Expected SP Schedules Weeks 12-13: DJ Herz Went Nuclear

This was yet another fun week of pitching. Players we mentioned last week like Garrett Crochet and Taj Bradley one-upped themselves, putting up better performances than last time. DJ Herz put up a masterpiece of a performance, striking out 13 Marlins across six shutout innings, something nobody expected. In terms of injury news, this has the potential to be a big two-week stretch, with several big names projected to come back, Gerrit Cole being the crown jewel of them all.

Don’t forget this list of helpful terms as you scroll through this week’s expected starting pitching matchups.

(OFF) means the team has an off-day before they play that team.

(DH) indicates a doubleheader that day.

SPOT is used when that game might be projected to be someone different than the mainstay in the rotation. Notes will explain.

??? represents an unclear rotational spot, and the notes will explain options.

Before we look at the pitching schedule, here are Nick’s color-coded rankings of every team’s offense, updated on the 10th.

AL East

 

• Kyle Bradish is the latest great pitcher to be sidelined, joining John Means and Tyler Wells on the injured list with a right UCL sprain.
• Our projections listed Dean Kremer as a possibility to return as early as against the Yankees in the Bronx, although it appears that he is just starting to ramp up his rehab assignment.

• Tanner Houck had his worst start in weeks against the elite Phillies, and it was still a quality start. What a season he is having.

• Off the heels of a dominant rehab start for AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, reigning AL Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole looks to rejoin the Yankees for their series against Baltimore.

• The Rays now have two members of their IL rotation making progress in their returns to the big club. Shane Baz looked great in his last two starts, hitting 99mph on his heater. Jeffrey Springs still has a ways to go, but he has begun his rehab start regimen.

• It looks like Yariel Rodriguez has made his last rehab start and will possibly make his return to the rotation at the start of a three-game series in Cleveland.

 

AL Central

 

• Jonathan Cannon is slated to make one more start in the spot of Mike Clevinger, who should be making his return in Detroit.

• While it has been awfully quiet on the Gavin Williams front, our projections have him getting the ball in Baltimore, taking over for Carlos Carrasco in the rotation.

• The Jack Flaherty bounceback is one of the more underrated stories in Major League Baseball this year. He went from being demoted to the bullpen in Baltimore to leading all qualified starters in whiff rate this year.

• While the Royals struggled to contain the monstrous offense of the Dodgers and Yankees, you have to give props to Alec Marsh, who limited the Yankees to only one hit across seven innings.
• Michael Wacha is projected to rejoin the rotation in Texas.

• The Twins leaned on Louie Varland against the Rockies and he delivered with five shutout innings. While an impressive performance, it appears that this is just a spot start and he still has work to do if he wants to become a fixture in the rotation.

 

AL West

 

• Hunter Brown has turned his season around, putting together one of the better stretches of his career. This should continue, as his next four starts feature some lowly lineups and a Blue Jays squad struggling to find consistency.

• Chase Silseth is projected to join the rotation during the two-game series at Dodger Stadium.

• It seemed like there was a chance that Ross Stripling would be back by now, but he appears to have just started the throwing program and is a ways away from getting on a mound.

• There was a bit of an injury scare on the Bryan Woo front, as he underwent an MRI on his forearm. The results indicated that he was perfectly fine and he should be able to make his start in Cleveland.

• Our projections have Max Scherzer joining the big-league club in Milwaukee, injecting some life into a team that has struggled to regain their championship form.

 

NL East

• Even Braves management couldn’t have imagined that Reynaldo Lopez would have a sub-2.00 ERA by mid-June. He’s having an all-around incredible season.

• Ryan Weathers was put on the 15-day injured list due to a finger injury suffered against Cleveland. Our projections have him possibly rejoining the rotation during the Royals series.

• It sounds like Kodai Senga and his unhittable ghost fork won’t be back with the Mets until at least after the All-Star break.

• What is perhaps MLB’s best rotation is very likely to feast against struggling Detroit and Miami lineups.

• DJ Herz put up one of the most unexpected masterpiece performances we’ve seen in a while against Miami, striking out 13 across six innings.

 

NL Central

 

• The Cubs have faced some tough blows in terms of injury news, with Jordan Wicks entering the injured list with an oblique strain, joining Ben Brown. It appears that Kyle Hendricks will have to re-enter the rotation for a game or two.

• Our projections currently have Carson Spiers taking the rotation spot from Nick Martinez, who has been moved to a bullpen role.

• It was a bit of a chaotic stretch for changes in the Brewers’ rotation, but it looks like things are sorted for now with Aaron Ashby optioned.

• Martin Pérez is currently slated to start the last game in the three-game series, possibly taking the spot of a hot Luis Ortiz.

• With the return of Steven Matz on the horizon, we are currently projecting that the Cardinals will run a six-man rotation, keeping Andre Pallante in the fold for now.

 

NL West

 

• Zac Gallen looks to be in line to return in Philadelphia against his childhood favorite team.

• Note: Coors Field is where balls go to fly a long way. If the Rockies are at home, then their pitchers will bear the brunt of that from a value standpoint.
• Ty Blach is likely to make his last start against the Dodgers before Kyle Freeland regains his spot in the rotation.

• The highly anticipated return of flamethrower Bobby Miller is currently slated to take place at Coors Field. Obviously, you can’t expect the best performance out of him during that game, but his upcoming starts against the White Sox and Tigers could see him in the position to dominate.

• All signs point to Yu Darvish being slated to start against the Brewers.

• Our projections suggest that Blake Snell could return for the series against the Dodgers, however for now we foresee Spencer Howard keeping that spot in the rotation warm.

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Photo by Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Aaron Polcare (@bearydoesgfx on X)