More: Week 14 sleeper hitters | Prospects Report | FBT Podcast
With more off days built into the schedule this year, the selection of two-start pitchers is limited each week.
But Week 14 (June 25-July 1) offers a great one. Not only are there some of the usual suspects like Kevin Gausman and Vince Velasquez, who you're pretty much keeping around just for the two-start weeks, but there are also a number true sleepers, guys who could genuinely outperform expectations given their matchups.
I'm talking specifically about Felix Hernandez and Freddy Peralta, two pitchers who I almost certainly wouldn't have the guts to start in a one-start week. Coming off favorable outings, though, and with the benefit of two favorable matchups, they actually make sense if you can find the roster space for them.
That last part of the key. Part of what makes starting players like Gausman and Velasquez easier is that they're more rosterable to begin with. And unless you play in a league so shallow that you can stream pitchers of even their stature, which is basically top 50 at the position, you have to prioritize the long game over a one-week fix.
But if you play in a points leagues, where you can make more liberal use of this list, and don't have to concern yourself with roster space, I don't know that you'd be crazy to start any of the top 25 this week. Even Shelby Miller at 26, who'll be making his first two starts since having Tommy John surgery, isn't an outrageous choice, given the matchups. Not saying I'd do it, but if you're someone who streams the heck out of two-start pitchers, turning over the majority of your pitching staff just about every week, I imagine you've taken bigger risks already this year.
Two-start pitchers for Week 14 | ||||||||
Rank | Pitcher | Start 1 | Start 2 | |||||
1 | Justin Verlander, HOU | vs. TOR | at TB | |||||
2 | James Paxton, SEA | at BAL | vs. KC | |||||
3 | Charlie Morton, HOU | vs. TOR | at TB | |||||
4 | Mike Clevinger, CLE | at STL | at OAK | |||||
5 | Blake Snell, TB | vs. WAS | vs. HOU | |||||
6 | Ross Stripling, LAD* | vs. CHC | vs. COL | |||||
7 | J.A. Happ, TOR | at HOU | vs. DET | |||||
8 | Tyler Skaggs, LAA | at KC | at BAL | |||||
9 | Cole Hamels, TEX | vs. SD | vs. CHW | |||||
10 | Zack Godley, ARI | at MIA | vs. SF | |||||
11 | Jameson Taillon, PIT | at NYM | at SD | |||||
12 | Gio Gonzalez, WAS | at TB | at PHI | |||||
13 | Jon Lester, CHC | at LAD | vs. MIN | |||||
14 | David Price, BOS | vs. LAA | at NYY | |||||
15 | Mike Foltynewicz, ATL | vs. CIN | at STL | |||||
16 | Jake Arrieta, PHI | vs. NYY | vs. WAS | |||||
17 | Felix Hernandez, SEA | at BAL | vs. KC | |||||
18 | Kevin Gausman, BAL | vs. SEA | vs. LAA | |||||
19 | Vince Velasquez, PHI | vs. NYY | vs. WAS | |||||
20 | Freddy Peralta, MIL | vs. KC | at CIN | |||||
21 | Kenta Maeda, LAD | vs. CHC | vs. COL | |||||
22 | Lance Lynn, MIN | at CHW | at CHC | |||||
23 | Seth Lugo, NYM | vs. PIT | at MIA | |||||
24 | Frankie Montas, OAK* | at DET | vs. CLE | |||||
25 | Reynaldo Lopez, CHW | vs. MIN | at TEX | |||||
26 | Shelby Miller, ARI | at MIA | vs. SF | |||||
27 | Tyler Mahle, CIN | at ATL | vs. MIL | |||||
28 | Joey Lucchesi, SD | at TEX | vs. PIT | |||||
29 | Dan Straily, MIA | vs. ARI | vs. NYM | |||||
30 | Derek Holland, SF | vs. COL | at ARI | |||||
31 | Blaine Hardy, DET* | vs. OAK | at TOR | |||||
32 | John Gant, STL* | vs. CLE | vs. ATL | |||||
33 | Matt Harvey, CIN | at ATL | vs. MIL | |||||
34 | Andrew Cashner, BAL | vs. SEA | vs. LAA | |||||
35 | Chad Bettis, COL | at SF | at LAD | |||||
36 | Brad Keller, KC* | vs. LAA | at SEA | |||||
37 | Edwin Jackson, OAK | at DET | vs. CLE | |||||
38 | Jordan Zimmermann, DET | vs. OAK | at TOR |
*RP-eligible