Pablo’s high marks
Stat sshowM arlins hurler on his way up
IT IS challenging enough to deal with injuries to players such as Ronald Acuna Jr., Alex Bregman, Aaron Judge or Kirby Yates during a normal baseball season, but it is even more taxing this year with the added stress of dealing with the coronavirus.
The trick is remaining on top of the waiver wire to quickly to find pieces, like an Anthony Santander or Randy Dobnak, who can not only help you temporarily deal with the voids in your roster, but also help for the long haul.
Finding those pieces are the key to winning any fantasy season, but even more important in an odd season like this.
Over his first four starts, the Marlins’ Pablo Lopez is 2-1 with a 2.42 ERA and 1.164 WHIP. He also was striking out a career-best 9.67 batters per nine and walking a career-low 2.01 per nine.
The 24-year-old right-hander also entered Friday with the fifth-best ground-ball rate (60.3) and ninth best swinging strike rate (14.7 percent) in the majors. Not bad for a guy who entered the season 7-12 with a 4.76 ERA, 1.247 WHIP and was walking 2.4 per nine.
Lopez has a five-pitch repertoire that features a fastball averaging 94 mph, a sinker and changeup, while occasionally throwing a cutter or curveball. Opponents are hitting .273 against his fastball, but he owns a 36 percent strikeout percentage and a career-high 15.3 swinging strike rate on the pitch he uses 26.7 percent of the time.
Batters are 8-for-31 (.258) against his changeup, a pitch he uses 29.5 percent of the time. He hasn’t issued a walk with the pitch, has struck out 12 batters and has a 25.5 percent swinging strike rate. Against his sinker, which has a max velocity of 95, he has allowed four singles and he has a 66.7 percent ground-ball rate.
Lopez, who is owned in less than 40 percent of ESPN and Yahoo leagues, has not allowed more than two earned runs in any of his first four starts, and his 2.25 FIP and 2.81 xFIP are numbers that should be a reason to be confident he is more than just a streaming option.
A look at some other waiver options, available in 45 percent or more of ESPN leagues, who can help your fantasy team:
Despite going 0-for-8 in the Blue Jays’ doubleheader on Thursday, snapping an eightgame hitting streak, Randal Grichuk was 18-for-54 (.333) with six homers, 14 RBIs and a 1.094 OPS over his first 14 games this month. All of his homers and RBIs came during that hit streak, in which he hit .424.
Ian Happ is striking out in 27.8 percent of his at-bats, but he is hitting .315 with six homers, 14 RBIs, 13 runs and a 16.7 walk percentage. His .405 BaBIP indicates this likely won’t be sustained, but having the Cubs leadoff hitter on your side probably isn’t a bad thing.
San Francisco’s Kevin Gausman picked up his first win in his sixth start on Thursday, despite it being the first start in which he allowed more than three earned runs. He also is striking out a career high 12.2 per nine innings and walking a career-low 1.7 per nine.
Before sustaining a right tibia fracture last season, the Angels’ versatile Tommy La Stella was an All-Star. Over his first 23 games this season, he hit .284 with three homers, 12 RBIs, 12 runs, 11 walks, just five strikeouts and a .866 OPS. He is hitting .321 over his past 14 games.
Though Kansas City’s Brad Keller has walked 12 percent of the batters he has faced, he hasn’t allowed a run over his first three starts (17²/₃ innings) and opponents are hitting .140 against him. He will give up runs, it is inevitable. But judging by his 3.48 ERA over 72 career appearances (3.59 as a starter), he can provide solid depth to your rotation.