Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Report (Week 9): Waiver Wire Pickups, Streamers, Injury Updates & More
Dylan Buell/Getty Images. Pictured: Luis Castillo.
The decline of Luis Castillo has been unfortunate to watch. His ERA is bloated, he is walking more batters now than ever before and has thrown the second-fewest pitches in the strike zone in his career. Castillo is also getting fewer swinging strikes than ever. The walks have been apart of his game since he debuted in 2017. It is the rest of his regression that has been tougher to see.
There is light at the end of the tunnel for Castillo. His 7.22 ERA is 2.95 runs higher than his Expected ERA (xERA) and 2.96 runs higher than his Expected Fielder Independent Pitcher (xFIP). Castillo also has a .371 BABIP against and a career-low 54.2 Left On Base percentage.
The Cincinnati Reds offense has experienced positive regression from last season’s debacle. The hope here is that Castillo can do the same before the season is too out of reach for him and the Reds.
Waiver Wire Adds/Streamers
Cristian Javier – Houston Astros
Yahoo: 67%, ESPN: 75%
Javier has high ownership but needs to have more. He has pitched two fewer innings in one fewer start in 2021 compared to 2020 and has increased his strikeout rate four percent. Attach pitchers on good teams to your roster.
Spencer Turnbull – Detroit Tigers
Yahoo: 48%, ESPN: 40%
Since throwing a no-hitter, Turnball has thrown 12.2 innings (two starts), allowed four runs on 10 hits and has a 9:4 K/BB ratio. He looked especially sharp against the Yankees on May 29. He is not a high-strikeout pitcher but excels as a groundball pitcher and has already matched his 2020 WAR in three fewer starts.
Adbert Alzolay – Chicago Cubs
Yahoo: 34%, ESPN: 28%
Alzolay has pitched into the sixth inning in six of nine starts, and prior to his May 28 start had not allowed a walk in three straight starts. He also only has three starts with a WHIP over 1.00.
Casey Mize – Detroit Tigers
Yahoo: 50%, ESPN: 52%
Mize is the most nameworthy of the pitching prospects in Detroit. He has found his stride in May, allowing six runs in 32 innings pitched. Two of his three wins have come on the road.
Logan Webb – San Francisco Giants
Yahoo: 12%, ESPN: 9%
The southpaw ended May on a three-game winning streak and came off the IL May 29 to shut down the Dodgers offense. The Giants are for real.
Injuries
Not so much an injury, but JT Brubaker was place on the Bereavement List. He has to miss at least three games while on the list.
Kenta Maeda had a setback while rehabbing a strained groin.
Jesus Luzardo was activated ahead Oakland’s game on May 30. He will pitch out of the bullpen.
The Tigers placed Jose Urena on the 10-day IL with a strained right forearm.
Braves manager Brian Snitker told MLB Network that Mike Soroka is out for the 2021 season. That has been refuted by another source familiar with the situation.
Miles Mikolas will be reevaluated in 4-6 weeks after leaving his May 23 start. He has a “small calcification” in his flexor tendon.
Wade Miley is expected to pitch May 31 after a short stint on the 10-day IL.
Jeff Hoffman was placed on the 10-day IL with a right shoulder impingement. The injury will not require surgery.
Diamondbacks pitcher Luke Weaver (shoulder) was transferred to the 60-day IL.
In case you missed it, Noah Syndergaard has been shut down for six weeks with right elbow inflammation.
Two-Start Pitchers
This is a projected list. Starts are subject to change and not all starters have been named.
Jameson Taillon (NYY) – vs TB, vs BOS
Vince Velasquez (PHI) – at CIN, vs WSH
Wade Miley and Sonny Gray (CIN) – vs PHI, at STL
Joe Musgrove (SD) – at CHC, vs NYM
Charlie Morton (ATL) – vs WSH, at LAD
David Peterson and Marcus Stroman (NYM) – at ARI, at SD
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