RADIO
Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Adbert Alzolay is a fantasy baseball waiver wire pickup and add heading into Week 8 of the MLB season.
BALLER MOVE: Add in 12-Team Leagues
ROSTERED IN: 22% of leagues
ANALYSIS: Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Adbert Alzolay has allowed three or fewer runs in each of his past five starts. He's also gone exactly six innings in two of his past three, which is especially encouraging. He didn't reach six innings over a single start in either of his first two tastes of the Majors in 2019 or 2020.
Alzolay has done a phenomenal job of preventing baserunners so far this year. He has a 0.88 WHIP thanks heavily to a 5.7% walk rate, which is down significantly from last year's scary 14.9% clip. He has an uninspiring 4.50 ERA, but his xERA of 3.93 suggests there's some solid room for improvement.
He's been leading with his slider this year, a pitch he threw only 6.7% of the time last year. So far this year, he's throwing it 46.3% of the time and it has generated a strong whiff rate of 41.6%. He's supported his slider with a sinker (28.5%) and a four-seamer (19.4%). Both pitches have seen better results this year than last year, with 20.3% and 34.2% whiff rates, respectively.
Alzolay should be added in all leagues of 12 teams or deeper. He's worth roster consideration in more shallow leagues as well. He has a two-start week ahead, starting with a matchup against the Washington Nationals on Monday and followed by a game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday.
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