The Seattle Mariners boast one of the best young arms in the American League. A flame-throwing pitcher who possesses a knee-buckling slider, an excellent changeup and a blazing fastball that has been clocked in the triple digits. No, I am not referring to reigning AL CY Young winner Felix Hernandez, but rather rookie sensation Michael Pineda.
With just two starts under his belt this season, it may be premature to anoint Pineda as the Robin to King Felix’s Batman. After all, the 21-year-old Dominican prospect has just one major league win under his belt and has yet to experience the grind of a full major league season. Only time tell if young Pineda has the focus and moxie required to succeed in the pressure-filled major leagues.
Until that time comes, Pineda is certainly worth a waiver wire pick in all fantasy baseball formats. His 11 strikeouts and 2.70 ERA over his first two big league starts provide a small sample size of evidence that he will be an above average strikeout pitcher, and his spot at the bottom of the Mariner rotation ensures that he will pitch in favorable match ups against opponents’ lower tier starters.
Pineda is available in 74 percent of Yahoo leagues; a number that will certainly change when owners review his excellent performance on Tuesday against the Blue Jays. I recommend picking him up before he becomes a well-known commodity in fantasy circles.
This article was originally published on www.kramericasports.com, the home of free fantasy baseball news, rankings and advice.
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