Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher’s performance from every Thursday 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.
Tanner Houck (BOS) @ BAL (ND) – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 82 pitches.
I won’t keep you. I’d heavily consider dropping Tanner Houck in your 12-teamers if there is an exciting or stable option available. That’s not to say that today’s 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 82 pitches against the Orioles was an atrocious outing (some of the splitters and sweepers were great!), it’s that he’s not the guy we saw go on a fantastic run last year. The splitter is still failing to do its part against LHB with a paltry 42% strike rate, while the sweeper is still down over three inches of horizontal break (at least it’s not five inches like last time…?).
This isn’t to say Houck cannot produce as soon as his next outing. It’s to outline the degrees of separation from last year’s run, making the probability of success at a point where you should question if he’s worth your roster spot. I’m not seeing the value at this point.
Let’s see how every other SP did Thursday:
Nick Lodolo (CIN) @ MIL (L) – 6.2 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 82 pitches.
I’m still loving the changeup to RHB from Lodolo, and with more LHB this time, we saw the curve get some action, though he’s still struggling to land the pitch as he has in the past. However, he’s getting a ton more horizontal run on all his pitches (well, save for the curve) and that’s pretty dang cool. Now locate the fastballs a bit better to match it, k thx. So glad you’re healthy now.
Nestor Cortes (MIL) vs CIN (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 86 pitches.
See? Much better. But the velocity was still down two ticks. The cutter and four-seamers each returned 40%+ CSW! The changeup was still horrible to RHB. Okay, a 33% strike rate hasn’t shown much growth since last year. The Reds are also a terrible offense and Miller Park amplifies strikeouts. OKAY. We get it. Don’t start him in Coors. Let’s just be happy he got back on the right foot after such a rude start to the year, served by his closest friends.
Taijuan Walker (PHI) vs COL (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 74 pitches.
Even against Rockie Road, we need to give Taijuan the Gold Star because, well, it’s Taijuan. This was a game of very few four-seamers (just six?!) with his slider earning outs in the lower quadrant of the zone and splitters and curves to LHB. I don’t love it but props for the efficient (and new?) slider. No, we’re not adding him for Atlanta up next. Come on y’all.
Antonio Senzatela (COL) @ PHI (L) – 5.1 IP, 0 ER, 10 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 92 pitches.
That makes, what, 19 hits in 9.2 IP with 0 ER? Okay, that’s actually a COL story, bro. Senz-A, you always have something that makes me dumbfounded, you rascal.
Hunter Brown (HOU) @ MIN (W) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 8 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 91 pitches.
Okay this one was cool. Hunter sat 97/98 mph with the heater becoming the lead pitch I’ve been craving, with six whiffs with 41% CSW. Pairing that with a sinker for outs against RHB + changeups down-and-away to LHB, Brown has found the ticket. But what about a breaking ball? Well, the cutter appeared to LHB and found some strikes, but it wasn’t a major deal, while the curve was easily the least consistent offering despite its big movement. In short, if the four-seamer sticks at this velocity, yeah, I’m in too. No more Mitch comps from this guy. I wish there were a legit breaker in here too…
Carlos Carrasco (NYY) vs ARI (W) – 5.1 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 82 pitches.
Look at that, a cheap Win for Cookie! All it took was an offense to bamboozle the opposition. He was smart with his changeup and slider, featuring them over nearly 60% of the time, saving fastballs for called strikes whenever possible. I’d be careful streaming him against the Tigers, but sure, the Yankee offense could take down…Skubal. Okay, I’d definitely avoid that one.
Joe Ryan (MIN) vs HOU (L) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 83 pitches.
Ryan is not just two ticks down on his four-seamer, he’s also grasping at straws trying to figure out what else he can hurl at batters. Roughly 30% sweepers, splitters, and sliders for just 9/26 strikes. That’s 35% strikes. Yeeeeeesh. Two solo shots + a weird fourth with a HBP, single, balk, single that scored two made up all the runs as Ryan once again displays the way of the stud WHIP but higher ERA. Maybe a sinker would work? I dunno, something?!
Charlie Morton (BAL) vs BOS (L) – 5.0 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 10 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 98 pitches.
Uhhh, ten strikeouts?! A Gallows Pole?! Huh. Morton was able to save the lackluster heater for two-strike counts and got whiffs upstairs while the curve generally worked down. Unfortunately, tough frames got in the way and there’s your Dusty Donut. Don’t get used to this strikeout rate.
Merrill Kelly (ARI) @ NYY (L) – 3.2 IP, 9 ER, 9 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 80 pitches.
Jeeeeez. Obviously the Yankees n all, but hot dang that hurts. He’s still a Toby even with this, so don’t let the Bronx Bombers change that. He’ll be in the Questionable Tier for the Orioles as he would have been before this one.
Game of the Day
Tylor Megill vs. Toronto Blue Jays – I need to know if Megill can pull off the incredible ability we saw in his opening outing. JUST TELL ME ALREADY.
But Nick?! Where are the streaming picks? – I’ve moved them to the daily SP Matchups & Streamer Rankings article.
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Photo courtesy of Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter/X; @justinparadis.bsky.social on BlueSky)
