Wade Miley (SP, BOS) - Waiver Wire Pickups

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OWNED IN: 12% of Fleaflicker Leagues

ANALYSIS: Wade Miley burst onto the scene with the Dbacks  in 2012. He finished second to Bryce Harper in Rookie of the Year voting on the strength of 16 wins and a 3.33 ERA. The following season, Miley weathered significant jumps in both walks and homers, though his ERA barely budged. He wasn't so lucky last season, as the ERA rose nearly a full run. What also went up, however, was his formerly pedestrian strikeout rate.

Miley was traded to the Red Sox this winter. It's a measure of how much the landscape has changed in recent years that this doesn't seem like a death sentence for his fantasy value. Park factors shouldn't vary much en route to Boston. The AL East just ain't what it used to be. While Fenway tilts toward hitters, it's not like Chase Field is any kind of fun for the man on the mound.

Miley has also posted ground ball rates above 50 percent in each of the last two seasons and will have a much better defense (and offense) behind him. He started off 2015 on the right foot, striking out six and inducing 11 grounders against just three fly balls in 5.1 innings. He'll look to build momentum in his next start against the Nationals at home, and is a solid waiver wire pickup especially in deeper leagues.