Fantasy Baseball 2-Start Pitcher Rankings: This Brewers starter appears to be only quality option this week

This week’s list of two-start streamers for fantasy baseball is one of the shallowest groups of the year. Milwaukee Brewers' Chad Patrick stands out as the best option by a wide margin, as the pitchers who trail him either have difficult matchups or have earned little trust from fantasy managers this year. 

The hitting streamers are shallow as well. Every team who plays four games over the next four days is set to face a quality pitching staff. And the team with the most favorable schedule (Dodgers) has eight hitters who are rostered in at least 75% of leagues. This is truly a week where only the early birds will catch the worms.

[Smarter waivers, better trades, optimized lineups — Yahoo Fantasy Plus unlocks it all]

Two-Start Pitchers (listed in order of preference)

Chad Patrick, Brewers, 37% (vs. PIT, vs. COL)

Patrick is the best streamer by a wide margin this week. Not only has he pitched well this year (3.50 ERA, 76:26 K:BB ratio), but is scheduled to make home starts against the Pirates (30th in runs scored on the road) and Rockies (27th in runs scored on the road). Patrick will be a one-week asset in the shallowest leagues, and then can return to waivers in 10-team formats.

Eduardo Rodríguez, D-backs, 26% (@ CWS, vs. MIA)

Rodríguez has started to recover from a miserable start to the season by posting a 2.81 ERA across three starts in June. The lefty was far from dominant in those three outings (12:4 K:BB, 3 HR), and normally I would say that managers should wait until he strings together additional effective starts. However, his matchups are stellar this week. The Marlins sit 23rd in runs scored, the White Sox rank 28th, and the two teams have combined for a 56-98 record this season. That’s enough of a reason to grab Rodríguez in 12-team leagues.

Justin Verlander, Giants, 20% (vs. MIA, @ CWS)

In his return from a one-month stint on the injured list, Verlander did some good things (6:1 K:BB ratio) during an otherwise unimpressive start (4.2 IP, 3 ER, 7 H). The veteran with a 4.45 ERA and 1.43 WHIP would normally rank much lower on this list if not for a pair of stellar matchups against two of the worst offenses in baseball.

Eric Lauer, Blue Jays, 6% (@ CLE, @ BOS)

After spending last season in the KBO, Lauer is having his best professional season (2.29 ERA, 0.93 WHIP). He has benefited from good fortune (.212 BABIP) but also deserves credit for posting a 36:11 K:BB ratio across 35.1 innings. There is no doubt that the left-hander is pitching over his head right now and is due for an eventual decline. Still, his ERA estimators average out to the mid-3.00’s, which makes him worthy of a temporary gamble against one team that has struggled against lefties (Cleveland) and one that has been excellent in those matchups (Boston).

Luis Severino, Athletics, 23% (@ DET, @ NYY)

Severino has the most dramatic home/road splits of any full-time starter, logging a 6.79 ERA at home and a 0.93 mark when working away from his hitter-friendly home park. His K:BB ratio is similar at home or on the road, with homer suppression and BABIP being the biggest causes for the large discrepancy. The right-hander will be fortunate to make two road starts this week, although he could struggle against a Yankees team that has been excellent at home and against righties.

Chris Paddack, Twins, 14% (vs. SEA, @ DET)

The clock seems to have struck midnight on Paddack, who had a 3.53 ERA on June 12 before allowing 12 earned runs over nine innings in two starts. He has struck out just six batters in his past three outings, and his 6.3 K/9 rate this season is a strong indicator that he was pitching over his head for a couple months. The Mariners and Tigers have both been average against right-handers, but an average offense might be good enough to give Paddack a hard time.

Shane Smith, White Sox, 33% (vs. ARI, vs. SF)

Smith faltered in his last start (4.1 IP, 5 ER, 2 SO) but still has solid fantasy stats (2.85 ERA, 1.22 WHIP) thanks to his outstanding ability to keep the ball in the yard (four home runs allowed this season). The right-hander should be able to handle an average Giants lineup, but his start against a D-backs offense that ranks second the Majors in OPS vs. righties (.803) is enough of a reason to keep him on the waiver wire in most leagues.

Walker Buehler, Red Sox, 35% (@ LAA, vs. TOR)

A disappointing season for Buehler reached a new low point when he was tagged for eight runs across 3.1 innings in Seattle last time out. The right-hander has logged just one quality start in his past six tries, and his lone redeeming quality this week is he could collect several strikeouts against an Angels offense that leads the AL in that category.

Taj Bradley, Rays, 46% (@ KC, @ BAL)

At the beginning of June, I would have enthusiastically recommended Bradley for a two-start week with favorable matchups. But I can’t take the plunge right now, as the right-hander has allowed 19 runs (13 earned) over 9.1 innings in his past three starts. His K:BB ratio in those three games was 9:7, and he surrendered three home runs. Using him this week is too great of a risk.

One-Start Streamers

In order, here are the best streamers for the week, with their start date and Yahoo roster rate in brackets.

• Michael Wacha vs. TB (Wednesday, 46%)

• Hayden Birdsong vs. MIA (Thursday, 32%)

• Quinn Priester vs. COL (Saturday, 43%)

• José Quintana vs. COL (Friday, 20%)

• Chase Burns vs. NYY (Tuesday, 43%)

• José Soriano vs. WSH (Friday, 40%)

• Landen Roupp @ CWS (Friday, 24%)

• Jake Irvin @ LAA (Friday, 22%)

• Ryne Nelson @ CWS (Tuesday, 10%)

• Brandon Walter vs. CHC (Friday, 21%)

• Tomoyuki Sugano vs. TEX (Wednesday, 24%)

• Charlie Morton vs. TEX (Tuesday, 25%)

• Gavin Williams vs. TOR (Wednesday, 47%)

• Mick Abel @ ATL (Friday, 35%)

• Max Scherzer @ CLE (Wednesday, 40%)

• Mitch Keller vs. NYM (Saturday, 36%)

• Andrew Heaney @ MIL (Tuesday, 21%)

• Slade Cecconi vs. STL (Saturday, 14%)

• Lucas Giolito vs. TOR (Saturday, 38%)

• Cade Horton @ HOU (Friday, 25%)

Favorable Monday-Thursday hitting matchups

Braves @ Mets: Although the Mets will deploy some solid starters, hitters on the Braves are still good volume plays for four games against righties. There are a pair of widely available Atlanta hitters who bat from the left side and should have a productive series — outfielder Alex Verdugo (1%) and catcher Drake Baldwin (15%).

Giants vs. Marlins: San Francisco should score often against three mediocre right-handed starters and a relief corps with a 4.50 ERA. Mike Yastrzemski (7%) is widely available and bats leadoff against righties. Tyler Fitzgerald (13%) is an excellent candidate to swipe a base, as Miami leads the Majors in steals allowed.