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.
Chris Paddack (MIN) @ BAL (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 89 pitches.
I’ve questioned Chris Paddack’s ability to churn outs this season and since his disaster against the White Sox to kick off the season, Paddack has made me look foolish with a 2.97 ERA and 1.13 WHIP. Those marks only improved with today’s phenomenal 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 89 pitches (W) performance against the Orioles, and it’s time I took another hard look at The Sherriff.
Ratios are important, but when paired with a sub 10% SwStr rate and 24% CSW, it’s no surprise that he’s failing to get punchouts. Paddack is at a 17% strikeout rate after this one and his lack of a third offering is to blame. The four-seamer and change did more than usual to miss bats in this one, though there wasn’t much of a RHB plan outside of “Let’s hope these four-seamers do enough”. I don’t hate the heater, it’s simply not a whiff pitch and more of a solid strike offering.
That’s the real cause for concern. This wasn’t the most overt Koufax game we’ve seen as Paddack did execute well to induce weak contact across the outing, though we have plenty of examples of pitchers needing something else to sustain the performance over a season. It may be fine with the Rays and @TEA up next and I’m fine calling him a Vargas Rule at the moment. Don’t hold on too tightly if it’s just two-pitch when he’s under the rubble of the inevitable wall.
Let’s see how every other SP did Thursday:
Nick Martinez (CIN) vs CHW (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 96 pitches.
Atta boy Martinez. The changeup was stellar, with sinkers and four-seamers inducing all the strikes and outs over the plate. I appreciate that you trusted your stuff against a lowly lineup and made them do something about all the strikes over the plate. Narrator: They didn’t. Keep it going against the Pirates and Royals.
AJ Smith-Shawver (ATL) vs WSN (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 86 pitches.
The Nationals are a terrible offense and I love having an arm in AJSS who, even though I don’t trust in the long term, can take advantage and provide some value in the short term. This Golden Goal is likely to struggle finding a twin on the trophy shelf at the end of the year and I still can’t understand his splitter’s movement. I cannot express this enough – AJSS succeeded with four-seamers over the plate; that would not have done well if not for the poor lineup. The splitter cannot be the sole support for the pitch if he’s to be held in 12-teamers after he gets the Nationals One More Time next week. But yeah, we hold for one more.
Jacob deGrom (TEX) vs HOU (W) – 8.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 96 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. deGrom was fed a ton of RHB, and he grinned as he served them incessant sliders and four-seamers gloveside as he has for his whole career. 90% strikes on his four-seamer at 38% CSW. How can you not love him?
Hunter Brown (HOU) @ TEX (L) – 8.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 9 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 91 pitches.
This was awesome. Brown’s four-seamer lived upstairs around 97 mph for 8/34 whiffs and led the charge as the sinker was able to live on the inner half to RHB, with curves and changeups having success to LHB. Still feels weird that Brown went 3/57 whiffs on everything but the four-seamer, but the dude is absolutely crushing it still. No reason not to start him right now, even if I question whether he’s as dominant as the results have been thus far.
Matt Sauer (LAD) vs ATH (ND) – 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 18% CSW, 68 pitches.
They couldn’t just let you go one more frame to get the Win, eh? That’s just cruel. Sauer leans on an 88/89 mph cutter to get through games and it’s fine, kinda. I’m bored, are you bored? You should go for something sweet, not Sauer.
Zack Littell (TBR) @ TOR (W) – 7.1 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 87 pitches.
That’s a Gold Star for Littell with a dub for 7+ frames in Toronto. Yes, even if it’s a Dusty Donut for the questionable ratios and just two strikeouts. IT’S A DUB. THAT’S COOL.
Trevor Williams (WSN) @ ATL (L) – 4.1 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 77 pitches.
Remember kids, #NeverTrevor.
Tomoyuki Sugano (BAL) vs MIN (L) – 6.1 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 19% CSW, 103 pitches.
We had a bit of Careful, Icarus as Sugano had the PQS before appearing in the seventh. This one was a bit disappointing after flexing fantastic four-seamer command previously, but even with his cutter and four-seamer struggling, he gave you decent ratios through six. I’m still down to start him against the Brewers.
Kevin Gausman (TOR) vs TBR (L) – 5.2 IP, 6 ER, 10 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 101 pitches.
What is it with pitchers featuring horrible sliders and electing to throw them just a few times a game, where they get absolutely blasted? Gausman threw just eight without much success, including a solo shot to left. Meanwhile, the four-seamer was far too hittable over the plate and even with the splitty earning some whiffs these days, 7/41 ain’t the mark we’re looking for. He’s a HIPSTER and I want off this ride. But he sat 96 mph! Tell that to the two pitches that ain’t coming back. Huh? They went over the wall, Steve. Ohhh. Gotcha. What postage do I need to send to Canada?
Bryse Wilson (CHW) @ CIN (L) – 5.1 IP, 7 ER, 10 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 90 pitches.
Bryse didn’t suffice. He’s done it just twice or thrice. Don’t roll the dice, there has to be better for the price. Stop that. Ice. PLEASE.
Osvaldo Bido (ATH) @ LAD (ND) – 1.2 IP, 6 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 16% CSW, 49 pitches.
It’s the Dodgers. You have no one to blame but yourself. But I don’t roster Bido. Only by subtracting can we add. But I never added. Or subtracted. Stop talking to me, start talking to yourself, dangit!
Watch The Plus Pitch Podcast Live On YouTube
Game of the Day
Chris Sale vs. Garrett Crochet – The southpaw studs who swapped their socks from White to Red face off in Beantown.
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.
Grahpic adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter/X; @justinparadis.bsky.social on BlueSky)
