Jordan Lyles (SP, PIT) - Week 13 Waiver Wire Pickups

Andrew Ericksen analyzes Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Jordan Lyles as a waiver wire pickup or add target for Week 13 of the 2019 fantasy baseball season. Lyles has pitched great this year and should be returning to the team shortly.

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues

OWNED IN: 29% of Leagues

ANALYSIS: Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Jordan Lyles appears to be nearing a return to the team. He was placed on the Injured List for experiencing hamstring tightness following his start on June 8. In his first rehab start in Triple-A on Sunday, he pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed two hits, three walks and one earned run while striking out seven.

Lyles was showing some promising signs in the first few months of the season, going 5-3 with a 3.64 ERA and 1.23 WHIP while striking out 66 batters in 64 1/3 innings. His curveball, which has always been his most effective pitch, has seen a solid increase in vertical drop from 51.7 inches in 2018 to 56.3 inches this year. It’s been one of the main factors for his career-best strikeout rate of 24.9% this year.

Lyles could be in line to rejoin the Pirates this week and start the team’s road game against the Brewers on Friday. Unfortunately, that’s a tough matchup to come back to, but Lyles is still worth adding in 12+ team leagues and NL-only leagues for the long term help he can provide to your roster. He’s also worth consideration in shallow leagues if you’re especially hurting at pitcher.