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Posted at 11:40 AM EST. 

9:10 PM EST. We have gotten behind Luis Perdomo many times this year and have written about his skills in the past but it is now time to switch gears and fade him because his skills are trending the wrong way. Remember, this is a Rule 5 pick that weathered an early storm last year after getting a rotation promotion in June. As a Rule 5 pick, the Padres had to keep him with the big club or risk losing him so they chose the former, which is common for non-contenders. Perdomo has had some brilliant outings and some blowups but it appears like he’s working with a fatigued arm now. Over his last four starts, Perdomo’s swing and miss rate has dropped from 11% to 7%. That’s significant. His ball % and concurrent walks are up. Over his last four starts, he’s walked seven and struck out just 12 over 19 innings but four of those 12 K’s were against the opposition’s pitcher. His WHIP over that span was an alarming 1.98. Perdomo has made it past the fifth inning only one time over his last four starts. Over those 19 frames, he’s been tagged for 30 hits and 17 earned runs. In his last start against the Giants, Perdomo only allowed one earned run in six innings but he was hit hard and luck played a big role in that outcome. Finally, Perdomo has been torched by lefties this year (.327 BA with an .887 OPS) and the Mets lineup is lefty dominated with Asdrubal Cabrera, Lucas Duda, Jose Reyes, Michael Conforto, Jay Bruce and Curtis Granderson all batting left-handed. Perdomo will then have to deal the right-handed hitting Yoenis Cespedes.

The Padres are favored here because the Mets have a first time starter going that makes the rare jump from Double-A to the majors. The market does not like but we do because you have to be pretty damn good to skip Triple-A. Enter Chris Flexen and his large, durable frame (6’3” 250 pounds). Flexen worked his way back from Tommy John surgery that wiped out half of 2014 and most of 2015. He began 2017 in mid-May because of minor knee surgery earlier in the year. Flexen has been outstanding this season with very promising trends. His strikeout rate has increased from 6.4 K’s/9 in 2016 to 9.3 this season. Furthermore, his above-average control has returned while he’s becoming more difficult to hit. His stuff is above-average, highlighted by his fastball that sits between 90-93 mph and touches 95. It features outstanding movement and is never straight. Flexen mixes in a hard cutter and a big-bending curveball. He also has a below average change-up in his arsenal. His pitches are tough to elevate and he mostly keeps the ball on the ground. If the increases in his strikeout rate are legitimate, so, too, is he and so now would be the time to buy. STATS: Binghamton (AA) – 7 games started, 6-1, 1.66 ERA, 48.2 IP 9.3 K’s/9 4 HR, .165 oppBA. 

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