Fantasy Baseball SP Roundup – Stat Gio

Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher’s performance from every Tuesday game. I apologize for the jokes written in my delirium in advance. Have questions? Ask me during my office hours on Twitch weekday mornings from 10 am-12 pm ET.  

Lucas Giolito (CWS) @ KC (W) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 9 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 93 pitches.

Despite a successful last few weeks, I didn’t move Lucas Giolito up The List a whole lot this week after seeing his fastball decline and his changeup disappear in his victorious games. Well, THROW THAT OUT THE WINDOW. Giolito soared tonight via 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 9 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 93 pitches in a Win against the Royals, a start where he sat 94.3 MPH (two ticks higher!) and returned 42% CSW on his changeup. Strap in y’all.

There really isn’t much else to say. He has his velocity, he’s locating changeups and sliders better, and the results followed. If there was ever a start to get hyped about Giolito again, it’s this one. The real question is whether the velocity and changeup feels sticks around and to that all I can do is ¯\_(ツ)_/¯. I sure hope so and I’m taking the shot against the Astros. Please be back, please be back…

 

Let’s see how every other SP did Tuesday:

 

George Kirby (SEA) vs TEX (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 9 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 101 pitches.

First Gilbert, now Kirby (they are one in the same, after all. Mr Girby) as he dominated with the four-seamer while the secondaries – like Gilbert – found the zone but didn’t earn a whole lot of whiffs. Hey, if that adds up to dominance against one of the best offenses against RHP, then SIGN. ME. UP.

Shane Bieber (CLE) vs DET (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks – 19 Whiffs, 40% CSW, 101 pitches.

That’s a Golden Goal for Bieber as he got all kinds of upset at my comments. Not a strikeout arm?! I’LL SHOW HIM. After disappearing for a trio of outings, the slide piece finally did some work with 9/31 whiffs and 31% usage with 42% CSW, while the fastball was used just 23% of the time, sneaking in for an 48% called strike rate. That’s the Bieber I want in my life. But it was a 1.33 WHIP! I DON’T CARE.

Noah Syndergaard (LAD) @ MIL (ND) – 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 0 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 20 pitches.

Syndergaard left this one early with a cut on his index finger and YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS. A grown man is in pain? What? No. Bobby Miller could get the call next weekend. Ohhhhhh. Stay tuned for that one, he carries an elite fastball, though he just struggled in his last Triple-A outing.

Logan Webb (SF) vs WSH (W) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 105 pitches.

Atta boy Webb. That hit-per-nine is pain (we get it, you have a sinker) but we’ll take the rest. Webb really is the king of the Dusty Donut these days and I feel like that deserves a term. The Stale Glazed. Something like that.

Michael Lorenzen (DET) @ CLE (L) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 98 pitches.

You know, that’s three of his last four starts with 1 ER or fewer for Lorenzen. He’s vying for a Toby label and he maaaaay be worth a deep stream in the near future. I kinda don’t want to test it against the Pirates, though.

Framber Valdez (HOU) @ LAA (W) – 8.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 12 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 37% CSW, 99 pitches.

Hot dang, look at you! Y’all are gonna comment on the 12 strikeouts, or maybe some want to discuss the 8.0 IP or 18 whiffs. Me? I’m all about that 0.38 WHIP. THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT, VALDEZ. The cutter was stupid good with 44% CSW and 32% usage and that’s a trend I can get behind in a major way – why keep throwing sinkers when they keep allowing hits? Valdez, please tell me this is something we can legit buy into. PLEASE.

Jesús Luzardo (MIA) @ ARI (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 104 pitches.

That WHIP hurts a bit, but the rest is everything you want. His changeup wasn’t the pitch we know it should be and I hope he soars with it against the Nationals and Giants up next.

Louie Varland (MIN) vs SD (ND) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 95 pitches.

Oh snap. The heater was a tick harder this time around and sat upstairs while the change and slider worked well in the lower half. This kinda works y’all. I wish it weren’t CHC + @LAA + TOR next or I’d be a little more interested to take the dive. Maybe we should anyway? At 95/96 mph, Varland makes me a bit more interested than the 94/95 we saw last week.

Michael Wacha (SD) @ MIN (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 91 pitches.

It wasn’t the best command, but his changeup got down and he got a bit lucky with four-seamers, curveballs, and sinkers over the plate. Consider Wacha for a deep win chance, but I wouldn’t chase it in normal situations, like the Dodgers next time out.

Connor Seabold (COL) @ PIT (W) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 77 pitches.

I dream of a comic where Seabold is in Mexico City and when asked if he plays for the Rockies, he replies “C”. This is what you dream of? A MAN HAS HIS THOUGHTS.

Clarke Schmidt (NYY) vs OAK (W) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 93 pitches.

Props to Schmidt coming through in a start he should excel in, with his sweeper returning 55% CSW with a 10/22 called strike rate. I sure don’t want to touch this against the Rays next and if you had Clarke for this one, you can throw him back to the wire. Don’t expect six frames and seven strikeouts with much regularity.

Aaron Nola (PHI) vs TOR (W) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 86 pitches.

THE VELOCITY IS BACK. His four-seamer sat 93 mph, the curve returned a 35% CSW and even the struggling changeup held a 57% CSW. WE GOOD Y’ALL. Now do it again so I can hold onto this feeling and not feel bad about it.

Patrick Corbin (WSH) @ SF (L) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 96 pitches.

This is as good as it gets for Corbin. And no one rejoiced.

Charlie Morton (ATL) vs BOS (W) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 100 pitches.

This is everything I want from a Morton start. I’m glad his changeup was mixed in well to add another look than just heaters/curves and he kept his secondaries down incredibly well. Now is the real test against the Jays next. Good luck.

Grayson Rodriguez (BAL) vs TB (W) – 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 101 pitches.

The man survived! His four-seamer was amped to 97.4 mph, even hitting 99.3 mph in this one, but I still think he has a secondary problem as the changeup and breakers aren’t consistent pitches down. The changeup was in the lower half, but not doooown. He’s not fixed yet.

Luis Ortiz (PIT) vs COL (L) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 74 pitches.

I fielded plenty of questions about Ortiz today and my message was “he has a good slider, but I don’t trust the fastball as it doesn’t miss bats despite its velocity + he’s pitching on just three days rest.” In the end, the one strikeout is certainly in line (HAISTBMBWT?!) but the 74 pitches? The Pirates let him do that?! My stance is unchanged, especially with the slider returning just 21% CSW. Yuck. Not for me y’all.

Shohei Ohtani (LAA) vs HOU (L) – 7.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 103 pitches.

Aces gonna ace. The Astros are stupid good and they slightly got to Ohtani. But hey, Ohtani is throwing 31% sinkers now (41% CSW!) and I guess that’s just what a ridiculous freak athlete does. What an incredible human.

Andrew Heaney (TEX) @ SEA (L) – 6.2 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 98 pitches.

Hmmmmm. Yeah, I think I’m cool with a PQS with a 1.00 WHIP and seven strikeouts from Heaney. I love the high heaters, but I wish his changeup and slider could have tallied more than 22% CSW. I wonder if this keeps getting better or that fastball gets into more trouble first.

Jack Flaherty (STL) @ CHC (ND) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 5 BBs, 3 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 93 pitches.

Womp womp. 91.9 mph, that is totally the fault of not having Molina behind the dish. Of course. Stay away unless you have some gift for predicting how coin flips will fall.

Alek Manoah (TOR) @ PHI (L) – 4.2 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 4 BBs, 1 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 94 pitches.

Sigh. The slider is bad, the velo is down, and the command is out of whack. WHO ARE YOU.

Eric Lauer (MIL) vs LAD (L) – 3.2 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 67 pitches.

The heater is still 91/92 mph and I’m not sure why you’re chasing this. Like Uncle Fester, he ain’t It.

Jordan Lyles (KC) vs CWS (L) – 9.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 112 pitches.

It’s not every day you see nine frames of 4 ER (Bartolo Colon in 2017 was the last one) and I guess we should be happy for Lyles? It’s far better than his season-long ERA, after all. Yay.

Luke Weaver (CIN) vs NYM (W) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 82 pitches.

That’s a sub 1.00 WHIP with a Win as Weaver was your super shocking stream of the day. Huh, should I have a badge for “most surprising start”? I kinda like giving out those gold stars. If we can come up with a great name for it, I’ll tack it on moving forward. Send it my way on Twitter or tell me on Twitch tomorrow. Anyway, Weaver isn’t this good and I think the Mets are just that rough. But it was 4 ER! Pffft, against Weaver in Cincy with just five baserunners? Yeah, okay.

Zach Eflin (TB) @ BAL (L) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 80 pitches.

Blegh. Not every game can be against the White Sox, I get it. I wonder if he wore his wedding band. I kid, there’s no way that thing actually helped Eflin in his previous starts and I generally liked what Eflin brought to the table here, save for hanging his cutter a fair amount. Be better, please. K thx.

David Peterson (NYM) @ CIN (L) – 3.1 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 87 pitches.

Wait, you’re back? Already? But the slider isn’t fixed at a 22% CSW. He’s not ready. David, please, you’re not supposed to be here.

Jameson Taillon (CHC) vs STL (ND) – 2.2 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 69 pitches.

The good news: he’s up to 70 pitches now. The bad news: everything else. With the Astros next, it’s best for us to wait until he has a start that pulls us back in.

Drew Rucinski (OAK) @ NYY (L) – 5.0 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 95 pitches.

You don’t know much about Rucinski and I’m not sure you’ll ever at this rate. At least his slider was good?

Brandon Pfaadt (ARI) vs MIA (L) – 5.0 IP, 6 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 88 pitches.

Bleeeeegh. You can drop Pfaadt now. I’m not going to rule out a start against the Giants getting him back on track, but his confidence is shot at the moment. I mean, did you watch that Soler HR?!

Nick Pivetta (BOS) @ ATL (L) – 4.0 IP, 7 ER, 8 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 19% CSW, 90 pitches.

Oh, so the slider you had last game wasn’t a real thing. Cool, I didn’t think this was real either, I’ll stop leaving voicemails now. No, it’s okay. Really.

 

Game of the Day 

Kevin Gausman vs. Zack Wheeler – Two aces who need to demonstrate how good they are. That’s my kind of game.

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)