Week of 2026-05-11 — Two-Start Pitcher Rankings

The headline this week is Paul Skenes drawing two home starts against sub-.735 OPS lineups (COL, PHI) — that's the cleanest double-dip on the board and an auto-start in every format. Behind him, Shota Imanaga gets a soft CWS finisher to offset a tougher ATL spot, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto feasts on SF (.643 OPS) and LAA (.710). The slate's most exploitable lineup is San Francisco's .643 OPS — anyone facing them gets a bump — while the trap of the week is the SF rotation traveling to Dodger Stadium against a .792 OPS offense.

At-a-Glance Board

Tier 1 — Must Start (any league size)

Paul Skenes (PIT, RHP, 99% owned)

• Start 1: 5/12 vs COL — .731 OPS, 25.6% K%; Rockies travel poorly and PNC suppresses the only thing they do well. Elite spot.
• Start 2: 5/17 vs PHI — .687 OPS, 21.3% K%; Phillies have cooled and Skenes at home is a top-3 ratios anchor.
• Recent form:

Rolling — 23 K and 2 shutout outings in last 3.

• Pitcher quality: 2.36 ERA / 1.97 xERA / 9.86 K9 / 47% Whiff — the underlying is the best on the slate, and recent form confirms.
• Combined verdict: SP1 ceiling for the week — chase wins, ratios, and strikeouts.
• League notes: Auto-start all formats.

Shota Imanaga (CHC, LHP, 94% owned)

• Start 1: 5/12 @ ATL — .790 OPS, 20.7% K%; toughest spot of his week, but ATL has been LHP-vulnerable in 2026.
• Start 2: 5/17 @ CWS — .710 OPS, 24.7% K%; elite finisher against a high-K Sox lineup.
• Recent form:

Rolling — 21 K over last 3, one LAD blip aside.

• Pitcher quality: 2.28 ERA / 3.06 xERA / 10.08 K9 / 91% Whiff — splitter is unhittable; xERA still buys it.
• Combined verdict: SP1/SP2; CWS finisher is the K-equity carrot.
• League notes: Auto-start all formats.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LAD, RHP, 99% owned)

• Start 1: 5/11 vs SF — .643 OPS, 21.8% K%; Giants are the worst lineup he'll see all month.
• Start 2: 5/16 @ LAA — .710 OPS, 25.7% K%; Angels strike out a ton — K-upside spot.
• Recent form:

Cooling — 9 ER over last 3 but K rate intact.

• Pitcher quality: 3.09 ERA / 4.24 xERA / 8.24 K9 / 81% Whiff — xERA is a yellow flag, but matchups overrule.
• Combined verdict: Top-5 play this week purely on opponent strength.
• League notes: Auto-start all formats.

Tier 2 — Confident Streamers (12-team and deeper)

Kevin Gausman (TOR, RHP, 98% owned)

• Start 1: 5/11 vs TB — .699 OPS, 18.7% K%; favorable, splitter plays.
• Start 2: 5/17 @ DET — .719 OPS, 22.0% K%; Comerica neutralizes any HR risk.
• Recent form:

Cooling — K rate has dipped to 8 over last 3 starts.

• Pitcher quality: 3.09 ERA / 3.39 xERA / 65% Whiff — whiff is real, K9 underperforming.
• Combined verdict: Two playable matchups; trust the profile.
• League notes: Auto-start 12T+; ratios SP2 in points.

George Kirby (SEA, RHP, 95% owned)

• Start 1: 5/11 @ HOU — .779 OPS, 20.0% K%; toughest spot, road, lean offense.
• Start 2: 5/16 vs SD — .670 OPS, 22.2% K%; T-Mobile + sub-.700 OPS = excellent.
• Recent form:

Steady — 12 K, 6 ER across last 3.

• Pitcher quality: 2.94 ERA / 2.79 xERA — elite ratios profile, K9 (6.75) caps points-league ceiling.
• Combined verdict: Strong start ratio anchor; Houston spot is the only wart.
• League notes: Auto-start all formats; slight nudge down in K-heavy formats.

Nathan Eovaldi (TEX, RHP, 92% owned)

• Start 1: 5/11 vs ARI — .698 OPS, 21.8% K%; great home matchup.
• Start 2: 5/17 @ HOU — .779 OPS, 20.0% K%; risky road spot, monitor.
• Recent form:

Rolling — 15 K, 1 ER across last two.

• Pitcher quality: 4.15 ERA / 4.42 xERA / 84% Whiff — peripherals lag the swing/miss.
• Combined verdict: ARI start is the carrot; HOU start is benchable in shallow leagues.
• League notes: 12T+ start both; 15T lock; consider HOU bench in 10T.

Joey Cantillo (CLE, LHP, 4% owned)

• Start 1: 5/11 vs LAA — .710 OPS, 25.7% K%; high-K Halos at Progressive — green light.
• Start 2: 5/17 vs CIN — .687 OPS, 24.8% K%; second elite home spot in a row.
• Recent form:

Mixed — walks (7 BB last 3) are the worry.

• Pitcher quality: 3.43 ERA / 4.07 xERA / 8.47 K9 / 61% Whiff — whiff strong, command shaky.
• Combined verdict: Best deep streamer on the board with two home plus-matchups.
• League notes: 12T+ stream; must-add 15T.

Tier 3 — High-Variance Sub-30% Plays (15-team only)

Erick Fedde (CWS, RHP, 3% owned)

• Start 1: 5/12 vs KC — .709 OPS, 22.3% K%; the one start to chase.
• Start 2: 5/17 vs CHC — .783 OPS, 19.8% K%; ugly spot vs Cubs lineup.
• Recent form:

Volatile — alternating quality starts and blowups.

• Pitcher quality: 3.79 ERA / 5.86 FIP / 5.68 K9 / 5% Whiff — peripherals scream regression.
• Combined verdict: KC-only stream; consider benching the Cubs start.
• League notes: 15T only.

Brandon Young (BAL, RHP, <1% owned)

• Start 1: 5/11 vs NYY — .790 OPS, 22.7% K%; sit if possible.
• Start 2: 5/17 @ WSH — .721 OPS, 22.2% K%; the case for a stash.
• Recent form:

Cooling — 13 ER across last 3.

• Pitcher quality: 4.35 ERA / 4.79 xERA / 6.1 K9 — limited upside.
• Combined verdict: WSH start only in 15T; bench the NYY date.
• League notes: 15T only, single-start usage.

Reynaldo López (ATL, RHP, 14% owned)

• Start 1: 5/12 vs CHC — .783 OPS, 19.8% K%; tough.
• Start 2: 5/17 vs BOS — .669 OPS, 22.4% K%; the carrot.
• Recent form: data block shows no recent starts — proceed with the season line.
• Pitcher quality: 3.28 ERA but 5.02 FIP / 4.57 xERA / 21% Whiff — ratios masking poor peripherals.
• Combined verdict: BOS-only spot stream; full week is risky.
• League notes: 15T only.

Avoid This Week