Welcome back to our two-start pitcher streamers article - waiver wire streamers and starts for Week 12, from June 12 to June 18. 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 bunch of 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 30 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.
Two-Start Pitchers - Over 50% Rostered
- Dane Dunning (vs. LAA, vs. TOR)
- Spencer Strider (@ DET, vs. COL)
- Charlie Morton (@ DET, vs. COL)
- Zach Eflin (@ OAK, @ SD)
- Jesus Luzardo (@ SEA, @ WAS)
- Pablo Lopez (vs. MIL, vs. DET)
- Chris Bassitt (@ BAL, @ TEX)
- Jon Gray (vs. LAA, vs. TOR)
- Zack Wheeler (@ ARZ, @ OAK)
- Logan Webb (@ STL, @ LAD)
- Tony Gonsolin (vs. CWS, vs. SF)
- Joe Musgrove (vs. CLE, vs. TB)
- Lance Lynn (@ LAD, @ SEA)
- Logan Gilbert (vs. MIA, vs. CWS)
Best Available Two-Start Pitcher Streamers
James Paxton (41% Rostered), Boston Red Sox
Scheduled Starts: vs. COL, vs. NYY
The Big Maple Renaissance is in full force. After Tuesday's start against Cleveland, James Paxton has a 3.30 SIERA, a 33% strikeout rate, and a 33.8% whiff rate on the season. He'll be at home facing two middling offenses, with New York and Colorado ranked 15th and 16th, respectively, in OPS. Paxton is one of the premier pitching options available on waiver wires.
Zach Davies (2% Rostered), Arizona Diamondbacks
Scheduled Starts: vs. PHI, vs. CLE
While a 4.68 ERA is ugly, Davies has been in a good spot since he returned from an oblique injury in late May. If you remove his first two starts in early April against the Dodgers, Davies has a 2.13 FIP.
He'll take starts against Philadelphia and Cleveland this week. While Philadelphia is a formidable offense (.735), they're not nearly as dangerous as the Los Angeles Dodgers (.790 OPS). Davies still presents some risk, but he's a safer pick than the available two-start options this week.
Risky Two-Start Streamer Picks
Aaron Civale (32% Rostered), Cleveland Guardians
Scheduled Starts: @ SD, @ ARZ
Aaron Civale will take a 2.31 ERA into two road starts this week. The first will be against a bottom-10 offense in San Diego, and the next against Arizona. The 28-year-old has pitched lights-out since returning from an oblique injury.
However, a 4.75 SIERA and 80.5% left-on-base rate indicate that regression is incoming. His second start against a Diamondbacks offense that ranks fifth in OPS is a blowup waiting to happen. And his 9.7% K-BB% rate doesn't give him enough of a leash if things go wrong.
Dean Kremer (24% Rostered), Baltimore Orioles
Scheduled Starts: vs. TOR, @ CHC
Dean Kremer's 4.89 ERA and .298 xBA probably weren't moving many people in the first place, but a 24% rostered rate warrants a mention. Avoid him against Toronto and Chicago.
Tyler Anderson (20% Rostered), Los Angeles Angels
Scheduled Starts: @ TEX, @ KC
Similarly to Kremer, Tyler Anderson wasn't drawing many suitors with his 5.62 ERA, .270 xBA, and 14.5% strikeout rate. Don't let his 20% rostered rate fool you; Anderson is not the guy to look to against a Texas offense that ranks first in the league in runs scored.
Reese Olson (18% Rostered), Detroit Tigers
Scheduled Starts: vs. ATL, @ MIN
Reese Olson impressed in his first two games as a major leaguer, with a 2.70 ERA, 0.70 WHIP, 23.7% strikeout rate, and 5.3% walk rate. His slider and changeup have been particularly impressive, with a .147 wOBA on his slider and a 66.7% strikeout rate on his changeup. Both pitches have above-average movement, with nearly 40 inches of drop on his slider and 34 inches on his changeup. Reese Olson is legit. But with no major-league track record, you shouldn't like his chances against a behemoth like Atlanta.
Zack Greinke (10% Rostered), Kansas City Royals
Scheduled Starts: vs. CIN, vs. LAA
While Greinke seemingly falls into the same category as Dean Kremer and Tyler Anderson, the concerns around streaming him this week differ. Greinke's 4.18 SIERA and 18.3% strikeout rate are generally streamable in deeper leagues.
His matchups this week are the problem. The Angels are seventh in both runs scored and OPS, making them a dangerous opponent for any starting pitcher. The Reds are 12th in runs scored and 14th in OPS, but they have looked like an entirely different animal since the call-ups of Matt McLain and Elly De La Cruz. Greinke should have a good week sometime this season, but it likely won't be this one.
Matthew Liberatore (11% Rostered), St. Louis Cardinals
Scheduled Starts: vs. SF, @ NYM
While he excelled in Triple-A to start the season (30% strikeout rate and 3.13 ERA), Matthew Liberatore has yet to prove he can do the same at the major-league level. Through four games, Liberatore has a 6.00 ERA, 11.3% walk rate, and 15.5% strikeout rate. While his bad appearances have come against the Dodgers, Rangers, and Guardians, he isn't facing bottom-feeders this week. While it is tempting, matchups against a top-10 San Francisco offense and the surging Mets are not the best opponents to rebound against.
Chase Anderson (10% Rostered), Colorado Rockies
Scheduled Starts: @ BOS, @ ATL
Through five starts, 35-year-old Chase Anderson sports a 2.25 ERA. But he's also got a 4.97 FIP, a 15.3% strikeout rate, and he's facing two top-10 offenses this week. Week 12 could be ugly for Chase Anderson. Best to avert your eyes.
Tommy Henry (7% Rostered), Arizona Diamondbacks
Scheduled Starts: vs. PHI, vs. CLE
Following an incredible May (2.87 ERA, 1.12 WHIP), many expected more from Tommy Henry against the Nationals last week. The rookie went just four-and-one-third innings deep, allowing five runs in the process. While they have struggled to start the season, Philadelphia and Cleveland are still too talented offensively to consider Henry a safe streamer this week. And unlike Zach Davies, Tommy Henry's low strikeout ceiling (14.3% strikeout rate) leaves a thin cushion in the case of a poor outing.
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