BALLER MOVE: Add in NL-Only Leagues
ROSTERED IN: 1% of Leagues
ANALYSIS: The Chicago Cubs will be without their ace, Justin Steele, through the entire month of April with a strained hamstring. As a result, the Cubs will need to look to their bullpen or their system to find a replacement.
Drew Smyly, who began the season as a relief pitcher, now has an opportunity to receive several starts. Throughout the first week of the season, Smyly has logged only 2 ⅔ innings with no earned runs, one hit, and two walks.
The 34-year-old southpaw got off to a hot start last season as a starter. He made nine straight starts, only allowing a high of two earned runs, including a game against the Dodgers, in which he took a no-hitter into the eighth inning.
Drew Smyly's no-hitter against the Dodgers ends in the most Cubs way imaginable 💀 pic.twitter.com/LxrNnGsy3o
— Sleeper Picks (@SleeperPicksHQ) April 21, 2023
While he struggled in the campaign's latter half on the box scores, he maintained a hard-hit rate of 33.6% and an average exit velocity of 87.6 mph, both above league average.
Smyly is an intriguing option in deeper formats to make occasional starts, should see opportunities to receive a pitcher win on a competing team, and should average around a strikeout per inning.
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