Each week for the rest of the season, I’ll be here to break down and tier-rank all the two-start pitching options for the upcoming week. Two-start pitchers are especially important in weekly head-to-head leagues and season-long formats that only allow weekly lineup adjustments. I’ll break them down into four tiers:

• Auto-Starts
• Good Bets
• On the Fence
• Leave on the Bench.

Auto-Starts

• Tarik Skubal (@STL / vs CLE)
  • Skubal is alone at the top, and rightfully so. 71 strikeouts and only 6 walks this year…He’s been the best pitcher in baseball, matchup, park, and everything-proof. If he’s on your roster, he’s in your lineup. Anything else would make your league mates investigate you for collusion.
• Robbie Ray (vs KCR / @WSN)
  • After Skubal, it’s honestly a big drop-off, but you should still feel good about Ray. He has been a rock for the Giants. He starts his week against the Royals at home, where he has a 2.32 ERA in part due to its great pitcher-friendliness. He ends his week against a mid-tier to bad Nationals offense, which makes him a very comfortable two-start option.
• Spencer Strider (@WSN / vs SDP)
  • Strider is on the comeback trail, and while we’ve only seen one start so far, he’s tentatively lined up to face the Nationals on Tuesday and then the Padres on Sunday. He’s not fully back yet, and only threw 65 pitches in his latest bullpen, so don’t expect lengthy outings. That being said, the ceiling is so high that you start him and don’t ask too many questions.
• Dylan Cease (@TOR / @ATL)
  • Cease hasn’t been dominant, but he’s still striking guys out at the high rate he’s maintained over the past four seasons. His ERA screams bad luck, not bad pitching. Stick with him.
• Jesús Luzardo (@COL / @ATH)
  • Luzardo has finally leveled up in Philly. A 2.00 ERA, fewer walks, and strong strikeout numbers make him a must-start against the Rockies and A’s, even if some regression is probably coming.

Good Bets

• Chris Bassitt (vs SDP / @TBR)
  • Bassitt is quietly cooking. People forget that before last season, he had posted four straight years of an ERA of 3.60 or lower. His xERA suggests this start is legit, due mostly to a career-best walk rate, putting it in the 90th percentile this year. The Rays are a green light; the Padres are more yellow, but not red. Start him.
• Cristopher Sánchez (@COL / @ATH)
  • Sanchez is still flying under the radar despite pitching like a borderline ace. His sub-3 ERA seems pretty legit, as it is paired with a strikeout rate of almost 11 and a ground-ball rate of 56%. A trip to Coors Field is never fun, but considering how the Rockies have played this year, it’s not as bad as it usually is. Start him with confidence.
• Kris Bubic (@SFG / @MIN)
  • Bubic has been a pleasant surprise. The ERA is shiny, and while some regression is due for an ERA that is under 2.00, the metrics mostly back up a good start to the season. He gets the strikeout-happy Giants and Twins, who both have top-six strikeout rates against lefties this season. Proceed with cautious optimism.
• Framber Valdez (@TBR / vs SEA)
  • Valdez is still the same ground-ball machine, while continuing to allow less than a homer per nine innings. The matchup against the Rays is great, and while not as good, the Mariners have the fifth-highest strikeout rate against lefties.
• Kodai Senga (@BOS / vs LAD)
  • Senga is a tough call. His numbers so far this year merit him being in a tier higher, but his peripherals and matchups drop him for me. I don’t want to smear him too bad, as an xERA of 3.33 is still very good, but the tough matchups of the Red Sox and Dodgers just keep him out of the elite tier for me. Start him, but temper expectations for this week with the tough matchups.
• Bailey Ober (vs CLE / vs KCR)
  • Ober shook off a rough debut and has found his groove. He’s not missing as many bats as his strikeout rate is down from last year, but he has been pitching consistently with three earned runs or fewer in eight straight starts. Feel good about starting him going forward for this week.

On the Fence

• Nick Lodolo (@PIT / vs CHC)
  • Lodolo has been good this year, and was a preseason breakout of mine, but I might not be convinced to start him for both games this week. His game against the Pirates is a go. They are 25th in wRC+ vs. lefties this year, but against the Cubs, one of the best offenses in baseball, in the home run–happy park of the Reds, I would be worried.
• Tomoyuki Sugano (@MIL / @BOS)
  • Sugano seems due for regression, but I tend to still be a fan somehow. His six-pitch mix, in which he throws all over 10% of the time, seems to be making batters somewhat uncomfortable. That being said, his xERA is creeping toward 5.00. Don’t use him at Fenway.
• Ryan Pepiot (vs HOU / vs TOR)
  • Pepiot hasn’t exactly broken out, but I think he’s closer than we all might think, as I liked his arsenal going into the season. With matchups against the Astros and Blue Jays, who both are in the bottom third of OPS against righties, I think Pepiot is worth a shot.
• Will Warren (vs TEX / @COL)
  • Warren has some upside, especially for a streaming option, as his strikeout rate is in the 80th percentile. The Rangers are beatable, and while Coors isn’t ideal, the Rockies are just bad enough to keep him in play.
• Gavin Williams (@MIN / @DET)
  • Williams brings heat (90th percentile velo) and strikeouts (51 in 42 innings), so he could again be a decent streaming option. His matchups aren’t great, but they’re playable, so keep him in mind if you need someone.
• José Soriano (@ATH / vs MIA)
  • Soriano is a sinker-baller thriving on grounders, posting an insane 62.8% ground-ball rate this year. This seems legit to me, and will allow him to outperform his metrics like he did last year. He could be used against the Marlins, as they rank in the bottom third of baseball in wRC+ vs. righties.
• Patrick Corbin (@NYY / @CWS)
  • Patrick Corbin, yes, that Patrick Corbin, has shown signs of life. While I would steer clear of his start at Yankee Stadium, the White Sox matchup is juicy enough to consider him. Wild times we live in…
• Brandon Pfaadt (@LAD / @STL)
  • Pfaadt allows too much hard contact for me to feel confident in, and his xERA is over 5.00. His matchup against the Dodgers has to be a pass, but I could potentially start him against the Cardinals.
• Walker Buehler (vs NYM / vs BAL)
  • Buehler has been aggressively average when he’s pitched this year. Now coming back from his injury, I’d like to see him prove it to me before I start him for two tough matchups. He’s not worth it against the Mets or Orioles.
• Ben Brown (@MIA / @CIN)
  • Brown has a 10.80 K/9 this year, which is impressive. His ERA metrics also show positive regression is in order. He’s worth a spin vs. the helpless Marlins.
• Hunter Dobbins (vs NYM / vs BAL)
  • Dobbins has been good for Boston so far this year, pitching to a 3.90 ERA, but he has a brutal slate this week. The Mets have been one of the best lineups in baseball this year, and the Orioles are top 10 in OPS versus righties. Dobbins doesn’t have the strikeout upside for me to want to give him a shot in these tough matchups. If he gets through this week productively, maybe I’ll need to change my season-long outlook.
• Mitchell Parker (vs ATL / vs SFG)
  • Parker has solid underlying stats, highlighted by the fact that he’s in the 92nd percentile against allowing barrels. He’s a sneaky stream against the whiff-heavy Giants if you need one.
• Quinn Priester (vs BAL / @PIT)
  • Priester is boring, but facing the Pirates means you’re playing on easy mode. The former Buc is glad he’s out of that helpless situation where the team is third in strikeouts and 25th in wRC+ vs. lefties. You could do worse.
• Edward Cabrera (vs CHC / @LAA)
  • Cabrera has not looked good, but the Angels are a strikeout goldmine. They have the highest strikeout rate in the league vs. righties. I would not start him against the Cubs, but if you’re desperate, there’s hope there against the Angels, albeit little else.

Keep on the Bench

This is the “you must be desperate” group. Maybe you can justify one start here, but you’d have to squint hard, cross your fingers, and maybe say a prayer. Your best strategy? Just stay away.

• Mitch Keller (vs CIN / vs MIL)
• Bailey Falter (vs CIN / vs MIL)
• Osvaldo Bido (vs LAA / vs PHI)
• J.T. Ginn (vs LAA / vs PHI)
• Davis Martin (vs SEA / vs TEX)
• Dean Kremer (@MIL / @BOS)
• Antonio Senzatela (vs PHI / vs NYY)
• Kyle Freeland (vs PHI / vs NYY)
• Erick Fedde (vs DET / vs ARI)
• Kyle Hendricks (@ATH / vs MIA)
• Logan Allen (@MIN / @DET)
• Davis Martin (vs SEA / vs TEX)