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About Nick Mariano - RotoBaller
Senior MLB/NFL Fantasy Analyst & Editor here at RotoBaller, I've been lucky enough to work here since 2015. Spent two seasons writing for MLB.com as well.
FantasyPros ranked me as 2018's most accurate fantasy baseball draft dude, and I'm a three-time top-12 ranker in their fantasy football weekly accuracy competition as well. I rank the things good, or something.
NY born and raised, but now you can find me in Boston with my awesome Star Baker of a wife. Addicted to apples, peanut butter, learning about cognitive biases, and baseball cards. Lots of baseball cards...
Feel free to reach out on Twitter or ride with me on Peloton: @NMariano53
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Nick Mariano - RotoBaller has written 1887 articles so far, you can find them below.
Max Fried (SP, ATL) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 8% of leagues ANALYSIS: Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Max Fried is back on the menu. The 24-year-old returned to the rotation by striking out seven Dodgers over five crisp innings of one-run ball after missing three weeks due to a blister. His 32 strikeouts in 25... Read More
Tyler Glasnow (SP/RP, TB) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 4% of leagues ANALYSIS: Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow was acquired in the Chris Archer blockbuster from the Pirates. We do not know how long the Rays plan on letting Glasnow go in his first start for Tampa Bay on Wednesday against the Angels.... Read More
Week 18 Waiver Wire - Starting Pitchers
I can't believe it's August! I hope every single one of you somehow benefitted from the Trade Deadline wheelings and dealings. While I urge you to test your league's trading market before the deadline hits (if applicable), we're here to check in on widely-available arms that you can hopefully get for free, but without going... Read More
Dereck Rodriguez (SP, SF) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 28% of leagues ANALYSIS: San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Dereck Rodriguez jumpstarted his second half by holding the A’s to one run over 6 1/3 innings in Oakland, yielding three hits and walking none with five strikeouts. His peripherals do not support his level of success,... Read More
Ervin Santana (SP, MIN) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 25% of leagues ANALYSIS: Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Ervin Santana will began his 2018 MLB season on Wednesday against the Blue Jays. He allowed three runs on seven hits in five innings against Toronto, walking one and striking out five in a no-decision. He has yet... Read More
Nick Mariano's 2018 Late-Round Fliers (Premium Content)
All other Premium Tools can be accessed on the premium dashboard. We’re intentionally sidestepping the term “sleeper" because I don’t want to get wrapped up in debates over these guys not being “under the radar” enough. I may still throw it into the SEO field, though...no regrets. Instead, let’s discuss some late-round fliers that are... Read More
Joey Lucchesi (SP, SD) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 23% of leagues ANALYSIS: San Diego Padres starting pitcher Joey Lucchesi is just on the outside of the top-100 overall leaderboard per Yahoo’s 5x5 scoring format over the last 30 days thanks to his 2.28 ERA/1.06 WHIP with 24 punchouts in 23 ⅔ IP. While we understand the... Read More
Nick Kingham (SP, PIT) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 19% of leagues ANALYSIS: Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Nick Kingham heads into his next start against the Mets having won each of his last three starts (all quality starts too). Hopefully, the power-strapped Mets can help Kingham conquer the recent longball problem, as he has yielded... Read More
Trevor Cahill (SP/RP, OAK) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 19% of leagues ANALYSIS: Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Trevor Cahill has been a waiver wire favorite all year despite the profit window being rather small (damn you, injuries!) and his latest effort against the Giants gives me hope for August and September. He held San Fran... Read More
Drew Pomeranz (SP, BOS) – Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 26% of Leagues ANALYSIS: Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Drew Pomeranz had been on the DL with biceps tendinitis for nearly two months before returning on Tuesday night against the Orioles. While Pom’s early struggles paint the 4 ⅔ IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 2 HR, 2... Read More
Dan Straily (SP, MIA) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 5% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: On the one hand, Miami Marlins starting pitcher Dan Straily has tossed four quality starts in his last five outings and is two years removed from a solid 3.76 ERA/1.19 WHIP campaign. On the other hand, he has struck out only 24 hitters... Read More
Wade Miley (SP, MIL) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 4% of Yahoo Leagues ANALYSIS: Somehow, Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Wade Miley has worked around a poor 11-to-11 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 17 ⅓ IP this season (4/4 pre-injury, 7/7 post-injury) to post a 1.76 ERA so far. The 3.96 FIP is fine, but the 5.00 xFIP and 5.54... Read More
Week 17 Waiver Wire - Starting Pitchers
Those of you with trade deadlines that mirror the MLB's better strap up and prepare to hit the phones over the next week, because while eventually we'll get some exciting September call-ups and I do really like some of these names, I know that some need a bigger jump than these guys can give. Except for... Read More
Trevor Cahill (SP/RP, OAK) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 17% of leagues ANALYSIS: Hopefully, Oakland Athletics pitcher Trevor Cahill got the cobwebs off his arm during his return to action against Houston (3 2/3 IP, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K). This could have been expected in Houston against the powerful Stros' and his seasonal... Read More
Zach Wheeler (SP, NYM) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 21% of leagues ANALYSIS: New York Mets starting pitcher Zack Wheeler had one of his lesser outings in his last start, but it did lead to his first victory since April 29. He and the Mets beat the Nationals on July 14 after he yielded four runs... Read More
German Marquez (SP, COL) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 6% of leagues ANALYSIS: Colorado Rockies starting pitcher German Marquez enters the All-Star break having finally posted a strong start at Coors Field. Prior to July 11’s quality start (and win) against Arizona, Marquez had posted just one QS in his previous eight starts at home.... Read More
Jake Faria (SP, TB) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 17% of leagues ANALYSIS: Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Jacob Faria suffered an oblique strain on May 22 after getting hit hard at Fenway Park and is roughly three rehab appearances from being stretched out for the bigs. He has two rehab starts under his belt... Read More
Vince Velasquez (SP, PHI) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 30% of leagues ANALYSIS: Overall, Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Vince Velasquez looks suspiciously like the 2016 version of himself. His K/9 sits around 10.5 (10.44 in ‘16, 10.49 in ‘18) with an ERA that’s roughly half a run higher than his xFIP and SIERA. However, there are some... Read More
Ervin Santana (SP, MIN) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 17% of leagues ANALYSIS: Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Ervin Santana is 35 years old and coming off of finger surgery that may very well dent his abilities as a Major League starting pitcher. Plus, he has never been a big strikeout guy (career 7.19 K/9), so... Read More
Week 16 Waiver Wire - Starting Pitchers
Welcome to the first day without anything MLB going on, which makes it the perfect day for reflection on your squad. What better place to start their your starting rotation? Analyze where you stand in terms of innings pitched on the year if applicable, or maybe the balance you need to strike between starters and relievers... Read More
Nick Mariano's Early-Round Overvalued List (Premium Content)
All other Premium Tools can be accessed on the premium dashboard. Everyone loves to talk about sleepers and which late-round fliers are going to deliver them to the promised land, but those picks can only blossom when overvalued landmines are left for others to step on. Here we'll be looking at two players per position... Read More
Andrew Suarez (SP, SF) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 15% of leagues ANALYSIS: San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Andrew Suarez has not allowed more than two runs in any of his last six trips to the hill and has surrendered just one in each of his last four. Some of those starts have been more... Read More
Eric Lauer (SP, SD) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 14+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 3% of leagues ANALYSIS: San Diego Padres starting pitcher Eric Lauer was dominant at home against the Dodgers on Tuesday night, falling one out short of a complete game to give him his second victory in as many starts. His overall numbers are still gross, but... Read More
Vince Velasquez (SP, PHI) - Week Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues OWNED IN: 29% of leagues ANALYSIS: Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Vince Velasquez is set to come off the 10-day DL on Tuesday and face the Mets after missing the minimum thanks to a nasty comebacker off of his pitching arm. The key phrases here are “face the Mets” and “missing the... Read More
Nick Kingham (SP, PIT) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 9% of leagues ANALYSIS: Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Nick Kingham bounced back from a terrible July 2 outing against the Dodgers to pick up his first win in six starts thanks to a six-inning gem versus the Phillies. The rookie allowed just one run on a... Read More
Trevor Cahill (SP/RP, OAK) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 15% of leagues ANALYSIS: Oakland Athletics pitcher Trevor Cahill is finally set to return to Oakland’s rotation on Thursday against Houston after turning in a clean four-inning rehab appearance (with seven strikeouts) for Triple-A Nashville last Saturday. Even with some injury-saddled innings mixed in, Cahill has... Read More
Zach Wheeler (SP, NYM) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 20% of leagues ANALYSIS: New York Mets starting pitcher Zach Wheeler was far from his best in his last start, but that should not diminish the fact that he has been on a tear of late. Wheeler is part of a very small club for starters... Read More
Anibal Sanchez (SP, ATL) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 28% of leagues ANALYSIS: Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez is highly unlikely to maintain his 2.72 ERA and 1.04 WHIP that you will find on his seasonal stat sheet. What you can say, though, is that since he shook off the rust following a DL... Read More
Tyler Mahle (SP, CIN) - Waiver Wire Pickups
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues OWNED IN: 28% of leagues ANALYSIS: Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Tyler Mahle has a 1.31 WHIP over the last month, far from ideal, but his 2.12 ERA, 30 strikeouts in 29 ⅔ IP and three wins over that same span will more than pay the bills. He has... Read More
Week 15 Waiver Wire - Starting Pitchers
Happy 7-11 day, everyone! Be sure to go get a free slurpee if the store still runs that promotion, but not before sitting down and fixing your team's starting rotation. Those in roto leagues better be on top of their innings limits and where they stand compared to opponents. Don't fret if you've only got... Read More
