Welcome RotoBallers to our Two-Start Pitcher Streamers article - Waiver Wire Streamers and Starts for Week 5, from April 22 to April 28. With multiple teams having six or seven games on their schedule, we're looking at a nice variety 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 can be considered as fantasy baseball streamers ahead of the Sunday night waiver wire run for leagues with weekly transactions.
There are 35 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
- Grayson Rodriguez (@ LAA, vs. OAK)
- Tanner Houck (@ CLE, vs. CHC)
- Carlos Rodon (vs. OAK, @ MIL)
- Marcus Stroman (vs. OAK, @ MIL)
- Yusei Kikuchi (@ KC, vs. LAD)
- Kevin Gausman (@ KC, vs. LAD)
- Tarik Skubal (@ TB, vs. KC)
- Brady Singer (vs. TOR, @ DET)
- Michael Wacha (vs. TOR, @ DET)
- Pablo Lopez (vs. CHW, @ LAA)
- Reid Detmers (vs. BAL, vs. MIN)
- Paul Blackburn (@ NYY, @ BAL)
- Logan Gilbert (@ TEX, vs. ARZ)
- Reynaldo Lopez (vs. MIA, vs. CLE)
- Ranger Suarez (@ CIN, @ SD)
- Hunter Greene (vs. PHI, @ TEX)
- Jared Jones (vs. MIL, @ SF)
- Brandon Pfaadt (@ STL, @ SEA)
- Tyler Glasnow (@ WAS, @ TOR)
- Dylan Cease (@ COL, vs. PHI)
- Michael King (@ COL, vs. PHI)
Best Available Two-Start Pitcher Streamers
Zack Littell (42% Rostered), Tampa Bay Rays
Scheduled Starts: vs. DET, @ CHW
Say what you will about Zack Littell, but you can't deny how well-advantaged he is with his upcoming starts this week. He's had a fantastic start to the season, with a 2.14 ERA, 2.44 FIP, 24.7% strikeout rate, and 5.6% walk rate.
While a 4.5% HR/FB ratio and 86.5% left-on-base rate would make him a bit of a risk in some weeks, it'll be tough to stink it up against a historically awful White Sox lineup and a Tigers offense ranked 26th in OPS.
Zack Littell's 4th and 5th Ks
Thru 3 pic.twitter.com/lxYZRjrVnY
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 17, 2024
Risky Two-Start Streamer Picks
Andrew Abbott (47% Rostered), Cincinnati Reds
Scheduled Starts: vs. PHI, @ TEX
Cincinnati starter Andrew Abbott has kept the good times going into his sophomore season, with a 2.70 ERA and 1.07 WHIP through his first four starts. However, an 18.1% strikeout rate, 82.6% left-on-base rate, and 4.45 FIP don't inspire confidence -- especially against a talented Phillies offense and intimidating Rangers lineup.
Lance Lynn (26% Rostered), St. Louis Cardinals
Scheduled Starts: vs. ARZ, @ NYM
Lance Lynn's 2.18 ERA will surely convince many to stream the 36-year-old this week, but I'd put the brakes on the Lynn hype train. His 4.90 FIP and 87.6% left-on-base rate are reason enough to leave him on the sidelines with the league's top-scoring offense in Arizona next up.
Jon Gray (23% Rostered), Texas Rangers
Scheduled Starts: vs. SEA, vs. CIN
Jon Gray avoids a previously scheduled start against the Atlanta Braves on April 21, allowing him to step into a far more favorable two-start week.
He held his own against the Detroit Tigers last week, improving his season resume to a 3.44 ERA, 3.97 FIP, and 25.3% strikeout rate through four starts. There are still red flags galore, with a 12% walk rate, 1.53 WHIP, 46.2% hard-hit rate, and a .554 xSLG on the season. He'll likely be fine against an ice-cold Mariners offense, but the Cincinnati Reds are too talented offensively to get Gray the stream this week.
Jose Quintana (14% Rostered), New York Mets
Scheduled Starts: @ SF, vs. STL
35-year-old Jose Quintana is still kicking around, with a 3.05 ERA, 4.51 FIP, 1.50 WHIP, 17.6% strikeout rate, and 12.1% walk rate through four starts. He's had success against some of the league's best offenses this season (Atlanta, Milwaukee, and Cincinnati), but a worrying 12.1% walk rate may be enough to discourage consideration this week against underperforming offenses in San Francisco and St. Louis.
JP Sears (6% Rostered), Oakland Athletics
Scheduled Starts: @ NYY, @ BAL
It's unsurprisingly been a rough start for Oakland's JP Sears, with a 4.35 ERA, 5.19 FIP, 10.3% strikeout rate, and 10.3% walk rate through four starts. It will get worse before it gets better, with road affairs against the top dogs of the AL East on his slate this week.
Jordan Wicks (6% Rostered), Chicago Cubs
Scheduled Starts: vs. HOU, @ BOS
Jordan Wicks hasn't had much of a breather this season, with starts against the Rangers, Dodgers, Mariners, and Diamondbacks leading to a 5.29 ERA through his first four starts. A 3.09 FIP and 28.2% strikeout rate should pique some interest in Wicks, but better safe than sorry with Houston (third in OPS) and Boston up next.
Jordan Wicks, Filthy Changeups. 👌👌 pic.twitter.com/bbh9TOnXH9
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 17, 2024
Wade Miley (6% Rostered), Milwaukee Brewers
Scheduled Starts: @ PIT, vs. NYY
Wade Miley, who has only struck out two batters this season, should not be streamed against the New York Yankees.
Chris Paddack (5% Rostered), Minnesota Twins
Scheduled Starts: vs. CHW, @ LAA
You'd love for anyone other than Chris Paddack (8.36 ERA, 6.92 FIP, 2.07 WHIP, 12.9% strikeout rate) to have starts against the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Angels in a two-start week.
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