Two-Start Pitchers/Streaming Starters: Get Down With Duffy

This week features a lesser bounty of two-start options to plug into your lineups, although still has a significant number of top tier arms to employ, and a fair selection of middle tier possibilities. Even some of the bottom group are potential streaming options, even if they should not be relied upon for both their trips to the mound.

Please realize that these articles feature most recent rotation information available when the article is written, but that circumstances do change due to weather conditions, injuries and general craziness with managers. If a pitcher listed here as having two starts ends up with one (or perhaps none) in the upcoming week, apologies but this article is meant to provide analysis, it is up to the manager to set the lineups or rotations.

Without further ado, here are this week’s two start pitchers:

These 11 SP's are the sort of arms that you love to own, and for the present, simply wind them up and let them go for both their times toeing the rubber in Week 4. Do not concern yourself with opponent or venue. Use them and for the most part, be happy they grace your roster. Just do not expect 100% great results, as stuff happens on occasion.

Eduardo Rodríguez BOS

We begin the middle tier with a pair of teammates in Rodriquez and Eovaldi. Fantasy owners have been waiting for his return to action after missing all of last season with a heart issue, and then being shelved out of spring training with a dead arm. Look for him to be monitored and limited to begin the season, as he was in his two 5.0 IP efforts in April, both victories. He has a pair of home starts this coming scoring period, and brings with him an attractive 12:1 K/BB ratio.

Nathan Eovaldi BOS

As with his teammate Rodriguez, the veteran righty has a couple of starts in Fenway in Week 4. He has held opponents to single earned tallies in the first two starts he has made, allowing the host Twins to match that production in one game and “inflate” his ERA to 2.08 on the season. His strikeout rate is down a bit early this season, although his fastball still arrives at 97 MPH, so look for the swings and misses to increase as the starts mount.

Danny Duffy KC

Duffy has been effectively lights out to open the season, flexing a fantastic 0.75 ERA through 12.0 IP. His 1.17 WHIP is attractive, too, although a bit inflated due to handing out eight hits in his last time on the hill against the visiting Angels. He gets the Rays at home, then heads to Comerica Park to make an attempt to subdue the rebuilding Tiger club. The veteran southpaw has 11 Ks over his twelve innings, which is useful, and should continue to accumulate with the two free-swinging opponents on deck for him.

Joe Ross WAS

Ross has yet to allow a run yet in his two starts, let alone an earned tally, so his ratio stats are stellar to date. The 9:3 K/BB ratio is a nice gift for his fantasy owners, too. Certainly, expect some negative regression in the upcoming days, but even so, if his production continues on this course, he is a worthy add to your fantasy roster (available in 13% of ESPN league, 11% over at Yahoo). Grab him while he is hot and not highly owned.

Lance McCullers HOU

Prior to receiving his COVID vaccination, the Astro righty had been highly effective tossing the pellet, but he struggled to the tune of six earned runs (on just four hits) against the Tigers in his most recent start. Presuming he is over those side effects, he now has to head to Coors Field, so his first start in Week 4 carries some inherent riskiness for his owners. The second trip to the mound at the end of the scoring period at home against the Angels looks much more favorable in terms of fantasy production.

Carlos Rodón CHW

Coming off a near perfect no-hitter, his value is rising quickly. Of course, his value should be tempered based on his injury history until this season, including TJS in 2019, but if he has finally burst on to the scene with the skill set envisioned when he was drafted, then look out. Naturally, a pitcher that opens the campaign with a two hit, no run streak is going to see some blemishes pop up on the stat sheet, but this is the time to ride the southpaw’s coat tails while he is dealing. Do not overlook the 16:3 K/BB ratio (10.3 K/9 rate) either.

Marcus Stroman NYM

Stroman has begun the season with a pair of victories that also qualify as QS (lots of value in the newer W+QS scheme leagues, eh?). He is not much for Ks in his game, although the anemic 4.38 K/9 rate is due to adjust positively. His firs start against the struggling Cubbies is where you are happiest to trot him out in your fantasy rotation, even with a top tier opponent facing him on the hill.

Kevin Gausman SF

Allowing five runs in the first inning of his third start doomed any chance that the veteran righthander would put up third consecutive QS, although it was rewarding to see him settle down after that initial uprising and stick around until the end of the sixth frame. Even with those five runs, his ERA is a tempting 3.20 and he also features a useful 0.81 WHIP, to go with his 18 Ks through 19.2 IP. As with Stroman, only one of his starts is imminently favorable on paper, his being the second when the Marlin come to visit.

Kohei Arihara TEX

After collecting his first MLB victory in his last start, where he also discovered an ability to gather up Ks (five after just a pair in his first two starts). He heads out on the road for his Week 4 trips to the mound, and the matchups are not great, to be honest. He is not profiling as an ace starter, but with just one walk on the season, he has good control and keeps the ball on the ground, both of which favor future effective pitching prowess.

Griffin Canning LAA

Canning has two Texas-based opponents on deck, with the Rangers coming to visit Anaheim and then he heads to Houston to toe the rubber against the Astros. The third-year righty generates interest due to the two starts, and his ability to miss bats, evidenced by his 12:3 K/BB ratio through 10.1 IP this year. The underlying metrics do not say he has been unlucky to post an inflated 5.23 ERA which is a tad lower than after first start and presumably due to continue to fall. Perhaps this week? Perhaps not.

Zac Gallen ARI

Gallen’s season debut was delayed due to a hairline fracture in his arm, and he was limited in his first start, coming out of the game after 4.0 IP and 82 pitches. He will continue to see limited usage as he ramps up, although he did provide a nice eight K effort in that limited first start, holding Oakland to just three hits and two walks. He is on the road in a couple of hitter friendly venues and coupled with his restricted pitch count, he is the bottom dweller in this tier.

Not as large a collection as other weeks, which is great but also means there is more work for you to perform in deciding who to start and who to avoid. As noted in the top paragraph, Paddack at home against the Brew Crew, or Fulmer taking on the Pirates at KC could prove to be one-off streaming starts that work out, but none of these pitchers are worthy of dual start status.

Potential Streaming Options for This Week

There is no promise that each game day will provide a streaming option. First of all, the pitcher must be available in at least 50% of leagues to be a viable candidate to snag off the wire. Then, the pitchers discussed above are not included as they have a different sort of value, even though some might be available as free agents in your league. Plus, some days the matchups and/or venues just do not figure as positive enough factors to favor plugging the arm into your rotation, even for one start. That all being said, here are this week’s best streaming candidates:

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Jakob Junis KC vs TB TBD

It is only a pair of starts, but Junis looks like something has clicked for him heading into this season. He picked up his first victory of the year in his second start, and sports a delightful 1.50 ERA and 0.92 WHIP through his 12.0 IP (two starts, four total appearances) this season. The 15:3 K/BB ratio looks awfully tempting, too. Plus, he has a home start in this contest.

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Anthony DeSclafini SF @ PHI Matt Moore

Not the greatest venue to start a streaming option, to be certain, and the Phillies are 6-1 at home as of this morning. So why suggest the new member of the Giant rotation? Strikeouts (16 on the season, nearly a K per inning), superb ratios over three starts (1.05 and 1.06 ERA and WHIP, respectively), and a pair of consecutive QS.

Thursday, April 22, 2021

Nick Pivetta BOS vs SEA Justin Dunn

Justin Dunn SEA @ BOS Nick Pivetta

In a rare event, both sides of this pitching matchup are being suggested as opportunities for streaming. Pivetta has emerged victorious in both his starts to this date, despite not exactly dominating while on the hill. His 11:7 K/BB ratio shows both a K per inning skill set, plus a need to have some better control. He gets this start at home, where he was effective against the Rays in his first start, but be wary as he has not proven to be a home warrior over his time in the majors, but that could be a function of calling Philly and Beantown his home bases.

Dunn demonstrated much better control in his second start of the season, holding the Orioles to just two free passes (he handed out eight walks to the White Sox before that!). His propensity to miss bats has been rising over his time in the big leagues, and his team has played well on the road this season. Of the two arms you can select in this game, the Mariner righty is not the top choice, but not a toss-away option, either.

Aaron Sanchez SF vs MIA Daniel Castano

Sanchez has pitched well enough to have a better record than his 0-1 tally on the year, having allowed just three earned runs over his 10.0 IP. This is a home start, although the Marlins are no pushover on the road so far in 2021. He is not a major K producer, but has demonstrated great control, which is always helpful for groundball inducing pitcher.

j.T. Brubaker PIT @ DET José Ureña

The 27-year-old righthander is posting eye-popping numbers to open this season: 1.76 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 18:5 K/BB over 15.1 IP. He now gets to face a rebuilding Tiger team, that to be fair, has played well at times this April. The Detroit offense ranks 4^th overall in team Ks, and is mired toward the bottom of both leagues in terms of offensive production. Despite pitching on the road, Brubaker has serious potential to provide good to great pitching numbers in this contest.

Jeff Hoffman CIN vs ARI Madison Bumgarner

Hoffman has a sub-3 ERA early on this season (2.93), although his control or lack thereof has pushed his WHIP to a concerning 1.43 level. Hoffman has managed to “lock down” the fifth starter role for the Reds, for the time being (thus the quotes), but needs to pitch effectively to maintain that role. He did take a loss to this squad of Diamondbacks resulting in the sole blemish on his record, although that was on the road and he now pitches in the cozy confines of Great American Ball Park, not that that should be a great comfort.

Friday, April 23, 2021

Dane Dunning TEX @ CHW Dallas Keuchel

Despite pitching well in his second start of the year, the second-year righty was pulled after just four frames, which if the Rangers are going to be cautious with his pitch count, does not bode well for his ability to collect wins or QS. He does have to head to the south side for a road contest, so do not expect him to pitch deep here, either. He does offer superior K potential, so even though the opponent is not exactly a free-swinging bunch, there is that positive check on the list for the Ranger starter.

Feel free also to send any starting pitching or other fantasy baseball questions to ia@fantasyalarm.com for a private response to your specific issue. The more detail you can provide about your team and league, including settings (H2H vs roto, points or categories, weekly or daily moves, roster size, league size, etc.) the better the response will be suited to your individual situation. As ever, good luck and Godspeed in all your fantasy endeavors.