Week 20 of our MLB two-start pitcher series lays out the best weekly options as August 18 approaches, with rotation shuffles shaping value. The Phillies flip to a six-man rotation to accommodate Aaron Nola, which narrows Ranger Suarez to a single start; the Cubs stack two-start weeks with an eight-game slate, keeping Cade Horton and potentially Jameson Taillon in the mix; the Rays play five games, limiting two-starts; and the Blue Jays’ rotation remains in flux as Shane Bieber returns. Against that backdrop, the piece highlights strong and streaming options across the American and National Leagues, with Joe Ryan, Trevor Rogers, Logan Gilbert, and Hunter Brown headlining the AL, and Paul Skenes, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Cade Horton, and Eury Pérez pacing the NL. It also casts a wider net into pitchers like Brandon Woodruff, Nick Pivetta, Robbie Ray, Zac Gallen, Spencer Strider, and Matthew Liberatore as two-start candidates, while flagging higher-risk picks such as Nestor Cortes and Austin Gomber. The guide blends traditional cycle-spotting with waiver-wire tests and notes on risk vs. reward, arming fantasy managers with a battalion of two-start weeks and the streaming pivots to lean on when lineups shift.

Two-start anchors emerge from the AL slate: Joe Ryan dominates with elite run prevention and solid strikeout pace, while Trevor Rogers tames tough matchups in Baltimore’s rotation; Logan Gilbert’s arms are a constant, and Hunter Brown’s double-dip is a clear must-start. In the NL, Skenes brings massive upside at home vs. Toronto and Colorado, Yamamoto’s Coors-field hurdle notwithstanding, and Cade Horton’s breakout form makes him an easy call in 100% of leagues. The piece also flags other strong streaming bets like Paul Skenes, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Cade Horton, Eury Pérez, Brandon Woodruff, and Nick Pivetta, balancing upside with matchup-driven caution across park factors and opposing lineups.