With fantasy baseball playoffs around the corner, you’re likely scouring the waivers wires looking for anyone who can help. Though many of the available options may not look all that appealing on the surface, there are plenty of players who can help your team get to the promised land.
Such as Toronto’s Ross Stripling, who is essentially the Bob Ross of starting pitchers. Is he exciting? No, not with his 7.6 strikeouts per nine innings or fastball averaging 91.9 mph. But when he takes the mound wearing his near Prussian Blue hat, you can relax, knowing the final result will (usually) look good — and have a good amount of happy little trees.
After missing the first two-plus weeks of August with a glute strain, Stripling is 2-0 with a 0.73 ERA, 13-1 strikeout-walk rate, .159 opponents average, .178 opponents on-base percentage and .360 OPS in his first two starts this month. In 13 appearances (12 starts) since June 1, he is 6-3 with a 2.06 ERA, 53-8 strikeout-walk rate and .219 opponents average.
Among pitchers with a minimum of 90 innings pitched, Stripling entered the weekend ranked 21st in ERA, 24th in WHIP (1.04) and was in the top 50 in opponents’ average (.229). He also walked just 4.2 percent of the batters he has faced, good for the sixth-best mark in the majors.
Though expected stats (3.55 xERA, 3.53 xFIP, .254 xBA) showing regression is coming, it is not going to be to the point that Stripling can’t help your team down the stretch — especially when you consider he is on a team with one of the best offenses, and his next two starts will come against teams ranked in the bottom three in average (Angels and Pirates).
Stripling may be about as exciting as watching paint dry, but he is available in more than 75 percent of ESPN leagues and offers your squad the type of categorical boost (outside of strikeouts) difficult to find on the waivers at this point in the season — and that is the type of stuff that can’t be overlooked for a title run.
Here is a look at some other widely available pitchers capable of giving you a categorical boost for the playoffs:
Strikeouts
Since the break, Cincinnati’s Nick Lodolo has struck out 27.5 percent of the batters he has faced (10.43 per nine) while going 1-1 with a 3.21 ERA and .230 opponents average. Four of his final seven starts could be pitched at home, where he is 3-2 with a 2.93 ERA and 11.5 strikeouts per nine — with four of those starts potentially against offenses ranked in the top seven in strikeouts.
If Justin Steele (27.5 percent rostered) doesn’t require an IL stint after exiting Friday’s start with lower back tightness, he should be a great option. After striking out six over 5 ¹/₃ innings on Friday, he is striking out 30.9 percent of the batters he has faced in the second half, the fifth-best mark among starters who’ve pitched a minimum of 30 innings since the break. He also had the third-lowest ERA (0.98) and a 12.6 percent swinging-strike rate. He allowed one earned run or less in 10 of his past 14 starts.
Wins
Atlanta’s Ian Anderson owns an ugly 5.00 ERA over 22 starts this season, and he is available in 40 percent of ESPN leagues, but four of his 10 wins have come over his past seven starts. He allowed two earned runs or less in five of those outings.
Miami’s Edward Cabrera entered his start Sunday not having allowed an earned run in four starts since returning from the IL on Aug. 5 while going 2-0 with 28 strikeouts and a .110 opponents’ average. Somehow he is still available in more than 50 percent of ESPN leagues.
ERA
Before taking the mound on Saturday, Jeffrey Springs (45.6 percent rostered) was 3-0 with a 1.66 ERA, .188 opponents’ average and 25 strikeouts in his first four starts this month for Tampa Bay. In 16 starts, he is 5-3 with a 2.74 ERA, .235 opponents’ average and 9.7 strikeouts per nine.
Kansas City’s Brady Singer (56.1 percent) is 7-4 with a 3.15 ERA, 9.2 strikeouts per nine and a 1.11 WHIP. Over his past 10 starts, though, he allowed more than three earned runs only once while going 4-1 with a 2.14 ERA, 71 strikeouts, .222 opponents’ average and .294 OBP.
WHIP
Marlins lefty Jesus Luzardo (33.7 percent rostered) entered the weekend with the ninth-best WHIP (0.86) of the second half (14th-best this month). It also doesn’t hurt that he is limiting opponents to a .175 average (ninth-best in the majors, among pitchers with a minimum of 50 innings pitched) this season while striking out 29.4 percent of the batters he has faced with a 13.8 percent swinging strike rate.
Saves
Baltimore’s Felix Baustista (40.3 percent rostered) is 1-1 with a 1.21 ERA (2.68 FIP), 32-4 strikeout-walk rate, .111 opponents’ average and seven saves (in seven chances) over 20 appearances since July 9.
Since July 17, Washington’s Kyle Finnegan (10.8 percent rostered) is 3-0 with a 1.17 ERA, .146 opponents’ average and six saves in seven opportunities. He has allowed two earned runs in 12 second-half appearances.
Big hits
Mitch Haniger OF, Mariners
Had at least one hit in 15 of his first 17 games since returning from the IL, going 21-for-67 (.313) with four homers, 10 RBIs, 13 runs and a .886 OPS.
Framber Valdez SP, Astros
Over his first four starts this month, he is 4-0 with a 1.98 ERA, 25-11 strikeout-walk rate and .208 opponents’ average. Has not lost since July 9.
Nathaniel Lowe 1B, Rangers
Had hit safely in 30 of 37 games before Friday — going 50-for-147 (.340) with eight homers, 24 RBIs, 19 runs and a .963 OPS.
Zac Gallen SP, D’backs
Hasn’t allowed an earned run over his past four starts, going 3-0 with a 32-6 strikeout-walk rate and .139 opponents average. He also hasn’t lost since June 10, going 5-0 with a 2.45 ERA in his past 13 starts.
Big whiffs
Oneil Cruz SS, Pirates
Despite hitting a 122.4 mph liner on Wednesday, the hardest-hit ball in the Statcast era, he entered the weekend batting .185 with 33 strikeouts and .264 on-base percentage over his first 18 games this month.
Madison Bumgarner SP, Diamondbacks
Not only did he enter the weekend with the second-highest opponents’ average (.337) this month, his 7.94 ERA was the worst in the majors.
Josh Bell 1B/OF, Padres
After hitting .301 with 14 HRs, 57 RBIs and .877 OPS in 103 games with the Nationals, he hit .153 with a .552 OPS in his first 20 games in San Diego.
Lucas Giolito SP, White Sox
Despite going 4-2 with a 3.56 FIP in his first seven second-half starts, he had a 6.29 ERA and walked 3.67 per nine (the 11th-worst mark).
Check swings
- Not only did Lars Nootbaar of St. Louis enter the weekend with the third-best walk rate (20.2 percent) in the majors this month, he also ranked ninth in runs (17), fifth in OBP (.447) and ninth in OPS (1.016). And he hit .306 with three homers, 11 RBIs, two stolen bases and 13.8 percent strikeout rate. He is rostered in less than 20 percent of ESPN leagues.
- George Springer was 16-for-28 (.571) with seven RBIs, six runs and a 1.375 OPS in his first eight games with Toronto after returning from the IL. He struck out just twice.
- Despite hitting .105 vs. lefties (.158 when he starts), Cincinnati’s Jake Fraley is hitting .267 with seven homers, 15 RBIs, 18 runs and a .911 OPS vs. right-handers. He also is doing well this month — hitting .288 with five homers, 11 RBIs, 14 runs, 10 walks and a .979 OPS in his first 19 games.
- Detroit’s Matt Manning lowered his ERA from 3.46 on Aug. 2 to 2.37 after going 1-1 with a 1.80 ERA, 26-5 strikeout-walk rate and .234 opponents’ average over his past four starts.
Team name of the week
All Time Lowe
