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Nick Mariano profiles starting pitcher Ervin Santana as a waiver wire pickup and add as he returns from injury
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues
OWNED IN: 25% of leagues
ANALYSIS: Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Ervin Santana will began his 2018 MLB season on Wednesday against the Blue Jays. He allowed three runs on seven hits in five innings against Toronto, walking one and striking out five in a no-decision.
He has yet to show his usual ~93 mph fastball, instead working around 90 mph, but still posted a 22-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 29 rehab innings (seven appearances). Fantasy owners were made more comfortable in his first start, as he continued on his strong control, and Santana is still a pitcher that had 16 wins last season and a 3.32 ERA over the last two seasons.
You should be fine with stashing now and seeing how his stuff plays against big-league hitters, but there are worries that the plus control/command that afforded him a 22.4% soft-contact rate last season may require those extra ticks on the radar gun. Still, he is a good addition in deeper leagues.
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