Several players are putting up some interesting numbers in the first week of the baseball season. Yes, the sample sizes are small, but some are also revealing.
For example, Steven Kwan (OF – CLE) has only one strikeout in 19 at-bats. While that rate may not last, it shows his elite plate discipline.
As the first matchup of the fantasy baseball season comes to a close, here is a look at three players with some interesting stats.
Hunter Greene (SP – CIN) 134.5 Stuff+
Greene made his major league debut on Sunday, April 10, and delivered five solid innings for the Reds. He threw 56 of 92 pitches for strikes. Over 20 of his fastballs hit triple digits, and he was still throwing 101 MPH even into the fifth inning. Although he did allow two home runs, the rookie maintained composure and left the game with his team in a position to win. Greene has an enticing mix of speed and stuff, which reflects in his Stuff+ numbers.
While the 5.40 ERA may look mediocre, fantasy managers should buy into the hype. In his three seasons in the minors, his K/9 rate was never below 10.88, and he showed the ability to get strikeouts in the big leagues. Greene picked up seven strikeouts against the Braves.
Greene’s 50% hard-hit rate and 66.7% flyball rate should even out as the season goes on, so do not fret at those numbers. Instead, focus on his league-leading 134.5 Stuff+ (of pitchers who have thrown 50 or more pitches) and his top 20 Pitching+ of 108.
Shane McClanahan (SP – TB) 38.6% Called Strikes + Whiffs
McClanahan is paying off for both the Rays and fantasy managers to start the season. Among qualified pitchers, he is second in CSW% behind Clayton Kershaw (SP – LAD), who nearly threw a perfect game earlier this week (remember in 2020 when seven innings would have been a perfect game…or maybe not?). He is returning value early after being drafted, on average, at pick 109 in NFBC drafts.
In his first two games of the season, McClanahan picked up 15 strikeouts and walked five batters, while allowing only one home run. Not only does his 3.00 ERA reflect his hot start, but other advanced ERA metrics like xERA, xFIP, and SIERA all suggest his ERA should be between 2.49-2.64.
Granted, this is a small sample, and the two games he’s pitched in so far were against the Orioles and the Athletics; McClanahan should continue to do well even when he faces more challenging competition.
Kyle Tucker (OF – HOU) .053 BABIP
Among qualified hitters, Tucker has the third-worst BABIP in baseball. While some may be concerned when they see a player who went top 15 in most drafts begin the season with a .130 AVG, savvy fantasy managers will notice the low BABIP and not worry.
In fact, Tucker had a similar problem early last season, and he hit into lousy luck early and was a prime candidate to buy low. This could be a similar situation for managers who become frustrated if his woes continue.
One reason not to be alarmed about the batting average is that his plate discipline numbers are almost all improved from last season so far. Tucker has shown a better eye at the plate, lowering his chase rate and raising his contact rate. He also has only struck out 8% of the time. Those sorts of numbers do not typically equate to a .130 AVG.
Additionally, his xBA of .334 suggests a turnaround is imminent. As Tucker hits into some better luck in the next few weeks, fantasy managers will be reminded why they selected him so early in their drafts.
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Taylor Tarter is a featured writer on FantasyPros. For more from Taylor, check out his archive.
