Okay, you want to talk about players who are making us pull our hair out but also saving our fantasy seasons? Because Cade Cavalli and Jared Jones are exactly those guys right now, and their recent performances are screaming for your attention. It’s genuinely tough to tell when a pitcher is just on a hot streak compared to when they’re truly ascending, but these two are making strong cases.
Cavalli Is a Headache You Absolutely Need to Endure
Cade Cavalli has taken us on a rollercoaster all season, hasn’t he? Remember back in late April, he strung together those consecutive starts with double-digit strikeouts? We were all buzzing! Then, BAM, he follows it up with a 10-start stretch where he posted a mediocre 4.10 ERA and a merely decent 51 strikeouts over 52.2 innings. You start thinking, “Alright, that was a fluke, right?” But hold on, he then uncorks a 13-strikeout gem, only to get chased after just 2.1 innings in his very next start. Just when you think you can trust him, he pulls a fast one!
He just opened the second half of the season with a nine-strikeout effort against the Athletics in Sacramento on Friday, and you know what? Despite all the ups and downs, Cavalli is sitting on a 3.78 ERA and a 26% strikeout rate more than halfway through the season. His 3.21 FIP is a nice number, even if the 4.13 xERA suggests some of those struggles aren’t just bad luck, and his 1.31 WHIP can be frustrating. But this guy has an impactful ceiling, and that’s worth the headaches. You need him on your squad.
Jared Jones’ Pitch Count Is the Only Thing Holding Him Back from Stardom
The same kind of frustratingly good story is unfolding with Jared Jones. Man, he’s been showing some seriously impressive upside lately! He struck out nine in his own second half debut and has racked up 23 strikeouts to just three walks in 15 innings over his past three starts. Even better, he’s carried that 14% swinging strike rate from his rookie season and managed to tick his strikeout rate up from 26.2% to 29.4% without increasing his walk rate. And this is all coming off significant elbow surgery, people! That’s just wild.
The absolute biggest thing holding Jones back is his usage. He was limited to just 74 pitches in Friday’s outing, his third straight start with fewer than 80 pitches. It’s so frustrating because you hope the All-Star break would mean they’d take the reins off and let him pitch deeper into games. If they’re going to limit him to 80 or so pitches every time out, that puts a hard ceiling on his value. But listen up, he should be 100% rostered. The strikeout upside alone makes him worth chasing, especially with how well he is pitching right now. And if they do decide to fully unleash him at some point? We’re talking top-24 upside. That’s a game-changer!
Speaking of good news, can we get a quick shoutout to our Mariners? They took care of business against the San Francisco Giants tonight, pulling out a 6-3 win! Another W for the Emerald City. Let’s keep that momentum rolling, M’s! What’s next for our squad? We keep fighting, that’s what. Always looking forward to the next game at T-Mobile Park!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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