Fantasy Baseball SP Roundup – Lance of the Dead

Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher’s performance from every Sunday 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.  

Lance Lynn (CWS) @ SEA (L) – 7.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 16 Ks – 33 Whiffs, 38% CSW, 114 pitches.

I still can’t believe what Lance Lynn did today. Maybe it was just the Mariners being the Mariners, but after we’ve gone through all the ups and downs of the season, Lynn pulled out a stupid line of 7.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 16 Ks – 33 Whiffs, 38% CSW, 114 pitches. Yeah, thirty-three whiffs. He also returned 16/21 outs via way of the K and it’s unreal.

Oh, so his four-seamer dominated. Nope. Sure, the pitch was good, but Lynn got whiffs from everything. 10 on the cutter, seven on the four-seamer, six on the slider, five on the change, four on the sinker, and one on the curve so it didn’t feel left out. He did so with some fantastic pitch separation, keeping the change, slider, and sinker all armside while the cutter and four-seamer all sat gloveside. He was a man with a plan in a canal of hope and I’m playing Panama celebrating his…loss. Yeah, he earned a Loss because that’s just who the White Sox are this year.

What does it mean for your fantasy team? Honestly, it doesn’t change much. We all want to say he’s fixed n everything, but just as command is volatile when you’re doing poorly, it’s also volatile when you’re doing well. This is a peak that will entice and while I hope it sticks around, we still have to be cautious with BOS + @LAA + TOR lined up before the All-Star Break. I hope it works out.

 

Let’s see how every other SP did Sunday:

 

Zack Wheeler (PHI) @ OAK (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 107 pitches.

Aces gonna ace. There’s still work to be done on the slider, but at least the four-seamer is so good that he can pummel his way through six frames without a run. That was because of Jokeland. Okay fine, I’ll just say the thing instead. Blame it on the Athletics. Happy? Yes.

Will Vest (DET) @ MIN (ND) – 0.2 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 0 BBs, 0 Ks – 1 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 13 pitches.

You again? I just made my best Vest joke, the people deserve to choose something better with their time. What, like a Vesting option? Oh no. WHY MUST THERE BE BULLPEN GAMES.

Bryce Miller (SEA) vs CWS (W) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 85 pitches.

The White Sox are a team begging you to throw sliders so they can look foolish and Miller did his best to abide with 31% slider usage…for 16% CSW. They returned 8/11 outs in play, though, and I guess that works? As long as it’s not super detrimental, we’ll take it. Wait, does that mean 50 four-seamers returned just one hit? Correct. It really is an elite fastball, isn’t it? One of the best.

Brayan Bello (BOS) vs NYY (W) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 8 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 102 pitches.

Hot dang, look at you! The changeup went 7/21 whiffs while each heater returned four whiffs on its own and the slider? Well the slider still needs work, but at least the heaters + change are dealing. That’s enough for me to start him against the White Sox, though @TOR + TEX after will be tough.

Dean Kremer (BAL) @ CHC (W) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 92 pitches.

I said this morning that I expected one of Kremer/Taillon to be well worth the stream. Kremer came out on top with a 40% CSW four-seamer and 8/40 whiffs, stealing the Win for the hot Orioles squad. He’s been a bit of a Cherry Bomb this season with his surprise relevancy, but if you try to get too cute with it, Dean will find out and haunt you. Kremer will always find out.

Luis Ortiz (PIT) @ MIL (ND) – 4.2 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 84 pitches.

It was a beautiful slider with a surprisingly high number of changeups (20% usage?!) that sadly went just 53% strikes while the sinker was…fine. I heavily question Ortiz’s potential as a consistent fantasy producer.

Logan Webb (SF) @ LAD (W) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 103 pitches.

Ahhhh there’s the slider. The breaker returned a 41% CSW as the sinker got called strikes and the changeup outs and VOILA! There’s some bad BABIP (our man was Singled Out) and a solid outing. I really hope that slider is here to stay.

Jesús Luzardo (MIA) @ WSH (W) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 89 pitches.

This is what happens when Luzardo doesn’t have a stupid unfortunate inning and he doesn’t float sliders in putaway counts. You love to see it.

Joe Musgrove (SD) vs TB (W) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 85 pitches.

Musgrove is dealing with elbow pain and it may be why he served us a HAISTBMBWT?! Then again, twelve whiffs should speak to a much better strikeout rate, so let’s just accept that Musgrove was nearly Doing the Dougie and we hope for a little more next time out.

Hogan Harris (OAK) vs PHI (L) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 96 pitches.

Whoa, seven strikeouts?! Congrats on the Gold Star, I definitely didn’t expect this one. Harris was able to elevate the heater for a few, and I wonder if that’s a new skill we should actually buy into moving forward. Likely not, and with the Jays next, it’s an easy wait-and-see if he does it again. Take note: If he does well against Toronto, you may want to swoop him up for the White Sox + Tigers after.

Freddy Peralta (MIL) vs PIT (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 Hits, 3 BBs, 9 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 103 pitches.

Y’all stuck with Peralta, right? Please tell me that you did. I wonder if that buy low window is closed or not. I’d be very much in if you can still feel a breeze.

Tyler Anderson (LAA) @ KC (W) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 95 pitches.

Ayyyy this one worked. The Royals are pretty blegh and Tyler had his four-seamer and changeup working. He’ll likely get Coors next, which is no fun at all, but if he gets pushed to face the White Sox instead, I’d at least consider it as a deep stream. Not one I’m circling in twelve teamers, but you can do worse.

Clarke Schmidt (NYY) @ BOS (ND) – 4.2 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 84 pitches.

Blegh. What is Schmidt’s best pitch? It feels like it’s the sweeper, but as I outlined in his roundup lead last week, it was his peak last time out and his whole approach is missing that legit “hey, I’m the thing you build around” pitch. I want it to be the sweeper, but 2/28 whiffs with a 25% CSW needs to be better.

Kaleb Ort (BOS) vs NYY (ND) – 2.1 IP, 2 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 41% CSW, 32 pitches.

When I was in fifth grade, we went to “Nature’s Classroom” where they scolded us (mostly Tammy) for wasting food after our first meal. They gathered all the food we had put on our plates but didn’t eat, and we sang a song called “The Ort Report”, filling up a bucket with all our discarded food. By the final day, we all worked together to eat whatever food was on our plates and not take too much. I still question if this extreme was actually a good practice (Do we want to encourage kids to underfeed themselves? What about encouraging gluttony and telling kids to not stop eating when they are full?) but at least I have that dang song to think about when I see Kaleb starting a bullpen game. So thanks for that, Tammy.

Charlie Morton (ATL) vs COL (W) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 8 Ks – 21 Whiffs, 39% CSW, 98 pitches.

Ummmmm, why must you be like this when you have a good matchup? Sure, it’s a Win and eight strikeouts with a King Cole, but those ratios hurt and we can never feel safe when rostering Morton. BE ON GUARD, Y’ALL.

Tanner Bibee (CLE) @ ARI (W) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 105 pitches.

That’s an inning less than a VVPQS and that’s a tough Dusty Donut to enjoy for that Win. I’m glad the changeup was good, but Bibee still has some things to figure out in that repertoire. At least the Brewers should make it easier for him next time out.

Luis Severino (NYY) @ BOS (L) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 81 pitches.

How does it feel to match Bibee’s line but take the Loss instead? It was more of what we saw in his last start – a much better fastball (nine whiffs!) without the change and slider doing enough to make him thrive. We’re talking 12% CSW on the changeup and a 10% on the slider. Yikes. And now he gets the Rangers?! Man, it’s been a terrible month rostering Severino.

Yonny Chirinos (TB) @ SD (L) – 4.2 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 19% CSW, 90 pitches.

I’m sitting here, looking at Chirinos return a 20% or lower CSW on each of his three pitches and wondering what I could possibly say to you that you don’t already know. I have so much faith in you, the reader. You got this.

Chris Bassitt (TOR) @ TEX (ND) – 3.2 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 1 Whiffs, 16% CSW, 73 pitches.

Blegh. That’s three of his last five that have left you sour and you’re frustrated. ANGRY. And I say it’s a good buy-low opportunity. Sure, the single whiff and 16% CSW are far from ideal, but I trust Bassitt and his track record to adapt and produce the rest of the year. We see this stuff all the time and veteran guys like Bassitt always recover. Be thankful he gets the Athletics next for the easiest rebound you could hope for.

Patrick Corbin (WSH) vs MIA (L) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 11 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 102 pitches.

It should mean a lot when I see eleven hits allowed to the Marlins and think “oh right, it’s Corbin.”

Jameson Taillon (CHC) vs BAL (L) – 5.1 IP, 4 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 1 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 81 pitches.

Oh dear. Taillon doesn’t bring anything elite to the table at the moment, leading to a rough HAISTBMBWT?! and absolutely zero fantasy production. Sigh. He’s a deep streaming option for those who need to chase QS, but I have to think you’re better off streaming someone else in the majority of situations.

Zack Greinke (KC) vs LAA (L) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 19% CSW, 89 pitches.

Greinke does what Greinke does. Like allowing a Shohei blast on a 70 mph curve. We thank you for it, Zack.

Ronel Blanco (HOU) vs CIN (ND) – 5.2 IP, 5 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 94 pitches.

We may see more of Blanco, and to see 10/21 changeup whiffs is all kinds of cool. Thing is, the slider and four-seamer are more hittable than we’d like, making for a risky proposition against all but the easiest of matchups. So not @LAD + @TEX? Absolutely not, but maybe Rockie Road after if he’s still there?

Luke Weaver (CIN) @ HOU (ND) – 5.0 IP, 5 ER, 10 Hits, 2 BBs, 1 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 98 pitches.

There was an outside shot it was going to work while the inside route was a HAISTBMBWT?! and a pillaged village courtesy of Houston. Sometimes it isn’t better to be on the inside. They should make a movie called Outside Man instead, where a rational cop and rational bank robber each do rational things. I’d watch it.

Matthew Liberatore (STL) @ NYM (ND) – 4.0 IP, 5 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 77 pitches.

The velocity is still down and the slider is missing. Let’s just take the two good things about Liberatore and take them away. Surely that’ll make him fantasy relevant.

Carlos Carrasco (NYM) vs STL (ND) – 3.0 IP, 5 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 61 pitches.

Awww, I was hoping the St. Louis offense was cold enough to help out Carrasco, but nah. Bad pitching beats bad hitting. That’s not the phrase. YOU’RE NOT THE PHRASE.

Louie Varland (MIN) vs DET (L) – 4.1 IP, 6 ER, 9 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 99 pitches.

Gasp. This isn’t fair. We waited so dang long for Varland to finally get a good matchup and it was all for this?! A 21% CSW four-seamer against a team that struggles against quality fastballs?! I feel sick. Wait! He gets them a second time! I’m a man of second chances, let’s roll the dice again. But if you fail us again…I like to say that you’re allowed to make most mistakes once. Never twice.

Jon Gray (TEX) vs TOR (ND) – 2.1 IP, 6 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 56 pitches.

Yikes. I wonder if this was a product of A) The Jays B) His blister C) Not pitching for ten days after being in such a good rhythm or D) Baseball being dumb. His command was far worse than we had seen (we can rule out D even though it still can ring true) and I want to say it’s either B or C or even both. I hope the blister isn’t worse now (he should have gone to Alex Fast’s Bass Camp For Starting Pitchers) and if he’s all good to start in five days, then I’d start him against the Yankees.

Tony Gonsolin (LAD) vs SF (L) – 5.2 IP, 7 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 7 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 90 pitches.

The splitter was terribly spotted and the slider got away with a little bit while the curve went just 20% CSW. If you think of Gonsolin as a Toby, it’ll make your life a lot easier. Like benching for both the Astros and Coors up next? Yes, exactly like that.

Chase Anderson (COL) @ ATL (L) – 3.0 IP, 7 ER, 7 Hits, 4 BBs, 2 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 18% CSW, 92 pitches.

Believe it or not, this was the first start all year where Chase allowed more than 3 ER. He held a 2.72 ERA and 1.05 WHIP entering this game and with this start, we can all forget it ever happened. Coors is undefeated. This was in Atlanta. So? It’s still true. Okay, sure. Thanks for the reminder.

Zach Davies (ARI) vs CLE (L) – 3.2 IP, 8 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 74 pitches.

Womp womp. I saw him as a sneaky stream against the Guardians, but he forgot to take off his chain armor before starting. Davies didn’t have his best changeup and there was nothing else to turn to and it’s likely best to leave him on the wire for a good while.

 

Game of the Day

James Paxton vs. Pablo López – Y’all know I have such adoration for both of these arms. What a joy this is.

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)