year against premier opponents like the Dodgers and Phillies.
Through nine innings, Holmes holds a 4.00 ERA, 4.65 FIP, 1.67 WHIP, 26.8% strikeout rate, and 19.5% walk rate. Those numbers don't look too great, but you can't ask for much from him, considering he's had to go toe-to-toe with some of the best offenses in the league.
He'll get a breather this week, with starts scheduled against the Blue Jays and Twins, who rank 17th and 21st, respectively, in runs scored. Given the difficulty of his matchups up to this point, there are surely better days ahead for Holmes. He hasn't shown enough to get the all-clear, but he's got a better shot than most at evening out his profile this week.
Merrill Kelly (27% Rostered), Arizona Diamondbacks
Scheduled Starts: @ MIA, @ CHC
Merrill Kelly hasn't done too well to start the year, with a 7.20 ERA, 6.65 FIP, 10% strikeout rate, and 12.9% walk rate through three starts.
Considering nine of the 12 earned runs allowed by Kelly this season came in one road start against the Yankees, you give him more of a pass than you would others with a 7.20 ERA. However, he'll get more road starts this week, with his second start against a Cubs offense that leads the league in runs scored this season.
Jameson Taillon (18% Rostered), Chicago Cubs
Scheduled Starts: @ SD, vs. ARZ
Jameson Taillon has also had a rough go of it this season, with a 6.06 ERA, 5.18 FIP, and 19.7% strikeout rate through three starts. He isn't someone you should think about with two of the league's best offenses in San Diego and Arizona on the slate.
Landen Roupp (14% Rostered), San Francisco Giants
Scheduled Starts: @ PHI, @ LAA
Landen Roupp has done fairly well in his second year, with a 3.60 ERA, 1.78 FIP, 1.50 WHIP, 27.9% strikeout rate, and 9.3% walk rate through two starts. He's got the same tough schedule as Verlander, with 19 years less experience. Tread with caution this week.
Charlie Morton (12% Rostered), Baltimore Orioles
Scheduled Starts: vs. CLE, vs. CIN
In his 18th season, Charlie Morton doesn't look too much like himself anymore. While you never blew too much of your FAAB on him, he's been among the league's better pitchers over the past decade. He's managed a poor 8.78 ERA, 5.38 FIP, 1.88 WHIP, 25.8% strikeout rate, and 12.1% walk rate through three starts this season.
The 41-year-old will eat some innings this year, but it doesn't look like he'll clean up his ratios this week against two solid offenses.
Taijuan Walker (11% Rostered), Philadelphia Phillies
Scheduled Starts: vs. SF, vs. MIA
Since the second half of the 2021 season, Taijuan Walker has lost most of his credibility in fantasy baseball. He's yet to allow a run this season across 10 2/3 innings, but those innings all came against the two worst offenses in the league (Atlanta and Colorado).
None of his pitches have seen significant upticks in velocity or movement, but he's changed his pitch mix so that his cutter becomes his primary pitch. It's worked well enough to start the year, as his cutter maintains a .271 xwOBA and 37.5% CSW% on 24% usage.
Not to be a pessimist, but there doesn't seem to be much pointing to him succeeding against a Giants offense ranked ninth in runs scored this season.
Zack Littell (10% Rostered), Tampa Bay Rays
Scheduled Starts: vs. BOS, vs. NYY
While he managed well in his first start of the season, Zack Littell's 6.88 ERA, 5.69 FIP, and 20% strikeout rate preclude him from consideration with starts against two division rivals.
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