The grind is starting to get to some pitchers as we are seeing more and more injuries and call-ups, which impacts the fantasy baseball season, too. It's time to see which new additions to the rotations will stick and who will be a flash-in-the-pan.
Probable two-start pitchers:
Chris Archer, TB (vs. BOS, vs. DET)
Jake Arrieta, CHC (@ CIN, @ NYM)
Trevor Bauer, CLE (@ ATL, @ TOR)
Adam Conley, MIA (@ DET, @ ATL)
Danny Duffy, KC (vs. STL, @ PHI)
Marco Estrada, TOR (@ COL, vs. CLE)
John Gant, ATL (vs. CLE, vs. MIA)
Kyle Gibson, MIN (@ CWS, vs. TEX)
Kendall Graveman, OAK (@ SF, vs. PIT)
Jon Gray, COL (vs. TOR, @ LAD)
Junior Guerra, MIL (vs. LAD, @ STL)
Cole Hamels, TEX (@ NYY, @ MIN)
J.A. Happ, TOR (@ COL, vs. CLE)
Matt Harvey, NYM (@ WAS, vs. CHC)
Hisashi Iwakuma, SEA (vs. PIT, vs. BAL)
Scott Kazmir, LAD (@ PIT, vs. COL)
Corey Kluber, CLE (@ ATL, @ TOR)
John Lamb, CIN (vs. CHC, @ WAS)
Jon Lester, CHC (@ CIN, @ NYM)
Francisco Liriano, PIT (vs. LAD, @ OAK)
Collin McHugh, HOU (@ LAA, vs. CWS)
Daniel Mengden, OAK (@ SF, vs. PIT)
Adam Morgan, PHI (@ ARI, vs. KC)
Ivan Nova, NYY (vs. TEX, @ SD)
Jose Quintana, CWS (vs. MIN, @ HOU)
Robbie Ray, ARI (vs. PHI, vs. SF)
Tanner Roark, WAS (vs. NYM, vs. CIN)
Eduardo Rodriguez, BOS (@ TB, vs. LAA)
Joe Ross, WAS (vs. NYM, vs. CIN)
CC Sabathia, NYY (vs. TEX, @ SD)
Jeff Samardzija, SF (vs. OAK, @ ARI)
Matt Shoemaker, LAA (vs. HOU, @ BOS)
Blake Snell, TB (vs. BOS, vs. DET)
Dan Straily, CIN (vs. CHC, @ WAS)
Albert Suarez, SF (vs. OAK, @ ARI)
Noah Syndergaard, NYM (@ WAS, vs. CHC)
Julio Urias, LAD (@ MIL, vs. COL)
Yordano Ventura, KC (vs. STL, @ PHI)
Michael Wacha, STL (@ KC, vs. MIL)
Adam Wainwright, STL (@ KC, vs. MIL)
Matt Wisler, ATL (vs. CLE, vs. MIA)
Cream of the crop:
Jake Arrieta/Jon Lester, CHC (@ CIN, @ NYM)
This one-two punch has been trouble for opposing teams all season. Both Arrieta and Lester have at least nine wins and a sub-2.11 ERA. Even though both games are on the road this week, these two arms can handle it. Arrieta is 7-0 with a 1.84 ERA on the road this season and Lester is 5-1 with a 1.83 ERA away from Wrigley in 2016.
Corey Kluber, CLE (@ ATL, @ TOR)
This season, Kluber has struggled after pitching a complete game. However, with the Braves on the docket next, the Klubot just might throw another CG.
Potential bargains:
Julio Urias, LAD (@ MIL, vs. COL)
He certainly has settled down from his first two outings. Recently, Urias has allowed two earned runs or less in four-straight performances. He also has notched at least six Ks in those outings. Urias will get to face two teams that he's already faced once this year. He has a combined 15 strikeouts and allowed only one earned run in nine innings of work against Milwaukee and Colorado.
Daniel Mengden, OAK (@ SF, vs. PIT)
Though he hasn't earned his first career win, Mengden is racking up the Ks. In his last start, against the Brewers, Mengden struck out nine batters in six innings of work. He now has 21 punch outs in 18 innings this season. Whenever a pitcher has more strikeouts than innings pitched, they are a great fantasy baseball addition in my book.
Avoid at all costs:
John Lamb, CIN (vs. CHC, @ WAS)
Facing two first-place clubs in one week is a difficult task. The Cubs have scored the third-most runs in baseball (384 runs) and the Nats have the second-best team slugging percentage against left-handed pitchers (.474 SLG).
J.A. Happ, TOR (@ COL, vs. CLE)
A left-handed pitcher facing the Rockies in Coors Field is likely bad news for the opposing team. Colorado has the best batting average at home (.304 AVG) and has scored the third-most runs at home (211 runs).
