Chris Bassitt, SP, OAK
Bassitt finally had a rough outing, allowing 4 ER's on 7 hits and 5 BB's in 4.1 IP on Wednesday. This marked the first time in 10 starts that Bassitt allowed more than 3 ER's in a game. The truth is though, that with a mediocre 6.63 K/9 and 4.48 xFIP, an outing like this was probably long overdue. Not to take away from the nice stretch that he's had, but I wouldn't be surprised to see more outings like this in Bassitt's future.
Colin McHugh, SP, HOU
McHugh allowed two ER's in 6.1 innings while striking out 8 on Wednesday en route to his 14th win of the season. Through 5 starts in the month of August, McHugh has a 1.89 ERA and a 34:10 K:BB ratio through 33.1 IP. The main difference between this year and last year has been a decline in K%, but he seems to have picked it up a notch over the last month or so, and his SwStr% is not far off from what it was last year. For what it's worth, McHugh posted an ERA under 2:00 in both August and September of 2014, so it could be he's more of a 2nd half pitcher. Or it could be just a fluke, but either way I would be glad to have McHugh on my team for the stretch run.
Rick Porcello, SP, BOS
Porcello had a triumphant return from the DL on Wednesday, pitching 7 shutout innings with 5 K's and no BB's against the White Sox. Maybe the extra rest did some good for Porcello who entered the contest with a 5.81 ERA, but it's also important to remember that the White Sox haven't exactly been a powerhouse this year. Porcello has suffered from some bad luck this season, but he also hasn't struck out more than 6 in an outing since April, and one start against a mediocre offense doesn't suddenly change everything.
Justin Verlander, SP, DET
Verlander reminded us of the Verlander of old on Wednesday, carrying a no-hitter into the ninth and finishing the day with a one-hit shutout. Over his past 7 starts, he has an ERA of 1.38 and a 49:8 K:BB ratio across 52 IP. So does this mean Verlander is back? Well probably not back to being an ace, although he certainly seems usable right now. I'd still be concerned that his velocity remains around the same as last year (92-93) as opposed to where it was in his heyday (95-96) and that his FB% is well above 40%. Even during his recent 7-start stretch, his HR/FB% is hovering around 3% and that hardly seems sustainable. If you're looking to add a SP and Verlander is available, I can't really argue against picking him up, but I wouldn't drop someone I like just to get him on my team.
Roenis Elias, SP, SEA
Elias will be starting on Thursday for the first time since early July, and he couldn't have a better matchup. He will face a White Sox team that is last in OPS, ISO, and wOBA against LHP's, and has Jose Abreu leading the club with 3 HR's against southpaws. Elias is not an ace by any means, but he certainly makes sense as a cheap SP2. Value Play DraftKings Salary: $6,500.
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