MLB
Fantasy Baseball: 5 Pitchers Primed to Improve Their Strikeout Rates
These five hurlers have some poor numbers at first glance, but their ability to get whiffs could have them rising up the fantasy ranks before long.

J.A. Happ, Toronto Blue Jays

ERA: 4.15 (63rd)

Swinging-Strike Rate: 12.2% (24th)

From a traditional perspective, J.A. Happ's season-long numbers don't jump off the page. And, in large part, that's due to a single ugly outing a few turns ago.

Against the Seattle Mariners on May 10th, Happ was blasted for 10 hits and 2 walks, which led to a ghastly 7 earned runs in just 3 1/3 innings.

If you don't account for that stinker, Happ has been brilliant with a 3.14 ERA that would rank 28th among the ERA leaders. His 12.2% swinging-strike rate is easily the best mark of his career, which has led to a tasty 30.7% strikeout rate, also a career-best mark. Furthermore, he's kept walks in check with a 6.1% walk rate, which is well below his career average of 8.7%.

It's early in the season, so it's hard to predict if the 35-year-old southpaw can replicate these impressive marks over a full season, but Happ is clearly a pitcher to target if your league mates are looking to move on from last week's sour showing.

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