This is far from a banner week for two-start pitchers in fantasy baseball, with one appealing option and a second man who can be started in many leagues. Those who can’t grab Andrew Heaney or Michael Lorenzen may want to look at the best one-start options, as there are at least a half-dozen who deserve attention. On the hitting side, there are plenty of easy streamers to grab from the Marlins and Rockies, who will open the week with four games at Coors Field.
Two-Start Pitchers (listed in order of preference)
Andrew Heaney, 21% (@CWS, vs. OAK)
Managers who look past Heaney’s 4-13 record will see that he is the best two-start option this week. The southpaw rarely goes deep into games, but he has a solid 9.1 K/9 rate and should produce a double-digit strikeout total over two favorable starts. He has outstanding win potential against the 31-100 White Sox, and he should maintain low ratios against an A’s offense that ranks 25th in runs scored.
Michael Lorenzen, 23% (@CLE, @HOU)
Since joining the Royals at the trade deadline, Lorenzen has continued a season-long pattern of achieving greater success than his peripherals would suggest. The veteran righty has gone 2-0 with a 1.99 ERA in four starts with his new team, enjoying a .231 BABIP that has allowed him to overcome an unimpressive 16:9 K:BB ratio.
Lorenzen’s matchups are fairly difficult next week, as he will face two division leaders who are slightly above average in runs scored. He is best left for those in deep roto formats or head-to-head leagues.
Brant Hurter, 1% (@CWS, vs. BOS)
After following an opener in his past four outings, Hurter will work as a traditional starter this week. The southpaw has logged helpful fantasy stats (3.57 ERA, 0.79 WHIP) and an impressive 17:1 K:BB ratio, and he has terrific win potential in his matchup against the White Sox. The 25-year-old was far from dominant in the minors, and his second matchup is a challenging one, which will keep him out of most roto lineups. Hurter’s greatest streaming appeal this week is as a reliever in head-to-head formats.
Mitchell Parker, 18% (vs. NYY, vs. CHC)
Parker has been one of baseball’s least consistent pitchers of late. The southpaw has allowed a total of three earned runs in four of his past five starts. The other outing was a nine-run disaster in Philadelphia. Prior to those five outings,…