Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher’s performance from every Monday game. I apologize for the jokes written in my delirium in advance. Have questions? Ask me during my office hours on Playback.tv weekday mornings from 10 am-12 pm ET.
Max Meyer (MIA) vs CIN (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 14 Ks – 24 Whiffs, 49% CSW, 92 pitches.
Today should be a lesson in what matters in Spring Training. Sometimes we hear about a new pitch or we may be concerned about a dip in velocity. With Max Meyer, it was 3+ ticks up in velocity on everything, while introducing a lower arm angle, a new sweeper, and a much larger embrace of the sinker. We jumped in and grabbed him at the end of drafts (even whilst on the Marlins) and after a quartet of solid outings, he finally gave us the night of our dreams:
6.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 14 Ks – 24 Whiffs, 49% CSW, 92 pitches.
Just look at that Golden Goal. He nearly went half of his pitches for a called strike or whiff. His slider sat 90/91 mph with 16/40 whiffs on the pitch, while the changeup was hot at 53% CSW of its own and 84% strikes across 39% usage to LHB. His four-seamer and sinker sat 95 mph and pumped in the zone all day, and the sweeper did its part with 87 mph spinners to keep batters off everything else.
Sure, the Reds aren’t great on the road. We know this. However, Meyer was absurd. He was a pure stud, and the fact that he went 14/18 outs via way of the K is bonkers. Here’s to the celebration of a young arm finally finding his peak. Now don’t let go of it.
Let’s see how every other SP did Monday:
Hunter Brown (HOU) vs TOR (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 96 pitches.
Okay, he’s sitting 97/98 mph for another start, YOU GOT ME BROWN. Awesome precision down with the changeup and I’m shocked it didn’t get more chases against LHB. The slider stayed in its quadrant and the curve did whatever the heck it wanted, but really this is all about the four-seamer/sinker combo once again and if you can live above 97 mph with nearly 19″ of vert, then yeah, that’s pretty dope. Keep doing that next start and I’ll raise you mightily on The List.
Tylor Megill (NYM) vs PHI (W) – 5.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 4 BBs, 10 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 38% CSW, 92 pitches.
Huh. This looks like a line I should be really amped about, and don’t get me wrong, it’s awesome, but it was both inefficient and efficient. His strike rates? Terrible! Sinker and slider both failed to hit 50% strikes. Their CSW? Incredible! Hitters either took pitches out of the zone, took called strikes, or swung and missed when in the zone. The game plan was clearly to let Megill beat himself as much as possible, and they almost got away with it if not for Megill executing consistently on two-strike counts. It does make me a bit cautious about the future, though. I dunno, what a weird game.
Walker Buehler (BOS) vs CHW (W) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 9 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 100 pitches.
Whooooa nelly, look at that! Buehler has figured it out! Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, there was plenty of Blame it on the White Sox here and his four-seamer + curve + change are all highly suspect, but there is some fun to pull from this. His sweeper was fantastic away to RHB, the cutter worked against LHB (though there were a fair number of eyebrow-raising offerings to RHB), and I could make out the general game plan far better than usual. You still have to be a solid arm to return that kind of line, even against the CrySox, and I guess that means we’re taking a spin against the Guardians up next. Sigh. Alright, let’s see how this goes.
Spencer Schwellenbach (ATL) vs STL (ND) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 92 pitches.
Not sure this is AGA level, sadly. I’m still not seeing the slider or curve or cutter turn into the Dope McDopeface pitches we want them to be, and the four-seamer is a little too much over the plate at the moment, but he’s also pumping ched at seven feet of extension with six different pitches. Still love him, but I just want him to be a little better at spotting the slider piece. That’s it, really.
Gavin Williams (CLE) vs NYY (W) – 6.1 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 8 Ks – 21 Whiffs, 37% CSW, 104 pitches.
HE DID IT. Gavin finally threw a cutter! He threw just five of them. STILL! PROGRESS! That wasn’t the reason for this success, though. He was able to return 65%+ strikes on each of his main trio, demolishing with four-seamers upstairs to both LHB and RHB, curves down to LHB, and sweepers hanging around to RHB. Gavin was at his peak here, and even his 1-2 curve for a two-run shot in the seventh (Careful, Icarus) was a solid pitch at the very bottom of the zone. The only question is whether he can maintain these skills (likely not), and I hope we’ll see that cutter again in the future when he doesn’t have the same curve and sweeper feel.
Erick Fedde (STL) @ ATL (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 84 pitches.
That Spider-Man WILL be mine. Okay Fedde, whatever you say. How’s the shiner doing? Wacha gave me a cheap shot! Sure he did. Good luck in Cincy next time out, I think I’ll pass there.
Robbie Ray (SFG) vs MIL (ND) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 92 pitches.
Ray, you made so many people upset and angry at me when I didn’t lower you on The List. They don’t see what I see – you’re throwing so many dang heaters and not finding a rhythm with your slider, changeup, and that curve, for which you never pick up the phone for some reason. They just want to talk, Ray! CALL THEM BACK! Seriously, Ray refused to throw anything but heaters for what, the first 40 pitches or so? It’s bonkers watching it unfold, especially when the changeup returned 50% CSW when he finally unleashed it. That walk rate and overall production will get better once he’s not trying to make everything happen with his four-seamer, and those who want to say “He’s always been a high walk arm!” don’t understand the transformation he had in Toronto to finally become a zone-first arm. Even here, he’s not nearly as chaotic as he used to be. The man just needs to let his slider, change, curve, and even sinker share the load. I believe in you, Ray, even if everyone else just wants to look at the WHIP and walk rate. I know who you actually are.
Quinn Priester (MIL) @ SFG (ND) – 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 4 BBs, 3 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 81 pitches.
Priester threw his slider more than any other pitch at 38% usage, which makes sense as everything else had a 53% strike rate or lower. Oh wow. Yuuuup. He’s not ready for your fantasy squads.
Nick Lodolo (CIN) @ MIA (L) – 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 99 pitches.
One out away from a VPQS against the Marlins while watching Meyer have the night of his life is a pretty sad evening for Lodolo. Pretty strange to see just 1/31 whiffs on his four-seamer though, as he didn’t place many in great locations over the plate. At any rate, we brush this off and keep starting the man. He’s getting so much lateral movement on his heaters and this may have been partly due to the lack of LHB he faced.
Keider Montero (DET) vs SDP (ND) – 4.1 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 4 BBs, 3 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 92 pitches.
I kept looking at this line and hoping it was palindromic. It was the most interesting part, after all. Keep up throwing inside sinkers with a great slider, I dig that part all day. Just not the part with few strikes and terrible four-seamers.
Aaron Nola (PHI) @ NYM (L) – 6.1 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 101 pitches.
Blegh. Oh look at that, another Careful, Icarus from Nola as he was pulled with two men on in the seventh only to have them both score. You know, if they pulled him after six, we’d be singing his praises. That’s Baseball, Suzyn. I still think his command is pretty good, but the fastball velocity continues to fall. We’re talking 89.8 mph sinkers on average. Yikes. The curve can only do so much.
Jonathan Cannon (CHW) @ BOS (L) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 4 BBs, 4 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 90 pitches.
Cannon tried something new by going 61% cutters to LHB and it…kinda worked? Welp, the sinker is still failing to go far enough inside to RHB, the four-seamer is terrible, and he floats a few too many sweepers over the plate for my liking. Save the overture for another day.
Kevin Gausman (TOR) @ HOU (L) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 96 pitches.
Oh hey! The splitter whiffs are coming back! 8/35 whiffs with a…46% strike rate. WE CAN’T HAVE IT ALL. His heater was the called strike pitch it’s supposed to be, and I can’t believe he threw 44% CSW sliders without damage. That’s a cool thing, but clearly not enough to turn this game around. I think you’re better off trying something else. It’s all just so…not peak Gausman.
Clarke Schmidt (NYY) @ CLE (L) – 4.0 IP, 5 ER, 7 Hits, 3 BBs, 7 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 80 pitches.
Bleeeegh. At least he’s at 80 pitches now? Schmidt had to deal with a ton of LHB, which he’s better at dealing with than a few years ago, but his ability pales in comparison to the destruction he can unleash to RHB. I know we’re happy he’s back from the IL, but it’s no lock that he’ll suddenly be the Holly or even the Toby we want him to be. It may take some time for him to find the command of old. Don’t force yourself to hold on.
Randy Vásquez (SDP) @ DET (L) – 2.0 IP, 6 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 1 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 19% CSW, 68 pitches.
I totally understand if that’s your jam, but I’m not going to advocate for everyone to sign up for the RV camp.
Game of the Day
Will Warren vs. Tanner Bibee – Warren has a lower arm angle but is coming off a terrible game while Bibee has yet to become his best self.
But Nick?! Where are the streaming picks? – I’ve moved them to the daily SP Matchups & Streamer Rankings article.
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Featured image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)
