Chacin the dream
Padres hurler can help patch gap of injured aces
FINDING an a ce on t he waiver wire at this point in the season would be like winning a free trip around the world after winning Mega Millions and later finding a leprechaun’s pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, which also happened to be right next to the Fountain of Youth.
It isn’t going to happen. So, even though you’re hurting with David Price, Stephen Strasburg and Clayton Kershaw landing on the disabled list, you’re going to need some rotation assistance. And, there is only one obvious place to start your search: San Diego.
Sure, the Padres are one of the worst teams in the league, but they have one of the hottest pitchers in Jhoulys Chacin.
After going 4-5 with a 5.65 ERA, .277 opponent average in his first 12 starts, the 29-year-old has turned his season around. In five starts this month, he is 4-0 with a 2.51 ERA, 25:13 strikeout-towalk ratio, .204 opponent average and .625 OPS. Over his past nine starts, he is 6-2 with a 2.59 ERA, 45:20 strikeout-to-walk rate and .209 opponent average.
It doesn’t hurt that he plays in pitcher-friendly Petco Park — where he is 6-2 with 2.05 ERA, 57 strikeouts and 1.009 WHIP in 11 starts. His numbers away from home (4-5, 7.35 ERA, 44 K) are getting better — he has not allowed more than three earned runs in his past four road starts and has a .369 BABIP, which indicates he only should get better. Chacin also is approaching the two months when he historically pitches his best. He is 12-9 with a 3.31 ERA in 28 career August appearances (23 starts), and is 8-10 with a 3.37 ERA in September.
Some might say Chacin’s 7.6 strikeouts per nine innings is too low, or his 3.2 walks per nine are too high, or the fact he pitches for the Padres is not good for the wins column. Those people are not looking at his numbers.
Chacin is not going to be your No. 1 starter, but he is a cheap addition (owned in just 28 percent of ESPN and Yahoo leagues) who will add much-needed depth to your rotation down the stretch.
Here are some other pitchers who can help:
Despite being just 4-3 over his past nine starts, Patrick Corbin has not allowed more than three earned runs in any of those starts (3.04 ERA). He also is 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA in his first three starts since the All-Star break. He is better at Chase Field (6-3, 3.14 ERA) than he is away from it (2-6, 6.19), but with that Diamondbacks lineup, he should be a solid and cheap option the rest of the way. Cincinnati’s Luis Castillo is 1-4 with a 4.05 ERA, 1.325 WHIP and 3.8 walks per nine, so there is a reason he is lightly owned. However, he is striking out 10.1 per nine innings, has an 81 percent strand rate, 58.5 groundball rate and opponents are hitting just .243 against him. Plus, look at who he has faced: Washington (twice), Arizona (twice), Milwaukee, Colorado (at Coors Field) and the Yankees — each a top-10 offense, minus the Brewers. It isn’t like facing the Mets, Padres, Braves or Pirates — all of whom the Reds play in August.
Trevor Cahill will make his Royals debut Saturday. Playing for a contender, mixed with his strikeout rate (10.6 per nine), swinging strike rate (12.8 percent), groundball rate (56.8), the increased use of his curveball and the fact he is vastly underowned, make him a great target.