LeCure and Lynn: SP/RP Qualified Relievers
On Friday, I posted an article on SP/RP qualified relievers. In the comments, Andrew asked my take on Sam LeCure and/or Lance Lynn, so I will look at both now.
Note: I am gone for the week and scheduled and wrote this article ahead of time so some of the stats may be a couple days old.
Sam LeCure (0.0% ESPN) – Lecure has been relegated to the bullpen after making a few starts in April. As a reliever, he has been lights out with an ERA of 0.71, 0.75 WHIP, 8.2 K/9, 1.8 BB/9 and 3 Holds over 24.1 IP in 16 games. An over 4:1 SO:BB ratio is always nice from any pitcher.
He has been helped by a 0.217 BABIP and 3.7% HR/FB%. Even though his FIP (2.49) and xFIP (3.22) as a reliever are several times larger than his ERA, they are still respectable.
One main issue holding down his value is that he is not being used in a way to pick up Holds. Since his last Hold on May 16, he has only been used in one game that the Reds held a lead and it was 5-0 win.
Lecure is a nice SP/RP source for Ks and can help pad an owner’s WHIP and ERA. His main drawback is that he is not being used in a way to pick up Holds.
Lance Lynn (0.1% ESPN) – After making a couple starts in early June, Lynn has been in the Cardinals bullpen where he has thrived. In nine games as a reliever, he has a 2.45 ERA, 11.7 K/9, 1.8 BB/9, 0.89 WHIP and 2 Holds. His ERA is in line with his FIP (2.76) and xFIP (1.86).
The high K rate looks to regress a bit after looking at some other numbers. First his SwgStr% is 9.1%, which normally equates to a K/9 of 7.5 K/9, not 9.7 K/9 (I had to used combined SP and RP data since there are no splits for SwgStr%). The 7.5 K/9 values is closer to his average AAA K/9 value of 7.9. All of the AAA numbers where as a SP, but they give an idea of his K ability.
To start the season, Lynn was not used in a way to accumulate Holds. His usuage has changed a bit recently where he has accumulated his only two Holds of the season in 2 of his last 4 outings.
Lynn looks to be a nice source of WHIP, ERA and Holds. He should help with Ks, but probably not at the level he has so far this season.
Jeff, one of the authors of the fantasy baseball guide,The Process, writes for RotoGraphs, The Hardball Times, Rotowire, Baseball America, and BaseballHQ. He has been nominated for two SABR Analytics Research Award for Contemporary Analysis and won it in 2013 in tandem with Bill Petti. He has won four FSWA Awards including on for his Mining the News series. He's won Tout Wars three times, LABR twice, and got his first NFBC Main Event win in 2021. Follow him on Twitter @jeffwzimmerman.
Could you maybe do an article on SP’s who qualify at RP?