Six innings. Three runs or less. It seems simple in principle, but go tell that to MLB pitchers. Still, it’s one of our favorite stats, and there are lots of fantasy owners looking for cheap quality starts sources all year long.
Here are some quality starts darlings, to consider:
Fantasy Baseball: 6 Underrated Quality Starts Sources
Ranger Suarez, Philadelphia Phillies
Ranger Suarez has been money in the last 30 days. During that period, he has a 1.38 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP, with 29 strikeouts in 32.2 innings. Perhaps more importantly, he has an ongoing five-game quality start streak.
For the season as a whole, Suarez has been sneaky good with a 3.50 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. He was a bit inconsistent before hitting his stride in late May but is now one of the most underrated quality starts sources in fantasy baseball.
Brayan Bello, Boston Red Sox
As of Monday afternoon, Boston Red Sox’s starter Brayan Bello was owned in just 52 percent of leagues. That number is very, very low for a pitcher with a 3.27 ERA and a clear path toward a rotation spot for the long term.
Bello has seemingly put it all together and has quality starts in four straight starts, five of his last six, and six of his last eight. Go take a look in your wire; if he is there, take him and don’t look back. He might perform like an ace or a solid number two the rest of the way.
Griffin Canning, Los Angeles Angels
The Los Angeles Angels have been surprisingly competitive this season, with a 42-37 record. Yes, Mike Trout and, particularly, Shohei Ohtani have carried the team, but the reason behind their competence is the current form of two young starters: Griffin Canning and Reid Detmers.
Canning has been slowed by injuries and inconsistency in the past, but his talent has never been in question. In 2023, his ERA is down to 3.99 with a great 1.16 WHIP, and he is peaking at the right time. In fact, he has become one of the top under-the-radar quality starts sources in MLB.
Griffin Canning’s 2Ks in the 2nd. pic.twitter.com/cRKanVVxjW
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 25, 2023
Of his most recent six outings, five have resulted in quality starts, and four have netted his fantasy owners wins. Seemingly unable to pitch past the fifth inning earlier in the campaign, he has averaged exactly six innings per start in his last six turns. If you need QS, run to your wire because he might be available.
A Leap Of Faith
Reid Detmers, Los Angeles Angels
Speaking of Canning’s rotation mate, Detmers is on the verge of putting it all together. Up until June 1, he was wildly inconsistent and rarely pitched six innings. But the signs of a breakout were there.
Now, he has 84 strikeouts in 69.1 innings despite a mediocre 4.02 ERA and 1.36 WHIP. And, like Canning, he is peaking at the right time.
Detmers’ most recent two games have resulted in quality starts, and a third didn’t materialize by a single out.
He is one of baseball’s most enticing quality starts sources right now because half of your league might still be sleeping on him.
Kyle Bradish, Baltimore Orioles
Kyle Bradish continues the pattern of pitchers who had suspect starts of the seasons but have righted the ship recently. He carried a 6.14 ERA in April, and we were all wondering if the positive signs we all saw last season were still there.
As it turns out, they were. On the strength of an impressive May and June turnaround, Bradish’s ERA for the year is down to 3.75 in 72 innings, with 67 strikeouts.
He is now one of the cheapest quality starts sources in fantasy (31 percent owned in Yahoo, even after dominating Seattle on Sunday), having logged the stat in two of his three most recent outings and five of his last nine. He keeps improving, so that ratio will only improve with time. Invest.
Julio Teheran, Milwaukee Brewers
Teheran might be the least likely of the starters listed here to keep getting sustained success. That doesn’t mean he can’t be used right now, especially to keep ratios down and to log quality starts.
He is not a big strikeout guy, but in six outings this year for the Brewers, he has a 1.53 ERA, a 0.88 WHIP… and four quality starts.
Julio Teheran continues his splendid season pic.twitter.com/1TxV3JR4Q3
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) June 21, 2023
Teheran works quickly and is not thinking about logging a lot of punchouts. He barely surpasses 90 mph these days. His new profile gives him length potential but also caps his ceiling a bit. Choose your spots with him, and you’ll reap the benefits. As far as dirt cheap quality starts sources go, Teheran qualifies.
