It’s far from a great week for two-start pitchers in fantasy baseball, with one attractive option and a second man who can be pitched 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 worth considering. On the hitting side, there are plenty of easy-to-catch streamers from the Marlins and Rockies, who open the week with four games at Coors Field.
Two-Star Launchers (Listed in Order of Preference)
Andrew Heaney, 21% (@CWS, against OAK)
Managers who look beyond Heaney’s 4-13 record will see that he’s the best option for two starts this week. The lefty rarely goes deep in games, but he has a solid 9.1-to-9 strikeout percentage and should produce double-digit strikeouts over two favorable starts. He has exceptional win potential against the White Sox (31-100), and he should maintain low strikeout 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 to have more success than his peripherals would suggest. The veteran right-hander is 2-0 with a 1.99 ERA in four starts with his new team, boasting a .231 BABIP that has helped him overcome an unimpressive 16-9 K:BB ratio.
Lorenzen’s matchups next week are pretty tough, as he’ll be facing two division leaders who are slightly above average in points scored. He’s best left to teams that play in deep rotation formats or head-to-head leagues.
Brant Hurter, 1% (@CWS, vs. BOS)
After following a first game in his last four outings, Hurter will function as a traditional starter this week. The lefty has put up useful fantasy stats (3.57 ERA, 0.79 WHIP) and an impressive 17:1 K:BB ratio, and he has tremendous win potential in his matchup against the White Sox. The 25-year-old was far from dominant in the minor leagues, and his second game is a challenge, which will keep him out of most roto lineups. Hurter’s biggest appeal this week is as a reliever in head-to-head formats.
Mitchell Parker, 18% (vs. NYY, v. CHC)
Parker has been one of the least consistent pitchers in baseball of late. The lefty has allowed a total of three earned runs in four of his last five starts. The other outing was a nine-run disaster in Philadelphia. Before those five outings, Parker had allowed 11 earned runs in 3.2 innings over two starts. The start against the Yankees is less intimidating than it might seem at first glance, as their high-output offense has been average against lefties. But there’s still enough risk with Parker to stay away in most formats.
Cooper Criswell, 1% (against TOR, @DET)
After spending nearly a month in the bullpen, Criswell returned to Boston’s rotation and held Houston to one run in 4.2 innings on Aug. 21. The right-hander finished six…