Mike Fiers (SP, OAK) - Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues

OWNED IN: 22% of leagues

ANALYSIS: Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Mike Fiers was done dirty by a second-inning liner that drilled his shin and ended his run of five straight quality starts. Point to the lower K counts all you like because you should be adding him for is ratio relief that has landed in one of the best ballparks a homer-prone pitcher can call his own.

Sorting specifically by homers on the FantasyPros park factor tool, Comerica Park stands at 13th while Oakland is 26th, and Oakland’s defense is a true top-10 unit per Fangraphs’ defensive leaderboard. Do not be surprised by a rogue blow-up here and there, especially on the road, but Fiers should continue to be solid down the stretch.

Considering that he has had a good stretch of pitching and now is on a surging Athletics team, Fiers may also be able to turn quality starts into wins. With all of the apparent great signs, Fiers should be added in all deeper leagues as a player to hold.