Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher’s performance from every Sunday 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.
Aaron Civale (TBR) @ TOR (L) – 5.1 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 4 BBs, 3 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 96 pitches.
After a quartet of solid outings to begin the year, Aaron Civale has been actively reversing his production and likely eradicated himself from many leagues on Sunday with his 5.1 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 4 BBs, 3 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 96 pitches Loss to the Jays. Should you be one of those teams?
It’s the Royals up next and Civale is looking mostly like a Cherry Bomb. He’s lost his curveball of old and his sweeper wasn’t a worthy replacement with just 6/14 strikes on the night. He’s simply not in the groove that we need him to be across his arsenal, even if we saw 1-2 ticks more velocity from his cutter. That’s super cool, but it feels like having the best joke while in the middle of a funeral. That’s nice Johnny, but there are other matters that have more of a need right now. Treat Civale like a streamer at the moment – hold if there isn’t a solid replacement off the wire and move on if there’s a clear start or two you want to take advantage of.
Let’s see how every other SP did Sunday:
Alek Manoah (TOR) vs TBR (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 103 pitches.
Ohhhh snap, this was some legit command from Manoah. Seriously, his sinker was gorgeous as he located it on the inside edge to RHB (totally didn’t expect that command growth!) while the big breaker was down-and-armside consistently. And now he gets the CrySox and Tigers? Uggggh, I was so out of this one, but this start was far better than expected. He may actually be back. Ish.
Yu Darvish (SDP) @ ATL (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 99 pitches.
H*ck yeah, Darvish. That’s four straight starts of 0 ER after coming back from the IL, fueled by a fantastic slider that lays the foundation for the rest of his arsenal. KEEP. IT. GOING.
José Soriano (LAA) @ TEX (W) – 7.2 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 93 pitches.
He threw strikes and when Soriano throws strikes, good things happen. He really should be better than 10% rostered y’all.
Tanner Bibee (CLE) vs MIN (ND) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 95 pitches.
Oh dang, Bibee is getting upset now, sitting 1-2 ticks harder on everything, making his four-seamer sit a whopping 96 mph and featuring legit precision upstairs. His changeup wasn’t the slowball we want it to be, but the slider was legit with seven whiffs and that’s your ball game. Look, if Bibee can sit 96 mph and locate four-seamers in the upper third like this often, I’d bank on one of the slider and changeup coming through like this. That said, this feels like an anomaly of a start, and even though we’re obviously starting him with the Angels up next, we’re gonna carry that perception into next week’s affair, hoping there was something new that clicked for Bibee, allowing for a higher floor indefinitely.
Nick Pivetta (BOS) @ STL (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 Hits, 0 BBs, 8 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 72 pitches.
This is all wonderful and kinda wild when you uncover how Pivetta didn’t even have his best precision. The birthday Cards failed to take advantage of many heaters down the pipe, returning outs quickly as Pivetta didn’t even need 75 pitches for a full day at the park. What a kind crew. Yes, they really are.
Corbin Burnes (BAL) vs SEA (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 11 Ks – 19 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 94 pitches.
Aces gonna ACE. The cutter was used under 40% of the time while his slider was stupid at 7/16 whiffs as he looked in every way like the stud you wanted on draft day. Pretty fun.
Brady Singer (KCR) vs OAK (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 89 pitches.
His slider was legit while his sinker returned plenty of outs because Blame it on the Athletics. This is classic Singer and don’t you dare think otherwise. He’s still a standard Cherry Bomb.
Jordan Hicks (SFG) vs COL (W) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 72 pitches.
Hicks saw Rockie Road and elected to play their game back at them, returning just one strikeout (HAISTBMBWT?!) in five frames. Why just 72 pitches? Oh, I should have mentioned – THE DUDE WAS SICK. Like actually suffering from an illness and still pitching through it. What. A. CHAMP. He knew you needed that Win on a desperate Sunday.
Landon Knack (LAD) vs CIN (ND) – 4.2 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 64 pitches.
I’m a bit annoyed he wasn’t able to go longer here + his slider was a strike pitch in the heart of the plate and I wish he was able to do more with the breaker. Great BSB with his four-seamer and curve, though, and with a bit more elegance in his locations, Knack could display legit ability. That curve is a bit of a surprise and I hope it sticks around.
Chris Paddack (MIN) @ CLE (ND) – 8.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 100 pitches.
Props to Paddack here – his changeup and slider were well located down and on opposite edges to squeeze the most out of his arsenal – and we’re gonna give him a Gold Star for his efforts. I still see Paddack as a low-ceiling arm who lacks a true legit pitch, making him a drop with the Rangers on the horizon, but I’m still going to give him all the love for absolutely killing in this outing, so atta boy.
Aaron Nola (PHI) vs WSN (W) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 101 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. The curve was dope and made us feel dope.
Michael Lorenzen (TEX) vs LAA (L) – 6.1 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 103 pitches.
We’ll take this all day from Lorenzen, but a matchup against Soriano held Lorenzen back from a proper dub. He’s so boring and I can’t emphasize enough how prototypical of a Toby he is on the day-to-day.
Hunter Greene (CIN) @ LAD (ND) – 6.1 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 8 Ks – 22 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 105 pitches.
This line is fantastic against the Dodgers and it’s completely powered by his four-seamer, which returned 17/68 whiffs despite boating just 15-16″ of vert, not the 17-18″ we saw at the beginning of the season. A little odd (especially with the increased velo near 99 mph!) but hot dang, that’s dope and makes us feel dope. You kinda have to start Greene at this point.
Mitch Keller (PIT) @ CHC (W) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 83 pitches.
He’s a Cherry Bomb rooted in his inconsistent command and we saw the better side of it here. Great cutter and sinker locations merged with stellar four-seamers and it returned…three strikeouts. I get it, three straight starts of 3 ER total, but you really shouldn’t be taking this risk. It’s too dang costly in my view.
Carlos Rodón (NYY) vs CHW (W) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 23 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 99 pitches.
Hot dang, look at you! Rodón took full advantage of a start against the CrySox for a Golden Goal, even if he had some efficiency issues early in the start. We saw his changeup come to life for a 7/18 whiffs, but to see 95.7 mph heaters is a glorious thing. Please live there forever now. IT’S WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT. Padres + Angels are next. Let’s boogie.
Sean Manaea (NYM) @ MIA (W) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 95 pitches.
Sure, that’s fine. Awfully boring but it got the job done. The Manaea way.
Dakota Hudson (COL) @ SFG (L) – 4.2 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 81 pitches.
COL story, Bro.
Jameson Taillon (CHC) vs PIT (L) – 4.2 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 92 pitches.
Blegh. Not the best heater and a lot of trying to work his way through at-bats with the pitch. I still dig what he brings to the table, but maybe we’re going to have to be patient to let Taillon blossom into the proper QS leader we know he should be.
Trevor Williams (WSN) @ PHI (ND) – 4.1 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 97 pitches.
#NeverTrevor. Seriously, stop chasing this fortunate run he’s had.
Spencer Arrighetti (HOU) vs MIL (W) – 6.1 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 99 pitches.
This has Careful, Icarus all over it with his final three runs all scoring in the seventh. His four-seamer and curveball separation were better here and we saw some of the upside tucked inside the Pasta Pirate. The Athletics are up next and since we saw six frames of legit production, I’d go with Arrighetti there.
Jordan Montgomery (ARI) vs DET (ND) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 92 pitches.
Why did they have to leave The Bear in for one batter in the seventh? You know, the guy who walked and later scored, ruining this PQS and creating a Careful, Icarus? HAVEN’T THEY READ THE GREEK MYTHS?!
Matt Manning (DET) @ ARI (ND) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 10 Hits, 3 BBs, 1 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 86 pitches.
Uggggggh. Just wait and hope for the best. A HAISTBMBWT?! is not the life you deserve.
JP Sears (OAK) @ KCR (L) – 4.1 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 65 pitches.
He’s a Cherry Bomb who hasn’t displayed his proper ceiling in a long time. He certainly didn’t do so here with so many erratic four-seamers, though I hope we see it soon.
Sixto Sánchez (MIA) vs NYM (L) – 4.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 85 pitches.
What if we gave Sánchez four more toes, is that what he’s missing?
Matthew Liberatore (STL) vs BOS (L) – 3.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 70 pitches.
Not much of a shock here, if not watching Liberatore last as long as 70 pitches in the first place. Let’s move on.
George Kirby (SEA) @ BAL (L) – 6.0 IP, 5 ER, 9 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 83 pitches.
Yes, it’s no fun facing the Orioles, but Kirby’s an ace! Right? I think so? Yeah. Probably. The Nats are next and that should be a lot more of a display we expect.
Colin Rea (MIL) @ HOU (L) – 4.1 IP, 5 ER, 8 Hits, 4 BBs, 5 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 96 pitches.
Yup. You’re smarter than this and clearly don’t need me. So proud.
Bryce Elder (ATL) vs SDP (L) – 3.0 IP, 6 ER, 9 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 93 pitches.
Stop starting Elder. But respect my Elders! Multiple Elders, not just one. Ohhhhhhhh.
Chris Flexen (CHW) @ NYY (L) – 4.0 IP, 7 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 79 pitches.
Just Flexen in the mirror today, inspecting for a few seconds before eliciting a large SIGH. We feel you Flexen, we feel you.
Game of the Day
Dylan Cease vs. Reynaldo López – Is Cease deserving of AGA? Can Reynaldo continue his stupid good 2024 run?
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.
Featured image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)
LOL The last Flexen comment got me
Don’t you dare tell me how to feel about Brady Singer <3
Kirby hasn’t been great on the road vs good offenses.
In regards to Montgomery and his 4 Ernie’s. The guy he walked to open the inning (right before he was taken out) didn’t actually score. He was forced out at 2nd. Doesn’t that make difference? I shoulda had a QS! I don’t get why he isn’t off the hook when the guy he let on base gets out.