7 years agoLooking at a bullpen role in 2018 due to the deep Houston Astros starting rotation, Joe Musgrove had another opportunity open up for him when he was dealt to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the Gerrit Cole trade. Musgrove has battled shoulder discomfort in spring, but he'll compete for the fifth spot in the big-league rotation when he gets back on the mound. Last season in Houston, the right-hander made 38 appearances (15 starts), going 7-8 with a 4.77 ERA (4.03 xFIP) in 109 1/3 innings. Musgrove was much more effective as a reliever (1.44 ERA, 2 home runs allowed in 31 1/3 IP) than as a starter (6.12 ERA, 16 HR in 78 IP). However, his minor-league track record shows he can be an effective member of the rotation. First, his control is impeccable. He walked just 43 batters in his time in the minors, equating to a 3.3 BB%, and has a 6.1 BB% in the majors. He's not a dominant strikeout pitcher (23.8 K% in minors, 21.3% in majors), but he figures to generate a respectable number of punchouts with his mid-90s fastball and solid slider (14.2% whiff rate). Moving to a more pitcher-friendly home stadium in PNC Park should also help him cut down on the home runs. Although he's not assured a rotation spot, Musgrove is an intriguing arm to take a flier on at the end of fantasy drafts. He's still worth a look if he heads back to the 'pen, too, as he can go multiple innings and generated a 25.2 K% in relief last season.--Matt Wilkes