Harrison has become must start

Despite there being a limited slate Monday, a busy Thursday still leaves a bevy of projected two-start pitchers for Week 11. Let’s highlight five of them and discuss what their matchups could mean for their fantasy production.

Jose Soriano, Los Angeles Angels: vs. COL, at LAD
Soriano labored in his last start, throwing 105 pitches over five innings against the Tigers. He only gave up three runs, but he issued four walks and allowed seven hits. He still has just a 1.15 WHIP for the season, but his 10.7% walk rate could eventually become a concern. Last season, he had a 10.8% walk rate and finished with a 1.40 WHIP. His 8.9% barrel rate allowed is also higher than the 7.2% barrel rate he allowed last season.

Week 11 brings two contrasting opponents for Soriano. His first matchup is a great one at home against the Rockies, who have only a .655 OPS on the road. They have also struck out the fifth-most times in baseball. However, his second outing against the Dodgers could be problematic. Not only have they scored the third-most runs in baseball, but they rank first in OPS against right-handed pitchers. Soriano is still worth starting in most leagues because of the matchup with the Rockies, but his second outing might not be pretty.

Eduardo Rodriguez, Arizona Diamondbacks: vs. LAD, vs. WAS
Rodriguez has allowed two or fewer runs in five of his last six starts, lowering his ERA to 2.31 for the season. As great as that is, his 4.42 xERA paints a more troubling picture. His .259 BABIP allowed is 45 points lower than his career mark. His strikeout rate has also dropped to 18.0%, which is on pace to be the lowest mark of his career.

Rodriguez has two troubling matchups next week. We’ve already discussed how potent the Dodgers can be, but don’t overlook the Nationals either. They lead baseball in runs scored, rank fourth in OPS and sixth in home runs. They also have a .775 OPS against left-handed pitchers. As good as Rodriguez has been, benching him next week could be the smart decision.

Kyle Harrison, Milwaukee Brewers: vs. SF, at COL
Harrison has been a great addition for the Brewers. Over 10 starts, he has a sparkling 1.57 ERA. His xERA is also excellent at 3.03. Not only is he walking fewer batters, but his strikeout rate has jumped to 29.6%. That has helped him produce a 1.03 WHIP. His four-seamer and slurve have whiff rates of 30.8% and 27.4%, respectively.

Harrison will face his former team, the Giants, during his first start of Week 11. Their lineup has been awful, producing the third-worst OPS in the majors. Playing the Rockies at Coors Field is certainly not as favorable as facing them on the road, but again, they strike out a lot. With how many swings and misses Harrison generates, there’s no reason to even think about sitting him because of his matchup in Colorado.

Sandy Alcantara, Miami Marlins: at WAS, vs. TB
Alcantara was hammered for eight runs over 5 2/3 innings against the Blue Jays in his last start. That came on the heels of him giving up six runs to the Braves. Over his last five starts, he has a 7.39 ERA and a 1.61 WHIP. Across those 28 innings, he has allowed 39 hits, five of which were home runs. His WHIP has climbed to 1.33 for the season, and his 16.1% strikeout rate is on pace to be the lowest mark of his career.

Facing the potent Nationals lineup in Washington could be a tough way for Alcantara to begin the week. After posting a 1.55 WHIP on the road last year, he has a 1.65 WHIP away from Miami this year. He’ll return home for his second start, although it’s a difficult matchup against a Rays team that ranks ninth in OPS. They do a great job of making contact, striking out the fewest times in baseball. Better days could be ahead for Alcantara, but based on these matchups, benching him for Week 11 might be the correct move.

Cade Cavalli, Washington Nationals: vs. MIA, at ARI
Over 10 starts with the Nationals last season, Cavalli posted just an 18.3% strikeout rate. He has been much more productive in that department this year, recording a 25.4% strikeout rate over 12 starts. A key pitch for him has been his knuckle curve, which he throws 30.0% of the time. That pitch has generated a 43.1% whiff rate. None of his other pitches has a whiff rate higher than 23.4%.

Now that he is striking out more hitters, Cavalli has become a more fantasy-friendly option. The Marlins rank in the middle of the pack in runs scored and OPS, and Cavalli held them to two runs over 5 2/3 innings earlier this season. The Diamondbacks are more dangerous, but they have a worse OPS against righties (.684) than they do against lefties (.794). Still, roll with Cavalli in 12-team and deeper leagues.

Mike Barner has been covering fantasy sports since 2007. His work has appeared in Sports Illustrated, Yahoo, SportsLine and RotoWire. Mike was also a finalist for the 2018 FSWA Basketball Writer of the Year award. Follow Mike on Twitter @rotomikebarner.