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The hostile environs of Coors Field usually render all Colorado Rockies pitchers persona not grata in standard fantasy leagues, but the newest member of the Colorado 'pen could very well be one of the more stifling arms in baseball. And now that he's on a contending team, Pat Neshek might warrant a look as a low key source of quality innings on your fantasy team.
Recently acquired from the Phillies to stabilize a struggling Rockies relief corp, Neshek is in the midst of a career year, boasting an eye-popping 27.7% K-BB and three-year-low 6.7% homer-per-fly rate.
Neshek has really amped up the effectiveness of his trademark slider, coaxing career-best swinging-strike (17%) and reach rates (42%) with the pitch and limiting hitters to, that's right, a mere 7 wRC+ with the pitch across 315 offerings. For those worried how Neshek's 46% fly-ball rate will play in Coors, the 48% infield flies on that slider should somewhat quell those fears.
The Rocky Mountain air certainly will lead the risk-averse to steer clear of Neshek, but now that he's arguably the best arm in the Colorado bullpen, he should see ample chances to be a quality contributor both for the Rockies and for fantasy owners.