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 Twitch.tv weekday mornings from 10 am-12 pm ET.
MacKenzie Gore (TEX) vs MIN (L) – 7.0 IP, 4 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 10 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 102 pitches.
I have a soft spot for the outings where pitchers get bamboozled in the first frame, triggering posts and lamentations about a terrible outing before it’s over, only for the pitcher to roll up their sleeves and dominate for the rest of the evening. MacKenzie Gore gave us just that with a three-run blast in the first that preceded six brilliant frames of one-run ball after, ending with 7.0 IP, 4 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 10 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 102 pitches (L). That’s his first game above seven strikeouts since April 8, and his fourth of five games with a CSW above 31%. Does that mean he’s back? You bet it does.
My favorite part of this outing was his changeup to RHB. The pitch went 4/16 whiffs and paired beautifully not just with his four-seamer that overwhelmed with a high 1.5 HAVAA at 96 mph, but also a 36% CSW cutter that deftly stole strikes when he needed them. He wisely cut back on his curveball, saving it for first-pitch strikes and late punchouts, and the overall command of the quartet was exactly what we wanted: Four-seamers pumping strikes, changeups to chase, curveballs for early strikes, cutters for strikes when needed. That’s the correct approach for Gore and with the LHP-hating Friars up next in Arlington, I’m expecting more of the same. This has all the makings of the rebound outing we’ve been waiting for. (View Game Card)
Let’s see how every other SP did Monday:
Dustin May (STL) vs SDP (W) – 9.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 101 pitches.
Duuuuude. I’ve been a fan of May, but I didn’t expect another ridiculous outing that flirted with perfection, ending in the seventh with a 3-2 walk to Tatis, then a Machado single off a hittable cutter. I’ve been waiting for the whiffs to appear on his sweeper and I’m thrilled to report a 32% clip on nineteen thrown with a 74% strike rate. He’s beginning to believe. His high four-seamer at 16″ vert is solid for his arm angle, and he’s keeping it there with ease + the cutter falling under (Canibal McSanchez!), while the sinker lives in the zone without fear to RHB. But all that doesn’t really matter. You see a game like this, you start the man. But fatigue! Nah, he threw 101 pitches last game, too. (View Game Card)
Zack Wheeler (PHI) vs MIA (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 3 BBs, 9 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 97 pitches.
Aces gonna ace with a King Cole. He’s not returning the whiffs of old on his four-seamer, but they are pounding the strikezone without issue, while the splitter and cutter are helping far more than last year. I still can’t believe he’s matching his 96 mph velocity from 2025. (View Game Card)
J.T. Ginn (ATH) vs PIT (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 98 pitches.
Even in Sacré Verde?! The line looks great, but there is a problem – Ginn was roughly two ticks down on everything. The cutter and changeup command to LHB was fantastic, nibbling the edges even at low ~55% strike rates, and the sinker did a ton of work to RHB over the plate, but this version of Ginn was highly diminished vs. the legit arm who was in arms-reach of history. I’d be careful starting him at home next time out, even with the Angels coming into town. (View Game Card)
Chase Burns (CIN) vs NYM (W) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 7 Ks – 19 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 100 pitches.
Aces gonna ace for a Gallows Pole. That WHIP is a bit frustrating, though, and you can blame Burns’ questionable command in two-counts for a ton of foul balls that extended at-bats longer than they should have, and churning fewer strikeouts than he deserved. Seriously? Yup. A 73% two-strike rate, but just 44% of those batters struck out, with a low 19% per-pitch putaway rate – 0% on his slider to RHB! Not his best. (View Game Card)
Shota Imanaga (CHC) vs COL (ND) – 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 85 pitches.
The splitter let him down against RHB (0/6 putaway rate), and Imanaga had to throw more four-seamers that failed to get punchouts. And yet, this is totally fine. See? No HRs! Inside June Wrigley! HE’S ALRIGHT Y’ALL. (View Game Card)
Michael Lorenzen (COL) @ CHC (ND) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 89 pitches.
He took down the Cubs in Coors, why not June Wrigley, too? Enjoy the Gold Star. (View Game Card)
Andrew Alvarez (WSN) vs KCR (ND) – 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 58 pitches.
I’m not sure why he threw only 58 pitches here, and I wish we could have seen a little more. The curve and slider are still his best pitches and 60%+ usage between them is a good shift. However, the sinker is still questionable and I wouldn’t classify his breakers as elite. He’s not in a solidified position to go six frames consistently, either (he hasn’t completed five frames all season), and I’d move past this. (View Game Card)
Drew Anderson (DET) @ HOU (ND) – 2.2 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 59 pitches.
This was a bullpen game with Troy Melton getting scratched at the last minute. Let’s move on. (View Game Card)
Ryne Nelson (ARI) vs LAA (W) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 9 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 95 pitches.
Not only did he only allow 1 HR this time, but he also exceeded three strikeouts for the first time in a month. You can thank the whiffs reappearing on his slider (22% SwStr on 34% usage!), though he’s failing to get deep enough into PAs to consistently churn strikeouts. And that’s okay, it’s just his angle – he’s a QS arm, not a five-and-dive 7+ strikeout arm. A good ole Toby with a solid schedule. I hope. (View Game Card)
Mike Paredes (MIN) @ TEX (ND) – 4.2 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 59 pitches.
Don’t get fooled by Paredes’ “lengthy” outing – he was still limited to 60 pitches. The Twins are stalling until Mick Abel is ready to return and it may be just one more for Paredes, who was one out away from getting his first Win. Sigh. How cruel. (View Game Card)
Walbert Ureña (LAA) @ ARI (L) – 7.0 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 88 pitches.
A slightly better VPQS is…meh. At least he’s continuing his reputation for allowing 3 ER or fewer this season (just 1/13 failed us in a 4 ER game back on April 25th), but this was the second straight game of an underwhelming changeup, both featuring sub-50% strike clips. The sweeper didn’t even make up for it here at 8/20 strikes, nay, the sinker had to land in the zone with reckless abandon at an 86% strike rate to find enough outs to get to the finish line, where Careful, Icarus awaited for his third and final run in the seventh. That was because of the sinker? Nah, a 1-1 poor changeup inside to LHB Pavin who sent it over the wall. It all makes me worried about a start in Sacré Verde up next. (View Game Card)
Eric Lauer (LAD) vs TBR (ND) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 93 pitches.
A VPQS from Lauer is…something. His four-seamer returned just 3/38 whiffs and his cutter was the sole pitch above a 55% strike rate – the 83% mark was Ariadne’s thread pulling him out of the labyrinth. I don’t like buying into that cutter saving the day in the future. (View Game Card)
Nick Martinez (TBR) @ LAD (ND) – 5.1 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 96 pitches.
You know, for the Dodgers, this is pretty dang good. Those six punchouts also tied his season-high, raising his strikeout rate to…14.7%. Oh boy. I guess we keep riding this Vargas Rule a little longer against the LHB-heavy Nats who will struggle against his signature changeup. And hey! Maybe the extra tick of velo we saw here will stick around. I’d dig that. (View Game Card)
Lucas Giolito (SD) @ STL (L) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 85 pitches.
We’re still at 91/92 mph and even worse, his changeup went 14/30 strikes (yikes) and his slider went 1/12 strikes (DUDE). Please don’t. (View Game Card)
Ryan Gusto (MIA) @ PHI (L) – 4.2 IP, 5 ER, 8 Hits, 3 BBs, 1 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 91 pitches.
Womp womp. I was hoping Gusto would show some promise in this one so we could feel confident in a stream against the Giants up next, but the Phillies had his number and he couldn’t put anyone away (HAISTBMBWT?!). Take a chance if you must on his next outing (91 pitches = opportunity!), I’m waiting until he demands a roster spot. (View Game Card)
Jared Jones (PIT) @ ATH (L) – 4.0 IP, 5 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 75 pitches.
Blegh. A pair of two-run blasts were the real damage, but it’s not like Jones was pitching at his peak. The slider command was either down the pipe or easily spat on, while the heater was a scattershot. But 7/15 balls in play for hits?! Okay, that’s a bit unfair, Koufax, but all of those hits came off pitches located in the lower half of the plate. If Jones was able to locate better, he could have prevented this. Sidenote: As expected, we also saw Carmen Mlodzinski follow Jones, which wasn’t a whole lot better: 3.0 IP, 1 ER (5 unearned), 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 75 pitches. No, you should not be considering Carmen at all. (View Game Card)
Kai-Wei Teng (HOU) vs DET (L) – 3.1 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 9 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 41% CSW, 81 pitches.
Wow. Nine strikeouts on ten outs, with eight baserunners. Either Teng throws a filthy pitch, a wasted pitch, or a meatball. That’s what “three true outcomes” refers to, right? What’s funny about this is how I imagine ERA estimators will love this (3 HRs with nine strikeouts = terrible luck!), but that doesn’t grasp how Teng’s inefficiency worsens his at-bats, let alone the quality of the pitches he throws inside the zone. You don’t want this. (View Game Card)
Mitch Spence (KCR) @ WSN (L) – 4.0 IP, 6 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 63 pitches.
It’s Spence! The guy who has gone sinker/cutter/sweeper for ages and I thought had some promise back on the Athletics. At least he got a spot start and showed us a solid 92 mph cutter, but there was nothing else of note, and it all fell apart. Womp womp. (View Game Card)
Tobias Myers (NYM) @ CIN (L) – 1.1 IP, 7 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 1 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 43 pitches.
Myers hasn’t been used as a proper starter by the Mets and I feel for anyone who thought this was a real start and took a chance. Not sure why you would, but I have sympathy for you. I should note, we also saw David Peterson appear for 3.0 IP, 3 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 1 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 54 pitches. Is that good? He went 6/14 strikes on his changeup. Is that go–NO IT’S NOT GOOD. (View Game Card)
Game of the Day
Kodai Senga vs. Cincinnati Reds – He’s making his return from the IL and I’m crossing my fingers he’s locked in.
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 (@abeardoesart on Bluesky and X)
