RADIO
Yu Darvish 2020 Outlook: Rediscovered Control Leads to Optimism
5 years agoChicago Cubs starting pitcher Yu Darvish was one of the best pitchers in baseball in the second half, posting a 2.76 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 2.2 BB%, and 37.8 K% in 81.2 IP after the All-Star Break, compared to a 5.01 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 10.4 BB%, and 26.6 K% in 97.0 IP before the Mid-Summer Classic. Darvish showed significant improvements in control, as he was able to trim his walk rate by 8.4% in the second half. His high walk rate could potentially have been caused by a re-adjustment to big-league competition after missing most of 2018 with health issues that limited him to 40 innings. His stuff remains elite, as his 13.4 SwStr% ranked 13th in MLB. Darvish was also able to keep the ball on the ground, posting a 45.5 GB%, his best since 2012. He is the ace of a Cubs team that figures to challenge for the NL Central, so he'll be put in a position to rack up wins to help your fantasy team. He's currently being drafted 71st overall, behind young upstarts like Lucas Giolito and Tyler Glasnow. Darvish has a similar upside with a higher floor than these two, due to his more proven track record. Now fully healthy and back to form, Darvish looks poised to improve on his 2019 totals. Draft him with confidence as an upside SP2.
