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 Playback.tv weekday mornings from 10 am-12 pm ET.
Yariel Rodríguez (TOR) vs HOU (L) – 6.2 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 83 pitches.
So many have been wishcasting the success of Yariel Rodríguez this year and I don’t believe many put their eggs into today’s basket against the Astros, but they should have: 6.2 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 83 pitches. No Win, but easily the best outing of the season for Yariel and it makes you consider becoming a part of that world.
Stop. Don’t. His heater, despite a horrific shape, earned 7/38 whiffs in this one, all on pitches exactly at the top of the zone. The slider had its moments, absolutely, and it will in the future, but this really was the four-seamer (and some sinkers) show. It’s not that good of a heater, y’all. It’s also the first game Yariel has returned more than 12 outs in a game, despite throwing over 80 pitches in two other starts.
What I’m trying to say is that I don’t think we have a breakout happening in front of us. Do we have a possible streamer against the Mariners over the weekend? Maybe, sure. I can see the heater and slider performing decently against a poor offense. But even that is still in the Questionable Start tier given the lack of sustainability of this outing. This ain’t it.
Let’s see how every other SP did Monday:
Hunter Brown (HOU) @ TOR (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 99 pitches.
It’s a great line and continues the whole Vargas Rule run we love, yada yada yada. The actually interesting bit this is how he did it – with fastballs. Just 1/23 whiffs on secondaries while the sinker and four-seamer did all the work and I’m not sure I love that. Mmmmm just thought a little more, yeah, I don’t like that at all. Not to say his heaters are bad – his four-seamer sat 96 mph! – it’s that these are supposed to be a foundation, not the whole building itself. Look, the cutter shouldn’t go 0/11 CSW. The success despite all these flaws just doesn’t sound sustainable. But fine, we start him against the Twins and hope for the secondaries to wake up like they just heard Justin Steele in the dugout. But I’m in my Nebraska home. And you still felt the bed shake. It was terrifying.
Rob Zastryzny (MIL) @ COL (ND) – 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 0 BBs, 0 Ks – 1 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 10 pitches.
This was 4.0 IP, 5 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks of Bryse Wilson and I have to ask y’all, why do you keep Wilson around? Because he’s the only friend I have on this island. HE’S NOT REAL.
MacKenzie Gore (WSN) vs NYM (ND) – 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks – 21 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 104 pitches.
Can’t say I’m shocked Gore had the most dominant game of the day with a Golden Goal, and that’s without knowing his sole run was on second base when he left the game. 13/60 four-seamer whiffs is hilarious and he had the pitch shape metrics to back it up. In fact, he wasn’t his best self here with just 1/8 changeup strikes and just 6/13 slider strikes. THIS ISN’T HIS FINAL FORM.
David Peterson (NYM) @ WSN (ND) – 6.1 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 86 pitches.
Ayyyy not terrible. Sure, we want more whiffs and strikeouts, and a Win or better WHIP would have been nice, but you got a decent ERA and you’ll take it. Is it enough for a date with the Pirates later this week? Meh. The changeup + slider went 3/28 whiffs here and that’s not what we’re looking for from Peterson. You can’t just live on 33% called strikes on your sinker, buddy.
Austin Gomber (COL) vs MIL (ND) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 9 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 79 pitches.
Ah, yes, a VPS from Gomber. Don’t you mean VPQS? Is there quality here? No. Then why would I say there was?
Game of the Day
Grayson Rodriguez vs. George Kirby – Aces. Gonna. Ace.
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 Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Aaron Polcare (@bearydoesgfx on X)