Mark Buehrle (SP, TOR) - Waiver Wire Analysis

BALLER MOVE: Stream in Deeper Leagues

Ownership: 27% of Fleaflicker Leagues

ANALYSIS: Mark Buerhle doesn’t get much love in fantasy circles and rightfully so; his WHIP is usually in the 1.30s and he doesn’t strike many guys out. But his latest string of performances warrants some attention for fantasy purposes. In Buerhle’s three June starts he’s compiled a 1.23 ERA in 22 innings, all vs NL East opponents.

History shows Buerhle typically starts off rough (4.12 ERA in April) and then starts to settle down (3.58 ERA from May-July). He was excellent in his last outing vs. Baltimore, completing seven innings of two-run ball with five strikeouts and one walk.

His BB/9 rate is sitting at 1.79, which, if he can maintain, will be key to controlling his WHIP. In five of the previous six seasons in which Buerhle has had a BB/9 rate below 2.00, his WHIP has been at or below 1.26. The hard-hit contact rate is at a career-high 35.6%, which leads me to believe the fun won’t last forever here.

The data also shows that Buerhle tends to regress in the dog days of summer, so my advice is to grab him now for streaming purposes in mixed leagues and as a rotation option in deep leagues. That said, his inability to rack up Ks limits his potential, so don’t grow attached to his recent string of performances. Ride the wave and then be ready for the next one.