Andrew Kittredge Is Flashing Swing-and-Miss Stuff Nobody's Talking About

Andrew Kittredge's strikeout rate has nearly doubled in the last seven days, jumping from 20.0% over the past 30 days to 36.4% in the most recent stretch — and at 1% rostered, virtually no one is paying attention.

WaiverScout's algorithm has moved Kittredge to Watch status, and here's what makes this notable: we had him classified as deprioritize three separate times this season — on June 12, May 18, and May 9. The data didn't support a recommendation then. Now, the signal has shifted meaningfully enough that we're reversing course.

The Rolling Numbers Tell the Story

Over his last 3 innings (7-day window), Kittredge has been dominant: a 0.00 ERA, 12.0 K/9, and a ridiculous 0.43 FIP. That FIP figure is the headline — it suggests the underlying skills are backing up the surface results, not just sequencing luck.

Zoom out slightly and the 14-day window shows a 2.09 ERA with a 10.47 K/9, still excellent on the strikeout front even as the FIP (4.50) regresses. The 30-day picture — 2.70 ERA, 7.2 K/9, 4.40 FIP over 10 innings — shows a reliever who was fine but unspectacular. The recent spike in whiffs is what separates the last week from the broader trend.

That 36.4% strikeout rate over the last seven days, paired with the 0.43 FIP, is the kind of skills combination that demands monitoring in any bullpen arm. It could be a mechanical tweak, a pitch mix adjustment, or simply a small-sample hot streak — but the direction is undeniably positive.

Under the Radar — Everywhere

The major fantasy platforms — FantasyPros, ESPN, CBS Sports — have Kittredge listed with basic profile pages and little meaningful fantasy analysis. No one is writing up this strikeout surge. That's exactly the kind of gap WaiverScout is designed to catch. At 1% rostered with stable ownership velocity, there is no rush to the wire here — yet. But that's also what makes the window interesting for managers who like getting ahead of the curve.

Baltimore's bullpen features arms like Dennis Santana, Jeff Hoffman, and Trevor Megill, all of whom carry significantly higher rostership. If Kittredge sustains this swing-and-miss uptick, he could carve out a more prominent role in a competitive Orioles pen — and that's when ownership will spike.

The Caveats

Let's be clear about sample size: we're talking about 3 innings in the 7-day window and only 5 games in the recent log. The confidence level on this signal is early. The 30-day FIP of 4.40 is a reminder that Kittredge's broader underlying metrics haven't been elite this season. The recent spike could normalize quickly.

There's also the matter of the batting line data in his recent games, which appears to reflect a data anomaly rather than actionable pitching context — Kittredge is a reliever, and his value lives and dies with K rate, ERA, and FIP.

Verdict: Watch

Do not add Andrew Kittredge yet. But add him to your watchlist immediately. Early signs suggest he could be emerging as a high-leverage weapon with swing-and-miss stuff that didn't exist a month ago. A 36.4% K rate and 0.43 FIP over the last seven days is exactly the kind of signal that precedes a breakout in reliever value. If the strikeout numbers hold over his next 3-4 appearances, this moves from Watch to Add in a hurry. WaiverScout flagged this player early — and the trajectory is finally pointing up.