Golden Archer
Trade to Bucs could be perfect Rx for righty
SOMETIMES, staying in the same place for too long can have adverse effects on your life.
You start to lose focus (or hair), stress eats you alive (or you eat your feelings), or negativity starts to sink in as you go through the same pattern day in and day out, year after year.
A vacation is needed. A change of scenery will help you reboot, recharge and reinvigorate yourself to perform at levels you are used to.
Chris Archer has been desperate for a change of scenery ... for a LONG TIME!
Archer, who was dealt to the Pirates and made his debut Friday night against the Cardinals, was 3-5 with a 4.31 ERA and a careerhigh 1.385 WHIP in 17 starts for the Rays. He is striking out 9.6 per nine innings (his lowest total since 2014), walking 2.9 per nine innings and has a career-high swinging strike percentage (13.6). This came after he went 19-31 with a 4.05 ERA over the last two disappointing seasons (even if he was striking out more than a batter per inning).
While he may have disappointed in the past, and the beginning of this season looked like it would be more of the same, Archer has been pretty good recently.
Though he won only one of his past eight starts, Archer allowed just 13 earned runs over his past 43 1/ innings (2.70 ERA) while 3 striking out 50. Since May 1, he has allowed an opponent to score three earned runs or more in just four of his 11 starts in that span while maintaining a 3.13 ERA. His 3.62 FIP and xFIP, as well as his .343 BaBIP, indicate he has been a bit unlucky (hey, he was on a team in a division where they’ve merely been a punching bag for the Yankees and Red Sox).
There are other factors that lead Rot oR age to believe Archer’ s move to pitcherfriendly PNC Park is the perfect remedy for all that has ailed the 29-year-old who went an underwhelming 54-68 with a 3.69 ERA and 1,146 strikeouts in his time with the Rays.
Archer has already had success against the NL, going 6-9 with a 3. 29 ERA and 1 . 135 WHIP in 21 inter league starts. He held opponents to a .229 average and .635 OPS while striking out 10. 5 per nine and walking just 2.5 per nine.
Archer will work with Pirates pitching guru Ray Searage, who has a history of working well with veterans (even if calling Archer a vet seems weird since he’s only 29). Pitchers such as Francisco Liriano, A.J. Burnett, Ivan Nova, Edinson Volquez and J.A. Happ (pre-hand, foot and mouth disease) all became viable fantasy options under his tutelage.
There is also motivation to pitch in the playoffs, something Archer hasn’t done since pitching 1 2/ innings in the ALDS in 2013. 3 The Pirates entered Friday just four games out of a wild-card spot. Probably the biggest reason to love the move to Pittsburgh (besides getting to face pitchers): He finally gets out of the AL East. While he is 7-4 with a 3.01 ERA against Toronto, he was 6-10 with a 5.07 ERA against the Orioles, 6-7 with a 3.14 ERA against the Yankees, and 2-12 with a 5.27 ERA against Boston. Assuming he remains healthy and the Pirates don’t mess with the rotation, Archer will make 10 more starts. He could face three teams that have never seen him before, including the Braves, Reds (twice) and Brewers (twice). He is also in line to face the Rockies (1-0, 3.00, 11 Ks), Cubs (1-1, 3.00, 20 Ks) and the Cardinals again (1.29 ERA in one start before Friday). He may also square off against two AL teams, the Twins (6-1, 1.96 ERA, 59 Ks) and the Royals (1-4, 4.50). Archer has a chance to be the pitcher fantasy owners saw from 201 3 -1 5, when he went 31-29 with a 3.26 ERA.