RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Although it lacks an obvious headliner, this is one of the best two-start pitcher lists we have seen this season, which should encourage managers to get aggressive with their roster by adding multiple arms. In fact, there are five two-start options who should be added and streamed in standard Yahoo formats, and a few others who can be considered in deeper leagues. On the hitting side, the Red Sox and Pirates should provide plenty of options.
Two-Start Pitchers (listed in order of preference)
Keider Montero, Tigers, 41% (vs. BAL, @ ATH) : Montero punctuated his return to the rotation by striking out eight Cubs over 5.1 innings of one-run ball on Wednesday. The right-hander isn’t as good as is indicated by his 3.14 ERA and 0.96 WHIP, as he has benefited from a .231 BABIP. But thanks to terrific control skills and a strong ability to limit hard contact, Montero still has excellent ERA estimators (3.38 xERA, 3.57 FIP) and should be useful, albeit with a low ceiling. He will face two offenses that are middle of the pack against righties, although it’s worth noting that the Athletics are dangerous at their hitter-friendly home park.
Zac Thornton, Mets, 33% (vs. ATL, vs. MIA) : After laboring through his MLB debut on May 20 (4.1 IP, 4 ER), Thornton spent another month in the minors and came back with a vengeance. The rookie has allowed just one run over 19 innings in three summer starts, albeit with a brief return to the minors between the initial two outings. And he hasn’t been picking on the league’s weakest teams, as all three outings came against clubs that are currently occupying a postseason berth. Although the sample size remains small, his recent success makes Thornton worth the risk in most formats.
Walbert Ureña, Angels, 37% (v. HOU, @ NYM) : Ureña’s 2.78 ERA is a favorable mark, as his ERA estimators are mostly a full run higher. Still, the 22-year-old deserves credit for his terrific ability to induce grounders, which has made up for poor control (4.8 BB/9 rate). Ureña has allowed one or zero runs in four of his past five starts, which will get him into most lineups for a two-start week that begins with a challenging matchup against the Astros and ends against a Mets lineup that ranks 28th in OPS vs. righties.
Tatsuyi Imai, Astros, 42% (@ LAA, vs. TEX) : Fantasy managers may want to give a second chance to Imai, who showed some encouraging signs in late June when he struck out 21 batters over a two-start stretch. And after two poor outings right before the break, Imai struck out eight Marlins across six innings of one-run ball last time out. He could have a productive week against a strikeout-prone Angels lineup and a Rangers offense that ranks 22nd in runs scored.
Brady Singer, Reds, 25% (vs. CLE, vs. PIT) : Singer has rebounded from a poor start to the season by logging a 2.98 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 46:13 K:BB ratio over his past eight starts. Overall, there hasn’t been a notable change from the 29-year-old innings eater with mediocre career ratios (4.26 ERA, 1.32 WHIP), but he can be considered in 12-team leagues while things are going well, as he has a strong ability to throw 6+ innings. Singer will need to take advantage of his matchup with a Guardians lineup that ranks 29th in runs scored, as he finishes with a Pirates offense that is the second-highest scoring group in baseball.
Mitch Keller, Pirates, 27% (vs. ARI, @ CIN) : Keller is the definition of an innings eater, having produced poor ratios (4.90 ERA, 1.31 WHIP) despite finishing the sixth inning in half of his 20 starts. The right-hander has been especially ineffective of late, allowing at least three runs in all but seven of his past nine starts. He has favorable matchups this week, as the Diamondbacks (30th) and Reds (27th) are two of the least effective teams against righties. But with so many strong options, he will only make the cut in deeper formats.
Kumar Rocker, Rangers, 12% (@ TB, @ HOU) : After going into the break on a sour note (5.2 IP, 7 ER on July 11), Rocker rebounded by striking out six White Sox over six shutout innings on July 21. The former top prospect has been mediocre across the board in his first full season as a big league starter, showing average strikeout skills (20.9%) and control (8.8%). Having matchups against two teams that have been above average against righties makes Rocker a weak option during a scoring period with so many quality alternatives.
Tyler Mahle, Giants, 4% (vs. MIL, @ SD) : Mahle has pitched better than is indicated by his 5.31 ERA. His 4.30 xERA paints a more accurate picture of someone who has been plagued by poor batted-ball luck (.319 BABIP). But we shouldn’t get carried away with praising the 31-year-old, as his 77:33 K:BB ratio is an average mark. Although Mahle’s second matchup is a favorable one against the Padres, his start against the 66-39 Brewers is enough reason to leave him on waivers in standard leagues.
Brandon Sproat, Brewers, 16% (@ SF, @ LAA) : After enduring some significant struggles earlier in the season, Sproat has been more effective (2.74 ERA, 1.17 WHIP) across his past five starts. The problem is that his success has coincided with abbreviated outings, as he has thrown a total of 11.2 innings over his past three appearances. Although his matchups are favorable this week, Sproat will remain a poor option in 12-team leagues until he lowers his walk rate, which will allow him to work deeper into games.
Martín Pérez, Braves, 15% (@ NYM, vs. WSH) : Pérez has been effective over 19 appearances (15 starts) with the Braves, logging a 3.38 ERA and 1.20 WHIP. The problem for fantasy managers is that he rarely works past the fifth inning and hasn’t even made it through five frames in three of his past four starts. His 6.9 K/9 rate also lowers his ceiling. Managers can hope that Pérez produces 6-7 strikeouts over his two starts and squeaks out a win, which is more likely to come against a Mets team that ranks 25th in OPS against southpaws than a Nats...
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