#2xSP (9.11-9.17)
The season numbers aren’t great but we’ve picked up some steam over the last few weeks and hopefully will finish strong. As always, if you have any suggestions or tips, please feel free to mention them in the comments section, and thank you for reading.
Here’s how we’re doing so far this season (through most of Week 21)
38-40 record
4.84 ERA
7.7 K/9
2.4 K/BB
1.42 WHIP
41 quality starts
Here are this week’s recs (with team wRC+ for this season in parentheses):
RHP Marco Estrada – 47.8% ESPN – v. BAL (100), @MIN (100)
He’s either been really good or really bad of late, but over his last nine starts has a respectable 3.98 ERA and .709 OPS against in 54.1 innings. He won’t get much offensive support, but he also feels relatively stable among pitchers who are owned under 50% — a tough lot to crack at this point of the year. If you prefer, go with one of the guys at the bottom.
LHP Eduardo Rodriguez – 34.6% ESPN – v. OAK (101), @TBR (98)
I’m just gambling on the talent here. Rodriguez has fanned more than a batter per inning this season (9.7 K/9), and his ERA (a so-so 4.33) is supported by a better FIP (4.04). His second half has not been particularly pretty (5.22 ERA), but he’s still got 53 strikeouts and just 16 walks in 50 innings, and both of these matchups are OK, though not great.
RHP Kyle Gibson – 18% ESPN – v. SD (85), v. TOR (90)
A move on the rubber has helped Gibson be absolutely terrific over the last month-and-a-half. Since then — he told me he made the change after the start in Houston on July 16 — he’s posted a 3.19 ERA, .682 OPS against and 38-11 K/BB ratio in 48 innings. Not only is he inducing grounders at a solid rate — like always — but he’s also got an 11% swinging-strike rate over that stretch. Grounders plus a swing-and-miss slider against two awful offenses? Sign me up.
Last men out: Hyun-jin Ryu (@SF, @WAS), Brandon Woodruff (v. PIT, @MIA)
In addition to Rotographs, Warne writes about the Minnesota Twins for The Athletic and is a sportswriter for Sportradar U.S. in downtown Minneapolis. Follow him on Twitter @Brandon_Warne, or feel free to email him to do podcasts or for any old reason at brandon.r.warne@gmail-dot-com
I believe Hyun-Jin Ryu has been scratched from at least his first start of the week, and may be moved to the bullpen with the Dodgers’ staff healthy again (or at least as healthy as Alex Wood ever will be).
Yes this is accurate.
Prefer Woodruff over Dillon Peters @ PHI and MIL @ home?
Just slightly. Hard to trust either all that strongly though.
Reynaldo Lopez (14%) vs KCR and @DET?
He’s looked pretty good over his last two — especially against tougher offenses — so I wouldn’t hate rolling the dice there.
Am I crazy to be streaming Lopez and Hammel against one another in a QS league? I need good ratios and QSs, don’t need Ks. I’m pretty locked into Hammel, but it’s not to late to drop Lopez for somebody like Marte to try and steal a SB, which I also need.
I’m concerned about Gibson’s last start. The 0 Ks seems like a big red flag of regression.
I have stared at Kyle Gibson’s page a bunch of times over the last two weeks and could not figure out what was different. Thank you for putting a real change with the success he has had lately.