The Double Dip: Fantasy baseball 2-start pitchers for the week

We’re back again for this week’s fantasy baseball Double Dip — highlighting pitchers making two starts in a week. Some of the plays may be obvious — you don’t need a 1,000-word soliloquy highlighting why it’s a good idea to start Jacob deGrom twice. You just do it. 

But volume is key, especially two-start-pitcher volume. This column aims to identify all the two-start hurlers, the ones that are no-brainers, the ones that are avoids, and most importantly, focus on the tough-to-call decisions. 

Each week, I’ll do my best to highlight some of those tricky arms and what could come your way.

All of the two-steppers (27)

1. Merrill Kelly, AZ (vs MIL, at SD)
2. Ian Anderson, ATL (at NYM, at CIN)
3. Charlie Morton, ATL (at NYM, at CIN)
4. Keegan Akin, BAL (vs HOU, at TOR)
5. Jorge López, BAL (vs HOU, at TOR)
6. Eduardo Rodríguez, BOS (at TB, vs NYY)
7. Adbert Alzolay, CHC (vs CLE, at LAD)
8. Tyler Mahle, CIN (at MIN, vs ATL)
9. Tarik Skubal, DET (vs STL, vs HOU)
10. Jake Odorizzi, HOU (at BAL, at DET)
11. Brady Singer, KC (at NYY, at TEX)
12. Julio Urías, LAD (at SD, vs CHC)
13. Clayton Kershaw, LAD (at SD, vs CHC)
14. Sandy Alcantara, MIA (vs TOR, vs WAS)
15. J.A. Happ, MIN (vs CIN, vs CLE)
16. Jacob deGrom, NYM (vs ATL, vs PHI)
17. Gerrit Cole, NYY (vs KC, at BOS)
18. Frankie Montas, OAK (at TEX, at SF)
19. Cole Irvin, OAK (at TEX, at SF)
20. Zach Eflin, PHI (vs WAS, at NYM)
21. Tyler Anderson, PIT (vs CWS, at ATL)
22. Yu Darvish, SD (vs LAD, vs AZ)
23. Johan Oviedo, STL (at DET, vs PIT)
24. Ryan Yarbrough, TB (vs BOS, vs LAA)
25. Kyle Gibson, TEX (vs OAK, vs KC)
26. Jordan Lyles, TEX (vs OAK, vs KC)
27. Ross Stripling, TOR (at MIA, vs BAL)

The no-brainers (19)

This group should definitely be in your starting lineup — whether it’s due to matchup or just sheer brilliance, don’t overthink this one. This is a larger group than regular, mostly due to excellent matchups.

• Ian Anderson, ATL (at NYM, at CIN)
• Charlie Morton, ATL (at NYM, at CIN)
• Eduardo Rodríguez, BOS (at TB, vs NYY)
• Adbert Alzolay, CHC (vs CLE, at LAD)
• Tyler Mahle, CIN (at MIN, vs ATL)
• Tarik Skubal, DET (vs STL, vs HOU)
• Jake Odorizzi, HOU (at BAL, at DET)
• Julio Urías, LAD (at SD, vs CHC)
• Clayton Kershaw, LAD (at SD, vs CHC)
• Sandy Alcantara, MIA (vs TOR, vs WAS)
• Jacob deGrom, NYM (vs ATL, vs PHI)
• Gerrit Cole, NYY (vs KC, at BOS)
• Frankie Montas, OAK (at TEX, at SF)
• Cole Irvin, OAK (at TEX, at SF)
• Zach Eflin, PHI (vs WAS, at NYM)
• Yu Darvish, SD (vs LAD, vs AZ)
• Johan Oviedo, STL (at DET, vs PIT)
• Ryan Yarbrough, TB (vs BOS, vs LAA)
• Kyle Gibson, TEX (vs OAK, vs KC)

The run-and-hides (4)

This group should only be started out of pure desperation — the volume is nice, and it definitely could end up working out for you, but starting these hurlers is a real gamble. 

• Merrill Kelly, AZ (vs MIL, at SD)
• Keegan Akin, BAL (vs HOU, at TOR)
• Jorge López, BAL (vs HOU, at TOR)
• J.A. Happ, MIN (vs CIN, vs CLE)

The meat and potatoes (4)

This group is one that takes a bit more thinking — the volume is nice, but the matchup could be tricky. Is it worth taking the risk on a questionable start for what could be some juicy fantasy goodness? Let’s dig in and find out.

And since they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I am going to use a similar rating scale that Clay Link and Todd Zola do over at Rotowire — if I was playing in five fantasy baseball leagues, how many would I feel comfortable starting this hurler? Using that as our barometer, we should be able to appropriately deem the risk and reward that’s available if you choose to start this arm. Keep in mind — your league and team context are always key. I’m using a 12-team NFBC Online Championship format as my primary backdrop.

• Brady Singer, KC (at NYY, at TEX, 100%) — TWO LEAGUES OUT OF FIVE: Not only do Singer’s matchups scare me just a tad, especially with Texas hitting better as of late, he’s actually been pretty poor, and that’s before he left with a slight injury last game. I am actually a bit surprised he is still expected to start after leaving with right shoulder tightness, but here we are.
• Tyler Anderson, PIT (vs. CWS, at ATL, 24%) — ONE AND A HALF: Look fam, I know that Anderson has been much improved. MUCH. But these two matchups are a disaster. The White Sox blast lefties (league-leading team wOBA), and Truist Park plays like a band box, ranking top-10 in terms of park factor and home-run factor. Tread carefully.
• Jordan Lyles, TEX (vs. OAK, vs. KC, 0%) — TWO: Of the questionable two-steppers, Lyles probably has the best of the matchups, but this still isn’t great. On the season, Lyles is rocking a 5.68 ERA and 1.56 WHIP, and he is being undone by the long ball — he allowed four homers in his last outing.