Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher’s performance from every Saturday 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.
Jameson Taillon (CHC) @ MIL (W) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 88 pitches.
2025 did not provide a hearty welcome to Jameson Taillon. A six ER evening against the Diamondbacks dampened the hope for a season filled with quality volume and sent him to the wire with a horrific schedule for weeks ahead. Believers were vastly rewarded, however. Including last night’s excellent 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 88 pitches (W) performance against the Brewers, Taillon’s following six outings have carried a golden trail of sparkling marks: 2.80 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and a 22% strikeout rate with a near 6.0 IPS.
We’re obviously holding, though the expectation should not be for Taillon to feature a legit breakout in his 33-year-old season. At the moment, a few things are going his way. The barking back we’ve seen in previous seasons has been silenced, allowing for consistent starts without concern. Taillon’s faith in his sweeper to RHB has been rewarded consistently, here with a 50% CSW day at 79% strikes and weak outs. He’s also getting a lot more vert on his four-seamer once again, now up to 17-18″ on the four-seamer with a bit more of his former NYY affinity to go upstairs, though that wasn’t quite the case here at 0/43 whiffs. In fact, he got a bit fortunate with the pitch in this one.
What I see is a Vargas Rule for now and eventually turning into a borderline Toby/streamer. You roll out Taillon until there’s a problem, then we likely play the matchup game. I’m thrilled for him and his early success. Here’s to this run lasting for a long time into the year.
Let’s see how every other SP did Saturday:
Aaron Nola (PHI) vs ARI (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 109 pitches.
The cutter usage from his previous start fell down to just 19% to RHB (not over 30%), but that’s cool with me. He went curve heavy with backdoor sinkers and high four-seamers instead and that’s how it should be. Nola’s best approach comes first and knowing the cutter is still there and can serve as a backup is awesome. The changeup was also absurd to LHB as it nestled down-and-away to LHB with some of the best precision you’ll ever see. Nothing thrown down the pipe across all pitches to LHB. And the four-seamer/sinker were around 92 mph. WE ARE SO BACK.
Kevin Gausman (TOR) vs CLE (ND) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 94 pitches.
HEY NOW. This is classic Gausman. Like actually classic Gausman. 9/29 splitter whiffs. 80% four-seamers for strikes at 95 mph. Oh snap. Yeah. There have been scattered days of splitters returning in the past and it’s no lock that he’s changed something (the vertical break isn’t different, but the horizontal break is up 2-3 inches), but this absolutely is what it looked like during the golden days. Please don’t be a Dennis.
Kris Bubic (KCR) @ BAL (W) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 72 pitches.
Just five whiffs is a little disconcerting, but the changeup was great to RHB and I’m digging his sinker and four-seamer approaches. I wish there was a little more pizzazz to the whole thing for me to really get hyped, but for now, I smile and nod at seeing 60%+ strikes on all five of his pitches.
Kyle Hendricks (LAA) vs DET (W) – 7.2 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 102 pitches.
The changeup got outs, the sinker got five whiffs?! Wow. And the curve returned for 36% CSW! That’s fun Hendricks. Thanks for being the 86 mph guy who can survive in the league.
Bailey Falter (PIT) vs SDP (ND) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 89 pitches.
Well well well, a Gold Star for Falter and it didn’t take him going to the Rays to do it. He was masterful at landing inside to RHB all day, while sitting up a tick nearing 93 mph and spotting heaters up-an-down with ease. Pretty incredible, honestly. This was some stellar four-seamer dotting with 7.2 feet on extension and 18″ of vert, and now you get it. There’s legit potential in that four-seamer but he just hasn’t supported it with anything else and doesn’t normally sit near 93 mph. And the location. Right, that too. I see how it works and takes off. He’s not as far away as so many others getting starts we ignore. It’s fun to see this appear every so often, sadly we know it’s more like a Werewolf than an actual Vargas Rule or more. But there’s a chance. Sure, there always is.
Bailey Ober (MIN) @ BOS (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 94 pitches.
Ah, a lovely Bailey Special in Fenway. I was a bit scared given the matchup and the sweeper and slider is still not a fun experience (1.33 WHIP ain’t cool), but a Gallows Pole on the back of that changeup and a few good sweepers is awesome. And hey! He’s Oberizzi with high heaters to LHB! That’s great, can you do that against RHB too? And at 92 mph, not 90/91? K thx.
Luis Castillo (SEA) @ TEX (ND) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 16% CSW, 88 pitches.
Castillo is a clear sell high if you can. The fastballs are getting away with plenty while I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a start where Castillo failed to earn a whiff on either his slider or changeup. That’s 0/33 whiffs, y’all. This isn’t going to last.
Patrick Corbin (TEX) vs SEA (ND) – 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 85 pitches.
Corbin allowed a leadoff HR on the first pitch of the game and then nothing else. Amazing how that works. He did an incredible job avoiding x-mLoc on all his pitches to RHB, moving the sinker to both sides of the plate, cutters inside, and sliders nibbling…without much luck. I’ll always have his back for adapting the cutter and doing whatever he can to find a way through games.
Randy Vásquez (SDP) @ PIT (ND) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 5 BBs, 3 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 89 pitches.
Nothing quite like a 2.20 WHIP to go with your 1.80 ERA, eh? You know this isn’t something to chase.
Ryan Yarbrough (NYY) vs TBR (ND) – 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 64 pitches.
The Yankees turned to The Fratty Pirate after Schmidt had more left-side soreness than expected. Great job stepping up and let’s all be sad they didn’t use an opener. Come on, that’s what he was made for! Those 4.0 IP Wins!
Zack Littell (TBR) @ NYY (W) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 81 pitches.
Whoa, that’s a massive surprise. A 93% strike rate on 27 sliders + 72% strikes on splitters as your most thrown pitch is as much of an anomaly as you’ll ever see + splitters. He had a Birthday Party. Congrats.
Tomoyuki Sugano (BAL) vs KCR (L) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 79 pitches.
Ayyyy, another one. The four-seamer/splitter separation to LHB was textbook brilliance, while he was cautious with cutters away to RHB among scattered fastballs, sweepers, and splitters over the plate. He’s trying to be a Toby and I can see it. You may want to stream him against the Angels up next as his command is looking far better as of late.
Gavin Williams (CLE) @ TOR (ND) – 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 5 BBs, 9 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 100 pitches.
I still don’t understand why Gavin doesn’t use the cutter more. He’s struggling to find consistent strikes and here’s this cutter that went 5/6 on the day without a ball in play. The sweeper and curve are far from consistent and you need the thing. Even with high heaters with few mistakes, the Jays were able to hit it. You can be SO GOOD and…it’s just not there. I’m holding because hot dang I BELIEVE. We see these guys every year where it feels like they should have better outings and it’s not working out. And sometimes they never come to fruition. Okay, fair. I don’t think Gavin is that guy. Please don’t listen to me if you feel differently, I’m just letting y’all know where my gut is.
Hunter Brown (HOU) @ CHW (W) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 9 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 98 pitches.
The first was frustrating and saw three runs cross the plate on four singles. Then Brown went five no-hit innings to follow, appeasing all fantasy managers. This was your standard “my fastballs will save me”, even if the four-seamer was at 96 mph, not 97/98. No alarm bells yet, but please get back to 97, okay?
Bradley Blalock (COL) @ SFG (ND) – 5.1 IP, 3 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 75 pitches.
Am I the only one who thinks of “Barry Block” when I see his name? Anyway, that’s a solid line for Blalock, even against the Giants away from Coors. This is what you’re chasing when you start a Rockies pitcher on the road. Oh dear. Wow, no need to clutch pearls, but right, it’s not wise to do this.
Davis Martin (CHW) vs HOU (ND) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 88 pitches.
We saw far more cutters than usual here and I like them! Unfortunately, the four-seamer is still hanging around like that seasonal allergy cough and Martin can’t be the guy you want him to be when that pitch continues to get hit in play. Oh, and the changeup went 1/20 whiffs. Nope.
Jordan Hicks (SFG) vs COL (ND) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 88 pitches.
Well that’s a Dusty Donut that I guess I’m cool with for fantasy as it’s really just one extra ER for a great WHIP and seven strikeouts, but hot dang Hicks. Rockie Road was granted as this perfect launching point and you just had to throw too many hittable pitches down the pipe. That splitter is looking rough, by the way, and at least he’s back up to 96 mph (not 94, but not 97/98). Sigh. I don’t really want to hold onto him for the Twins but maybe that works out. I think you’re better off streaming at this point unless you want to chase the upside. It’s like a broken record of disappointment at this point. Even if he succeeds there, can we really trust it?
Roki Sasaki (LAD) @ ATL (W) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 98 pitches.
Ayyyy A WIN! And he’s sitting 94.8 mph now. Wait, wasn’t he at 98+? He sure was. And the splitter went 1/31 whiffs. So the slider worked? Pffft nah, those slower fastballs were thrown for strikes and the Pirates had their way with it, which is 3 ER and eight baserunners in five frames. Oh right, a Win doesn’t mean it was a good start. I don’t want him on my teams with the Sneks up next.
Jack Flaherty (DET) @ LAA (L) – 5.2 IP, 4 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 38% CSW, 91 pitches.
A Golden Goal with those ratios is stupid frustrating, but remember last year? Flaherty boasted these same numbers initially, but the ratios didn’t quite follow until it all normalized. Everything is great here – the curve and slider each returned over 41% CSW and the heater went 10/34 called strikes. He got Singled Out with a Careful, Icarus in the sixth. Don’t worry.
Hunter Dobbins (BOS) vs MIN (L) – 5.2 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 92 pitches.
Dobbins may have been considered by y’all as a desperate weekend stream against the Twins and I’m sorry it didn’t work out. I’m not a big fan of his four-seamer and the secondaries aren’t enough in my book. The slider + sweeper combo can work to RHB with some curves and splitters to LHB, but nothing tells me “Oh dang, that is legit and you need to ignore the Shag Rug for this guy.”
Trevor Williams (WSN) @ CIN (W) – 5.1 IP, 4 ER, 9 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 87 pitches.
Remember kids, #NeverTrevor. Even when one person makes alt-accounts to try to act like multiple people are upset about you feeling that way.
Osvaldo Bido (ATH) @ MIA (ND) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 70 pitches.
It was the Marlins and…nope. Sigh. Let’s not, okay?
Max Meyer (MIA) vs ATH (ND) – 5.0 IP, 5 ER, 10 Hits, 2 BBs, 0 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 82 pitches.
Oh no. Oh no no no. That’s two straight horrendous outings from Meyer after one the greatest starts of the entire season by any starter. NICK! WHAT IS GOING ON?! I’m not entirely sure, but I can tell you that his four-seamer is suddenly terrible – 95 mph (not 96+) without the gains in vert to just 15″ (same as last year) and a poor strike rate – merged with floated changeups, sinkers that didn’t get inside enough and lack horizontal run, and his signature slider was absurdly hittable. RHB saw the pitch down the pipe and the rare sweeper underneath couldn’t find the zone. So all of it was bad? All of it was bad. Again. I really don’t know what’s up and it could just be a rough patch that he comes out of, or it could be a hidden injury that is messing him up entirely, I don’t know. What I can tell you is that Meyer deserved to be poor in these last two starts. What I recommend is this: Hold/start for one more. It’s the White Sox next and that may not be such a terrible floor even if he’s throwing like this. Or just drop him and be done, totally get that one too.
Nick Lodolo (CIN) vs WSN (L) – 5.1 IP, 6 ER, 10 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 98 pitches.
Blegh. The curve and changeup were not what we wanted and the four-seamer was far too hittable to both RHB and LHB. Frustrating, I know, but I’m sticking with him, even if the velocity fell from 94 to 93. Bad days happen to all.
Jose Quintana (MIL) vs CHC (L) – 5.0 IP, 6 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 91 pitches.
Quintana was pretty much the same guy as he was in previous starts. The difference here was the lineup he faced and with the Rays next, there’s a chance he gets back on the horse. Not the best upside, though, so only for your deeper QS leagues.
Brandon Pfaadt (ARI) @ PHI (L) – 4.2 IP, 6 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 93 pitches.
Ouch. The curve took the day off for the changeup, which was actually pretty fantastic to LHB, but the sinker and four-seamer weren’t solid strike pitches over the plate and there were a few sweepers Pfaadt would like back. I’m still very much in and the Phillies pack thump to create these kinds of lines. Good luck against the Dodgers next, that’s a questionable outing for obvious reasons.
Spencer Schwellenbach (ATL) vs LAD (L) – 3.2 IP, 6 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 91 pitches.
Spencer, buddy. I know it was the Dodgers, but you went 0/12 CSW on your splitter. The slider was hung often to RHB. The cutter didn’t go gloveside. The four-seamer wasn’t upstairs. WHAT IS THIS. You were looking like the stud of the draft across the early weeks and now you’re looking disheveled and staring at your arsenal like it’s my AP Latin exam. Wait, I’m supposed to know what this is? We don’t have a choice but to keep going and it should be fine with the Reds up next, but hot dang, this season has turned fast. For what it’s worth, I’m buying low given the fastball velocity is still at 96 with its flat attack angle and improved vert. The command was there before and it’ll return.
Game of the Day
Lance McCullers Jr. vs. Chicago White Sox – We haven’t seen McCullers on the bump for a long time. I’m so curious what we see.
But Nick?! Where are the streaming picks? – I’ve moved them to the daily SP Matchups & Streamer Rankings article.
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Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter/X; @justinparadis.bsky.social on BlueSky)
