Jon Niese (SP, NYM) - Waiver Wire Analysis

BALLER MOVE: Add in Deep Mixed or NL-Only Leagues

OWNED IN: 13% of Fleaflicker Leagues

ANALYSIS: Jon Niese's numbers are practically calling out for regression. The 2.74 ERA with two wins may be shiny, but his underlying peripherals tell the story of a pitcher who's been remarkably lucky without great stuff. Niese's 5.48 K/9 and 3.52 BB/9 would stand as career worsts if extended over a full season, debunking the idea that some underlying change is leading to this heightened production. So far, he's been able to get away with this decline in stuff thanks largely to a strand rate that's over 7% above his career norm. That isn't sustainable, however. Niese's 4.86 FIP and 3.80 xFIP paint a better picture of who he's been in 2015 and who he's likely to be through the rest of the year. If his strikeouts come back up, I wouldn't mind streaming Niese in the a good matchup, but right now smart owners are keeping their distance.