Hello and welcome to the eighth installment of our weekly two-start pitcher article for the 2025 MLB season.
I'll be here every Friday to highlight some of the best two-start pitcher options in fantasy baseball leagues for the upcoming week, as well as some streaming options to keep in mind.
Thinking ahead with your weekly strategy can give you an advantage on the waiver wire and hopefully be a difference-maker in the standings at the end of the season.
This is a living document, so we'll update the options below as the weekend moves along.
Before we get into it, we'll start with a couple of notes on situations that may be unresolved or teams that may not have a two-start pitcher lined up for the upcoming week:
It's unclear what the Mariners will wind up doing to fill Bryce Miller's spot in the rotation, but whoever does take the ball on Tuesday would tentatively be scheduled for two starts next week (@ White Sox, @ Astros). Even if it winds up being just the front end, a matchup against the White Sox is still a matchup against the White Sox, and something that fantasy managers should be angling for. We'll track the situation throughout the weekend.
Without further ado, let's dig into the options for the week of May 19.
Going Twice…
Note: Probable pitchers as of Friday, May 16, and are subject to change.
American League
Strong Plays
Tarik Skubal (@ Cardinals, vs. Guardians)
It doesn’t matter what the matchups are, Tarik Skubal is one of the truly elite arms in the game today and he should be started in every single league each and every week. With that being said, Skubal has been pitching out of his mind once again this season, posting a 2.67 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and a silly 71/6 K/BB ratio over 54 innings through his first nine starts. The Cardinals have actually hit left-handers fairly well this season, but Skubal is no ordinary southpaw. He’s one of the top overall plays on the board this week.
Kris Bubic (@ Giants, @ Twins)
Fantasy managers that invested in Bubic late in drafts this spring have been reaping the rewards as the 27-year-old left-hander has compiled a brilliant 1.66 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and a 56/15 K/BB ratio over 54 1/3 innings. There are concerns about his workload and durability that will be addressed at some point this season, but for now he should be started every week while he’s rolling. The Giants and Twins both rank in the bottom half of the league in OPS against left-handed pitching, so the matchups aren’t any reason to shy away from Bubic this week. Enjoy the pile of strikeouts that he’ll provide, just know that his path to earning a victory will be tougher than usual with Robbie Ray and Bailey Ober toeing the slab against him.
Framber Valdez (@ Rays, vs. Mariners)
Fresh off two of his best starts of the season, Valdez looks like an absolute slam-dunk play for his upcoming two-start week. He sports a terrific 3.54 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and a 51/18 K/BB ratio over 56 innings on the season and gets to start his week by tangling with the Rays – a team that owns a pitiful .576 OPS against left-handed pitching on the season. The home tilt against Luis Castillo and the M’s to finish the week isn’t quite as appealing, but overall it’s still a very favorable draw for the Astros’ southpaw. There’s no reason that fantasy managers should be benching him this week, he should be started with complete confidence in all leagues.
Bailey Ober (vs. Guardians, vs. Royals)
With as well as the Twins have been playing recently, streaming any of their starters feels like a good way to make up ground in the wins department. Ober hasn’t quite lived up to his lofty expectations this season, posting a 3.72 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and a 40/12 K/BB ratio over 48 1/3 innings while winning four games through his first nine starts. That line is heavily skewed by a disastrous outing against the Cardinals to open the season though. Since then, he has dominated to the tune of a 2.36 ERA and 1.20 WHIP over 45 2/3 innings in his eight subsequent starts. He gets two tough divisional matchups this week, but that’s no reason to stay away when Ober is throwing the ball this well. He should be started in all leagues this week.
Will Warren (vs. Rangers, @ Rockies)
Don’t look now, but Will Warren is showing real signs of turning his season around. The 25-year-old right-hander has been outstanding over his last three starts, racking up strikeout totals of seven, eight and nine after striking out six or fewer in each of his first 11 big league starts. He has started to bring the ratios down as well and it looks like the breakout that fantasy managers had been hoping for may finally be materializing. The matchups are phenomenal as well with the Rangers and Rockies both ranking in the bottom five teams in OPS against right-handed pitching. We don’t love having to go to Coors Field, but this version of the Rockies doesn’t scare anyone – even there. Warren should be started in all leagues where he’s already rostered and actively targeted in leagues where he’s available – not just as a streaming option for his strong two-start week, but as a potential hold for the remainder of the season.
Chris Bassitt (vs. Padres, @ Rays)
Bassitt has done enough through his first nine starts to earn fantasy managers’ trust heading into a two-start week. He has gone 3-2 with a 3.16 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and a 55/10 K/BB ratio over his 51 1/3 innings of work. He hit a bit of a rough stretch at the end of April and into May, but rebounded with a stellar outing his last time out against the Rays. A rematch against them in Tampa Bay seems ripe for the picking, though the Padres have made a habit of crushing right-handed pitching this season so there’s risk involved in that first start. I’d be comfortable using him in both 12 and 15 team leagues for next week based on his overall body of work this season and the matchup against the Rays.
Decent Plays
Luis Castillo (@ White Sox, @ Astros)
Castillo hasn’t been quite as reliable as we have come to expect from him through his first nine starts on the season. He sports a 3.65 ERA, a troublesome 1.38 WHIP and a 39/20 K/BB ratio over 49 1/3 innings. The decline in strikeouts and the major jump in WHIP are especially concerning. When you’re struggling though, there’s nothing better to get you back on track than a matchup against the White Sox. That helps to mitigate the potential risk from his second start of the week against the Astros in Houston. If you have Castillo on your roster, you obviously have to play him. This week should hopefully be better than most of what he has provided so far this season.
Gunnar Hoglund (vs. Angels, vs. Phillies)
Hoglund has done a nice job through his first three big league starts, compiling a 3.78 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and a 15/4 K/BB ratio across 16 2/3 innings. It’s not ideal that he has to make both of his starts at Sutter Health Park, but the first one against the Angels looks like a premium matchup on paper. His only rough outing so far has been on the road against the Dodgers in his debut, so to me he looks like a pretty safe option overall for the upcoming week. I’d be actively targeting him in any leagues where he may still be available and I’d be comfortable rolling him out there in all formats.
Tomoyuki Sugano (@ Brewers, @ Red Sox)
I don’t think enough people are talking about just how good Sugano has been through his first nine starts with the Orioles. The 35-year-old rookie right-hander holds a terrific 3.08 ERA and 1.03 WHIP across 52 2/3 innings thus far and has given up more than three earned runs just once all season – on Thursday against the Twins where he surrendered four runs in 6 1/3 innings. I get that he’s not going to pile up strikeouts, but in a two-start week, he should be able to contribute 7-9 K’s while helping your ratios and he’s a candidate to earn a victory every time out – especially with how deep he has been working into games. He’s far from the sexiest name on the board, but Sugano is someone that you’re probably going to want to have in your fantasy lineups for the upcoming week.
Ryan Pepiot (vs. Astros, vs. Blue Jays)
While he has shown continued flashes of brilliance, Pepiot has still yet to put it all together and take that next step into the upper echelon of starting pitching options. Through nine starts he sits at 2-5 with a respectable 3.93 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and a 45/17 K/BB ratio across 50 1/3 innings of work. The Astros and Blue Jays both rank in the bottom third of the league in OPS against right-handed pitching and Pepiot will be making both of his starts at home this week, which may not be a benefit. I think you have to throw him out there in both 15 and 12 team formats. Anything shallower than that, it depends on your alternative options.
Hunter Dobbins (vs. Mets, vs. Orioles)
Dobbins has held his own through his first five starts with the Red Sox, posting a 3.90 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and a 23/4 K/BB ratio over 27 2/3 innings. Those numbers looked significantly better before he gave up five runs in a losing effort against the Tigers his last time out. The Mets have been one of the top offenses in the league this season and aren’t a matchup that fantasy managers should be looking to attack. The Orioles also sit in the top 10 in OPS against right-handed pitching. Just glancing at the numbers may lead you to believe that Dobbins is a strong streaming option next week, but I see plenty of risk involved here. If you really need the extra start to attack wins and strikeouts, you can look here, just understand that the ratios may not be as pristine as you would like them to be.
Keider Montero (@ Cardinals, vs. Guardians)
Montero has had mixed results through his first five outings with the Tigers this season, posting a 4.68 ERA, 1.52 WHIP and an 18/11 K/BB ratio over 25 innings. Some of that can be chalked up to the sporadic nature of his starts, as he has been plucked from Triple-A Toledo anytime the team has had a doubleheader or wanted to give their rotation an extra day of rest. With Casey Mize (hamstring) shelved though, he’ll get a chance to settle in to his regular routine and make two starts on regular rest with the big league club during the upcoming week. He’s pitching for what’s currently the best team in baseball so his chances of earning a victory are high this week – and even higher if he’s used behind an opener like he was his last time out. The Cardinals have been great against right-handed pitching, so there’s some risk in that first start, but Montero looks like a decent streaming option overall for the week – someone who could approach double-digit strikeouts with a decent shot at earning a win. That’s enough for me to look his way in 15 and possibly in 12 team formats as well.
José Soriano (@ Athletics, vs. Marlins)
Soriano has done a decent job through his first nine starts on the season, posting a 3.46 ERA, 1.46 WHIP and a 42/23 K/BB ratio over 52 innings. He’s the type of guy that fantasy managers almost never want to use for a single start week but should be considered in two-start weeks when the matchups are favorable. The A’s have actually hit right-handed pitching extremely well this season and having to play them in Sacramento isn’t ideal. The second start against the Marlins in Los Angeles though looks like a premium spot. If you’re looking to bolster your wins and strikeouts while trying to keep your ratios in line, Soriano looks like a decent streaming option for the upcoming week. I know that I’ll be looking his way in leagues where he may be available.
Kyle Hendricks (@ Athletics, vs. Marlins)
Hendricks hasn’t done much through his first eight starts with the Halos, going 1-5 with a 5.18 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and just 25 strikeouts in 41 2/3 innings of work. The only time that he should ever be considered in fantasy leagues are in two-start weeks where the matchups are both favorable. Some would argue that the Athletics and Marlins qualify as such. Here’s what intrigues me about Hendricks for the upcoming week. Wins are so unbelievably difficult to come by in fantasy leagues and he’s scheduled to take on Osvaldo Bido and Cal Quantrill. If he can’t come away with a victory in those spots, then he’s never going to. There’s ratio risk in that first start for sure, and the Marlins aren’t going to be scared of Hendricks either. I do think that he’s actually in play this week though if you’re looking to make up ground in victories.
Patrick Corbin (@ Yankees, @ White Sox)
Alright, so admittedly this one takes a bit of heart. We utilized Corbin as a streaming option last week for his start against the Rockies and he earned a victory for his after a terrific start with a season-high nine strikeouts. He hasn’t allowed more than three runs in any start this season and gets a killer matchup against the White Sox in Chicago next weekend. The problem, is that he first has to travel to New York to take on the Yankees. The Bombers are the best team in baseball against left-handed pitching, with a ridiculous .883 OPS as a team. Can we trust Corbin to not get murdered in that start, and for the matchup against the White Sox to be so good that it can ultimately balance out? Those are the questions that you need to ask yourself. If you’re looking to gain ground in wins and strikeouts, I may hold my breath and hope for the best in that Yankees’ start. I completely understand why someone wouldn’t want to take on that ratio risk though.
At Your Own Risk
Osvaldo Bido (vs. Angels, vs. Phillies)
This would have been a very tough recommendation to make even when Bido was pitching well, but coming off of an absolute disaster against the Dodgers on Thursday night, it’s especially difficult to go back to the well here. Bido hasn’t been pitching deep into games recently and was piggybacked by Jason Alexander on Thursday. You’re at risk of the same thing happening again next week – or of him getting bumped from the rotation altogether. The lone saving grace is the matchup against the Angels. If you’re absolutely desperate in 15 teamers or AL-only formats, you could roll the dice and hope for the best. I’m staying away though.
Dean Kremer (@ Brewers, @ Red Sox)
Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice and I won’t get fooled again. Every time it seems like Kremer has righted the ship and could be a useful fantasy option once again, he lays an egg and inflicts ratio damage on unsuspecting managers. While it’s true that he has pitched better overall over his last three starts, matchups against the Brewers and Red Sox on the road certainly don’t look like a recipe for success. Kremer has also exhibited huge home/road splits on the season, registering a 6.96 ERA in six starts away from Baltimore and a 2.50 ERA at home. If you feel like playing with fire, be my guest, the ratio risk is far too great for me to go there.
Walker Buehler (vs. Mets, vs. Orioles)
If I’m leery of rolling out Hunter Dobbins in these two matchups, then I’m downright frightened to send Buehler out there for the same two-step in his return from the injured list. While he looked good before landing on the injured list, I’d certainly like to see him prove that his shoulder is healthy in live game action before throwing him to the wolves in what looks to be a very difficult two-start setup this week. I won’t be going there this week, but I can understand why you would want to use him in deeper formats if you have him rostered.
Davis Martin (vs. Mariners, vs. Rangers)
I’m having a difficult time getting a read on who Davis Martin actually is as a pitcher. We know that he isn’t going to win many games pitching for the White Sox and he isn’t likely to deliver big totals in strikeouts, which is why he’s hanging around on the waiver wire in most leagues. He has pitched to a 3.65 ERA and 1.36 WHIP over 49 1/3 innings through his first nine outings, ratios that are more meh than good, so what does he actually offer? The only reason I would go here is if I’m desperate to make up ground in wins. The matchup against the Rangers in his second start looks like a spot where he could snag a victory as the Rangers have been brutal against right-handed pitching this season and he’s lined up against Patrick Corbin. I’d like the gamble a whole lot more if it was the first start of the week though, as so many things could change between now and then and you could wind up with just one middling start against the M’s. I probably won’t be going here myself, but there’s at least a case to be made.
Logan Allen (@ Twins, @ Tigers)
Most weeks when Allen is lined up for two starts, he makes for an intriguing streaming option. His lack of strikeouts are mitigated by having two starts and the Guardians are a good team, so there’s usually an opportunity to land in the win column. The matchups this week look especially tough though, having to battle the red-hot Twins in Minnesota on the road to start the week before finishing against the best team in baseball in Motown – both of them divisional matchups so both are very familiar with Allen and his work. The Tigers have been mashing against both-handed pitchers and sport the sixth best OPS in the league against southpaws at the moment. If you can handle the ratio risk and need the extra volume to chase wins and strikeouts in deeper leagues, you could at least look in his direction. I don’t feel as good about it as I usually do when Allen has two starts though.
Gavin Williams (@ Twins, @ Tigers)
Given the preseason hype, I’d like to think that Williams should at least be considered a decent option in most two-start weeks, but that simply hasn’t been the case through his first nine starts. The strikeouts have been there – with 51 punchouts through his first 42 innings – but the 4.29 ERA is pedestrian at best and the 1.64 WHIP is downright killing fantasy managers that have been using him. While he has pitched somewhat better as of late, the WHIP has still been in the stratosphere. It feels like rolling him out against two difficult divisional foes on the road is just asking for punishment. I’ll be avoiding Williams this week and benching him in spots where I have him rostered.
National League
Strong Plays
Spencer Strider (@ Nationals, vs. Padres)
This one has yet to be confirmed, but all signs point to Strider being activated from the injured list to start against the Nationals in Washington on Tuesday – which would line him up for two starts next week. It’s simple, if Strider is healthy and taking the mound you have to have him active in your lineups. The strikeouts should be there regardless and he’s highly unlikely to hurt your ratios. He only threw 65 pitches in his simulated game on Wednesday though, so working deep enough into Tuesday’s start to earn a victory is at least a minor concern. I’d be starting Strider in every single league that I had him rostered.
Jesús Luzardo (@ Rockies, @ Athletics)
Luzardo has pitched like an ace through his first nine starts with the Phillies, going 4-0 with a 2.00 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and a 57/15 K/BB ratio across 54 innings of work. He should be an every week start in every fantasy league, especially for his two-start weeks. This one is particularly juicy as he gets to take on the Rockies as the front half of it. Some years we would be worried about using pitchers in Colorado, but with this historically bad version of the Rockies, we’re comfortable attacking them in all venues. The A’s have been good against left-handed pitching and having to pitch at Sutter Health Park isn’t ideal, but it’s not enough of a reason to stay away from Luzardo this week. Enjoy double digit strikeouts and a strong chance of a victory against the Rockies as a baseline for his week.
Robbie Ray (vs. Royals, @ Nationals)
After a slow start to the season, Ray has turned the corner and started to absolutely dominate over his last five starts – registering a 2.32 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and a 34/11 K/BB ratio across 31 frames while earning three victories. Look for that dominance to continue this week – especially against the Royals who are among the worst teams in all of baseball against southpaws. Fire him up in all leagues and reap the rewards.
Nick Lodolo (@ Pirates, vs. Cubs)
Lodolo has looked very sharp through his first nine starts on the season, registering a 3.42 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and a 42/9 K/BB ratio over 52 2/3 innings. The strikeouts are down a bit from his career norms, but with the terrific WHIP that he has been putting up, fantasy managers will certainly take it. He gets a dreamy matchup against the Pirates in Pittsburgh to start the week before finishing up the two-step with a tilt against Ben Brown and the Cubs at home. To me, Lodolo looks like one of the stronger overall options on the board this week and someone that I would be starting in 100% of leagues.
Logan Henderson (vs. Orioles, @ Pirates)
This one takes a bit of faith, as Henderson hasn’t been confirmed to make these starts just yet, but with how well he has pitched in his first two starts with the Brewers it feels like a foregone conclusion. The 23-year-old hurler has posted a 2.45 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and a 16/2 K/BB ratio across 11 innings to start his big league career, earning victories each time out. Look for the good times to continue this week as he solidifies his spot in the Brewers’ rotation. If he’s hanging around on the waiver wire in your league, now would be the time to rectify that.
Kodai Senga (@ Red Sox, vs. Dodgers)
Senga has looked exceptional through his first eight starts on the season, compiling a minuscule 1.22 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and a 42/19 K/BB ratio across 44 1/3 innings. Results have never been a concern with the 32-year-old right-hander, as he usually delivers when he’s able to take the mound. On paper the matchups don’t look great, having to battle the Red Sox at Fenway Park and then welcome in the Dodgers, but you simply can’t justify benching Senga at this point. He’s an every week start until further notice.
Dylan Cease (@ Blue Jays, @ Braves)
If you have Dylan Cease on your roster you simply can’t sit him for a two-start week. His ratios have been a major problem this season – with a 4.60 ERA and 1.34 WHIP across his first 47 innings – and he has won just one ballgame on a Padres team that has been crushing it. Still, he’s piling up strikeouts with 58 through his first nine starts and his last two starts have been some of the best work that we have seen from him all season. The Jays and Braves both rank in the bottom half of the league in OPS against right-handers, so while the inherent ratio risk will always be there with Cease, this feels like a week where he should repay his managers for the damage that his has inflicted to this point. He should be started in all leagues.
Decent Plays
Sonny Gray (vs. Tigers, vs. Diamondbacks)
Through his first nine starts on the year, Gray has been about who we thought he would be, going 4-1 with a 4.50 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and a 51/12 K/BB ratio across 50 innings of work. He has been substantially better in St. Louis than on the road this season, and that’s where he’ll make both of his starts against strong offenses during the upcoming week. I can’t find a viable reason that Gray should be benched in even the shallowest of leagues. Even if he does struggle in one of those starts, the strikeouts will be there and he has a chance to win every time he takes the mound.
Brandon Pfaadt (@ Dodgers, @ Cardinals)
Pfaadt has pitched relatively well through his first nine starts on the season, going 6-3 with a 3.73 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and a 44/13 K/BB ratio over 50 2/3 innings. A matchup against the Dodgers on the road to start the week isn’t ideal and having to battle the Cardinals to finish it up isn’t the soft landing that some may have expected it to be before the season started. It’s a small sample size, but an added wrinkle here is that Pfaadt’s three worst starts of the season have all been on the road – at the Nationals, Phillies and Giants. His only good road start came in a layup against the Marlins. You probably have to use him in 15 teamers as there probably aren’t better options to fill in, but I could see myself trying to justify putting him on the bench in 12 team formats.
Ben Brown (@ Marlins, @ Reds)
Through his first nine appearances (eight starts), Brown has failed to live up to preseason expectations, posting a troublesome 4.75 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and a 50/16 K/BB ratio over 41 2/3 innings. The strikeouts are great, sure, but those ratios are incredibly painful for fantasy managers to absorb. Fortunately, there should be relief on tap as he gets to take on the Marlins (and Cal Quantrill) in his first start of the upcoming week. He finishes the week with a much tougher battle against Nick Lodolo and the Reds, but it’s not enough to erase the goodness from that first outing. I’d be starting Brown in any leagues that I had him rostered and I’d be looking to acquire him any place he may be hanging around on the waiver wire.
Mitch Keller (vs. Reds, vs. Brewers)
Mitch Keller is who he is at this stage, someone who will provide decent enough ratios and some strikeouts that will struggle to earn victories with the Pirates’ offense backing him. That makes him a potential streaming option when he’s lined up for two starts and someone who is usually avoided for most of his single starts. This week his two starts both come in the spacious confines of PNC Park which should help to keep his ratios in line. The Reds have been middle of the pack against right-handed pitching this season and the Brewers are in the bottom third of the league, so the matchups are in his favor. If he’s laying around on the waiver wire, I don’t mind Keller as a low-risk, medium-reward streaming option.
Landon Knack (vs. Diamondbacks, @ Mets)
As of Thursday evening at least, Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts is leaning towards Knack staying in the team’s rotation as their fifth starter – meaning that he would line up for a pair of starts next week. We all know that pitching for the Dodgers is a great place to mine for victories and Knack also has the ability to pile up strikeouts, with 20 over his first 18 1/3 innings on the season. Is it possible that things get moved around and that second start winds up getting pushed? If so, that’s very troubling as you’d be left with just one start against the Diamondbacks – who sports the second best OPS in the league against right-handed pitching (.815). Stay tuned to the player news over the weekend to make sure that nothing changes, but if he’s a go for Tuesday, I’d be more than fine taking a chance on Knack for his two-start week.
Bailey Falter (vs. Reds, vs. Brewers)
Every time that Falter takes the mound it feels like Pirates’ fans are hoping that he gets destroyed so that the door will be opened for Bubba Chandler to finally ascend to the team’s starting rotation. Unfortunately for them, Falter has actually been serviceable this season – pitching to a 4.02 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and a 34/18 K/BB ratio over 47 innings. The Reds have been worse against southpaws than they have against right-handers this season and the Brewers’ offense has struggled against everyone, making Falter a potentially interesting streaming option for a pair of home starts. You could certainly do a lot worse this week.
Quinn Priester (vs. Orioles, @ Pirates)
While he has been able to log some valuable innings for a Brewers’ squad that was desperate for healthy arms, Priester hasn’t exactly pitched well through his first seven outings – posting a 4.59 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and a 23/21 K/BB ratio across 33 1/3 frames. What he does have going for him, is that he has allowed just one earned run in each of his last two starts and draws an exceptional matchup in his second start of the week, taking on a Pirates’ team that owns a meager .635 OPS against right-handed pitching that’s the second worst mark in all of baseball. I’d feel better if that was the first start of the week, as Aaron Civale or Brandon Woodruff could always return to push him off of that second start. If I needed volume I could see looking his way this week.
At Your Own Risk
Kyle Freeland (vs. Phillies, vs. Yankees)
I don’t think there will be a time all season in which I recommend any Rockies’ pitcher for his two-start week. This one specifically looks especially brutal though. Freeland sits at 0-6 on the season with a horrifying 6.15 ERA and 1.59 WHIP with only 35 strikeouts in 45 1/3 innings. That should be more than enough for you to avoid him. To add to it though, both matchups are against very strong offenses and both are at Coors Field. If that wasn’t bad enough, he’s matched up against Jesus Luzardo and Max Fried in those two starts, so the already minimal chances of earning a win for the Rockies take an even bigger hit. Unless you’re rewarded for pitching poorly and losing games, there’s no reason to start Freeland in any league this week.
Antonio Senzatela (vs. Phillies, vs. Yankees)
Joining his rotation-mate Kyle Freeland, Senzatela also shouldn’t be started in any leagues for his upcoming two-start week. The same logic applies, he’s facing two of the better offenses in all of baseball at Coors Field. He’s also not good at pitching – as evidenced by his 6.39 ERA and cringe-inducing 1.99 WHIP over 42 2/3 innings. He also has a laughable 22 strikeouts in 43 2/3 innings, so he’s helping you in zero categories while inflicting tremendous pain on your ratios. Just say no.
Cal Quantrill (vs. Cubs, @ Angels)
Quantrill has performed well below expectations through his first eight starts with the Marlins, posting a troublesome 7.00 ERA, 1.64 WHIP and a 23/13 K/BB ratio over 36 innings. He has actually been a bit better his last two times out, with perhaps his best start of the season coming against the Dodgers on May 6. The matchups aren’t great, but he’ll be opposing Ben Brown and Kyle Hendricks in those two starts, so there’s at least a small chance that he’s able to snag a victory over the course of the week. Of course, if he gets pounded by the Cubs in that first start, he could also be relegated to the bullpen or designated for assignment, neither of which would be surprising outcomes. There’s no need to take on this sort of unnecessary risk.
Mitchell Parker (vs. Braves, vs. Giants)
It has really been a tale of two seasons for Parker so far in 2025. After completely dominating through each of his first five starts, he has been blasted for a 9.68 ERA and 1.98 WHIP over 17 2/3 innings in his last four starts. Fantasy managers glancing at the season-long line may not realize just how terrible he has been for the past month. Even in two matchups at home, there’s zero reason to take on this type of ratio risk. Parker should be avoided at all costs for the upcoming week.
Streamer City
Here are a couple of my hand-picked streaming options for the upcoming week that are readily available in most fantasy leagues. I’ll track these results throughout the season so you can see how my recommendations have performed.
American League
Jack Leiter, Rangers, RHP (@ White Sox - Saturday 5/24)
It's not quite as deep of a recommendation as we normally give out here, but Leiter is currently available in 71 percent of all Yahoo leagues and should most definitely be streamed for a premium matchup against the White Sox next weekend. He'll give you a handful of strikeouts and solid ratios and should be a favorite to earn a victory there as well.
National League
Nick Martinez, Reds, RHP (@ Pirates - Tuesday 5/20)
Since there aren't any widely available streaming options that are battling the Rockies next week, we'll do the next best thing and attack the Pirates instead. Martinez has pitched well through his first nine starts, posting a 3.66 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and a 40/11 K/BB ratio over 51 2/3 innings. The Pirates own a miserable .635 OPS against right-handed pitching and Martinez should absolutely be able to exploit them here. Expect a win and 5+ strikeouts. Not bad for someone that's available in 67 percent of all Yahoo leagues at the moment.
Last Week's Review
Patrick Corbin, Rangers, LHP (vs. Rockies - Wednesday 5/14)
We discussed it a bit in the recommendation for Corbin above, but the left-hander came through in a big way in his single start against the Rockies this week — racking up a season high nine strikeouts over six innings of three-run baseball to earn a victory over the Rockies. That's something that all fantasy managers could have benefitted from.
Ben Brown Cubs, RHP (vs. Marlins - Tuesday 5/13)
Brown pitched well in his matchup against the Marlins, giving up two runs on five hits while striking out six batters over 5 1/3 innings of work. Unfortunately, despite the fact that the Cubs won the game, he did not factor into the decision. Still, it was a strong start though and we'll absolutely take those types of results from a streaming recommendation.
