Tyler Mahle (SP, CIN) - Week 11 Waiver Wire Pickups

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ANALYSIS: Coming off a lackluster start on the road against the Philadelphia Phillies - in which he took the loss after giving up three earned runs in five innings, with only two strikeouts - Cincinnati starter Tyler Mahle now returns home to face the Texas Rangers and their homer-happy ways. Widely available but with a dangerous matchup on the horizon, there are still reasons to roll the dice with Mahle, for those in need of pitching this week.

Mahle has actually sneaky-good in the strikeout department this year - with eight Ks in three of the five starts prior to his two-strikeout stinker against the Phillies - and overall, he's had seven or more strikeouts in six of his 12 starts. While the Rangers are better against right-handers - with a .345 wOBA and 109 wRC+ - they still strikeout at a 24.2% clip, ninth worst in the majors.

With the Rangers, comes a likely home run or two, as Mahle will carry a 1.63 HR/9 into the contest. But he also features two breaking pitches with proven strikeout potential and general whiffery - with his split-finger having a 10% SwStr-rate - while his curveball is even higher, at 12.6% with a 27.5% K-rate. Going by Fangraphs pitch-values, in 2019 the Rangers have been worse against curveballs and the split-finger as they have been against any other pitch.

If Mahle can get the breakers working and limit the home run, then this start could end up being a useful stream of Ks for owners willing to risk the power potential that comes with playing against the Rangers.