May 9, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Nationals starting pitcher
Doug Fister(58) pitches during the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Fantasy baseball is about pulling the trigger at the right time. When to trade a player before he becomes damaged goods or when to flat-out drop one when he’s not helping your team. Here are three pitchers that have burned fantasy owners in their last starts and are now worth dropping.
Ian Kennedy: Kennedy has allowed five or more earned runs in three of his last five starts. His ERA has now skyrocketed to 6.75 with a 1.47 WHIP. He has given up 11 runs over the last 9.2 innings. His next start will come against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday, a tough matchup for the 30-year-old pitcher. Owners are already jumping ship on Kennedy, dropped in 13.3 percent of ESPN.com leagues over the last week. Unless he surprises everyone with a superstar-like performance this weekend, drop Kennedy now.
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Doug Fister: While he doesn’t have Kennedy-like numbers, it’s been a disappointing season for Fister. He has a 4.31 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 2-2 record. He was rocked in his last start, seven earned runs on eight hits and one walk in two innings. He has been diagnosed with a flexor strain in his pitching arm. Surgery is not on the table now, but he was placed on the 15-day DL. He will return in weeks, not months, but it’s enough for me to move on from Fister.
Anthony DeSclafani: In his last four starts, DeSclafani allowed 16 runs, 24 hits and 15 walks with an 0-3 record compared to three runs, 14 hits and six walks in his first four outings. He now owns a 3.80 ERA and 1.31 WHIP. His next start will come on Saturday against the Cleveland Indians. This could be a chance for DeSclafani to bounce back, but he’s hurt fantasy owners too much in recent weeks to warrant a second, or fifth, chance.
If you own any of these pitchers, I would bail now before it’s too late. There are plenty of viable options on the waiver wire, Chris Young, Miguel Gonzalez and Aaron Harang just to name a few. If you play in a deeper league, you may be forced to keep these pitchers, but it doesn’t hurt to look elsewhere for the big picture.