Justin's Two Start Pitcher Ranks - April 20th-26th

Reviewing and ranking all two start pitching options for next week

By Justin May · April 18, 2026 · Updated October 12, 2026

{"template":"baseball-two-start-ranks","subtitle":"Reviewing and ranking all two start pitching options for next week","readTime":"","intro":"We're another week in, so some SP trends are starting to take shape. It's definitely slim pickings this week and not many aces going twice, but that also means there are some streaming opportunities. The tiers and explanations are below: JUST-INcredible: Aces that should be in your lineup every week JUST-INdulge: Easy starts in most leagues - don't overthink it JUST…one for me, thanks: Pitchers who I'd start for one of their games, but bench for the other start, if you can. For weekly leagues this is essentially a start with caution tier JUST-INsanity: Don't start these guys unless it's an extreme deep league desperation stream

*An asterisk next to the opponent means that the pitcher is at risk of losing that start due to possible rotation adjustments based on my research, so tread lightly for those. As always, starts are subject to change after the article gets posted - sadly managers don't ask me before making rotation changes.

*Situations to watch - I didn't include these below since they are currently not expected to get two starts, but wanted to mention them: -Jesus Luzardo might get two starts @CHC and @ATL if they don't slot Wheeler back in late next week - despite his struggles he would probably be in the JUST-INdulge tier -Randy Vasquez might get two starts if the Padres skip Waldron next week, and his matchups would be @COL and vs. the Dbacks in Mexico City. As good as he's been, I wouldn't risk it in weekly leagues with the matchups + uncertainty that he gets both starts. But he'd be in the \"JUST…one for me, thanks\" tier since I don't mind starting in Coors against the Rockies' poor offense. I'd stay away from starting pitchers in the Mexico City Series though

","tiers":[{"id":"tier-1","label":"JUST-INcredible","players":[{"name":"Dylan Cease","team":"TOR","starts":"@LAA, CLE","writeup":"Cease looks like his best self in Toronto. The walk rate has been a little high, but with a 36% K rate, he's still an ace. Maybe he can find a way to be more consistent in his new home "},{"name":"Nolan McLean","team":"NYM","starts":"MIN, COL","writeup":"It's lonely at the top this week, as McLean has been nails so far and gets two good matchups "}]},{"id":"tier-2","label":"JUST-INdulge","players":[{"name":"Seth Lugo","team":"KC","starts":"BAL, LAA","writeup":"Lugo gets two middle of the pack offenses where he'll likely give you 2 QS for the week "},{"name":"Emerson Hancock","team":"SEA","starts":"ATH, @STL","writeup":"I've been skeptical that Hancock can maintain this success long term, but we've gotta keep starting him while he's hot "},{"name":"Connelly Early","team":"BOS","starts":"NYY, @BAL","writeup":"Early has solid numbers overall but there's definitely been some laboring in starts. He might be due for a clunker, but the Yankees are lefty heavy at least. The O's matchup is scary, but I'm gonna trust Early to limit damage in both starts "},{"name":"Mick Abel","team":"MIN","starts":"@NYM, @TB","writeup":"I'm happy enough with Abel's last couple of starts to let him fly even with some tougher matchups "},{"name":"Sonny Gray","team":"BOS","starts":"DET, @BAL","writeup":"Gray has been inconsistent even going back to last year - but the matchups aren't tough so I'm just not gonna overthink it "},{"name":"Kyle Bradish","team":"BAL","starts":"@KC, BOS","writeup":"Bradish hasn't shown that ace-level upside that many expected this year - admittedly I haven't dove in yet to see if there's a deeper issue at play besides bad luck, but the Royals and Red Sox haven't been good. I'm willing to give him one more shot this week to reclaim glory before sounding any alarm bells "},{"name":"Jack Flaherty","team":"DET","starts":"@BOS, @CIN","writeup":"Tough road matchups for Flaherty and while he's been inconsistent, he's still a guy I would just start regardless. Neither the Red Sox nor Reds have been scary so far, and the Boston game will have some cold weather with it being played at 11 am "},{"name":"Foster Griffin","team":"WSH","starts":"ATL, @CHW","writeup":"Maybe I'm too high on Foster Griffin but even in his last start against the Pirates, I thought he pitched much better than the line suggested. His command is solid, and he's got a deep pitch mix - he will get his first QS this week "},{"name":"Max Meyer","team":"MIA","starts":"STL, @SF","writeup":"Meyer has average metrics across the board, and has been exactly average in every start so far. If you need 5 decent innings, he's your man apparently. These matchups are both good so maybe we can have a QS or two? Nah just wishful thinking. He's likely helpful for folks in weekly leagues though "},{"name":"Kyle Harrison","team":"MIL","starts":"@DET*, PIT*","writeup":"Asterisk here as we don't know for sure that Kyle Harrison is coming back to start on Tuesday. Latest reports are his start is being pushed back a few days, so it's no guarantee he gets two starts. I've been skeptical of Harrison's success since it's mainly rooted in fastball whiffs which aren't sustainable - but these matchups are good so he's still a start. If it's Chad Patrick instead, I'm a little more wary, but he's been producing so he would also be in this tier "},{"name":"Aaron Nola","team":"PHI","starts":"@CHC, @ATL","writeup":"I hate these matchups for Nola, but I also never try to predict when he'll be good. He hasn't been spectacular but he also hasn't burned us in any start this year - I say let him fly "},{"name":"Rhett Lowder","team":"CIN","starts":"@TB, DET","writeup":"Lowder's stuff isn't \"loud\" (ha) but he's pitched well so far and these matchups aren't scary "},{"name":"Justin Wrobleski","team":"LAD","starts":"@COL, CHC","writeup":"Wrobleski has some funky stuff and posted great ratios so far - but he weirdly only has 6 Ks in 17 IP. And it's not like he's generating many whiffs either. Still, he's limiting hard contact so even with these matchups I'm willing to take a chance that he stays on a roll "},{"name":"Sean Burke","team":"CHW","starts":"@ARI*, WSH*","writeup":"I'm probably too high on Sean Burke as well by having him in this tier, but he's really cut down on the walks, and faces two teams who are near the bottom of the league in BB%. Asterisk because they might use an opener, but Burke could produce two solid outings either way "},{"name":"Reynaldo Lopez","team":"ATL","starts":"@WSH, PHI","writeup":"Let's hope for more punchouts instead of punches this week from Lopez "},{"name":"Bryce Elder","team":"ATL","starts":"@WSH, PHI","writeup":"I don't know how Elder does it, but he's managed an ERA under 1 so far. Another case of keep starting until he breaks "}]},{"id":"tier-3","label":"JUST…one for me, thanks","players":[{"name":"Matthew Boyd","team":"CHC","starts":"PHI, @LAD","writeup":"A start fresh off an IL stint AND a game against the Dodgers in the same week? Oh boy. I love that Boyd is racking up Ks so far this year but he's also getting hit hard. Against the Phillies lefty heavy lineup I'd roll him out there even fresh off of IL (it was a short stint, after all), but the Dodgers have crushed lefties so that's an avoid "},{"name":"Carmen Mlodzinski","team":"PIT","starts":"@TEX, @MIL","writeup":"Mlodzinski was someone I thought about putting in the tier above, but the Brewers have been tough and I just see that start going poorly "},{"name":"J.T. Ginn","team":"ATH","starts":"@SEA, @TEX","writeup":"I've been skeptical of Ginn but his metrics are solid so far. I still wouldn't risk it in Texas but he should be fine in Seattle. Still a case where the risk might make sense overall in deeper weekly leagues "},{"name":"Slade Cecconi","team":"CLE","starts":"HOU, @TOR","writeup":"I still believe that Cecconi can be a guy who lives in the 2nd tier, but for this week I gotta see how he looks against Houston first. They've been in a groove. If he looks good in that game then I can see pulling the trigger against the Jays after "},{"name":"Michael McGreevy","team":"STL","starts":"@MIA, SEA","writeup":"McGreevy's velo was up a tick in his last start, but the Marlins have been one of the best offenses against RHP so far, and the ceiling for McGreevy isn't high enough for me to risk it. It was tempting to put him in the tier above, but I just can't do it. I'd start for the weekend game against Seattle though. Deeper weekly leagues it's okay to take the gamble "},{"name":"Keider Montero","team":"DET","starts":"MIL, @CIN*","writeup":"Montero is someone I've streamed quite a bit in the past. His metrics are solid so far, so I wouldn't mind streaming against the Reds. I'm scared off by the Brewers, though - even in Detroit. Weekly leagues I wouldn't risk it just because he could lose that weekend start if Verlander returns "},{"name":"Kumar Rocker","team":"TEX","starts":"PIT, ATH","writeup":"Is Kumar Rocker just average? He might be. Fortunately so are the Pirates. The A's scare me though. In weekly leagues he probably won't kill you with both games combined so I'd roll him out "},{"name":"Colin Rea","team":"CHC","starts":"PHI, @LAD*","writeup":"Asterisk for Rea as I'm not sure the Cubs give him both starts. They also used an opener for him last game. He's been surprisingly effective though, and if he misses the Dodgers start it's fine, because that's not the one we want anyway "},{"name":"Tyler Mahle","team":"SF","starts":"LAD, MIA","writeup":"Mahle hasn't been great this year and has issued 9 walks in his last 2 starts. The silver lining is that both of these games are at home, but the matchups are still tough, even if he shut down both teams last year when he faced them. I'd sit against the Dodgers but play against the Marlins if you need it next weekend. Weekly leagues he's probably still worthwhile "},{"name":"Jake Irvin","team":"WSH","starts":"ATL, @CHW","writeup":"Irvin has made some positive changes this year but I really hate that Braves start. He's fine for the White Sox after. I'd be fine chancing it with Irvin in deeper weekly leagues "},{"name":"Chase Dollander","team":"COL","starts":"SD, @NYM*","writeup":"Dollander had his strikeout stuff working against the Astros on Thursday. Asterisk just because they've been using an opener for him, but he could be worthwhile for that game at Citi Field. I'd still sit him in Coors though "},{"name":"Luis Gil","team":"NYY","starts":"@BOS, @HOU","writeup":"Walks have remained a problem for Gil and he's not getting many whiffs, but the Red Sox are struggling so I'd take a shot there. I'd bench for Houston afterwards. Overall he's not worth the risk in weekly leagues though "}]},{"id":"tier-4","label":"JUST-INsanity","players":[{"name":"Jesse Scholtens","team":"TB","starts":"CIN, MIN","writeup":"Scholtens might give you 5 solid innings if everything goes right, but he might follow an opener and also doesn't have a long enough leash to trust "},{"name":"Colton Gordon","team":"HOU","starts":"@CLE, NYY","writeup":"Gordon was fun last year for a few starts but then the bottom dropped out. Don't really feel like spinning the wheel here "},{"name":"Jack Kochanowicz","team":"LAA","starts":"TOR, @KC","writeup":"He hasn't been consistent enough for me to trust "},{"name":"Jose Quintana","team":"COL","starts":"LAD, @NYM","writeup":"No, I'm not starting a Rockies pitcher with a 5.63 ERA against the Dodgers and Mets "}]}]}