RADIO
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues
OWNED IN: 13% of Leagues
ANALYSIS: Nearly everything in Reds starter Tyler Mahle’s surface numbers and advanced stats point to a breakout this year. His 3.51 ERA through nine starts is backed by a 3.26 xFIP and a 3.55 SIERA. These are all major improvements on last year, his first full big league season when he sported a 4.98 ERA with a 4.45 xFIP and 4.57 SIERA.
Mahle has changed his approach for 2019. He dropped his slider, which he threw nearly 20% of the time last season, and he's throwing his curveball at a much higher rate. His K% is up from 21.7% in 2018 to 26% this year and his BB% - a big concern last year - has dropped from 10.5% in 2018 to 5.3% this year. His next two starts are tough ones with a road game against the Cubs on Saturday followed by a home start against the Nationals the following week. He’s navigated a tough schedule rather well so far, coming off a six-inning scoreless start against the Dodgers, so there’s a lot to be encouraged by.
He's a must-add in NL-only leagues and in 12-team leagues as he's got the potential to be a solid season-long asset in your rotation. For more shallow leagues, he's addable if you're hurting at SP, but you can afford to sit on him for now and see how he manages his next few matchups before making the move.
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