Two-Start Pitchers 2017: May 29 – June 4: Ranking The Options & Finding Those Worthy (Tyler Anderson & More)

by Eric Stashin (aka The Rotoprofessor)

It’s Memorial Day weekend, and by now you have gained a feel for where your team sits in the hierarchy of your league.  Do you need to start taking a few more risks when setting your lineup?  Do you need to maximize your chances in terms of strikeouts and wins?  Finding a high upside two-start pitcher can certainly help, so let’s take a look at the options this week and determine who can be trusted and who should be ignored:

Tier 1 – The Elite

• Chris Sale – Boston Red Sox – at CWS, at Bal
• Carlos Carrasco – Cleveland Indians – vs. Oak, at KC

You can argue that Carlos Carrasco has had some luck on his side this season (.241 BABIP), but he continues to show strikeouts (8.95 K/9) and control (2.31 BB/9) while drawing two of the worst offense in the AL (in fact, entering play on Friday they were the two lowest scoring teams)…

Tier 2 – The Nearly Elite

• Kyle Hendricks – Chicago Cubs – at SD, vs. Stl
• Robbie Ray – Arizona Diamondbacks – at Pit, at Mia

Kyle Hendricks isn’t having the same type of season that he did a year ago, but we all knew that was coming.  That said he’s showing his trademark command (2.19 BB/9) and has cut his home run rate (0.73 HR/9) in May.  Couple that with a start against the Padres and it’s impossible not to consider him among the better options in the league…

Tier 3 – The Solid Options

• Marcus Stroman – Toronto Blue Jays – vs. Cin, vs. NYY
• Luis Severino – New York Yankees – at Bal, at Tor
• Julio Teheran – Atlanta Braves – at LAA, at Cin
• Tyler Anderson – Colorado Rockies – vs. Sea, at SD
• Tanner Roark – Washington Nationals – at SF, at Oak
• Dylan Bundy – Baltimore Orioles – vs. NYY, vs. Bos

These could be two tough matchups for Luis Severino, but he’s actually been better on the road thanks to yielding fewer home runs (0.75 HR/9 vs. 1.45).  Of course both the Orioles and Blue Jays can take him deep, but with the way he’s been pitching it’s impossible to sit him…   Seeing Tyler Anderson in this tier is likely a surprise, but look at his May numbers (2.55 ERA, 32 K over 24.2 IP).  Now couple that with a start in San Diego and matchup with the Mariners, who own the worst SLG against left-handed pitchers in the league by a healthy margin (.290).  It all adds up to a must start option…  Julio Teheran hasn’t been great this season, but all of his struggles have come at home (8.40 ERA).  He owns a 0.71 ERA on the road, and with neither offense likely to scare you he’s an extremely good play…

Tier 4 – The Not Quite Must Play, But Nearly Options

• Ervin Santana – Los Angeles Angels – vs. Hou, at LAA
• Jose Berrios – Minnesota Twins – vs. Hou, at LAA
• Sonny Gray – Oakland A’s – at Cle, vs. Was
• Kenta Maeda – Los Angeles Dodgers – at Stl, at Mil
• Trevor Bauer – Cleveland Indians – vs. Oak, at KC
• Mike Leake – St. Louis Cardinals – vs. LAD, at CHC
• Jose Quintana – Chicago White Sox – vs. Bos, at Det

Don’t ignore the risk involved in utilizing Jose Berrios, especially with the start against the Astros, but with the way he’s hit the ground running it’s nearly impossible to consider him as anything but a must start…  Ervin Santana has been spectacular in ’17 (1.80 ERA, 0.83 WHIP), but it’s also impossible to think that he can maintain these numbers (.136 BABIP, 91.5% strand rate).  You are going to use him if you own him, but don’t be surprised if there’s a blowup in his future…

Tier 5 – The Possibilities

• David Price – Boston Red Sox – at CWS, at Bal
• Rich Hill – Los Angeles Dodgers – at Stl, at Mil
• Michael Wacha – St. Louis Cardinals – vs. LAD, at CHC
• Jordan Montgomery – New York Yankees – at Bal, at Tor
• Jeremy Hellickson – Philadelphia Phillies – at Mia, vs. SF
• Tyler Chatwood – Colorado Rockies – vs. Sea, at SD
• Matt Garza – Milwaukee Brewers – at NYM, vs. LAD
• Chris Tillman – Baltimore Orioles – vs. NYY, vs. Bos
• Brad Peacock – Houston Astros – at Min, at Tex
• Matt Moore – San Francisco Giants – vs. Was, at Phi
• Zach Davies – Milwaukee Brewers – at NYM, vs. LAD
• Robert Gsellman – New York Mets – vs. Mil, vs. Pit
• Martin Perez – Texas Rangers – vs. TB, vs. Hou
• Erasmo Ramirez – Tampa Bay Rays – at Tex, at Sea
• Daniel Norris – Detroit Tigers – at KC, vs. CWS

We are all going to want to start David Price, but he didn’t look particularly good in his rehab outings.  We also don’t know how deep he’ll be able to work in either of these starts and we’re always skeptical of someone making their first start off the DL.  In most cases it would make sense to play it safe…  We all want to move Rich Hill up to a higher tier, but do you really trust him?  Throw in a matchup against a surprisingly strong Brewers lineup, who happen to thrive against southpaws, and there is a bit of risk…

Tier 6 – The Untouchables

• Ricky Nolasco – Los Angeles Angels – vs. Atl, vs. Min
• Jason Hammel – Kansas City Royals – vs. Det, vs. Cle
• Edinson Volquez – Miami Marlins – vs. Phi, vs. Ari
• Ariel Miranda – Seattle Mariners – at Col, vs. TB
• Sam Gaviglio – Seattle Mariners – at Col, vs. TB
• Randall Delgado – Arizona Diamondbacks – at Pit, at Mia
• Jarred Cosart – San Diego Padres – vs. CHC, vs. Col
• Trevor Williams – Pittsburgh Pirates – vs. Ari, at NYM
• Lisalverto Bonilla – Cincinnati Reds – at Tor, vs. Atl
• Justin Nicolino – Miami Marlins – vs. Phi, vs. Ari
• Daniel Wright – Los Angeles Angels – vs. Atl, vs. Min

Ariel Miranda has pitched relatively well this season, but he’s a fly ball pitcher with a start in Coors Field.  That basically takes him off the table as an option…

Sources – Fangraphs, MLB.com, CBS Sports

Make sure to check out all of our updated rankings: