Fantasy Baseball 2024 Two-Start Pitchers & Streaming Starters - Week 22

It may come to pass soon that teams will be cutting back on innings for certain arms, and while that makes for interesting times in your fantasy baseball leagues, it also behooves you to take advantage of the top hurlers scheduled to head to the hill for two starts as August winds down. There are a dozen top tier arms to consider for both their trips to toe the rubber in Week 22, and another nice if limited in number group of middle tier pitchers to pick from, with a whole boatload of bottom tier arms to avoid except in desperate situations.

The streaming options are plentiful except on the bookends of the week. Plenty of options to consider if you need some innings or need to pick up some counting stats without damaging your ratios.

These 12 pitchers are the best of the two-start options available to aid in your fantasy baseball efforts this particular scoring period. Plug them into your rotations and reap the benefits from your savvy ability to scout pitching talent. As the season heads into the final weeks of action, it is time to collect as many counting stats and bolster your ratios, and these are the best arms to provide those benefits.

Myers has not allowed more than two earned tallies in any of his last seven outings (eight earned runs over 39.1 IP). Whether toeing the rubber at home or on the road, he has been productive in his rookie season with the Brewers, making these matchups feasibly useful for your fantasy rotation needs.

Sanchez has tossed eight quality starts (QS) since mid-June over those 12 starts. He offers average K production with above average control, and produces more than his fair share of groundballs (58.8% GB). His two Week 22 starts are at home, where his production has been much more prolific. 

Ray is coming off his best post-Tommy John surgery start, holding the visiting White Sox to one earned run on three hits and no walks, in a contest where he racked up nine Ks over 6.2 IP. His first start this scoring period is against the Brewer SP profiled to open the middle tier above, so that is an issue to consider, but no reason to think that both starters cannot pitch well. The second trip to climb the bump is a better matchup at home against the visiting Marlins.

Fried is coming off a seven inning QS in his last outing, and has two road games in the current week. He has been more of a road warrior this season, so that plays to his strengths. He should continue his groundball inducing ways and is a good source for Ks.

Keller has stumbled badly in a couple of starts before bouncing back strong against the host Rangers, holding Texas bats to no runs on just three hits over 7.0 IP. He also collected nine Ks in that appearance. His home start against the Cubs profiles as the start you want to rely on him in Week 22. Discretion suggests sitting him at the end of the scoring period when the team heads to Cleveland.

Heaney winds up the middle group of dual start SPs, based on his matchups this coming week. He leads off against the woeful White Sox, then gets the A’s away from their home park where they struggle mightily this season. Heaney offers strikeout production at a K per frame rate this season. 

Plenty of dual start options to avoid this week, but is that anything out of the ordinary? Choose wisely if you opt to use one or more of these arms for a streaming start, looking carefully at opponent and venue. It is suggested that none of these pitchers be trusted for both of their trips to climb the hill in Week 22.

Potential Streaming Options for Week 22

There is no promise that each game day will provide a streaming option. First of all, the pitcher must be available in at least 50% of leagues to be a viable candidate to snag off the wire. Then, the pitchers discussed above are not included as they have a different sort of value, even though some might be available as free agents in your league. Plus, some days the matchups and/or venues just do not figure as positive enough factors to favor plugging the arm into your rotation, even for one start. That all being said, here are this week’s best streaming candidates:

Simeon Woods Richardson, Minnesota Twins vs. Atlanta Braves

Over his last 17.0 IP, the rookie righty has racked up a useful 2.65 ERA and impressive 0.88 WHIP. He is also striking out opposing hitters at an average rate of 7.9 K/9 on the season, which he couples with average control (2.9 BB/9 over 112.1 IP on the year). He has been a better option at home, where he faces off against the Braves in this contest.

David Festa Minnesota Twins vs Atlanta Braves

Over his last five outings, consisting of 22.2 IP, the rookie right-hander has put up an attractive 2.38 ERA and 1.15 WHIP, while also collecting Ks at an impressive 12.3 K/9 rate. He has not managed to pitch more than five innings in his starts, due to a strict pitch count being enforced when he is toeing the rubber in his first MLB season, so victories and QS are going to be rare.

Oswaldo Bido, Oakland Athletics vs. Cincinnati Reds

All three of his starts in August have been QS material, and he has held opponents to just two earned tallies over his most recent 18.0 IP. He has not allowed the opposition to go yard over those most recent three starts, and he has racked up 17 Ks over that stretch, too. He has become a dependable arm for the A’s, and his peripheral metrics do not indicate that he is pitching over his head in his second season in the big leagues.

Kaider Montero, Detroit Tigers vs. Los Angeles Angels

After three consecutive losses being charged to him, he responded with three straight victories for the Tigers, accumulating a useful set of ratio stats: 2.81 ERA and 1.13 WHIP over those 16.0 IP. He produces average K production while demonstrating average control: 7.4 K/9, 2.9 BB/9 over his limited 59.2 IP in 2024 to date. A good matchup in store against the cellar-dwelling AL West Angels.

Aaron Civale, Milwaukee Brewers vs. San Francisco Giants

The Brewer righthander has now tossed a pair of QS, allowing two earned runs in one game and most recently holding the visiting Guardians scoreless over six innings. His control is improving of late, as his K prowess fades. This is a home game playing into his strength, and the opponents weakness.

Ryne Nelson, Arizona Diamondbacks vs. New York Mets

Since the month of July rolled around, the third year right-hander has produced some heady numbers: 2.73 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 55:11 K/BB ratio over 56.0 IP. His peripheral metrics indicate he may have been a tad unlucky in the accumulation of those impressive stats. 

Valente Bellozo, Miami Marlins vs. Colorado Rockies

The rookie has been quite the road warrior in his first season with the Marlins, and gets to head on the road for this contest. Sure, it is at Coors, but he has yielded just four earned runs over his four August starts comprising 23.0 IP. The ratio numbers over that stretch of games is appealing: 1.57 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. His least appealing aspect as a streamer is his average K rate of 7.4 K/9, which is not exactly reason not to rely on him.

Bowden Francis, Toronto Blue Jays vs. Boston Red Sox

Racking up an eye-popping 22:1 K/BB ratio while holding opponents to just three earned runs over his most recent three trips to toe the rubber, the last two of which were QS vintage. He gets a road start, where he has been much more effective, albeit in limited action this season. 

Albert Suarez, Baltimore Orioles vs. Colorado Rockies

The veteran SP has not allowed a run, earned or otherwise, over his last three trips to the hill, while also racking up nearly a K per frame: 17 Ks over 17.2 IP. His control has been excellent lately, too, with just three free passes over those three contests. Not as tough a matchup as when he was slated to take on the Dodgers in LA, to be certain, and his recent dominance is decidedly a reason to give him a shot even with the venue.

Frankie Montas, Milwaukee Brewers vs. Cincinnati Reds

The Brewers have to be pleased with their acquisition of the veteran righty, who has posted useful ratio and counting stats in his four August starts: 2.57 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 21:8 K/BB ratio with a 2-0 record over his 21.0 IP. The matchup against the division rival Reds portends a good streaming option.

DJ Herz, Washington Nationals vs. Chicago Cubs

The rookie southpaw continues to rack up the Ks, as evidenced by his 11.1 K/9 season ratio. He has posted useful ratio stats since July 23^rd, with a 3.07 ERA and 1.23 WHIP over his last 29.1 IP. He has been much more effective at home, so this is a good streaming matchup to take advantage of to wind up August fantasy action.

Joey Estes, Oakland Athletics vs. Texas Rangers

Over his last seven outings, the rookie righty has put up a superb 2.82 ERA and 1.04 WHIP, with a stellar 1.9 BB/9 ratio. The Ks are pedestrian, sitting at a 6.7 K/9 rate on the season. He has allowed three or less earned tallies in each of his last seven trips to the bump, although his struggles have taken place mostly on the road, which tempers the expectations for this appearance.

Cody Bradford, Texas Rangers vs. Oakland Athletics

 The second-year southpaw is working on a two-QS streak and struck out eight visiting Pittsburgh batters in his most recent start. He is an above-average strikeout producer in limited action, and has demonstrated superb control. He also gets to face the A’s at home where he has been spectacular this year, again in limited action.