Just before the release of the Beatles’ second film, which was ultimately called Help!, the working title of the movie was Eight Arms to Hold You. And, uncharacteristically, a couple of Saturdays ago I departed from my normal Saturday Bed Goes Up ramblings to look at what I felt to be the next potential wave of prospects coming forth from the minors. The piece proved somewhat prescient in that Mike Soroka was indeed advanced a couple of days later.
Certainly with the promotions of Walker Buehler, Ronald Acuna, Jr., Nick Kingham, and now Soroka it does seem the prospects are arriving. But it also seems more than ever we must seriously look to the scariest and least dependable players on the diamond: rookie starting pitchers.
So, today, as a public service to those of us dying at the hands of rotations led by the likes of Jake Faria, Alex Cobb, and Sonny Gray, we offer a list of questionable arms upon which many of us must place our trust for the remaining months of the fantasy baseball season.
For, if nothing else, it was time for the Beatles and fantasy baseball to trade more than some walk-up music.
Fernando Romero (Twins): There is apparently enough need for arms coupled with confidence behind Romero’s first start (5.6 innings, four hits, three walks, five whiffs) to instill confidence among all the Tout Wars leagues, save the National League only, where the Twin is not eligible. But, among the four other leagues, FAAB bids ranged from $42 in the H2H league to $269 in the AL only. The 23-year-old has logged a minor league line of 23-17, 2.83 with a 1.17 WHIP over 324.6 innings over which Romero whiffed 314.
Eric Lauer (Padres): The Friars first-round selection in 2016, Lauer has improved with each of his three starts for the Padres since his debut a few weeks back. On Sunday Lauer held a relatively potent Dodgers squad to seven hits over six frames, none of which contributed to a run. In the minors, Lauer was 9-13 but with a 3.04 ERA along with 188 strikeouts over 171.6 innings with a 1.18 WHIP, and in a good park for arms, Lauer is a perfect spot to grow with his young teammates.
Ryan Yarbrough (Rays): Yarbrough was a fourth-rounder of the Mariners in 2014 who was then swapped to the Rays as part of the Drew Smyly deal that also involved Mallex Smith in early 2017. That swap fostered a year at Durham wherein the hurler was 13-9, 3.43, with 159 whiffs over 157.3 innings to go with a 1.17 WHIP. Yarbrough has enjoyed an increased role with the team picking up a win Saturday after posting five shutout innings over the Jays to push his record to 2-1, 3.33 and it seems a shot at getting some starting work.
Zach Eflin (Phillies): Eflin was a Compensation A pick of the Padres in 2012 who was then swapped to the Dodgers as part of the Matt Kemp deal in 2014, and then a year later to the Phils as part of the Jimmy Rollins deal. The 6-foot-6 righty has been to the Show before, logging a 4-10 mark over 127.6 innings, though with just 70 whiffs modeling the 370 he gained in the minors over 529 innings. Eflin is one of those pitchers who nibbles and plays the zone, which is a good thing in a vet, and he did pitch well against the Fish (six innings, three hits, a run, and four whiffs) earlier in the week, but be guarded with his time on your roster should you grab.
Jarlin Garcia (Marlins): Garcia actually matched up against Eflin and both young hurlers comported themselves well, though between the pair, I prefer Garcia. A 25-year-old native of the Dominican Republic, Garcia has quietly tossed 33 innings this year, holding opposing batters to a .136 average and 0.85 WHIP with 23 strikeouts. Garcia’s minor league line suggests more whiffs are out there (407 strikeouts over 483.6 innings) and with the caveat that his team is in the throes of some kind of rebuilding, the righty makes a fine gamble in a deep format.
Domingo German (Yankees): Among the previously unheralded arms who grabbed the spotlight this week, perhaps German is the most impressive. German came in to spell Jordan Montgomery when he fell injured against the Astros May 1 and twirled four shutout innings prior to his six innings of no-hit ball Sunday as the pitcher victimized the Tribe. German, who whiffed 443 over 452.6 minor league frames, looks like the real deal.
Andrew Suarez (Giants): The Giants second-round selection in 2015, the injury-riddled SF rotation has forced the hand of management and the respective tweaking of arms, and the advance of Suarez is simply one of those coping measures. And, like Lauer, Suarez has improved with each of his three appearances, finishing work on Sunday with 5.3 shutout innings over the Braves, lowering his line to 1-1, 3.06 over 17.6 innings with 18 whiffs and an 0.96 WHIP. Suarez, who whiffed 319 batters over 362 innings and plays in friendly ATT Park, could be a solid pick-up, starting with NL only formats and moving out from there.
Trevor Cahill/Brett Anderson (Athletics): OK, a couple of hurlers longer on the tooth than their counterparts, but each turned in a solid performance this past week on an Oakland team that should not be readily dismissed. The team has some serious power and run-scoring capabilities, and the duo, both of whom are getting a second chance back with their original MLB teams, could indeed contribute. Cahill whiffed 12 Orioles on Saturday while Anderson held the Mariners to a pair of runs over 6.3 innings Wednesday. Remember, Anderson is seriously injury prone, and as with all of these arms, ride the streak and no more.
Tune into the Tout Wars Hour on the FNTSY network, hosted by me, with Justin Mason and featuring Lord Z every Sunday, 2-4 PM ET/11 AM-1 PM PT, and you can follow me @lawrmichaels and Creativesports 2.0.
