Kyle Gibson (SP, MIN) - Week 7 Waiver Wire Pickups

BALLER MOVE: Add in 12+ Team Leagues

OWNED IN: 24% of leagues

ANALYSIS: Minnesota Twins starting pitcher Kyle Gibson is a former first round pick that appears to have rounded into form in his sixth full MLB season. He is just 1-1 in seven starts, but has a very acceptable 3.49 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 38 2/3 innings. Gibson opened with a six inning no-hitter on the road against the Orioles on March 30 and has allowed five hits or less on the road against the Rays (April 21) and Yankees (April 26).

Most impressively for Gibson is that he has struck out 44 batters and his FIP (3.11) shows that he should be even better than his statistics show. Gibson has never struck out more than 6.9 batters per nine in the big leagues and, while his walk rate has elevated to 4.2 per nine in 2018 (up from a 3.2 career average), fantasy owners will take the jump in walks considering his strikeouts and the fact that he has allowed just 29 hits. There are reasons for concern (38% hard hit rate is the worst of his career and his 48% ground ball rate is worse than his 51.7% career rate), but Gibson seems to have turned a corner in 2018. Using his fastball and curveball more this season (74.1% in 2018 and 65% for his career), Gibson has a career-best 12.2% swinging strike rate and has induced a career-best 72.2% contact.

Gibson will start on May 12 against the Angels in Los Angeles and the Brewers on May 18, giving him two tough matchups back-to-back. His fantasy stock could be very volatile over the next week or so, but it does appear that Gibson has finally fulfilled his potential for the Twins.