Nick Pivetta (SP, PHI) - Week 8 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues

OWNED IN: 36% of leagues

ANALYSIS: An 11-strikeout performance from a young starting pitcher owned in just 36% of leagues; has Christmas come early? Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Nick Pivetta put together a sterling showing in his last start, picking up a win over seven innings pitched with one earned run and a season-high 11 strikeouts against the Orioles. While some fantasy players may be skeptical of the performance as an outlier, Pivetta’s stats suggest that he is the real deal.

The 25-year old righty has compiled a 3.72 ERA with a 1.13 WHIP and a 10.37 K/9 ratio through 46 innings pitched. The high strikeout potential Pivetta displayed in his last start was not a fluke. He was still averaging over a strikeout per inning (9.69 K/9) before his last start. Pivetta throws a good mix of a strong fastball (average velocity of 95.4 MPH), a slider, and a curveball that breaks an average of nine-and-a-half inches vertically, which ranks 11th greatest among starters who throw the pitch. His mix of pitches allow for strikeouts and also avoiding hard contact; Pivetta’s 27.9% hard contact rate this season is 14th-lowest among starters.

Pivetta is a young pitcher that is showing that he has what it takes to eventually become a number two or three starter for fantasy owners. Pivetta is slated to face a tougher matchup Monday against the Braves and a more favorable matchup Sunday against the Blue Jays. If you need pitching help, get him while you can, because Pivetta won’t be available for long after another start like his last.