Can James McDonald Keep Fantasy Owners Saying “I’m Lovin’ It”

.  Pittsburgh’s James McDonald has had moments where he was a viable fantasy baseball pitching option, but with just 20 career wins he’s not high on my radars. . This year he has been outstanding, holding the opposition to three or fewer runs in all six of his starts en route to a 2-1 record with a 2.70 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, and 31 strikeouts in 36-2/3 innings. He has really dialed things up in the strikeout department, racking up 25 in his past three starts. . Last year McDonald was 1-2 in both April and September with 7.66 and 4.95 ERAs respectively. In those middle months though, James was outstanding posting a 7-5 record with a 3.42 ERA. . Part of the reason for McDonald’s success this year has been his effectiveness on the road. Last year he posted a 3.19 home ERA and a 5.42 mark on the road. This year, he’s still been much better at home (1.86 ERA), but he has been just as impressive fixing his road ERA (3.63). . McDonald has been particularly effective against right-handed hitting this year, allowing the opposition to hit just .169 with a .524 OPS. He’s been tough on lefties too though. They are hitting just .250 with a .606 OPS. . McDonald is owned in a little over ten percent of fantasy leagues. Not a lot of love for a pitcher that’s having his success. Sure, he’s on the Pirates so wins could be hard to come by, but his early success is hard to ignore, especially in streamer circumstances. . Speaking of which, his next start is Friday against the Astros in Houston. That’s certainly a favorable match-up that you most likely don’t want to miss. . . Also check out: Can Edwin Encarnacion Continue to Swing a Hot Bat? Fantasy Feast Closer Report – 5/12/12 Are You High on Smyly? Are You Rockin’ Reddick? Should You Go Bass Fishing?

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Can James McDonald Keep Fantasy Owners Saying “I’m Lovin’ It”
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