Nick Kappel’s Fantasy Focus: Top Spot Starters for Week 25

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In last week’s Fantasy Focus, I suggested three players to add in your quest for a championship game berth.

It’s important to note, however, that in a one (or two) week matchup, anything can happen. You can no longer afford to start players based on their names or draft value; riding the hot hand is now the key to your success. 

With that thought in mind, here are four pitchers whose favorable matchups make them prime spot-start candidates for week 25: 

Hiroki Kuroda is 2-0 with a 1.92 ERA in his last 14 innings. In those two starts, Kuroda has recorded 12 strikeouts and zero walks. The 34-year-old gets two starts this week, one against the Nationals and the other against the Pirates, making him an excellent two-start pitcher to own. 

Wade LeBlanc is 2-0 in three September starts, posting a 1.42 ERA and 0.84 WHIP in 19 innings. The 25-year-old southpaw will pitch against the Pirates and Diamondbacks this week, making him an adequate two-start spot-start.  

Robinson Tejada has pitched extremely well since joining the Royals’ rotation earlier this month. In four September starts, the 27-year-old is 3-0 with a 0.80 ERA and 0.85 WHIP in 22 1/3 innings, while posting 24 strikeouts and issuing just 10 walks. Tejada is owned by less than half of the Yahoo fantasy baseball community, meaning there’s a good chance he’s available for you to add for his Friday start against the Twins. 

In four September starts, Jon Garland is 3-0 with a 2.33 ERA and 1.15 WHIP. The tall right-hander has turned in five consecutive quality starts, and is likely to make it six in a row against either Washington or Pittsburgh later this week.