Kyle Ryan

Heading into his age-27 season having thrown just 5.2 major-league innings over the previous two seasons combined, there was little reason to have any interest in Ryan last winter. While he didn't pitch his way into a fantasy-relevant role, he did spend nearly the entirety of the 2019 campaign on the Cubs' big-league roster and looked like he belonged, finishing with a solid 3.54 ERA in 61 innings. His peripherals were decent enough, as his strong 58.2% groundball rate helped overcome his unimpressive 22.3 K% and 11.2 BB%. He was particularly strong against lefties, holding them to a .571 OPS, but he wasn't killed by righties (.736 OPS), so he won't lose his job with the upcoming three-batter minimum rule. Ryan should again spend the season as a useful reliever, but he's too far from closing to be of interest in standard leagues.

Ryan was moved to the bullpen full-time in 2016, a move that helped him lower his ERA to 3.07 from 4.47 a year ago. He has never been a big strikeout guy, and 2016 was no exception, as he posted a 5.66 K/9. He did, however, improve his command, lowering his BB/9 to 2.43, in addition to holding opponents to just a .231 average. But the real key to Ryan's 2016 success was keeping the ball in the yard, as he allowed just two home runs compared to nine in 2015. A lefty whose fastball averages just 90 mph and throws a lot of sliders, Ryan likely won't suddenly start blowing people away. While he did a good job keeping runs off the board in 2016, there isn't much fantasy value to be had from a low-strikeout reliever who doesn't pitch in high-leverage situations, and that's what Ryan appears to be going forward.

Ryan bounced between the bullpen and the rotation in 2015, but that will likely change this season. The team needs lefties in the bullpen and Ryan is likely ticketed there. He's been far too hittable in his major league career (try more than a hit per inning over two seasons) and just doesn't strike out enough batters. Even in relief, sustained success may be hard to come by for Ryan as he just doesn't have the consistency for a long role. The Tigers need to decide if Ryan is anything more than a LOOGY. Turn eyes elsewhere, as there is only downside here.

Ryan was one of the biggest surprise callups for Detroit in 2014. After an impressive five-game stint with Triple-A Toledo, in which he went 3-0 with a 1.64 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 20:5 K:BB ratio in 33 innings, Detroit promoted Ryan for a spot start. Ryan delivered six shutout innings in his debut with the Tigers, and he went on to pitch another 4.1 innings of three-run ball in September. Prior to his brief breakout in Toledo, the 23-year-old lefty had modest production throughout his minor league career, including a 4.55 ERA during his first taste of Double-A ball in 2014. Ryan has a five-pitch arsenal, including a fastball that sits in the 88-91 mph range, a sinker, a curveball and a seldom-used changeup. The lanky (6-5, 215) lefty isn’t overpowering and he has posted low strikeout totals throughout his career, but he possesses solid control and limits free passes. His ceiling is likely that of a No. 4 or 5 starter at the major league level if he continues to develop. While additional innings at Triple-A are probably needed, Ryan may receive some consideration for the final spot in the rotation.