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 Twitch.tv weekday mornings from 10 am-12 pm ET.
J.T. Ginn (ATH) @ PHI (W) – 8.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 96 pitches.
There are some pitchers I’ve always been fascinated with. Not because they have the most electric stuff, or because they don’t make sense, but because I could see an effective pitcher come through at times during games with command and lively movement that should work consistently if the rhythm is there. J.T. Ginn has been one of those arms, and I had zero expectations I would see a stellar outing from him against the Phillies, but here we are: 8.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 96 pitches. (W). Yes, that’s a Gold Star, and maybe he’s worth the add.
Be careful, though. He still pitches in Sacramento for half his starts (including the Cardinals on Wednesday), and after seeing the line, I expected to see a start of strikes along the edges from all his pitches. Nope. His sinker was a machine at a 48% CSW and 77% strikes, while the slider, cutter, and changeup all returned sub 60% strikes. They got a ton of outs between them, sure, but this was Ginn stealing a 32% called strike rate with his sinker (with an extra inch of ride to 16″, FWIW), and getting outs after getting ahead, including a stupid high 42% per-pitch putaway rate that is laughably unsustainable (as opposed to per-batter putaway rate, which was also high at 57%, but that’s not as egregious).
Treat this as a “hey, that was cool” outing (or a “I can’t believe we let GINN do that to us” if you’re a Phillies fan), and you’re better off not taking the gamble back home against the Cardinals. In other words, if you streamed him this one, I’m glad you could pop in n out, hopefully with some animal fries. (View Game Card)
Let’s see how every other SP did Thursday:
Shota Imanaga (CHC) vs CIN (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 10 Ks – 22 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 99 pitches.
IM AN AGA. A Golden Goal is exactly what Imagina should win with an invitation down the Reds Carpet, even if the temperature was below 50 degrees. It’ll get warm one day, I promise. His splitter was disgusting at 14/46 whiffs and I don’t care if he gets Atlanta next, I’m going for it. His velocity should be back to 92+ mph there, given it’s in Hotlanta, not this ridiculous Chicago weather. Get it together, don’t make me call the mayor. (View Game Card)
Michael King (SDP) vs STL (ND) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 86 pitches.
Duuuuuude. This was SO GOOD. There really isn’t another arm like King out there when he’s cooking. We saw front-hip sinkers to LHB at will. Fiiiiilthy changeups to LHB, sweepers lining the outside edge to RHB. And yes, that sweeper held a terrible strike rate (43%?!) but a 35% CSW and far more competitive than other starts where he couldn’t find it. His two walks were also super close to the plate, and I cannot emphasize enough that the pitcher I saw today was not an 11% walk rate arm. But will he always look like this? That’s the kicker, I don’t know. This came fresh off a rough performance hosting the White Sox (only the second truly belgh outing of the year), and I’m doing my best to hold back on the hype after seeing not just a rebound, but his best performance of the year (not line, performance. I think he looked better here than against the Diamondbacks). LET ME GIVE THIS KING HIS CROWN. (View Game Card)
Matthew Liberatore (STL) @ SDP (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 81 pitches.
Hot dang, look at you! This was a gorgeous outing from Libby, marking his fourth 1 ER outing in eight starts. His breakers were the heroes, churning whiffs galore against the Friars (three strikeouts apiece), and while that’s cool n all, he still hangs his changeup, the four-seamer had a sub 60% strike rate, and I don’t think he’ll punchout 60% of the batters who see a two-strike count. Now with Sacré Verde next, it’s not the time to buy back in. (View Game Card)
Christian Scott (NYM) @ COL (ND) – 4.2 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 82 pitches.
I was gung-ho about grabbing Scott, but wanted to wait until after this one. Maybe I shouldn’t have been so tepid after all. It’ll be Detroit + Nationals + Miami on the docket, and I can see Scott performing well against all of em. You’re truly better off acting like his season debut never happened. (View Game Card)
Paul Blackburn (NYY) vs TEX (ND) – 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 2 BBs, 0 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 8% CSW, 24 pitches.
This was a bullpen game for the Yankees after Ryan Weathers was a late scratch due to illness. Let’s move on.
Mitch Keller (PIT) @ ARI (W) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 84 pitches.
Hey, that’s cool. Keller has had some good matchups lately and done exactly what you could reasonably ask of him. I asked for a strikeout per inning. Well that wasn’t reasonable, ya dingus. Now he gets Rockie Road. That seems like a cromulent stream ahead. (View Game Card)
Jose Quintana (COL) vs NYM (ND) – 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 19% CSW, 74 pitches.
Coors, but it’s the Mets. Immovable object vs. Unstoppable force. Quintana’s command is peak at the moment, and with a date in PNC Park on Wednesday, he has me wondering if he’s a solid stream for your NL-Only leagues. Like staring at a glass of Coke and wondering what the bubble creation per minute rate could be, it’s just a thought. (View Game Card)
Slade Cecconi (CLE) @ KCR (W) – 5.1 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 82 pitches.
Hmmmmm. Slade had some really fun cutters in here (90.6 pop-out in the third with his best movement on any thrown?!), holding 89 mph on the offering, not the 87 mph and change we saw in April. I have to thank him for only earning two whiffs on his entire arsenal in this game or I may have found myself grabbing a free muffin at the next Slade Brigade meeting. Phew. (View Game Card)
Max Meyer (MIA) vs BAL (ND) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 94 pitches.
This wasn’t nearly as glamorous as his last outing, but we’ll take it, especially with his four-seamer replicating the vert gains of his last outing, returning 18″+ rise on the pitch and keeping it upstairs. Too upstairs. Yeaaaah, 50% strikes and zero whiffs were a result of many non-competitive high locations, but that’ll come. I’m very down to start him against the Twins on Wednesday. (View Game Card)
Griffin Jax (TBR) @ BOS (ND) – 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 59 pitches.
Yeah, that looks about right. Jax failed to eclipse 50 pitches in his last game, and we imagine he’d be kept under 60 here. I’ve been wondering how his four-seamer would look when removed from the pen and forced to keep more gas in the tank, and I adore that he’s held onto 96 mph four-seamers thus far, even throwing 95.6 mph in the fourth as his final sinker. Now, that’s not at 90 pitches, that’s at 55 pitches, which means he still has work to do, but it’s encouraging for now. Not “ZOMG, LETS DO THIS” levels at all yet, just worthy of my continued monitoring. Expect ~65 pitches against the Jays up next, and that’s an easy avoid. (View Game Card)
Rhett Lowder (CIN) @ CHC (L) – 3.0 IP, 3 ER, 1 Hits, 4 BBs, 1 Ks – 1 Whiffs, 19% CSW, 59 pitches.
Lowder could not throw strikes and left this one with a shoulder injury after walking the first two batters of the third on nine pitches. Poor fella. (View Game Card)
Cade Povich (BAL) @ MIA (ND) – 3.0 IP, 3 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 1 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 43 pitches.
Povich’s four-seamer was bonkers at nearly 20″ of vert, but that was the only decent offering in his arsenal at 92 mph, and he too left this game early with an injury – the dreaded elbow discomfort. I know these two guys aren’t the biggest names, but injuries suck regardless. I feel for them both. (View Game Card)
Zac Gallen (ARI) vs PIT (L) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 100 pitches.
With two outs in the sixth, Gallen allowed a solo shot to Bart, snatching a PQS away at the finish line. It’s all kinds of frustrating, and I understand the lack of enthusiasm for Gallen despite @TEX, SFG, Rockie Road up next. I’m inclined to give it a spin given Gallen’s 78% strike rate on curveballs (finally!) and plenty of whiffs on his slider, even if a hanger was to blame for the dagger in our hearts. (View Game Card)
Jake Bennett (BOS) vs TBR (L) – 5.1 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 1 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 19% CSW, 86 pitches.
Blegh. His command wasn’t nearly as good and it’s as simple as that. Rays hitters also attacked effectively, preventing Bennett from getting into two-strike counts, and now his future is unclear. Will he be replaced by Crochet or Sonny’s spot in the rotation? You’d think he would…right? It’s too bad. I really wanted him to be great here and force the Red Sox to make it work. (View Game Card)
Jake Irvin (WSN) vs MIN (ND) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 92 pitches.
What do you know. He was great for one game against the CrySox and nothing else, without a single game of six full innings this season, despite averaging roughly 90 pitches per game. Ouch. (View Game Card)
Seth Lugo (KCR) vs CLE (L) – 4.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 4 BBs, 5 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 102 pitches.
I was worried about Lugo here for two reasons: 1) He’s worse against LHB, and 2) His curveball velocity has plummeted. The good news? He was back up to 77.5 mph on the hook. The bad news? It was terrible. 45% strikes on his favorite offering = Cleveland had a field day, sending 100% LHB to the plate. The best news? It’s the White Sox up next. I think that’s alright. (View Game Card)
MacKenzie Gore (TEX) @ NYY (L) – 5.1 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 96 pitches.
With the way Gore’s season has gone, this was an easy bench against the Yankees. This wasn’t the sharpest we’ve seen Gore, and his stuff looked plenty worse than usual, from 95 mph heaters (not 96) with less movement, sliders lacking sweep, and 1-2 inches less depth on his curve. I’m okay with a start against the Diamondbacks, but still don’t love it. With Coors after, I totally understand moving on from Gore in the short term. There’s still potential here, absolutely, but when can we trust him to deliver? (View Game Card)
Simeon Woods Richardson (MIN) @ WSN (ND) – 4.1 IP, 5 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 61 pitches.
That marks four straight two-strikeout games for SWR, who holds a 10.7% strikeout rate and 11.9 Hit/9. Houser, you’re off the hook. (View Game Card)
Andrew Painter (PHI) vs ATH (L) – 3.2 IP, 8 ER, 7 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 88 pitches.
Oh jeez. I wonder if the Phillies are picking up the phone. Heeeeeey, Taijuan. Any chance you wanna come back? I really feel for the fella here. He just hasn’t figured out how to use his arsenal yet, and with his highly suspect fastballs, he cannot afford to go sub 60% strikes on everything but sinkers. You were already avoiding this but now you’re really avoiding this. (View Game Card)
Game of the Day
Robby Snelling vs. Pittsburgh Pirates – Awwwww yis. Another MLB debut.
But Nick?! Where are the streaming picks? – I’ve moved them to the daily SP Matchups & Streamer Rankings article.
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Featured image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)
