RADIO
Stephen Piscotty 2020 Outlook: Veteran Bat Will Have To Re-Earn Playing Time
5 years agoAfter a career season in 2018, Stephen Piscotty struggled to keep his momentum going into 2019 with lingering injuries that limited him to 93 games played. He wrapped his disappointing campaign with 13 homers, 46 runs, 44 RBI, and a .249 BA, although he did post slightly superior Statcast metrics than the year previous. Piscotty’s 26.7% line drive rate set a four-year high while his 40.6% Hard Hit%, and 89.1 MPH Exit Velocity came in just above his lifetime norms. Where the 29-year-old struggled was a with troublesome 28.9% whiff rate and a power-zapping 44.8% of his batted balls hit to straightaway center where his spacious home ballpark contained his flies. Piscotty is slated for the starting job in right field for the Athletics this season but could be pushed out of playing time by Seth Brown or Robbie Grossman, who hits well against righties. Piscotty struggled against these hurlers in 2019, batting a mere .214 off them, potentially putting him on the wrong side of a platoon scenario. He is only worth rostering in AL-only formats for now and will have to produce appealing results early in 2020 if managers want to add his bat off the waiver wire in mixed-leagues.
