Two Start Pitchers: Week of April 25 - May 1

When streaming starting pitching in fantasy baseball, especially in leagues with moves limits, knowing who the two-start pitchers are is valuable information to have. Each week we will give you the rundown on who is in line for a big week and give you one option which is poised to make for a great streaming option for the week.

Kevin Gausman (@TB, CWS)

Gausman is to be recalled from a minor league rehab stint to make his 2016 debut against the Rays Monday. Fully recovered from a shoulder injury, Gausman tossed 11 innings with 19 strikeouts in three minor league starts; the 25-year-old Orioles pitcher is looking to build on his end to the 2015 season.

With a sub-4.00 ERA and a 34 punchouts in 32.1 innings last September, Gausman was one of this year's pitching sleepers in fantasy drafts. After his shoulder injury knocked him out of the final two weeks of Spring Training and the start of the MLB season, Gausman has seen his ownership numbers plummet. Sitting at only 22% in Yahoo leagues, the righty makes for one of the best streaming options this week as he faces off with the 13th and 14th ranked offenses in the AL in the Rays and White Sox.

The Rays are scoring only 3.0 runs per game and sporting a .213 average at home, making it a favorable situation to make his first start of the year. While he has to face off with Chris Sale in start number two of the week, Gausman get to pitch to the team with the worst OBP, .278, in the American League. If he is available in your league, I would not hesitate to pick up Gausman for his round of starts this week, even as he is coming off the DL.

Week four of the MLB season brings a bevy of two-start pitchers. We have 12 teams playing seven games giving us over 40 double starters this week, including a handful of the league's elite taking the mound twice. Let's break down some of the best pitching options this week.

Aces

Madison Bumgarner (SD, @NYM)

Clayton Kershaw (MIA, SD)

Chris Sale (@TOR, @BAL)

Noah Syndergaard (CIN, SF)

Whenever your stud pitcher gets two starts in a week, you have the upper hand in head-to-head matchups. Unfortunately for Bumgarner and Syndergaard owners, the pair will be facing off against each other in start number two of the week...Kershaw and Sale are rolling so far this year, as expected, with ERAs under 1.80 and WHIPs under 0.80. While the Dodgers southpaw gets to stay at home this week, Sale has to navigate the treacherous waters of a couple of AL East power hitting offenses.

Lineup Locks

Zack Greinke (STL, COL)

Cole Hamels (NYY, LAA)

David Price (@ATL, NYY)

Danny Salazar (@MIN, @PHI)

Jordan Zimmermann (OAK, @MIN)

Price struggled in his last outing giving up eight runs in less than four innings. This week he has the chance to get back on track with a matchup against the second-worst hitting team in the NL and a middle-of-the-road offense in the Sunday night game against the hated Yankees...Greinke has bounced back from a disastrous start (11 ER in 10 IP) to post two strong starts against division rivals on the road (3 ER in 14 IP)...Through 19.1 innings in 2016 Zimmermann has yet to give up a run on his way to a 3-0 start. With the A's coming to town and a trip up to Minnesota on tap, the Tigers starter could make it a clean sweep in his first five turns.

Solid Starts

Gerrit Cole (@COL, CIN)

Jaime Garcia (@ARI, WAS)

Kyle Hendricks (MIL, ATL)

Raisel Iglesias (@NYM, @PIT)

Ian Kennedy (@LAA, @SEA)

Carlos Martinez (@ARI, WAS)

Drew Pomeranz (@SF, @LAD)

Garrett Richards (KC, @TEX)

Taijuan Walker (HOU, KC)

Allowing only two runs and one walk while striking out 12 in 12 innings during his last two stats would seem to peg Cole as a lock for the week. However, anyone facing off in Colorado, like the Pirates Ace is on Monday, needs to hold their breath pitching in the thin air...The move to Kansas City has worked wonders for Kennedy through three starts. With a sub-1.50 ERA with a 9.45 K/9 rate, the Royals righty will look to improve those numbers as he faces off with the M's and Halo's who both are hitting under .200 at home...Walker may finally be living up to the hype as he has allowed only three runs in 18 innings this year. The 24-year-old will be in line for a good week as he toes the rubber at pitcher-friendly Safeco Field twice this week.

Not a Sure Thing

Chris Archer (BAL, TOR)

Kendall Graveman (@DET, HOU)

Rich Hill (@DET, HOU)

Jimmy Nelson (@CHC, MIA)

Joe Ross (PHI, @STL)

Marcus Stroman (CWS, @TB)

Julio Teheran (BOS, @CHC)

Vincent Velasquez (@WAS, CLE)

With a 7.00 plus ERA and facing two of the heaviest-hitting teams, Week 4 is a do or die week for Archer. Already moved off must-start level, the Rays Ace may ...Hill has had two starts with less than five innings pitched and two with 10 Ks. Are we going to get the good or the bad this week? I would lean towards the positive as he faces off with one of the biggest swing-and-miss teams (HOU)...After tossing 15 shutout innings to start his season, Velasquez was rocked for five runs (two earned). He will look to settle in against a division rival before ending his week with a tough pitching matchup against Danny Salazar and the Tribe.

Worth the Risk

Wei-Yin Chen (@LAD, @MIL)

Doug Fister (@SEA, @OAK)

Ubaldo Jimenez (@TB, CWS)

Rick Porcello (@ATL, NYY)

Ross Stripling (MIA, SD)

Chen had a rough first outing but has bounced back to toss a quality start in his last two starts...Fister has an ERA hovering around 6.00 but has a couple of weak hitting opponents on the docket this week making him worth a look as a deep league streamer... Jimenez has had issues with his control so far, eight walks in last 10 innings, but has a couple of lightweights for his next two starts.

No Thank You

Chad Bettis (PIT, @ARI)

John Danks (@TOR, @BAL)

Jorge De La Rosa (PIT, @ARI)

Nathan Eovaldi (@TEX, @BOS)

Tom Koehler (@BOS, @MIL)

Jeff Locke (@COL, CIN)

Shelby Miller (STL, COL)

Tommy Milone (CLE, DET)

Mike Pelfrey (OAK, @MIN)

Matt Wisler (BOS, @CHC)