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Week 1 two-start pitchers
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Updated: March 31, 2017
Ranking week 1 two-start pitchers is always a little weird because of a couple of reason. Firstly most of the guys on a two start week are no brainers even when they are only one start guys so the first 25 or so options you are starting whatever. Secondly not all of the teams have absolutely finalised their plans for the first week. Therefore it can be a little bit of guess work as to whether teams are going with four man rotations to open the year or whether they are going to get that fifth starter eased in early. This week we are looking at 20ish no brainers and then the questionable guys start to come into the frame.
Going forward I plan to rank all the two start pitchers and try and give you an idea of where I draw the line about what two start guys to go for in which sized leagues.
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Tune in each week to hear the team discuss the previous week and take a look forward at what we can hope to expect in the coming week. We will be discussing waiver wire, start sit along with all the major topics surrounding the world of fantasy baseball.
| Player | Date 1 | vs. 1st start | vs. 1st pitcher | Date 2 | vs. 2nd start | vs. 2nd pitcher |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clayton Kershaw LAD | (04/03) | vs. SD | Jhoulys Chacin | (04/08) | @ COL | Jon Gray |
| Madison Bumgarner SF | (04/02) | @ ARI | Zack Greinke | (04/08) | @ SD | Jhoulys Chacin |
| Corey Kluber CLE | (04/03) | @ TEX | Yu Darvish | (04/09) | @ ARI | TBA |
| Noah Syndergaard NYM | (04/03) | vs. ATL | Julio Teheran | (04/09) | vs. MIA | Edinson Volquez |
| Johnny Cueto SF | (04/04) | @ ARI | TBA | (04/09) | @ SD | Clayton Richard |
| Justin Verlander DET | (04/03) | @ CHW | Jose Quintana | (04/09) | vs. BOS | Drew Pomeranz |
| Stephen Strasburg WAS | (04/03) | vs. MIA | Edinson Volquez | (04/09) | @ PHI | Jeremy Hellickson |
| Jon Lester CHC | (04/02) | @ STL | Carlos Martinez | (04/09) | @ MIL | TBA |
| Yu Darvish TEX | (04/03) | vs. CLE | Corey Kluber | (04/09) | vs. OAK | Sean Manaea |
| Zack Greinke ARI | (04/02) | vs. SF | Madison Bumgarner | (04/08) | vs. CLE | TBA |
| Masahiro Tanaka NYY | (04/02) | @ TB | Chris Archer | (04/08) | @ BAL | TBA |
| Felix Hernandez SEA | (04/03) | @ HOU | Dallas Keuchel | (04/08) | @ LAA | Matt Shoemaker |
| Chris Archer TB | (04/02) | vs. NYY | Masahiro Tanaka | (04/08) | vs. TOR | Aaron Sanchez |
| Gerrit Cole PIT | (04/03) | @ BOS | Rick Porcello | (04/09) | vs. ATL | Julio Teheran |
| Kenta Maeda LAD | (04/04) | vs. SD | Clayton Richard | (04/09) | @ COL | TBA |
| Dallas Keuchel HOU | (04/03) | vs. SEA | Felix Hernandez | (04/08) | vs. KC | Danny Duffy |
| Julio Teheran ATL | (04/03) | @ NYM | Noah Syndergaard | (04/09) | @ PIT | Gerrit Cole |
| Carlos Martinez STL | (04/02) | vs. CHC | Jon Lester | (04/09) | vs. CIN | Scott Feldman |
| Jose Quintana CHW | (04/03) | vs. DET | Justin Verlander | (04/09) | vs. MIN | Ervin Santana |
| Lance McCullers HOU | (04/04) | vs. SEA | Hisashi Iwakuma | (04/09) | vs. KC | Nathan Karns |
| Rick Porcello BOS | (04/03) | vs. PIT | Gerrit Cole | (04/08) | @ DET | TBA |
| Danny Duffy KC | (04/03) | @ MIN | Ervin Santana | (04/08) | @ HOU | Dallas Keuchel |
| Jake Odorizzi TB | (04/04) | vs. NYY | CC Sabathia | (04/09) | vs. TOR | Marco Estrada |
| Sean Manaea OAK | (04/04) | vs. LAA | TBA | (04/09) | @ TEX | Yu Darvish |
| Ervin Santana MIN | (04/03) | vs. KC | Danny Duffy | (04/09) | @ CHW | Jose Quintana |
| Matt Shoemaker LAA | (04/03) | @ OAK | Kendall Graveman | (04/08) | vs. SEA | Felix Hernandez |
| Jon Gray COL | (04/03) | @ MIL | Junior Guerra | (04/08) | vs. LAD | Clayton Kershaw |
| Ervin Santana MIN | (04/03) | vs. KC | Danny Duffy | (04/08) | @ CWS | Jose Quintana |
| Hisashi Iwakuma SEA | (04/04) | @ HOU | Lance McCullers | (04/09) | @ LAA | TBA |
| Marco Estrada TOR | (04/03) | @ BAL | Kevin Gausman | (04/09) | @ TB | Jake Odorizzi |
| CC Sabathia NYY | (04/04) | @ TB | Jake Odorizzi | (04/09) | @ BAL | TBA |
| Junior Guerra MIL | (04/03) | vs. COL | Jon Gray | (04/08) | vs. CHC | Kyle Hendricks |
| Jeremy Hellickson PHI | (04/03) | @ CIN | Scott Feldman | (04/09) | vs. WAS | Max Scherzer |
| Kendall Graveman OAK | (04/03) | vs. LAA | Matt Shoemaker | (04/08) | @ TEX | TBA |
| Scott Feldman CIN | (04/03) | vs. PHI | Jeremy Hellickson | (04/09) | @ STL | Carlos Martinez |
| Edinson Volquez MIA | (04/03) | @ WAS | Max Scherzer | (04/09) | @ NYM | Noah Syndergaard |
| Ricky Nolasco LAA | (04/03) | @ OAK | Kendall Graveman | (04/08) | vs. SEA | Felix Hernandez |
| Jhoulys Chacin SD | (04/03) | @ LAD | Clayton Kershaw | (04/08) | vs. SF | Madison Bumgarner |
| Clayton Richard SD | (04/04) | @ LAD | Kenta Maeda | (04/09) | vs. SF | Johnny Cueto |
Some points of note:
- Clayton Kershaw: As with any pitcher Kershaw is worse in Coors than in other ball parks but he’s still a stud and a guy I am fully trusting whatever. Madison Bumgarner is closer to taking that number one spot than he will be all season and if Maz Scherzer was the two-start option in Washington then he would actually be ahead of Kershaw this week.
- Stephen Strasburg: I’ve already said I would have Scherzer at number one because this is a pair of cupcake match-ups for an ace. However, Strasburg enters the season with a little concern lingering and so I can’t boost him over that top five who all have at least one match-up I like.
- Corey Kluber: Two tough match-ups in two tough parks mean we could see Kluber off to a rocky start this year. His ranking is kind of academic because your starting him anyway with no questions asked.
- Jake Odorizzi: If he was on the road twice this week I might question Odorizzi but he is usually rock solid at home so I am starting him even against two decent line-ups.
- Jon Gray: Usually you would find him a little higher up the rankings but his two starts this week come in the two worst ball parks in the majors for a pitcher (Miller park and Coors). As a Gray fan I am watching this week closely because if it’s a rough one then I am starting to look at trying to trade for him.
- Hisashi Iwakuma: This is my last real no questions asked starter this week. Both starts could be rough on the road but both of these line-ups have the potential to strikeout a fair bit and I will gamble on the upside over a lot of one start guys.
- Marco Estrada & CC Sabathia: I like that both of these guys get to play the worst AL East line-up in the most hitter friendly park (@TB). However, both have to face Baltimore at Camden and that is where these guys fall down to this point in my rankings because I think at least one of them gets lit up in Baltimore.
- Junior Guerra: Two home games against two teams who could destroy him scare me a ton but seriously look at the options below him?! I don’t think I can start anyone below him this week in 10 or 12 team leagues and he is a major question mark himself.
- The rest:
- Jeremy Hellickson has the best match-ups but he still has to go into Cincy and then face what could be a very good Washington team.
- Kendall Graveman could get obliterated in Texas.
- Scott Feldman just scares me but these aren’t the worst match-ups ever.
- Edinson Volquez is where I would draw the line even in 14-team leagues because these two teams could do a lot of damage to his numbers.
- Ricky Nolasco was actually usable last year with the Angels but that comes off the back of being thoroughly awful with the Twins so I am struggling to trust him until I know which half of last season we are likely to see in 2017.
- Jhoulys Chacin and Clayton Richard: I doubt they win a game between them facing three aces and another top 20 pitcher. The Dodgers and Giants likely won’t destroy them but the damage combined with four losses is too much for me to bear. If you’re in a league where owning these guys are your only option then A) your more dedicated than me and B) you are probably starting them anyway.
