When certain pitchers are in line for 2 starts in 1 week, that means serious points potential for lucky fantasy owners. When others are, steer clear.
Jon Lester appears back as the ace in Boston, so buckle up for what should be a productive week.
In head-to-head leagues with weekly lineup changes, there are many important considerations – matchups, health, weather, etc. For pitchers, sometimes you’re looking at a two-start week, thus doubling your chance to earn points.
Of course, bear in mind two starts is great for guys like Justin Verlander, Stephen Strasburg and CC Sabathia, but maybe not for Scott Diamond or Joe Blanton. We’ll look ahead to next week’s matchups and say yes or no to some of the dual-start hurlers.
Jon Lester – Under John Farrell’s and Juan Nieves’ tutelage, Lester has returned to form as ace of the Red Sox. He opens his week Tuesday against the always-feisty Oakland A’s, and concludes it with a Sunday matchup against everyone’s favorite doormat Houston Astros. Even if the A’s manage to hold Boston bats silent, we see Lester going no worse than 1-0 while adding 15-20 strikeouts to his totals.
Mike Minor – Don’t let the threat of Colorado’s thin air cause you to bench him this week, and don’t fret about his second matchup against the Detroit Tigers. Minor has only given up two earned runs, and while our expert opinion is that number will rise, you don’t want to be the owner who sits him during this early-season run.
Félix Hernández – It’s the same old song and dance for Hernández: guy pitches great and the Mariners’ offense offers little support. Twice this year he has given up 0 ERs, yet he has only 1 win. He should pick one up against the hapless Astros on Monday, and he should more than hold his own against the Angels next weekend.
Kyle Lohse – Lohse has gone at least 6 innings in each of his three starts, and we don’t anticipate any problem extending that streak against the Padres on Monday. His matchup against the Dodgers might prove more difficult, but he’s more than worth the risk.
Two-start guys to avoid
The aforementioned Blanton – He’ll carry an 8.59 ERA into his matchup with the Rangers on Monday, and by the time he gets to the Mariners for his second start, we expect that to be even higher.
Jeff Francis – He has the misfortune of meeting Mike Minor and the Braves in his first start, and closes out the week against the Diamondbacks.
Other thoughts
Matt Cain – Fantasy owners who have Cain may be growing antsy over his performances against the Cardinals and Brewers (16 ERs in 9Ò IP). We say you shouldn’t worry about that, and expect him to turn things around sooner rather than later. If there is an owner in your league looking to dump Cain, be the guy who goes and gets him.
David Ortiz – While Red Sox Nation will be excited about Big Papi’s return, we advise caution with regard to his fantasy production. If you’re in a daily-lineup league, perhaps you can take the weekend to evaluate whether he’s worth the risk come Monday. For weekly-lineup leagues, we recommend giving Papi a week to prove himself before inserting him into your lineup.
The Fantasy 413 column appears in The Republican and on MassLive each Saturday. The Republican’s fantasy guys can be reached at thefantasy413@gmail.com, Twitter @TheFantasy413 or through the Comments section below.