Last week I wrote that as the year progresses it gets tougher and tougher to pick up worthy and viable pitchers scheduled to make two starts. By this time of the year there are so many pitchers on the IL that replacements have gotten snagged, and the only pitchers left are the dregs of the league.
In total, 48 out of the league’s 150 starting pitchers are currently on the DL. Needless to say, pitching is thin. And with a finite FAAB budget, teams need to be judicious with the money they spend, and where they spend it. Nothing says you have to make a move each week.
The main goal when snagging a two start pitcher is to gain one extra start in a particular week. If you can do that each week, you’ll have picked up an extra 25-28 starters of the course of a year. Those starts will translate into an extra 100 Ks and a handful of wins. The extra innings will dilute your ratios, so bad starts won’t kill those numbers too badly.
But, there is no rule or law that states you have to make moves every week. Sometimes less is more. With that in mind, there is only one pitcher this week who I would consider grabbing. There are plenty of pitchers making two starts but most of them are already in the vast majority of leagues. There is only one who is currently owned in fewer than 50% of leagues.
Ryan Weathers, Miami Marlins:
Although he has a tough matchup against the Braves in Atlanta on Monday, his second start against the Nationals at home is a tad easier. The 24 yr old lefty hasn’t been very good since he first came up with the Padres in 2021. He made 18 starts as a 21 yr old, and posted a high WHIP and ERA north of 5.00. In the last two seasons since then he’s only made 13 starts, before this season. Similarly, with lousy numbers. He seems to have found something this year because he’s had a much better command in his four starts. He’s 2-1 and has struck out 22 batters in 20 innings. Although he has given up nine walks which has elevated his WHIP to 1.35, he has a very respectable 2.70 ERA.
Again, nothing says you have to pickup a pitcher every week…but if you are compelled to do so, Weathers is the best option who’ll be available to you.