Vince Velasquez (SP, PHI) - Week 9 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues

OWNED IN: 27% of leagues

ANALYSIS: Some waiver wire players are more frustrating than others. The worst are those that get your hopes up for an add, only to underperform as soon as you claim them. You drop them out of frustration, and the carousel continues. Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Vince Velasquez is one of those players. He has shown both great strikeout upside but also a lack of control and the inability to make it past the fifth inning throughout his Major League career. He is currently on a hot streak and, at only 27% ownership, it may be time to give him another shot yet again.

The 25-year-old righty has posted a strong 2.08 ERA with 30 strikeouts, 10 walks, and four home runs allowed in 21 2/3 innings over his last four starts. While the 4.15 BB/9 and the 1.66 HR/9 leave something to be desired, fantasy owners can live with it given Velasquez’s impressive 12.46 K/9 over that stretch. He owns a 4.18 ERA for the season, so, as usual, it is difficult to tell who the real Velasquez is. However, his solid fantasy performance of late, coupled with a very favorable two-start week (at the middling Dodgers and at the Giants in pitcher-friendly AT&T Park) makes him worth an add, at least for this week.