For the past five-plus years, I’ve contributed The Week Ahead and Impact Report at Rotoworld. Those articles included a look at two-start pitchers, streamers, waiver pickups, and injuries. Many readers planned their week and FAAB deadlines around those articles, so my plan is to contribute something similar weekly throughout the 2023 season in this space.

If there’s something else you’d like to see, please let me know in the comments section.

 

Two Start Pitchers

American League

Strong Plays

Gerrit Cole: BAL, SD

Cristian Javier: @MIL, @OAK

Luis Castillo: OAK, PIT

Eduardo Rodriguez: @KC, CHW

Bailey Ober: SF, TOR

Dane Dunning: @PIT, @BAL

 

Decent Plays

Dylan Cease: @CLE, @DET

Jose Berrios: @TB, @MIN

Chris Bassitt: @TB, @MIN

Kyle Bradish: @NYY, TEX

Taj Bradley: TOR, LAD

Michael Lorenzen: @KC, CHW

Mike Clevinger: @CLE, @DET

Marco Gonzales: OAK, PIT

 

At Your Own Risk

Josh Fleming: TOR, LAD

Brady Singer: DET, WAS

Kyle Muller: @SEA, HOU

Luis Medina: @SEA, HOU

 

National League

Strong Plays

Spencer Strider: LAD, PHI

Corbin Burnes: HOU, SF

Alex Cobb: @MIN, @MIL

Yu Darvish: @WAS, @NYY

 

Decent Plays

Zack Wheeler: ARI, @ATL

MacKenzie Gore: SD, @KC

Jordan Montgomery: @CIN, @CLE

Drew Smyly: NYM, CIN

Charlie Morton: LAD, PHI

Kodai Senga: @CHC, @COL

 

At Your Own Risk

Eury Perez: @COL, @LAA

Edward Cabrera: @COL, @LAA

Sean Manaea: @MIN, @MIL

Colin Rea: HOU, SF

Gavin Stone: @ATL, @TB

Graham Ashcraft: STL, @CHC

Tommy Henry: @PHI, BOS

Brandon Williamson: STL, @CHC

Dylan Covey: ARI, @ATL

Chase Anderson: MIA, NYM

Austin Gomber: MIA, NYM

Streamers

These are pitchers I’m considering as single-start streamers this week in a 12-15 team mixed league that are available in at least 50% of leagues.

American League

Zack Greinke: DET (5/24)

Alex Faedo: CHW (5/25)

 

National League

Ryan Weathers: @WAS (5/24)

Eric Lauer: SF (5/25)

Steven Matz: @CIN (5/25)

 

Player Notes

• Banking on prospect call-ups to produce in MLB is a crapshoot, especially hitters. A favorable opportunity and lineup spot like the Reds are providing with Matt McLain as their No. 2 hitter makes the projection a bit more favorable, but I don’t understand why many fantasy managers are dismissing his minor league struggles prior to this season. He was no longer on the top prospect radar after a mediocre season at Double-A Chattanooga, hitting only .232-17-58 with 27 steals in 452 plate appearances. The performance was far worse in the Arizona Fall League (.657 OPS), but suddenly he’s the middle infield prospect everyone has been waiting for after crushing Triple-A pitching in 38 games at Louisville. This isn’t to say McLain, a former first-round pick, won’t have a great MLB career, though the past struggles should be baked in to the projection and FAAB effort. Despite the good situation, I’d personally much rather wait on Royce Lewis’ pending promotion when he’s eligible to come off the IL for the Twins next week.
• Speaking of Reds prospects, I’m not ready to be fooled by Brandon Williamson’s great debut at Coors Field. He undoubtedly has a plus arm, but Williamson’s control has been sub-par since last season with a BB/9 above 5.0 in the minors. Going back through recent history, the number of pitchers who have been an asset at the MLB level immediately after showing such poor control in the minors are few and far between. Williamson will get a much bigger test tomorrow against a hot Cardinals lineup that crushes lefties.
• The Cardinals finally promoted Matthew Liberatore, a move fans have been screaming for since the pitching staff’s slow start. As he showed during Spring Training and Triple-A, Liberatore’s velocity was up significantly in his first start in the bigs in 2023. His fastball was up above two mph, and Liberatore worked more heavily off his curveball than we saw last season. The first-round pick’s turnaround already happened at Triple-A, with a 3.13 ERA in eight starts and a career-high 11.0 K/9. He had a very forgettable 2022 season in which he didn’t look like an MLB pitcher, including an ERA above 5.00 in 22 starts at Triple-A. The control here still makes me nervous in the short term, with a BB/9 that’s been above 3.0 as a pro for the most part, but Liberatore has a chance to be an asset in all leagues this season if the new found velocity holds.
• This is a huge week for players returning from injury. In addition to the aforementioned Royce Lewis, pitchers Kyle Hendricks, Luis Severino, and Tyler Glasnow are set to make their season debuts, while Garrett Whitlock will also return for Boston. It’s a much-needed boost for fantasy lineups and MLB teams alike.