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Triston McKenzie 2022 Player Outlook: High-Strikeout Rate, Needs To Reduce Walks, Homers To Expect Major Growth
3 years agoCleveland Guardians pitcher Triston McKenzie was disappointing in 2021, coming off a 2020 season where he posted an excellent 3.24 ERA and an impressive 11.34 K/9 over 33 1/3 innings. The right-hander posted a 4.95 ERA, 4.70 FIP, 1,18 WHIP, 4.35 BB:9, and 136 strikeouts over 120 innings in 2021. He maintained the ability to rack up his strikeouts, evidenced by his 27.5 K%, but an 11.7 BB% and 1.6 HR:9 spiked his ERA up to 4.95 last year. The 24-year-old's mistakes were command-driven, and the upside is there for McKenzie as long as he can keep the walks down. He displayed how unhittable he can be at times, owning a 1.76 ERA, 48:5 K: BB through seven starts in August through September. ATC projects McKenzie with a 4.46 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and 151 strikeouts over 138 innings in 2022. Fantasy managers can expect McKenzie to rack up the strikeouts, and the pieces are there to predict growth, making him a high-upside pick at his current 241 ADP.
