For those who made it to their head-to-head fantasy baseball playoffs, congrats! Don't divert from the strategy that got you to the postseason. Hopefully, that blueprint involved this two-start pitchers piece. If so, here is the complete list, along with my suggestions...
Probable two-start pitchers:
Matt Andriese, TB (vs. BAL, @ NYY)
Homer Bailey, CIN (vs. NYM, @ PIT)
Chad Bettis, COL (vs. SF, @ SD)
Luis Cessa, NYY (vs. TOR, vs. TB)
Bartolo Colon, NYM (@ CIN, @ ATL)
Zach Davies, MIL (vs. CHC, @ STL)
Pat Dean, MIN (vs. KC, vs. CLE)
Ross Detwiler, OAK (vs. LAA, vs. SEA)
Jerad Eickhoff, PHI (@ MIA, @ WAS)
Jake Esch, MIA (vs. PHI, vs. LAD)
Mike Fiers, HOU (@ CLE, vs. CHC)
Gio Gonzalez, WAS (vs. ATL, vs. PHI)
Zack Greinke, ARI (@ LAD, vs. SF)
Cole Hamels, TEX (@ SEA, @ LAA)
Kyle Hendricks, CHC (@ MIL, @ HOU)
Felix Hernandez, SEA (vs. TEX, @ OAK)
Rich Hill, LAD (vs. ARI, @ MIA)
Edwin Jackson, SD (vs. BOS, vs. COL)
Ubaldo Jimenez, BAL (@ TB, @ DET)
Chad Kuhl, PIT (vs. STL, vs. CIN)
Corey Kluber, CLE (vs. HOU, @ MIN)
Colin McHugh, HOU (@ CLE, vs. CHC)
Matt Moore, SF (@ COL, @ ARI)
Adam Morgan, PHI (@ MIA, @ WAS)
James Paxton, SEA (vs. TEX, @ OAK)
Drew Pomeranz, BOS (@ SD, @ TOR)
Chris Sale, CWS (vs. DET, vs. KC)
Max Scherzer, WAS (vs. ATL, vs. PHI)
Robert Stephenson, CIN (vs. NYM, @ PIT)
Masahiro Tanaka, NYY (vs. TOR, vs. TB)
Josh Tomlin, CLE (vs. HOU, @ MIN)
Justin Verlander, DET (@ CWS, vs. BAL)
Ryan Vogelsong, PIT (vs. STL, vs. CIN)
Edinson Volquez, KC (@ MIN, @ CWS)
Adam Wainwright, STL (@ PIT, vs. MIL)
Jered Weaver, LAA (@ OAK, vs. TEX)
Luke Weaver, STL (@ PIT, vs. MIL)
Matt Wisler, ATL (@ WAS, vs. NYM)
Cream of the crop:
Max Scherzer, WAS (vs. ATL, vs. PHI)
Mad Max is in his zone. Scherzer has punched out at least 10 batters in back-to-back games and only allowed two total runs in during that span. Both of his starts are at home this week. In 2016, Scherzer is 5-3 with a 2.33 ERA at Nationals Park.
Corey Kluber, CLE (vs. HOU, @ MIN)
The Klubot is on a role. Since the All-Star break, he is 6-0 with a 2.04 ERA. Kluber has also tallied seven strikeouts in four straight performances.
Chris Sale, CWS (vs. DET, vs. KC)
He's tallied at least eight inning of action in three consecutive outings. In those 25 innings, Sale allowed only five earned runs. Like Scherzer, both of his starts this week are in his home park, too. He is 8-3 with a 3.89 ERA at U.S. Cellular Field in 2016.
Potential bargain:
Luke Weaver, STL (@ PIT, vs. MIL)
Even though he didn't get the win, his last outing was Weaver's best: 6 IP, 3 ER, and 10 K. He has notched at least six strikeouts in three consecutive starts. With the Brewers on his schedule this week, you know he'll hit that strikeout total, again.
Avoid at all costs:
Matt Moore, SF (@ COL, @ ARI)
He's pitching in two of the worst environments this week: Colorado and Arizona. Moore only has one start in each location and he's a combined 0-1 with nine earned runs in 12 innings.
Pat Dean, MIN (vs. KC, vs. CLE)
Not only has Dean allowed at least six earned runs in back-to-back starts, but he gets to face two clubs fighting for a division title. Also, at home, Dean is 0-1 with a 5.96 ERA in 25.2 innings this season.
