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Posted at 10:00 AM EST.

8:10 PM EST. Jharel Cotton comes into this start with a 4-7 record to go along with his 5.40 ERA. Previously known for his control, the fact that Cotton is now issuing almost 4½ walks per nine innings is extremely troubling. He has had difficulty locating his changeup this season, with more misses in the zone leading to a .429 slugging percentage on the pitch (compared to a meager .061 a season ago). This has led Cotton to throw it much less frequently, which is a problem, considering that many believed it to be his best. The inconsistency makes Cotton a dicey play but it’s a risk we’re willing to make because he’s only a minor tweak away from being dominating. Cotton has 59 K’s in 67 innings. In his last start, he only walked one batter in six frames and struck out six. He has the lowest (15%) line-drive rate in MLB among qualified starters and that rate is even lower (11%) in his last five starts. Aside from all that, the South Side struggle against righties and Cotton will oppose Mike Pelfrey.

Mike Pelfrey’s 3.56 ERA looks pretty on paper but we all know who this stiff really is. For the past 11 years, Mike Pelfrey has been wallowing in mediocrity or worse. He has a career ERA of 4.53 with a career WHIP of 1.49. In six of the 11 years that he’s been pitching at this level, his ERA was over 5.00. In 56 innings this year, Pelfrey has walked 21 and struck out 35. Last year was another brutal season for Pelfrey with the lowest K-rate and command of any MLB starter (min. 100 IP) with no signs of improvement from his sub-indicators. An August back injury led to a ‘pen demotion. This year, he wasn’t even in the starting rotation until James Shields got injured and the South Side was forced to make a move. There are no improvements this year in Pelfrey’s skill set. The only thing keeping his head above water is his 84% strand rate over his last six starts but hey, at least he keeps the ball on the ground. Pelfrey is owed another $8 million in 2017, which is the real reason he has a job. We would be less nervous hunting polar bears with Mike Pelfrey than we would be backing him spotting a price. Oakland does not have much appeal on their own but damn, this is a bargain.

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