Brandon McCarthy (SP, LAD) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues

OWNED IN: 56% of Fleaflicker Leagues

EXPERT ANALYSIS: It has been quite a return for Brandon McCarthy. With seemingly every Dodgers starting pitcher succumbing to injury this year, McCarthy's return has been a huge boost to the rotation and a boon to fantasy owners who were paying attention. In three starts covering 16 innings so far, McCarthy has posted a 1.69 ERA and 0.75 WHIP with 22 K, winning two out of those three games. While he certainly looks like a must-add at this point, don't buy too much into the small sample size. His current 12.4 K/9 is almost double his career average of 6.6 K/9. His career ratios (4.10 ERA, 1.28 WHIP) are also due for some regression. To be fair, the bulk of his career was spent in the American League and he now gets the luxury of pitching in spacious Dodger Stadium. The main issue right now with McCarthy is his pitch count coming off Tommy John surgery. He has yet to surpass 77 pitches in a start and will likely be treated extra carefully with the recent news regarding Clayton Kershaw and Alex Wood. McCarthy's number warrant ownership in all formats, but he projects to be an end of the rotation arm rather than a frontline starter. If you have the space and he's still available in your league, he is worth the add, but don't drop another dependable starter in his place.