Tanner Roark (SP, CIN) - Week 16 Waiver Wire Pickups

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OWNED IN: 31% of All Leagues

ANALYSIS: Through his first 11 starts, Cincinnati Reds starter Tanner Roark seemed to be having a career resurgence, posting a 3.20 ERA with 59 strikeouts in 56 innings. But all was not shiny under the hood, as he was helped in large part by a 3.6% HR/FB, with Roark having allowed only two home runs. So as it always does, the hammer of regression came vengefully for the veteran right-hander, with Roark allowing 11 home runs in his last eight starts, and a 24.4% HR/FB that came along with a much more Roark-esque 5.09 ERA.

After getting crushed in Colorado by allowing seven earned runs, along with three home runs in less than five innings, Roark looks to come back home for a rebound against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals. And he would be hard pressed to find a better rebound than the Redbirds, as since the start of June there has been no worse team against right-handed pitching, with them being last in the league over that time in wOBA, wRC+, ISO, and OPS.

Facing this impotent Cardinals offense, Roark is in a good spot to pick up the win, with good ratios and a fair amount of strikeouts, as the Cardinals have a 24.5% K-rate against right-handers since June first. Stream Roark for now, but make sure to drop him like a hot potato before he goes to Milwaukee for his start next week.