Fantasy Baseball 2-Start Pitcher Rankings: A’s hurler Jacob Lopez offers value this week and beyond..
This is an excellent week to find two-start streamers for fantasy baseball. Jacob Lopez leads the way, and he could be tremendously valuable beyond this week. Lopez is followed by a couple pitchers who can be added in 10-team leagues and three others who make sense in 12-team formats. On the hitting side, there are a trio of outfielders listed at the bottom of this article who have the potential to make a difference.
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Two-Start Pitchers (listed in order of preference)
Jacob Lopez, Athletics, 38% (@ TB, vs. SF)
Lopez has come out of nowhere to become one of the hottest pitchers in baseball by producing a 0.39 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 29:7 K:BB ratio in his past four starts. The left-hander also hasn’t picked on baseball’s weakest teams, as he faced the Astros and Tigers in his two most recent outings. Even in the shallowest leagues, managers can’t pass up the chance to add a two-start pitcher who has been this dominant of late.
Michael Wacha, Royals, 55% (@ SEA, @ ARI)
With a 3.33 ERA and 1.22 WHIP, Wacha continues to be one of the most reliable pitchers to populate the waiver wire in shallow leagues. There are reasons to leave him on waivers in shallow leagues this week – his strikeout rate is mediocre, his team doesn’t score many runs, and the D-backs have fared well against righties – but in most formats, Wacha’s high floor makes him an appealing option.
Ryne Nelson, D-backs, 34% (vs. SF, vs. KC)
Nelson has been successful as a starter this year, posting a 3.12 ERA and 1.07 WHIP in seven outings (4.50 ERA as a reliever). He has also been outstanding at home, logging a 2.25 ERA that is much better than his 5.34 mark on the road. All his splits involve small sample sizes, but they are enough to get Nelson into most lineups for a pair of home starts with an average Giants offense and the low-scoring Royals.
Patrick Corbin, Rangers, 12% (vs. BAL, @ SD)
Patrick
Corbin
SP – TEX – #46
2025 season
6
W
4.15
ERA
1.32
WHIP
74
K
27
BB.
At first glance, Corbin has regressed this month (5.48 ERA) after succeeding in April and May. But a deeper look shows that he has remained in control of the strike zone (18:5 K:BB ratio) while doing a respectable job of keeping the ball in the yard. In the end, it has been a .315 BABIP that has caused Corbin’s regression. He is a decent streamer this week thanks to favorable matchups, as the Padres rank 22nd in OPS vs. lefties and the Orioles sit last with a .600 mark.
Max Scherzer, Blue Jays, 49% (vs. NYY, vs. LAA)
Max
Scherzer
SP – TOR – #31
2025 season
23
IP
4.70
ERA
1.26
WHIP
24
K
7
BB.
Scherzer was good enough in his return from the injured list (5 IP, 3 ER, 4 SO) to be a viable option in 12-team leagues for a two-start week. He could have a tough time with the Yankees on Monday, as they rank fourth in baseball in OPS vs. righties. But he has plenty of upside for a weekend matchup against an Angels offense that leads the majors in whiffs.
Edward Cabrera, Marlins, 25% (vs. MIN, vs. MIL)
Edward
Cabrera
SP – MIA – #27
DTD
2025 season
82.1
IP
3.61
ERA
1.26
WHIP
86
K
30
BB.
Cabrera has taken a step forward in nine starts since the calendar flipped to May, logging a 2.36 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in nine starts. His control skills improved at the outset of that nine-start stretch before regressing with 13 walks allowed in his past five starts. As has always been the case with Cabrera, limiting walks will be his key to success. The righty has reasonable matchups this week, which makes him a fringe option in 12-team leagues.
Hayden Birdsong, Giants, 21% (@ ARI, @ ATH)
Hayden
Birdsong
SP – SF – #60
2025 season
65.2
IP
4.11
ERA
1.42
WHIP
68
K
33
BB.
When Birdsong entered the rotation on May 20, most analysts agreed that his control skills would be the deciding factor between success and failure. And after faring well in that area during his initial starts, he has walked 12 batters in his past four outings. The poor control skills have resulted in Birdsong failing to last five innings in three of those starts, and he is a risky option this week. Thanks to his strikeout skills and RP eligibility, Birdsong is more appealing in points leagues.
Andrew Heaney, Pirates, 17% (vs. STL, @SEA)
Andrew
Heaney
SP – PIT – #45
2025 season
98
IP
4.59
ERA
1.26
WHIP
73
K
33
BB
Heaney has fared worse each month, going from a 2.61 ERA in April to a 4.74 mark in May and 7.01 ERA in June. On a positive note, after logging a dismal 13:15 K:BB ratio in May, he ticked back up to a solid 20:7 ratio this month. Heaney has fared much better at home (2.95 ERA) than on the road (5.79 ERA), but he may be able to reverse that trend when he works at pitcher-friendly T-Mobile Park.
Erick Fedde, Cardinals, 21% (@ PIT, @ CHC)
Erick
Fedde
SP – STL – #12
2025 season
98.2
IP
4.83
ERA
1.47
WHIP
58
K
46
BB.
Fedde leads off a tier of three starters who allow too many baserunners to be anything more than deep-league streamers. The right-hander cleared that tier last year, but he has regressed with his control skills in 2025, which has resulted in an unimpressive 57:38 K:BB ratio. To have value, he will need to succeed against the low-scoring Pirates before facing a tough Cubs lineup.
Michael Lorenzen, Royals, 9% (@ SEA, @ ARI)
Michael
Lorenzen
SP – KC – #24
DTD
2025 season
99.2
IP
4.61
ERA
1.30
WHIP
85
K
29
BB.
After a successful start to the season, Lorenzen watched the wheels come off in May (5.34 ERA) and stay off in June (6.31). He’s a fringe option in 15-team leagues but nothing more than that.
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