Ranking and tiering the two-start pitchers for Week 22, including Dillon Gee, Jorge De La Rosa and Rubby De La Rosa.
Last week, Trevor Bauer, Jason Vargas and Kyle Hendricks produced three wins in six starts (one start suspended due to rain and a tarp malfunction), a 3.03 ERA, 1.31 WHIP (meh) and 6.61 K//9 (double meh). This week, the best of the best two-starters are already owned in the majority of leagues, including breakout performers like Matt Shoemaker and Danny Duffy. I had to reach a little deeper this week, but, luckily, there were some matchups to exploit.
My Results (through Week 21)
51-32
7.28 K/9
2.62 BB/9
3.51 ERA
1.19 WHIP
Start!
Madison Bumgarner: Tue-COL (De La Rosa), Sun-MIL (Lohse)
Johnny Cueto: Tue-CHC (Wood), Sun-@PIT (Liriano)
Tier 1
Alex Cobb: Tue-@BAL (Chen), Sun-BOS (De La Rosa)
Alex Wood: Tue-@NYM (Gee), Sun-MIA (Cosart)
Rick Porcello: Tue-NYY (McCarthy), Sun-@CWS (Quintana)
James Shields: Mon-NYY (Pineda), Sat-CLE (Bauer)
Tanner Roark: Mon-@PHI (Burnett), Sun-@SEA (Elias)
Jeff Samardzija: Mon-@HOU (Feldman), Sat-@LAA (LeBlanc)
Tier 2
Jake Odorizzi: Mon-@BAL (Tillman), Sat-BOS (Buchholz)
John Lackey: Mon-@PIT (Liriano), Sun-CHC (Wood)
Francisco Liriano: Mon-STL (Lackey), Sun-CIN (Cueto)
Dallas Keuchel: Tue-OAK (Hammel), Sun-TEX (Martinez)
Matt Shoemaker: Tue-MIA (Eovaldi), Sun-OAK (Hammel)
Brandon McCarthy: Tue-@DET (Porcello), Sun-@TOR (Happ)
Danny Duffy: Tue-MIN (Nolasco), Sun-CLE (House)
Jose Quintana: Tue-CLE (House), Sun-DET (Porcello)
Chris Tillman: Mon-TB (Odorizzi), Sat-MIN (Gibson)
Tier 3
Dillon Gee: Tue-ATL (Wood), Sun-PHI (Burnett)
Michael Pineda: Mon-@KC (Shields), Sat-@TOR (Hutchison)
Wei-Yin Chen: Tue-TB (Cobb), Sun-MIN (Nolasco)
Jorge De La Rosa: Tue-@SF (Bumgarner), Sun-@ARI (Anderson)
Rubby De La Rosa: Tue-@TOR (Dickey), Sun-@TB (Cobb)
Jake Peavy: Mon-COL (Matzek), Sat-MIL (Fiers)
Eric Stults: Mon-MIL (Lohse), Sun-LAD (Correia)
A.J. Burnett: Mon-WSH (Roark), Sun-@NYM (Gee)
Roenis Elias: Mon-TEX (Mikolas), Sun-WSH (Roark)
Kyle Lohse: Mon-@SD (Stults), Sun-@SF (Bumgarner)
Not this week
Clay Buchholz: Mon-@TOR (Happ), Sat-@TB (Odorizzi)
Scott Feldman: Mon-OAK (Samardzija), Sat-TEX (Mikolas)
Jason Hammel: Tue-@HOU (Keuchel), Sun-@LAA (Shoemaker)
J.A. Happ: Mon-BOS (Buchholz), Sun-NYY (McCarthy)
T.J. House: Tue-@CWS (Quintana), Sun-@KC (Duffy)
Wade LeBlanc: Mon-MIA (Cosart), Sat-OAK (Samardzija)
Nick Martinez: Tue-@SEA (Paxton), Sun-@HOU (Keuchel)
Tyler Matzek: Mon-@SF (Peavy), Sat-@ARI (Nuno)
Miles Mikolas: Mon-@SEA (Elias), Sat-@HOU (Feldman)
Ricky Nolasco: eTue-@KC (Duffy), Sun-@BAL (Chen)
Travis Wood: Tue-@CIN (Cueto), Sun-@STL (Lackey)
My Week 22 Picks
Dillon Gee, Mets
2014: 4-6, 100.2 IP, 6.26 K/9, 2.95 BB/9, 43.8 GB%, 3.84 ERA, 1.15 WHIP
Gee hasn't been particularly sharp of late, recording five losses in his last seven starts, but I do feel like his Week 22 matchups are favorable. The Braves offense has been underperforming since the break (.302 wOBA, 24th worst in baseball), and they trail only the Cubs, Orioles and Marlins in team strikeout rate in the second half. Gee has dominated Atlanta in 13 starts, posting a 2.80 ERA and 1.11 WHIP, including one complete game. Philadelphia hasn't been much better with a .304 wOBA (23rd worst) in the second half. I'm very comfortable starting Gee against two familiar opponents in Citi Field, where he owns a career 3.28 ERA in 52 games. You should be too.
Jorge De La Rosa, Rockies
2014: 13-8, 149.2 IP, 6.33 K/9, 3.13 BB/9, 51.5 GB%, 4.21 ERA, 1.22 WHIP
De La Rosa has been the brightest spot in another lackluster Rockies rotation. The 33-year-old southpaw has won six out of his last 10 starts, including victories against the Dodgers, Brewers, Nationals and Royals, all current division leaders. Strangely enough, De La Rosa has been better at home than on the road, but he's enjoyed success against the Giants in his career, with nine wins in 20 starts (the most W's against any opponent). Yes, I know...wins. But that doesn't take away from the overall quality of his last 11 starts in the rotation, in which DLR has gone at least six innings while recording seven quality starts (and no start allowing more than four runs). Arizona, DLR's second opponent, has been brutal with a .280 wOBA in August. Fire away.
Rubby De La Rosa, Red Sox
2014: 4-5, 78 IP, 6.69 K/9, 3.35 BB/9, 47.5 GB%, 3.69 ERA, 1.42 WHIP
Boston's De La Rosa is catching the Blue Jays at the right time. In August, Toronto has the 29th worst wOBA (.279), trailing only the Mets (.268) in the category. The Rays have also struggled on offense in August with a .293 wOBA (23rd worst). That makes the Red Sox DLR a deep sleeper in mixed leagues, and a smart one-week addition in AL-only formats. He has shown the ability to pile up strikeouts in the past (he's struck out eight in two of his last three starts, both starts against the Angels), and his minor league strikeout numbers have been consistently higher than what we've seen so far.
Stats from FanGraphs.com.