RADIO
BALLER MOVE: Target ~80
CURRENT ADP: 88
ANALYSIS: Felipe Rivero combined a sparkling 1.67 ERA with a 29.3% K% in 2017, making him among the most valuable relievers in the fantasy game. He did it with a fastball velocity spike (98.5 mph vs. 95.8 mph in 2016) that helped his entire arsenal play up. Rivero threw his fastball for a strike 61.3% of the time last year, producing a 10.9% SwStr% and .201/.268/.256 triple slash line against. The offering's spin rate (2,465 RPM) was the 35th highest in MLB (min. 100 fastballs thrown), setting Rivero up for continued success with the pitch.
Rivero's slider and curve are strange for secondary pitches in that they both had Zone% marks above 50% last season (55.9% and 54.9%, respectively). It's easier to generate whiffs outside the zone, so these pitches should be thought of as fastballs when evaluating their SwStr%. Rivero's curve enjoyed a 12.4% SwStr% and .033/.033/.033 line against last year, besting any fastball. Long story short, Rivero is an elite fantasy RP and should be treated as such.
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