What To Do With Mat Latos?
By Zack Cimini
When an ace is inconsistent you know it’s only a matter of time before he snaps out. They get that solid start and from there build upon it. An 0-5 start though, won’t just get into the pitcher’s head, it’ll also drive fantasy owners crazy. This is definitely a tough scenario to deal with as a fantasy owner.
You can trade him now, but what will you get back for him. Likely not much. So instead of selling him high, maybe you should break down his statistics. He is on a San Diego Padres team that has offered little to nothing in terms of run support. They’re obviously digging and searching for replacements since the Adrian Gonzalez departure. Heck, even with Gonzalez in the lineup, they often struggled for runs. Their team leader for batting average is Chase Headley at .245.
So the frustration shouldn’t be pinned completely on Latos. A young lineup like the Padres is going to take time to develop. It may not happen this year, but the bats should come out and spike at a more frequent rate.
Breaking down Latos statistically is where you can see that he still can be a strong factor. His WHIP is up but it has more to do with a few extra walks than it does hits. The hits have also been big blows, as six of the thirty one giving up have been home runs. What jumps out at you, is that he is still averaging a strikeout per inning.
Latos should not be giving up on just yet. His last three starts have been atrocious. Not lasting barely past the sixth inning and giving up a combined five home runs. So he could be headed down a bad lane for fantasy owners. Most of you should be over your projected season totals for innings pitched. Instead of throwing Latos out each start, sit him and see how he does.
Being in the NL West, he’ll get to face favorable matchups throughout the season. So far he has pitched against dynamic offenses, including the Phillies, Braves, and Reds. Tough outings for any pitcher. Don’t sell him low. When September comes around, you’ll forget that Latos was even in this poor stretch.
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