It's rare given the way MLB structures its schedule these days to have a week when half the league doesn't have an off day, but Week 10 (May 27-June 2) is shaping up to be such a week.
Which means more two-start options to choose from.
Unfortunately, many of them — all beyond the top 23, I'd say — aren't deserving of our time. Maybe those next five — Brad Keller, Michael Pineda, Jeff Samardzija, Jose Urena or Ivan Nova — you could try to get away with using as a desperation play in a points league, but honestly, who's giving up a roster spot for that sort of Hail Mary?
The standout here among those you could reasonably find on the waiver wire is Lance Lynn, who has been hit or miss this year. But the hits have been massive hits — we're talking seven-inning quality starts in four of his past five, with more than a strikeout per inning in three of them — and he has two solid matchups this week.
Preseason sleeper Nick Pivetta, meanwhile, makes his long-awaited return from Triple-A, where his strikeout rate was as promising as his walk rate was discouraging, but of course, the possibility of a second start hinges on the outcome of the first. Matt Strahm, Chris Bassitt and Sonny Gray are other possible waiver claims who might be worth keeping on your roster beyond this week, and Ryan Yarbrough is at least intriguing in formats that benefit from his RP eligibility (such as Head-to-Head points). And yes, I'd be willing to roll the dice on Trevor Richards one more time, if only because the matchups are so favorable.
Rank | Pitcher | Start 1 | Start 2 |
1 | Max Scherzer, WAS | vs. MIA | at CIN |
2 | Jacob deGrom, NYM | at LAD | at ARI |
3 | Stephen Strasburg, WAS | at ATL | at CIN |
4 | Gerrit Cole, HOU | vs. CHC | at OAK |
5 | Luis Castillo, CIN | vs. PIT | vs. WAS |
6 | Clayton Kershaw, LAD | vs. NYM | vs. PHI |
7 | Zack Greinke, ARI | at COL | vs. NYM |
8 | Lucas Giolito, CHW | vs. KC | vs. CLE |
9 | Masahiro Tanaka, NYY | vs. SD | vs. BOS |
10 | Cole Hamels, CHC | at HOU | at STL |
11 | Rick Porcello, BOS | vs. CLE | at NYY |
12 | Rich Hill, LAD | vs. NYM | vs. PHI |
13 | Jordan Lyles, PIT* | at CIN | vs. MIL |
14 | Lance Lynn, TEX | at SEA | vs. KC |
15 | Marco Gonzales, SEA | vs. TEX | vs. LAA |
16 | Jon Gray, COL | vs. ARI | vs. TOR |
17 | Matt Strahm, SD* | at NYY | vs. MIA |
18 | Chris Bassitt, OAK | vs. LAA | vs. HOU |
19 | Sonny Gray, CIN | vs. PIT | vs. WAS |
20 | Trevor Richards, MIA | vs. SF | at SD |
21 | Felix Pena, LAA | at OAK | at SEA |
22 | Ryan Yarbrough, TB* | vs. TOR | vs. MIN |
23 | Nick Pivetta, PHI | vs. STL | at LAD |
24 | Brad Keller, KC* | at CHW | at TEX |
25 | Michael Pineda, MIN | vs. MIL | at TB |
26 | Jeff Samardzija, SF | at MIA | at BAL |
27 | Jose Urena, MIA | at WAS | at SD |
28 | Ivan Nova, CHW | vs. KC | vs. CLE |
29 | Gio Gonzalez, MIL | at MIN | at PIT |
30 | Aaron Sanchez, TOR | at TB | at COL |
31 | Steven Matz, NYM | at LAD | at ARI |
32 | Merrill Kelly, ARI | at COL | vs. NYM |
33 | Daniel Norris, DET | at BAL | at ATL |
34 | Jefry Rodriguez, CLE | at BOS | at CHW |
35 | Adam Wainwright, STL | at PHI | vs. CHC |
36 | Homer Bailey, KC | at CHW | at TEX |
37 | Trevor Cahill, LAA | at OAK | at SEA |
38 | Tommy Milone, SEA | vs. TEX | vs. LAA |
39 | Adam Plutko, CLE | at BOS | at CHW |
40 | Ryan Weber, BOS* | vs. CLE | at NYY |
41 | Antonio Senzatela, COL* | vs. ARI | vs. TOR |
42 | Adrian Sampson, TEX | at SEA | vs. KC |
43 | Gabriel Ynoa, BAL* | vs. DET | vs. SF |
*RP-eligible | ^expected to follow opener | |