Jerad Eickhoff: Championship Week Waiver Wire Gem
By Brad Kelly
Even though it seems as though the trade deadline was yesterday, it has been two months since all the action happened and we have been able to get somewhat of a bearing on how the deals have worked out for all teams involved.
In what served as the headline, yet long overdue, deal was Cole Hamels getting shipped to the Rangers. At the time it seemed as a move looking towards 2016, but the Rangers have really been one of the best stories of the second half of the season as they have vaulted themselves to the top of the AL West.
Hamels has been pretty solid with Texas, he has proven to be a steady performer and will definitely be the game one or wildcard starter. For fantasy owners though that are still entering championship week, there happens to be one piece of the Hamles deal that has really stood out.
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The Phillies got a decent haul for Hamels, and catching prospect Jorge Alfaro was clearly the centerpiece. But out of the four players they received, Jerad Eickhoff has been the one that has stood out.
Eickhoff was a 15th round pick of the Rangers, and even though he was solid in the minors, he was never really considered amongst the top prospects in the Rangers farm. Scouts had him capped as possibly a number three or four starter someday, but the way he has pitched while with the Phillies screams that his ceiling may actually be higher.
He was called up to join the Phillies rotation at the end of August, and since then he has cemented himself along with Aaron Nola as potential frontline starters going forward.
Now I will concede that rookie pitchers often have good stretches as major leaguers adjust to them and wait for better scouting reports to get out, but it would foolish to solely think that Eickhoffs’€™ success is a mere fluke.
Over his seven starts in the majors this season he currently boasts a, 2 W/3.07 ERA/1.09 WHIP/39 K line. A solid debut no doubt and his 3.67 FIP speaks to his true success. What has caught my eye outside of his solid season line, is what he has been able to do over his last three starts.
Over these starts he has gone 7 innings each time, given up a total of 3 ER over all those starts, and has struck out 23 batters as well. He is definitely on a roll, and a pitcher that owners need to look at to possibly add into their lineups for the championship week.
His last start will come against the Mets in New York. Oddly enough two of his seven starts have come versus the Mets already, where he has found success. In those two starts he has able to toss at least 6 innings in each start, hasns€™t allowed more than 3 ER in each start, and has struck out 10 batters between each outing.
The Mets offense has definitely come to life, but Eickhoff has managed to be able to limit the damage. The Mets had their chance after his first start against them to adjust to his stuff, yet he went out and recorded another quality start against them.
Combine his small, yet decent, sample size against the Mets with the fact that he is coming off a 10 K performance versus the Nationals his last time out, and owners could potentially have one last waiver wire gem left that could pay dividends.