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.
Robert Gasser (MIL) vs CHC (ND) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 81 pitches.
Just after going six frames without a strikeout or a walk, Robert Gasser looked like a different man against the Cubs with a beautiful 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 81 pitches performance, matching Justin Steele along the way. Gasser has been a Cherry Bomb thus far as he’s oscillated between productive and destructive, though I think this game showcases the promise we should anticipate more often than not.
I see Gasser in simple terms: He has a legit sweeper that dominates LHB (and works as a called strike offering to RHB), a four-seamer with solid shape that works against LHB and RHB, and now has introduced a changeup + cutter to help nullify RHB. It’s like a southpaw Brandon Pfaadt with a better fastball and improved secondaries. That sounds great. It sure does.
I’d go grab Gasser and let him fly against the White Sox up next. If he still has the slowball and cutter and carves up the weak lineup, we can feel more confident this version of Gasser is here to stay, possibly elevating him from streamer status. These are the calculated risks you want to be taking in your 12-teamers: streamers with the potential of becoming more.
Let’s see how every other SP did Monday:
Justin Steele (CHC) @ MIL (ND) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 38% CSW, 93 pitches.
I want you to get the word out there that we back UP. That’s a King Cole and Steele is locating his slider and heaters just like old times. It’s good to have you back.
Chris Bassitt (TOR) @ CHW (W) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 81 pitches.
Business per usual for Bassitt as he pumped sinkers for all the called strikes while cutters showed up to be the complement he needed today. Yes, Blame it on the White Sox n all, but let’s just acknowledge Bassitt as a proper Toby and not read too much into this.
Cole Irvin (BAL) vs BOS (W) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 92 pitches.
Pretty interesting command here from Irvin as he spotted sinkers and four-seamers up-and-armside while his curveball had a field day over the plate. With Kremer and Means down for a bit, expect to see more of Irvin and with the Rays next, you may be stealing some Wins ahead. I don’t love it, but it could work for those in need.
Joe Ryan (MIN) vs KCR (W) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 9 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 99 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. He’s now up to 95+ mph on his four-seamer and it’s glorious. 11/51 whiffs were the obvious result, but let’s also thank his slider for going 15/17 strikes with 47% CSW. The secondaries keep the batters honest for the heater to soar. That’s how it’s done.
Lance Lynn (STL) @ CIN (L) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 92 pitches.
That’s a lovely Gold Star for Lynn, who oddly threw more cutters than four-seamers in this one. This is the ceiling of Lynn, which came with a 1.33 WHIP, under a strikeout per inning, and a Loss. Take note of that.
Trevor Rogers (MIA) @ SDP (ND) – 5.1 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 17% CSW, 90 pitches.
Rogers split the zone with sliders gloveside and sinkers armside and while the sinker did a ton of work, the slider returned a horrid 46% strike rate, forcing the changeup to get over the plate at 82% strike rate with…0/11 whiffs. This ain’t quite it, especially with the Rangers up next.
Nick Lodolo (CIN) vs STL (W) – 5.1 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 81 pitches.
He’s back! And was kinda pedestrian. His curveball was chaotic and his four-seamer didn’t overwhelm, but hey, not bad. I guess we take a chance against the Cubs next time out, expecting better from the curve…right?
Michael King (SDP) vs MIA (ND) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 89 pitches.
Yessssss. The changeup was filthy at 8/28 whiffs, four-seamers went 53% CSW, and his sweeper…was bad as he tugged them too far out of the zone often. King is good, y’all. He’s not quite at the top of his game right now, but I really think he’ll earn your trust over time. He’s more of a command pitcher than most with legit weapons in the arsenal.
Bryce Miller (SEA) vs HOU (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 93 pitches.
He pounded the zone with a ton of heaters and it generally worked. There were some solid splitters and sweepers in the mix and I’m happy this worked well for Bryce. I still wish there was more to get pumped about outside his heater (at least the splitter had some outs and the sweeper went 8/13 CSW?) but we’ll take this all day + the Angels are next and that should be an easy night at the park.
Mitchell Parker (WSN) @ ATL (W) – 6.1 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 100 pitches.
Hot dang, look at you! He was able to land heaters and splitters in the zone with…SAY WHAT. Nick. What is it. HE DID THE THING. HE DID THE THING. What, curveballs were solid? Nah, they were whack, HE TOSSED 22 SLIDERS. WITH A 36% SWSTR RATE. Oh snap. That’s a huge deal for Parker, who flashed the slider once and abandoned it, removing the hope of a true four-pitch mix. Adding this slider and having success with it is kinda fantastic. He’ll get a test against the Guardians up next but hot dang, I kinda feel like this could be something. It’s just one start…I know I know. I’LL BE WATCHING.
Nick Nastrini (CHW) vs TOR (L) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 3 Hits, 4 BBs, 5 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 82 pitches.
Nastrini’s four-seamer has some legit iVB and overall shape, but hot dang, he can’t command it. I’m down to pick him up in a dynasty format, but we’re sitting on our hands in all redraft leagues. Wait until he shows some command that’s worthwhile.
Framber Valdez (HOU) @ SEA (ND) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 96 pitches.
Ah yes, the classic VPQS for Framber as he actually threw his slider in this one, allowing a pair of hits on two of the three he threw. Oh, so maybe that’s why he doesn’t throw them, NICK. Okay okay, I get it, but also, both were two-strike pitches to J.P. Crawford who hit them into the ground for hits. THE REASONING WAS SOUND. At any rate, Framber isn’t looking like an ace at all and maybe we just call him a Holly and move on with our lives.
Blake Snell (SFG) vs PHI (ND) – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 90 pitches.
The pitch separation is there akin to his famous BSB, but the strikes are not. Yo Blake, mind telling us when you’re thinking of turning into a proper stud again? Thx boo. I’d personally treat him like a stash play until then if I could.
Anthony Molina (COL) vs CLE (ND) – 1.2 IP, 3 ER, 2 Hits, 3 BBs, 0 Ks – 0 Whiffs, 13% CSW, 45 pitches.
This was really Josh Rogers going 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks as Austin Gomber was pushed back a few days with some elbow pain. Nothing to see here. Uhhhh, that’s clearly something to see and avoid for the Dodgers, while Rogers isn’t anything to focus on with his sub 90 mph heater that does everything it can to sneak by while the sweeper does the work.
Alec Marsh (KCR) @ MIN (L) – 7.0 IP, 5 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 103 pitches.
Marsh returned just 1/45 four-seamer whiffs and most of his strikeouts came on batters watching heaters land in the zone in shock. That doesn’t sound sustainable. No, it does not. I know it can come in hard at times (97.2 mph max!) but it’s not a good shape and I’m skeptical he can keep up anything close to this strikeout performance.
Taijuan Walker (PHI) @ SFG (L) – 6.0 IP, 5 ER, 9 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 98 pitches.
At least he’s at 91/92 on the heater now…? Naaah, I got nothing. I reluctantly placed Walker on The List today given his decent Win chance as he’s often able to go six frames for the Phils, but hot dang does this not feel worth it.
Cooper Criswell (BOS) @ BAL (L) – 4.0 IP, 6 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 76 pitches.
Womp womp. Generally the same thing we normally see – changeups, sinkers, and sweepers down with cutters up top – but the Orioles did damage because they’re the Orioles and Criswell isn’t that good. Well when you put it that way…At least he gets the Tigers next? That’s not so bad.
Xzavion Curry (CLE) @ COL (L) – 3.1 IP, 6 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 74 pitches.
Yuuuup. Let’s leave Curry behind the arc. Which one, of Triumph? There’s a joke there, I know it. IT’S THERE.
Charlie Morton (ATL) vs WSN (L) – 5.2 IP, 8 ER, 12 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 103 pitches.
It’s not common to see such horrific ratios paired with a Gallows Pole, but here we are. He has the curveball to thank for the whiffs and everything else for the baserunners. Stop putting yourself through this unless you’re in a moment of desperation and need strikeouts or a Win on a desperate Sunday. Just whisper to your ratios We’ve Got Ice. That’ll fix it.
Game of the Day
Jared Jones vs. Tarik Skubal – Yooooooooooooooooo.
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 Aaron Polcare (@bearydoesgfx on X)