Fantasy Baseball SP Roundup: Of Bryse and Men

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.  

Bryse Wilson (MIL) vs TBR (L) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 91 pitches.

I know you didn’t expect me to focus on Bryse Wilson tonight, but I imagine after going 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 91 pitches, you may be considering him as a pickup.

Don’t. Please. This is a very clear case of Blame It On The Rays, who were just swept by the CrySox. THE CRYSOX. Wilson isn’t destined to have a 48% CSW on his sinker, nor return nine whiffs on cutters + sinkers, pitches that each failed to hit the 10% SwStr threshold this year. He gets the Cubs next and even with some of their bats on the shelf, I wouldn’t touch Wilson there. Let him float away, and don’t hold too tight.

 

Let’s see how every other SP did Monday:

 

Max Fried (ATL) @ SEA (ND) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 100 pitches.

Aces gonna ace. It’s not easy getting pulled from a no-hitter, and Fried certainly earned his six frames of dominance with some brilliant four-seamer precision gloveside. Oddly enough, he’s still missing his money pitch from 2022 and 2023: his changeup, which returned just 6/13 strikes here. I have to think that gets better over time. But this was six no-hit innings, why are you so critical. I mean, this was fantastic and he could be more sustainable. DO YOU WANT THAT?!

Ryan Pepiot (TBR) @ MIL (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 87 pitches.

He didn’t even elevate his four-seamer and it still worked out well. Life is good with Pepiot on your roster…even if his changeup command has been a bit wonky these days.

Grayson Rodriguez (BAL) vs NYY (W) – 5.2 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 101 pitches.

Aces gonna ace. He had better pitch separation here, but missed a whole lot with his four-seamer and it’s a little frustrating. He feels so dang close to being the guy we want him to be inside the Top 10 SP, but he can’t command his full arsenal appropriately. What is development without failure? Yeah yeah yeah, you’re using my own quote back at me. I get it. CAN’T WE GET THERE ALREADY?!

Luis Severino (NYM) vs CHC (ND) – 8.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 101 pitches.

Whoa, seven no-hit innings?! I wasn’t impressed with Severino’s approach a ton – it was “hit this fastball” mixed with a whole lot of sweepers – and that’s alright. He’s a Toby and that’s just fine with us.

Jameson Taillon (CHC) @ NYM (ND) – 7.1 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 78 pitches.

Hey, I’ll take this all day, even with one strikeout (“HAISTBMBWT?!”). He located his arsenal well across the board, far better than his first start of the year. Still a bit lacking in whiffs and that extra element to turn him into a potential Holly, though I can see how this can become a stable QS arm, especially if he’s able to comfortably go 90 pitches.

Bryce Miller (SEA) vs ATL (ND) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 10 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 97 pitches.

Oh, you thought this roundup title was all about Miller? Naaaaah, there’s nothing new here! But he was hurling a perfect game in the sixth! Yeah yeah yeah, he also did all his work via the four-seamer and we’re somehow still back in the same place. THIS WAS GREAT AND IT WAS ATLANTA. Honestly, very fair – 15/59 whiffs on fastballs is dope, of course, regardless of anything else. Normally you need something more sustainable from the secondaries on top of that, you know? And no, those secondaries were not well spotted. In fact, he induced many outs with his sweeper, curve, and sinker despite rarely finding the edge. Not ideal but who cares, WE PRESS ON AND START THE MAN.

Nick Lodolo (CIN) @ SDP (W) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 Hits, 2 BBs, 11 Ks – 22 Whiffs, 37% CSW, 99 pitches.

Ummmm, I need to put more respect on Lodolo’s name, don’t I. That’s a Golden Goal while dominating with a BSB. We’re talking four-seamers upstairs, curveballs down, and even four changeup whiffs down-and-armside. This is the Lodolo we want him to be, y’all. Please be like this all the time.

Clarke Schmidt (NYY) @ BAL (L) – 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 92 pitches.

Schmidt faced a ton of LHB and was able to locate more cutters inside than usual. He’s beginning to believe. He gets the Tigers next and I think we’re going to love that one. Go for it.

Joe Boyle (OAK) vs PIT (W) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 Hits, 4 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 91 pitches.

Despite Boyle’s insistence on walking four batters, he wrangled his chaos enough to go a full five frames and secure a rare Win. That’s cool, I guess. I’m in disbelief that a pitcher could surrender just 1 ER and record a 1.00 WHIP while boasting just a 47% strike rate on his 60% usage four-seamer. Yeeeeesh.

Jake Irvin (WSN) @ MIA (W) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 84 pitches.

Ah, a clear Blame It On The Marlins. After all, his curve went 0/28 whiffs. Yikes.

Joe Ryan (MIN) @ CHW (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 86 pitches.

Three strikeouts is…odd. The White Sox were able to foul off a ton of his heaters and induce just a 9% CSW on Ryan’s signature pitch, and I’m awfully weirded out by it. It doesn’t make sense. Let’s move on, Joe is completely fine.

Garrett Crochet (CHW) vs MIN (ND) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 77 pitches.

Ayyyy, he’s all good! And guess what? The Twins gave him a RHB lineup, which meant few sliders again and…a new changeup! And it was good! That gives Crochet a full four-pitch mix and an extra weapon to take down his most common batter. Sign me up, y’all.

Tommy Henry (ARI) vs LAD (L) – 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 0 Ks – 1 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 72 pitches.

Double Train with 1/72 whiffs and a HAISTBMBWT?! And I’m sorry, if you don’t understand his nickname, I promise not to use it again. It’s that bad. Facing the Dodgers is never a fun ordeal, but you know what is even less fun? Getting booted from the rotation. With Ryne Nelson expected back, it’s possible Slade Cecconi sticks as the #5 instead. Double whammy for Double Train. Not a great day.

Yariel Rodríguez (TOR) vs KCR (ND) – 3.2 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 1 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 82 pitches.

Yeaaaah, let’s not go after Yariel, okay? It’s a decent slider and middling heater and not much else. Is he even getting more starts? Will he ever go 5+ consistently? This ain’t it.

Trevor Rogers (MIA) vs WSN (L) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 89 pitches.

Blegh. His slider was competitive, yet it returned a horrid 5/17 strike rate, and that was the major difference here. I still feel he’s awfully close and want to give it another shot against the Athletics. I imagine some of you think I’m delusional at this point and that makes all the sense. I see a guy who’s far closer than the results will tell you, despite facing a poor lineup. I’m taking the chance.

Matt Waldron (SDP) vs CIN (L) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 97 pitches.

Remember kids, Don’t Trust A Knuckleballer.

James Paxton (LAD) @ ARI (W) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 5 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 96 pitches.

Blegh. 14/29 curveball strikes and a 93 mph heater. But we got a Win! At what cost? AT WHAT COST?! It’s time to move on from Paxton if you haven’t already.

Griffin Canning (LAA) vs PHI (ND) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 3 Hits, 5 BBs, 1 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 86 pitches.

His curveball + four-seamer tallied 18/47 strikes and there’s yer problem. We’ve got another HAISTBMBWT?! over here. So much dry bread today. THE PEOPLE DESERVE BETTER BUTTERED BREAD. As for Canning, I’m not interested in chasing him until we see something sustainable.

Cristopher Sánchez (PHI) @ LAA (ND) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 1 Ks – 1 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 75 pitches.

Uhhhhh, 3/15 changeup strikes. Wat. I know. It was just that kind of night for Sánchez – HAISTBMBWT?! – and the wise manager would ignore it moving forward. But I’m not wise. That’s on you.

Jonathan Bowlan (KCR) @ TOR (L) – 2.2 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 68 pitches.

It’s a 95/96 mph heater that was located decently well and came with a ton of iVB, but that’s all there was to this. It’s possible he flexes his secondary stuff a bit better next time and that fastball can go 20% SwStr rate again, but let’s see it first.

Bailey Falter (PIT) @ OAK (L) – 5.0 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 65 pitches.

Womp womp. Oakland was able to connect on a fair number of Falter’s pitches in the zone and That’s Baseball, Suzyn. Pretty cool to see a 56% CSW curveball in the mix, though. I wonder if this lowers Falter’s trade value enough for the Rays to swoop in…It’ll never happen, Nick. Stop trying to making it happen. YOU’LL NEVER HAPPEN.

 

Game of the Day

 

Reynaldo López vs. Luis Castillo – Nah I’m just kidding, IT’S COLE RAGANS DAY Y’ALL.

But Nick?! Where are the streaming picks? – I’ve moved them to the daily SP Matchups & Streamer Rankings article.

Have Questions? – Join my morning Playback.tv livestream! I answer all questions there for free: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm ET Monday through Friday.

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