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

The Double Dip is a new column over at FTN for fantasy baseball — and it’s meant to highlight pitchers that are making two starts in a week. Some of the plays may be obvious — you don’t need me telling you that when Jacob deGrom is starting twice, a 1,000-word soliloquy highlighting why it’s a good idea to start him. 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 (44)

• Madison Bumgarner, AZ (vs. OAK, at WAS)
• Merrill Kelly, AZ (vs. OAK, at WAS)
• Max Fried, ATL (vs. MIA, at CHC)
• Huascar Ynoa, ATL (vs. MIA, at CHC)
• Dean Kremer, BAL (vs. SEA, at TEX)
• John Means, BAL (vs. SEA, at TEX)
• Martín Pérez, BOS (at MIN, vs. CWS)
• Nathan Eovaldi, BOS (at MIN, vs. CWS)
• Adbert Alzolay, CHC (at MIL, vs. AZ)
• Wade Miley, CIN (at SF, vs. CLE)
• Shane Bieber, CLE (at CWS, at CIN)
• Triston McKenzie, CLE (at CWS, at CIN)
• Antonio Senzatela, COL (at LAD, vs. NYM)
• Carlos Rodón, CHW (vs. CLE, at BOS)
• Lucas Giolito, CHW (vs. CLE, at BOS)
• Zack Greinke, HOU (vs. DET, at SEA)
• Brady Singer, KC (vs. LAA, vs. TOR)
• Danny Duffy, KC (vs. LAA, vs. TOR)
• Dustin May, LAD (vs. COL, at SD)
• Sandy Alcantara, MIA (at ATL, vs. SF)
• Pablo López, MIA (at ATL, vs. SF)
• Freddy Peralta, MIL (vs. CHC, vs. PIT)
• J.A. Happ, MIN (vs. BOS, at LAA)
• Kenta Maeda, MIN (vs. BOS, at LAA)
• David Peterson, NYM (vs. PHI, at COL)
• Taijuan Walker, NYM (vs. PHI, at COL)
• Gerrit Cole, NYY (at TOR, vs. TB)
• Chris Bassitt, OAK (at AZ, vs. DET)
• Chase Anderson, PHI (at NYM, vs. STL)
• Aaron Nola, PHI (at NYM, vs. STL)
• Trevor Cahill, PIT (vs. SD, at MIL)
• Chad Kuhl, PIT (vs. SD, at MIL)
• Yu Darvish, SD (at PIT, vs. LAD)
• Blake Snell, SD (at PIT, vs. LAD)
• Justus Sheffield, SEA (at BAL, vs. HOU)
• Aaron Sanchez, SF (vs. CIN, at MIA)
• John Gant, STL (vs. WAS, at PHI)
• Tyler Glasnow, TB (vs. TEX, at NYY)
• Ryan Yarbrough, TB (vs. TEX, at NYY)
• Dane Dunning, TEX (at TB, vs. BAL)
• Kyle Gibson, TEX (at TB, vs. BAL)
• Robbie Ray, TOR (vs. NYY, at KC)
• Hyun Jin Ryu, TOR (vs. NYY, at KC)
• Stephen Strasburg, WAS (at STL, vs. AZ)

The no-brainers (17)

This group should definitely be in your starting lineup — whether it’s due to matchup or just sheer brilliance, don’t overthink this one.

• Max Fried, ATL (vs. MIA, at CHC)
• John Means, BAL (vs. SEA, at TEX)
• Nathan Eovaldi, BOS (at MIN, vs. CWS)
• Shane Bieber, CLE (at CWS, at CIN)
• Lucas Giolito, CHW (vs. CLE, at BOS)
• Zack Greinke, HOU (vs. DET, at SEA)
• Dustin May, LAD (vs. COL, at SD)
• Sandy Alcantara, MIA (at ATL, vs. SF)
• Pablo López, MIA (at ATL, vs. SF)
• Kenta Maeda, MIN (vs. BOS, at LAA)
• Gerrit Cole, NYY (at TOR, vs. TB)
• Aaron Nola, PHI (at NYM, vs. STL)
• Yu Darvish, SD (at PIT, vs. LAD)
• Blake Snell, SD (at PIT, vs. LAD)
• Tyler Glasnow, TB (vs. TEX, at NYY)
• Hyun Jin Ryu, TOR (vs. NYY, at KC)
• Stephen Strasburg, WAS (at STL, vs. AZ)

The run-and-hides (13)

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. 

• Madison Bumgarner, AZ (vs. OAK, at WAS, 93% rostered in 12-team NFBC formats) — The punchless Athletics may tempt you into playing MadBum, but don’t fall into this trap. In two starts, the veteran southpaw has been blasted for 15 hits and 11 earned runs over 9 innings. Yuck.
• Merrill Kelly, AZ (vs. OAK, at WAS, 6%) — See Bumgarner. Kelly has been torched so far this year. Don’t fall into the trap.
• Huascar Ynoa, ATL (vs. MIA, at CHC, 0%) — This reeks of desperation. Ynoa likely won’t pitch deep enough to qualify for the win, and that Cub offense seems to be returning to past glory.
• Martín Pérez, BOS (at MIN, vs. CWS, 1%) — See crusty old vet comment with Bumgarner, and despite missing White Sox bats, I want no part of this.
• Triston McKenzie, CLE (at CWS, at CIN, 95%) — Second and third starts of the season for McKenzie, who was terrible this spring (21 runs allowed in 20.1 innings). Lack of ability and poor matchups worry me.
• Antonio Senzatela, COL (at LAD, vs. NYM, 0%) — Terrible matchups and a date in Coors.
• Danny Duffy, KC (vs. LAA, vs. TOR, 4%) — I know, six scoreless in his first start. But facing these two powerful offenses has me nervous. Stay away.
• David Peterson, NYM (vs. PHI, at COL, 98%) — I’m not sure Peterson or Walker want to face either of these teams, and certainly not in Coors with forecasted warm weather.
• Taijuan Walker, NYM (vs. PHI, at COL, 99%) — See Peterson comment. This is a trap.
• Chase Anderson, PHI (at NYM, vs. STL, 0%) — The second start against the poor Cardinals offense is tantalizing, but this feels like chasing volume.
• Trevor Cahill, PIT (vs. SD, at MIL, 0%) — A disaster of a first start (four innings, nine hits, seven earned). Despite losing Fernando Tatis Jr. the Padres still have a lot of pop.
• Chad Kuhl, PIT (vs. SD, at MIL, 1%) — Kuhl has only racked up seven innings combined in two starts while allowing five earned in the process. He is mightily struggling with command.
• Kyle Gibson, TEX (at TB, vs. BAL, 1%) — Almost a redux of Kuhl. Two starts, 6.1 IP, and 5 earned runs. He’s buried your pitching staffs early if you started him (like me!).

The meat and potatoes (14)

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 so 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.

• Dean Kremer, BAL (vs. SEA, at TEX, 1%) — TWO LEAGUES OUT OF FIVE — This definitely has some risk to it, but the Texas offense, as evidenced by Joe Musgrove’s no-hitter, provides some appeal. Kremer flashes above average stuff and could make for a sneaky play.
• Adbert Alzolay, CHC (at MIL, vs. AZ, 61%) — THREE:  I love Alzolay. The young Cub hurler beat out Alec Mills for the final rotation spot, and he’s flashed outstanding stuff with a plus slider. The swing-and-miss happy Brewers (31.6% in 2021, second highest in baseball) and a Ketel Marte-less Diamondbacks make this matchup appealing.
• Wade Miley, CIN (at SF, vs. CLE, 1%)  — ONE: If you are truly desperate for innings, Miley isn’t the worst option. The matchups are navigable, but don’t expect a ton of whiffs — while early on the Giants are striking out at a rapid clip (27.8%), the Indians rank as one of the five-hardest teams to strike out,
• Carlos Rodón, CHW (vs. CLE, at BOS, 94%) — THREE: Man, this two-step got less appealing as Boston’s offense appears to be heating up. But Rodon has shown increased velocity, and he will need that against Boston’s offense.
• Brady Singer, KC (vs. LAA, vs. TOR, 93%) — TWO: This is an interesting week. It’s two excellent offenses and despite a poor start, I do believe in Singer. Watch the second start in particular — the Jays strike out 28.1% of the time.
• Freddy Peralta, MIL (vs. CHC, vs. PIT, 100%) — FOUR: Facing a team a second time in such a short time span is frightening, but Peralta continued his brilliance with eight whiffs in five scoreless innings over the Cubs. Add in a second matchup against Pittsburgh? Yes please.
• J.A. Happ, MIN (vs. BOS, at LAA, 32%)  — TWO: Probably not for me, especially given the difficulty in striking these two teams out. But Happ should pitch moderately deep if you are chasing wins.
• Chris Bassitt, OAK (at AZ, vs. DET, 100%) — FIVE: Bassitt has been rock solid as a started and gets two poor offenses to start. Detroit has begun 2021 whiffing at a 28.2% clip.
• Justus Sheffield, SEA (at BAL, vs. HOU, 81%) — THREE:  Sheffield struggled in his first turn this season against the powerful White Sox offense, and the Astros are no slouch, either, whiffing at a league-best 19.2% rate. I do like the heavier reliance on the slider.
• Aaron Sanchez, SF (vs. CIN, at MIA, 1%) — THREE: The first matchup against the Reds is arguably the tougher of the two. He was excellent against the Padres, firing 51 strikes in 74 pitches and allowing a lone Eric Hosmer single. Can he keep it up?
• John Gant, STL (vs. WAS, at PHI, 14%)  — TWO: I am a Gant believer. And typically, as a St. Louisan, I am notoriously difficult on Cardinals. Gant has a plus change and while he only went four innings in his first start, he’s got the chops to stick around when Kwang Hyun-Kim returns. The matchups are what scare me the most.
• Ryan Yarbrough, TB (vs. TEX, at NYY, 100%) — TWO: Yarbrough was destroyed in his last outing — six ugly earned runs, and his velocity, while never blazing, was down a mile and a half. The Rangers matchup isn’t frightening, but the Bronx Bombers are.
• Dane Dunning, TEX (at TB, vs. BAL, 46%) — FOUR: Dunning dazzled the Blue Jays in his first outing, striking out six batters in five innings. He didn’t get the win, but he showcased improved command with no walks. These matchups are also solid, including Baltimore’s whopping 34.3% strikeout rate.
• Robbie Ray, TOR (vs. NYY, at KC, 96%) — ONE: Having been burned too many times by Ray, I just can’t buy in. Yet. He did look solid in spring training, and these are both offenses that will make you work.