Time to buy low on Yovani Gallardo

The numbers can make you sick if you own Yovani Gallardo. The Brewers righthander is off to an awful start with a 6.08 ERA and 1.65 WHIP. Should you be worried?

I am not. I think he’s an excellent buy low candidate. Gallardo got off to a similar poor start last season with a 6.23 ERA in April and he finished the season with 17 wins, a 3.52 ERA and an 8.99 K/9. Two of Gallardo’s awful starts have come against the Cardinals, a team he has awful career numbers against.

He allowed four home runs and six runs in 3 2/3 innings to open the season against the Cardinals. He allowed eight runs in two innings in his second start against St. Louis.

Gallardo is 1-2, but has a 9.11 K/9 and 3.71 BB/9. Since allowing four home runs on Opening Day, he hasn’t allowed one. Gallardo has had some poor luck with a .363 BABIP, while his career average on BABIP is .299.Gallardo has a 4.11 FIP and 3.78 xFIP indicating he has been better than the surface numbers show.

Gallardo has at least an 8.99 K/9 or more in three consecutive seasons and his BB/9 went from 4.56 in 2009 to 2.56 last season. He will get better and now is the time to buy low.