RADIO
Zack Greinke 2021 Outlook: Strong Mid-Range SP Option
4 years agoZack Greinke had one of the best FIPs of his career in 2020, 2.80. Unfortunately, his ERA of 4.03 did not follow the FIP. Nonetheless, Greinke remained a strikeout-per-inning guy (24.5% of batters faced) on a winning club whose control also kept his WHIP a strong 1.17. This despite a decline in fastball velocity; after throwing about 90 from 2017-19, Greinke averaged about 88 in 2020, and the previous decline in velocity had already earned him the moniker "junk merchant" from FanGraphs in 2019. Even with all of the weirdness of 2020, Greinke is now 37, and so 88 mph could well be the new normal. That's still pretty much the only concern in his profile given how good 2020 was under the curtain. Although the floor is lower than the ceiling is high, Greinke's consistency, in his career to date whatever his velocity, is not to be underestimated. He is RotoBaller's 38th ranked pitcher and 104th overall, whereas he's the 42nd pitcher off the board based on his 114 ADP. Aim near the higher end of that range.
