Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher’s performance from every Friday 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.
Joey Cantillo (CLE) vs SEA (ND) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 9 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 38% CSW, 90 pitches.
We gotta talk about Joey Cantillo. In the preseason, I was down on the fella despite protests from the community. Not because he didn’t have strikeout potential, but because I doubted we would see any growth in his ability that would remove him from the HIPSTER tag before the season even started, blocking a valuable roster spot for fantasy managers to grab potential season-long holds in the first few weeks. And after he was dropped by many by the end of May, something has only just recently changed. Cantillo returned nine strikeouts with 20 whiffs last weekend, blowing his 16-whiff season-high mark out of the water, and guess what? He beat that 16-whiff clip again on Friday: 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 9 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 38% CSW, 90 pitches.
It’s not a random “Oh, he’s the good side again!” This marks three starts of distinct shifts in Cantillo’s ability. First is the most obvious: The dude is throwing harder. Cantillo had sat around 91 mph previously, with the rare 92 mph and change here and there. Following a 90.5 mph four-seamer on June 7th, Cantillo followed with (relative) heat in his next three: 93.8, 93.5 mph, and Friday’s 92.8 mph. All three easily eclipse any four-seamer velocity we’ve seen in a previous start.
The second is a bit shocking and I love it. Along with the velocity bump, Cantillo has also reduced his four-seamer usage from a standard 42% clip to roughly 20% in these three games. That 20%+ was made up in his curveball, which was previously 20% usage and has climbed in each start: 35%, 44%, and now a whopping 57% curveball usage. And that pitch isn’t disappointing. Cantillo returned 10/45 whiffs on the hook here, allowing the four-seamer to settle in where needed and introduces us to the third major change: Return of the cutter.
Instead of changeups being the sole weapon in the rank, the cutter has entered the fray again, and it was excellent. He kept it down and gloveside, finally featuring a confident approach to LHB. He still has a solid changeup for RHB, but the huge shift from four-seamer/change to curve/cutter has opened doors for Cantillo, and the velocity boost only makes it better.
It’s just a handful of starts and we should treat this new Joey with kid gloves. That said, he’s clearly exerting himself more with four clicks more extension (7.2 –> 7.6 feet on his four-seamer!) and now he’ll get the Rangers, @MIN, @MIA up next. It’s time to take a little trip, take a little trip, take a little trip with Joeeeeyyyyyy. (View Game Card)
Let’s see how every other SP did Friday:
Nathan Eovaldi (TEX) @ TOR (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 92 pitches.
I know it’s been tough – six straight 3+ ER games! – but you stuck with it and look how you were rewarded. I’m proud of you, fantasy manager. Those HRs weren’t meant to last. I knew it!. You don’t need me at all. (View Game Card)
Keider Montero (DET) vs HOU (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 96 pitches.
Duuuuude! This is awesome. I can’t tell you he’s pitching out of his mind – this has Koufax magic laced all over it – but he induced a lot of weak contact and produced another gem. What an unreal season so far for Montero, acting as the swing-man starter initially, but has been called upon for 87.2 IP in fifteen starts for a 3.39 ERA and 0.99 WHIP. Now he gets @TEX, so I guess we start him even with the 16% strikeout rate. Hard not to start this Vargas Rule, right? (View Game Card)
Max Meyer (MIA) @ STL (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 89 pitches.
Max, you got this. Coronation day is upon us. Coors. The four-seamer, slider, and sweeper are all at the top of their game, GO GET EM. But the sweeper was just a 51% strike rate. GO. GET. EM. (View Game Card)
Payton Tolle (BOS) vs NYY (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 88 pitches.
Despite sitting 94/95 mph here (not 96), Tolle cruised through the Yankee lineup. Huge thanks to the sinker and “cutter” for stepping up, creating the true Ras Pack in usage, but I still refuse to acknowledge that the 87 breaker isn’t a slider. ANYWAY, the best squad against LHP is up next in the Nationals and I don’t think we’re benching Tolle for it. Go take em down, fella. (View Game Card)
Michael McGreevy (STL) vs MIA (ND) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 94 pitches.
Wow, it actually worked out. It’s Blame it on the Marlins, for sure, so props to you if you streamed him. Now it’s Atlanta next, and like the overlooked love interest in the third act of a rom-com, I expect the Mike to be dropped. (View Game Card)
Zack Wheeler (PHI) @ NYM (W) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 98 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. His pitch separation to LHB is hilarious. Four-seamers and cutters in the upper-left corner, splitters and curveballs mirrored down-and-away. It’s so easy for him. (View Game Card)
Trevor Rogers (BAL) vs WSN (W) – 6.1 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 39% CSW, 87 pitches.
Hot dang, look at you! WE BACK BAYBEEEE. The Nationals are the #1 team against LHP and The Jolly Rogers didn’t care, with 94/95 mph four-seamers at 52% usage returning a glorious 47% CSW and 13/45 whiffs. That’s spectacular. I don’t think I need to say a whole lot more with the King Cole in his hands, I’d riding this against the White Sox next as I think we’re starting to see Rogers find his groove again. (View Game Card)
Jacob Misiorowski (MIL) vs CHC (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 4 BBs, 8 Ks – 19 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 107 pitches.
Aces gonna throw a 105.5 mph fastball for a strike. What. Yup. Somehow returned a foul ball to PCA in an 0-2 count, but whatever. Wow, a Gallows Pole. Such surprise. (View Game Card)
Luis Castillo (SEA) @ CLE (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 91 pitches.
The piggyback is no more. Just as expected. This felt like an unstoppable force vs. an immovable object, and Castillo won the battle, earning his first QS since opening weekend. Yup. We saw more whiffs on his changeup and slider, and I loved the precision down-and-in to LHB with the four-seamer upstairs. He’s lucky to get the Angels and Marlins up next, too, though I wouldn’t get carried away if I could help it – remember, this was Castillo’s best start since March 30th. And yes, he’s had a long leash for many starts – don’t let three piggy-back appearances fool you. (View Game Card)
Zach Thornton (NYM) vs PHI (ND) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 78 pitches.
With Peterson now donning Cubbie blue, Thornton got the pearl for the Mets and appeared with a tick extra velocity and beautiful precision on his breakers, forcing me to give him the Gold Star. I say “breakers” because his cutter appears to have two varietes – a high lift iteration, and a standard gyro iteration + there’s a sweeper floating around the pitch movement plot as well. He kept all of them away to LHB often and jammed the cutter inside to RHB (with some nice backfoot whiffs, too), allowing him to resist the desires of Phillies batters with just 35% fastball usage. It worked (sweet!), but it’s not the greatest mix that pushes me to believe he’ll succeed in Atlanta up next. Maybe if he can throw that dope 95 mph four-seamer with 18-19″ of vert all game and not just once for a strikeout on the corner. I’m glad you can “gas” it up, but it just makes me sad to see 92/93 regularly, you know? (View Game Card)
David Sandlin (CHW) vs KCR (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 91 pitches.
Oh hey! Sandlin returned and I wonder if he’ll stick around instead of Fedde once Noah Schultz makes his return from the IL. He’s clearly much better than Fedde in the long term and given the current playoff push of the White Sox, I think it’s in their best interest to develop Sandlin across the year. This outing was far better with his secondaries down and four-seamers upstairs, even if the shape of his heaters leaves a little to be desired. If he were to get another start, he’d head into Baltimore, and that’s a 15-teamer stream play. There’s a chance he replicates, but there’s still more polish needed for an arm without a devastating single pitch in his arsenal. It’s good velocity, but nothing Yooooooo look at this! (View Game Card)
Nick Martinez (TBR) vs ARI (W) – 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 85 pitches.
THE MUSIC KEEPS PLAYING. It’s @KCR next and Martinez has a 2.66 ERA and 1.15 WHIP across 94.2 IP so far. I loved this one more than most, with impeccable pitch separation with his front-hip sinker and cutter up-and-in to LHB with the changeup fading down-and-away. He also nailed the cutter away to RHB, and he earned this one. Why stop now? (View Game Card)
Walker Buehler (SDP) vs LAD (W) – 5.1 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 74 pitches.
That’s five straight one ER games from Bueher. No, I don’t understand it outside of telling you he’s Dancing With The Disco via and sliders to LHB. That really shouldn’t be enough but eleven stranger things have happened…? I refuse to Vargas Rule this one, but if you must, you must. It’s July Wrigley up next (by a day) and that 0.70 HR/9 is sure to inflate. (View Game Card)
Colin Rea (CHC) @ MIL (ND) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 89 pitches.
Once again, Rea proves himself valuable if you avoid strong offenses. What about that one start in Oracle Park? Yes, that one start. Otherwise, his 3+ ER games with a QS have been @LAD, @ATL, @CHW, @COL. Avoidable. Now he gets the grey area offenses of STL, @BAL, DET, which has me a little uneasy. Treat him like a 15-team streamer. (View Game Card)
Reynaldo López (ATL) @ SFG (ND) – 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 57 pitches.
I wasn’t expecting to see much from ReyLó here, and at 57 pitches without anything of note, I’m going to continue ignoring him. I was initially surprised to see ReyLó get the pearl, and consider this a start of reinforcements as I was blindsided by the Hurston Waldrep appearance in the fifth, marking his return from the IL. So what did we get? Well, despite just 55 pitches and the added adrenaline of a Still ILL, Waldrep sat 1-2 ticks down from last year’s iteration. Womp womp. Everything was down and mostly out of town, and I’ll continue to sit this one out. Way way out. (View Game Card)
Taj Bradley (MIN) vs COL (ND) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 7 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 99 pitches.
What a sweet, sweet thing Rockie Road is. Props to Bradley for earning 60%+ strikes on his main three offerings, with all secondaries sitting a tick up as well. I will mention, though, his approach to RHB was laughably terrible Just a scattershot of four-seamers and questionable secondaries, and let’s be fortunate he had only a few to face. Suitman whispers into my ear He’s getting the Astros up next?! Oh jeez. It’s the Guardians after so…I guess we hold for both? GOOD LUCK. (View Game Card)
Andrew Alvarez (WSN) @ BAL (L) – 4.1 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 88 pitches.
His curveball is fun to watch when it’s landing low and you have Camden’s camera angle, but the fastballs are blegh. Despite starting five games, Alvarez has yet to complete five frames. Don’t do this. (View Game Card)
J.T. Ginn (ATH) @ LAA (W) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 89 pitches.
A VPQS away from Sacré Verde with a dub ain’t so bad, but his velocity is still down 1- ticks and now it’s the Dodgers at home (yuck), Detroit, then hosting the Nationals. No thanks. (View Game Card)
Trevor McDonald (SFG) vs ATL (L) – 5.1 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 90 pitches.
Ehhhh, we’re getting better but so not there yet. The slider usage came up a touch with a solid 64% strike rate, but he’s still way too focused on his sinker at 65% usage and the slider needs to dominate. I’m still out on this one, even with @ARI, TOR, and Rockie Road up next. (View Game Card)
Andrew Abbott (CIN) @ PIT (ND) – 5.1 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 94 pitches.
So close. Abbott returned just one earned run through five, but two solo shots in the sixth ruined this one, despite a night of secondary dominance – 25% SwStr rate across 63% usage. I also love the high four-seamer to RHB often and I’m continuing to start him as I have before. (View Game Card)
Roki Sasaki (LAD) @ SDP (L) – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 3 Hits, 5 BBs, 2 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 81 pitches.
Blegh. This isn’t the frustrating Sasaki from the start of the year. He’s locating four-seamers upstairs and keeping the slider and splitter down, and that’s much more encouraging than the “Uhhhh, what do I do?” approach of old. However, when the splitter returns 33% strikes and the slider isn’t so much better at a 55% clip with 1/22 whiffs, then we’ve got a problem. The good news? He’ll get this weak offense a second time + Rockie Road follows. Yeah, but it’s three straight meh from Sasaki after his four-seamer start stretch of legitimacy. Which is it? Both? Think of him as a HIPSTER with potential that’s worth chasing against poor lineups to be a Cherry Bomb. (View Game Card)
Paul Skenes (PIT) vs CIN (ND) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 96 pitches.
Aces gonna frustrate. He was Singled Out to the tune of 4 ER in the second (four straight hits + a walk + two sac flies = four runs), and he was otherwise brilliant per usual. It’s so strange to see an ERA above 3.00 for Skenes, but it’s still a 31% strikeout rate and 0.97 WHIP. Yeah, but he hasn’t returned 0 ER in eight straight starts! That is weird, isn’t it? He’s collected at least seven strikeouts in eleven of twelve straight, though. Don’t fret. (View Game Card)
Zac Gallen (ARI) @ TBR (L) – 6.2 IP, 5 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 0 Ks – 1 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 86 pitches.
Eno asked me on The Craft what I’d do to fix Gallen. While I don’t think we truly can, I said I’d encourage low four-seamers with the deathball curve underneath. So what did we get? Why high four-seamers and five curveballs. Oh dear. For what it’s worth, this was a walk, HBP, and HR in the first for a bamboozlin’, the six shutout frames after, followed by a Careful, Icarus with a lead-off HR in the seventh and a two-out double that scored after he got the hook. That’s a whole lot of talk to tell you we’re obviously not interested moving forward, where Gallen as returned an ERA better than 4.50 one in eleven games. ONCE and that was 2 ER in six frames against the Giants. It’s been tough. (View Game Card)
Will Warren (NYY) @ BOS (L) – 5.2 IP, 5 ER, 7 Hits, 3 BBs, 0 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 90 pitches.
Oh cool, we’re back to ugh Warren territory, the third of four games, here with a HAISTBMBWT?! against the worst offense against RHP. His four-seamer was unable to return whiffs (1/23) with a near 2″ drop in vert, and his sweeper nor changeup could step up to the task (1/35 between them). Bleegggggh. I know we’ve had a lot of talk of Weathers being the one to the pen if the Yankees were to acquire Skubal or anyone else at the deadline, but I wonder if it should be Warren if the moment ever comes (or when Fried is back). All hypothetical, of course, and he should be better against the Tigers and Rays up next. If there’s someone great to add off the wire, I’d go for it instead of holding Warren
Patrick Corbin (TOR) vs TEX (L) – 4.1 IP, 5 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 94 pitches.
Well, that happened and it may be the last we see of the southpaw with Scherzer possibly returning next week. It’s been…uh…yeah. It has existed. (View Game Card)
Tomoyuki Sugano (COL) @ MIN (ND) – 5.0 IP, 7 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 85 pitches.
Somehow not a loss (the Rockies were down 7-0 and came back to go 8-7 in the ninth…only to lose in 10. WILD), but sadly not a Win. I’m rooting for you, Sugano. I got you. (View Game Card)
Walbert Ureña (LAA) vs ATH (L) – 4.1 IP, 7 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 71 pitches.
Womp womp. The first bust from Ureña, despite pitching away from Sacré Verde and boasting a high 68% strike changeup. You know what’s hilarious but only in the way that is painful and not actually funny but worthy of rolling your eyes? Ureña was perfect through his first four innings. The man allowed six singles and two walks in just one out. That’s as Singled Out as you’ll ever find and those who want to rage quit with the Red Sox coming to town are likely missing out. Hold, please. (View Game Card)
Spencer Arrighetti (HOU) @ DET (L) – 3.0 IP, 8 ER, 5 Hits, 5 BBs, 7 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 93 pitches.
Oh jeez. At least you got seven strikeouts…? When will he learn? When will he learn that his ACTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES?! Uhhh, what actions? His decision to go 67% four-seamers and curveballs despite 55% strikes between them, while he has a perfectly good sinker, sweeper and cutter to help. But he threw the cutter, and it was a two-run shot to Keith in the third. That’s…a fair point. Well something has to change in that arsenal as these two just can’t do it on their own. Consider the Pasta Pirate a coin flip for TBR and @TEX next. (View Game Card)
Mitch Spence (KC) @ CHW (L) – 1.1 IP, 10 ER, 8 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 53 pitches.
I truly hope none of y’all got my Spence joy confused with enthusiasm to start him. It was a dream years ago. YEARS AGO. (View Game Card)
Game of the Day
Jack Perkins vs. Reid Detmers – Can Detmers keep it going? Will Perkins excel outside Sacré Verde?
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 Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter/X; @justinparadis.bsky.social on BlueSky)
