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Richie Smith breaks down the best two-start starting pitchers for week 15. These sleeper pitchers are available on most waiver wires and should be owned.
This piece focuses on the best two-start pitchers and streamer waiver wire pickups for week 15 of fantasy baseball. These under-the-radar, two-start pitchers can be sleepers off the waiver wire depending on your league format, including NL-Only and AL-Only formats, and you can consider adding them to your head-to-head and daily-league lineups. These pitchers are near or below 50% ownership in Yahoo! leagues, some ideal for shallow leagues, some ideal for deep leagues.
Wily Peralta, MIL
54% Owned in Yahoo!, 33% Owned in Fleaflicker
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Overall, Peralta has had a pretty good season. He has a strong ERA of 3.35 and has nine wins on the year, which is tied for 3rd in the National League. His last couple of starts have not been his best though, allowing four runs and at least eight hits in each, but Peralta has two favorable matchups next week that I think he can cash in on. Both Philadelphia and St. Louis struggled to score runs all June. Only San Diego and Boston scored fewer runs than St. Louis in the month, and Philadelphia ranked 21st in the league over that same span. Additionally the Phillies and Cardinals ranked 23rd and 24th , respectively, in team batting average for the month. I think Peralta is a solid bounce back candidate for next week and is a good two-start option.
Jason Vargas, KC
40% Owned in Yahoo!, 29% Owned in Fleaflicker
Projected starts: Tuesday @TB, Sunday vs. DET
Vargas’s numbers actually look very similar to those of Peralta; strong ERA (3.32), eight wins, and a low K/9 rate (only 79 in nearly 120 innings). All Vargas has been doing is pumping out quality starts for most of the year, including seven out of his last eight starts. Last time out against the Twins he went seven scoreless innings and gave up just four hits. For next week, Vargas gets a road start at Tampa Bay, whose offense really hasn’t been clicking all season. Vargas also boasts a very good road ERA of 1.52 this season. And on Sunday afternoon, Vargas will face Detroit, where he has a season ERA of 2.83 during day games.
Carlos Martinez, STL
31% Owned in Yahoo!, 9% Owned in Fleaflicker
Projected starts: Tuesday vs. PIT, Sunday @MIL
I have always been a big Carlos Martinez fan, and I am glad to see him finally getting some quality time in the St Louis rotation. At some point, he may very well end up back in the bullpen, but for now, I am happy to take advantage of his nasty stuff while in the rotation. He is coming off a winning performance at San Francisco on Thursday, as he continues to extend his innings out as he is trying to get his arm in better starting pitching shape. He has had a few starts under his belt now, so I think he is about to take a huge step forward, and I am hoping it starts next week. He gets two starts against Pittsburgh and at Milwaukee.
Vance Worley, PIT
15% Owned in Yahoo!, 8% Owned in Fleaflicker
Projected starts: Tuesday @STL, Sunday @CIN
In Worley’s first three starts of the season for the Pirates, he has been terrific, tossing over 20 innings, and only allowing 4 ER, 17 H, and a K/BB ratio of 12/3. Who knows how long this success will last, but three straight quality starts after not pitching for over a year is a great beginning of 2014 for Worley. Next week, he will face a St. Louis offense that really struggled in June scoring just 89 runs total, and while the Reds offense was better in June, it still only ranked 23rd in the league in runs scored this season and 24th in OPS.
Chris Young, SEA
14% Owned in Yahoo!, 13% Owned in Fleaflicker
Projected starts: Tuesday vs. MIN, Sunday vs. OAK
What a nice surprise the veteran righty has been for the Mariners this year. Young has been lights out lately. Over his last four starts, he is 3-0 and has given up just 4 ER in 25 innings, while striking out 20 and walking just four over that span. Overall, he has eight wins for the surging Mariners and an ERA of 3.11 and 1.11 WHIP. Young had a couple solid years in San Diego, but has not really been a factor at the big league level in the last few seasons, so you have to wonder if this can last the entire season, but for now, might as well ride the hot right arm of Young. Next week, he gets two home starts, where he has a season ERA of 2.19 and a .178 batting-average-against.
