RADIO
Dinelson Lamet 2021 Fantasy Outlook: A Wildly Unique Pitcher Primed For Regression
5 years agoThere are few pitchers like San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dinelson Lamet. In 2020, he threw his slider an absurd 53% of the time. High usage on that pitch was justified given that it grades as one of the best pitches in the game. He also features a very heavy four-seamer that touches 100 mph on the radar gun. He used these two stellar pitches to earn himself a fourth-place finish in the National League Cy Young voting, posting a 2.09 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP to go with a 34.8% strikeout rate and a strong 7.8% walk rate. There are two questions for Lamet heading into 2021: First, can he keep the walks down as he did in 2020? Throwing so many sliders makes that tough. Second, can he continue to keep the ball in the yard (0.65 HR/9 in 2020) while not featuring a pitch that generates ground balls (career 37% ground-ball rate)? Most likely the answer to both questions is no, meaning that Lamet is due for some serious regression. The hurler also has injury concerns (biceps/elbow) and could very well open the year on the IL. He is currently being drafted within the top eight rounds, and there may just be too many question marks to justify such a high price tag.
