Caleb Smith (SP/RP, MIA) - Week 7 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in All Leagues

OWNED IN: 39% of leagues

ANALYSIS: Miami Marlins pitcher Caleb Smith should have been owned for a while and, hopefully, RotoBallers who have bought him surely will not have bailed already. However, his ownership is still too low and we need more people to realize the talent in South Florida.

Since being given the “Be Aggressive” order by manager Don Mattingly, Smith has produced the following line: 24 IP, 4 ER, 4 BB, 31 SO. His .250 BABIP and 84% strand rate portend some luck, but nothing egregious. His 1.50 ERA is backed by a 1.60 FIP, 2.43 xFIP and 2.43 SIERA with a healthy 63.6% first-strike rate that we love to see out of a guy who’s been plagued by control issues in the past.

It is a little concerning that his swinging-strike rates have fallen from 11.7% and 16.5% in his April 22 and 29 starts (respectively), to 6.1% and 7.9% on May 5 and 10. It is not wise to expect the world of Smith, but he can be a solid SP4/5 with strong whiffs to compensate for a likely lack of wins. After pitching on May 16 against the Dodgers, Smith will face the Mets in New York on May 21.