Underappreciated Fantasy Baseball Pitchers - Low WHIPs | Logan Gilbert, Joe Ryan, Zach Eflin and More

A break in the MLB season gives us all time to catch our breath. At the same time, it gives us the opportunity to really dive into some stats and possibly identify fantasy players who are underappreciated.

After looking at some hitters with high on-base percentages, I decided it’d make sense to take a look at some starting pitchers. The stat I want to focus on is WHIP (walks plus hits per innings pitched).

Like we did for the OBP story, I don’t want to focus on the elite fantasy options (Tarik Skubal, Garrett Crochet, Chris Sale, Zack Wheeler) but some starting pitchers who are cheaper to acquire in fantasy leagues. Let’s dive in!

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Low WHIPs

Seattle Mariners’ Logan Gilbert has the lowest WHIP in the league, 0.87.

He’s not exactly a sleeper when it comes to top fantasy pitchers, but after being drafted around pick 50 and with some of his other stats, I think he’s more attainable in a trade than you think.

In 20 stats, Gilbert is just 6-5. He’s got a 2.79 earned run average and 124 strikeouts. Gilbert has pitched 132 1/3 innings, allowing 42 runs (41 earned) on 90 hits and 25 walks. Opponents are hitting just .191 against him, and he deserves a much better win-loss record looking at his overall numbers.

I think his win-loss record and ERA will allow fantasy owners hoping to acquire him to be able to do so for a reasonable price. Gilbert won’t just be handed over, but maybe you can package a couple players for him, or trade a higher strikeout, but also higher ERA, pitcher in return for him.

Pitchers don’t always need to rack up a ton of wins or strikeouts to be good fantasy options. Gilbert covers a ton of innings, and because he limits baserunners, he’s a top-end fantasy option.

Houston Astros’ Ronel Blanco has a 0.97 WHIP mark on the season - that’s good enough for sixth among qualified pitchers.

Blanco is 9-4 across 18 starts this season. He’s got a 2.56 ERA and tossed one shutout - a no-hitter in his first start of the season. In 109 innings pitched, Blanco has allowed 34 runs (31 earned) on 64 hits and 42 walks, while striking out 100 batters. Batters are hitting just .169 against him, which is the league’s best mark among qualified hitters.

His no-hitter put him on the fantasy map, and he’s pitched pretty well this season as a whole, but because Blanco doesn’t post monster strikeout numbers, he should be easier to acquire in a trade.

Blanco eats a good amount of innings most starts, and makes up for the lack of big-time strikeout numbers by limiting baserunners and runs. He’s shown me enough this season to acquire in a trade and trust for the remainder of the season.

Minnesota Twins’ Joe Ryan is ninth in the league with a WHIP right at 1.00.

In 19 starts, Ryan is just 6-6 with a 3.53 ERA. He’s allowed 49 runs (45 earned) on 96 hits and 19 walks. Ryan has struck out 124 batters, while opponents are hitting .222 against him.

While his win-loss record and ERA are just average, he’s got a better strikeout clip than the two guys we already mentioned. He gives up some hits, but limits walks, which helps him be at least an average fantasy pitcher every time he takes the hill.

Ryan has had some inconsistent showings of late, which might also help you acquire him for less than what he’s really worth. Throw some offers together using the FantasySP Trade Analyzer and see if you can land Ryan for the stretch run. 

The Boston Red Sox have a pair of pitchers, Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford, who do a great job of limiting baserunners against them. Houck has a 1.03 WHIP, while Crawford sits with a 1.04 mark.

In 19 starts, which includes one shutout, Houck is 8-6 with a 2.54 ERA. He’s covered 117 innings, allowing 44 runs (33 earned) on 95 hits and 26 walks. Houck has 112 strikeouts and opponents are hitting .215 against him.

Houck was just part of the All-Star Game, but even with his strong season, I think there’s a chance you can acquire Houck for relatively cheap in a trade. His low ERA might drive his value up a bit, but you could also point to the 11 unearned runs he allowed and talk the other fantasy owner down with the asking price.

Houck racks up enough strikeouts and limits baserunners enough where even if those unearned runs become earned runs in the latter part of the season, he will still remain a strong fantasy starting pitcher, and one who could lead your fantasy team to big things.

In Crawford’s 19 starts, he’s got just a 6-7 record, but a solid 3.04 ERA. He has allowed 46 runs (38 earned) across 112 2/3 innings. Crawford has surrendered 88 hits and 29 walks, while striking out 110 and having opponents hit just .212 against him.

Crawford has been on an absolute tear of late, so his asking price has definitely jumped up. I still think a lot of fantasy owners would be willing to move him, and it still likely won’t be for a whole lot. Maybe the All-Star break has cooled some of the momentum surrounding Crawford and you can acquire him for a fair price.

The strikeouts are there, his WHIP is good and he’s trending in the right direction, so it seems like the perfect time to try to acquire Crawford. He won’t regularly dominate the fantasy headlines, but he’s a fantasy asset who could absolutely help you in a quest to win a title by the end of the season. See if you can make something happen.

The last player I want to mention in this article is Tampa Bay Rays’ Zach Eflin. He’s got a solid 1.12 WHIP.

In 17 starts, Eflin owned a 5-6 record and 3.99 ERA, neither of which are all that inspiring to fantasy owners. He’s only covered 99 1/3 innings and has struck out just 78 batters. Eflin has allowed 48 runs (44 earned) on 102 hits. 

The number that should catch your eye is his nine walks allowed. That seems impossible but I promise it’s right. Sure, he doesn’t boast the ERA or opponent batting average that some other pitchers do, but the low walk rate tells me there’s room for some improvement in those stats before the end of the season.

Another reason I wanted to bring up Eflin is because he’s not owned in nearly every fantasy league (like every other pitcher in this story is). Some of you can add Eflin for nothing right now.

Some of Eflin’s season numbers might make you hesitant to start him every time out, but I believe he’s worth stashing for the remainder of the season. 

Across his past seven starts, Eflin has allowed three runs or fewer in five outings. He’s also covered at least 5 2/3 innings in six straight starts, so I believe Eflin is trending in the right direction. 

Take a gamble on Eflin (or work up some trades for these other pitchers) and you could turn your fantasy team from an average one to a serious title contender. It shouldn’t wreck your fantasy team by needing to give up elite talent, but in the end it might be the difference needed to win it all.