Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher’s performance from every Thursday 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.
Shane Baz (TBR) vs NYY (ND) – 4.1 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 68 pitches.
Despite the final 4.1 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 68 pitches line against the Yankees yesterday, I was very encouraged by Shane Baz’s second outing of the year. His four-seamer shape is looking fantastic (17″ of iVB with a good attack angle at 96/97 mph) and his slider is reliable for strikes, comfortably sitting above a 60% strike rate. A pair of solo shots on high heaters + a very early hook disrupted this one, though it was a game state with Judge seeing Baz a third time with runners on and the Rays played it conservatively.
There is one area where I’m a little concerned. No, it’s not the short leash – that should open up over time and five frames is heavily expected for each start moving forward. It’s Baz’s slider. It’s a bit odd – its spin is down a few hundred RPM while the four-seamers is not, but the movement is generally the same. However, its locations and usage is. Baz is featuring the pitch glove-side more against LHB (that’s good!) and failing to get the pitch low against RHB (that’s bad!). The latter point is the real reason why he returned just two whiffs on the pitch on Thursday and for him to become the stud he once was, Baz needs to get his breaker back to the 25% SwStr rate that made batters quake in their boots.
I’m believing it’ll come in time and with his heater looking spectacular, you can consider Baz like another version of Jared Jones in time – another four-seamer/slider monster in waiting. Feel hip about Baz, it was written he would help your teams and the prophecy will be like magic. Life is good.
Let’s see how every other SP did Thursday:
Paul Skenes (PIT) @ MIL (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 1 BBs, 11 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 99 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. He really is unstoppable, huh. Guess I gotta put him at SP #…wait. Wheeler is hurt. Glasnow is hurt. Crochet has a harsher IP limit. Okay Skubal is dope and makes us feel dope so I guess Skenes is SP #2 on Monday unless Crochet is hilariously amazing. Incredible.
Justin Steele (CHC) @ BAL (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 70 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. The man obviously earned it, even if his velocity was a little down and the strikeouts weren’t there (the slider isn’t quite at its peak). He’s just too dang solid with four-seamer command, especially manipulating its shape pitch-by-pitch. He’s a legit crafty southpaw despite the deceptive “two-pitch” mix.
Luis Castillo (SEA) @ LAA (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 86 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. That heater absolutely dominated upstairs and while the secondaries weren’t much to write home about, his feel for his fastball is spectacular. It’s all he needs against a team like the Angels.
Tanner Houck (BOS) vs OAK (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 103 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. Thanks for being you, Houck. It’s refreshing these days, you know?
David Peterson (NYM) vs WSN (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 102 pitches.
He got through six frames without impressing me a whole lot, even with a fair number of breaking ball whiffs. He’s just not that good…? So many sinkers hurled over the plate with a shrug. But whatever, thanks for the stream.
Brandon Pfaadt (ARI) vs ATL (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 86 pitches.
Hot dang, look at you! Pfaadt gets my Gold Star, especially doing this without the curveball. The Sweeper wasn’t as Dancing With The Disco as we’ve seen, relying on heaters to get his outs. It worked…this time, and I feel like it was a bit fortunate, sadly. I’d still be cautious here.
Aaron Civale (MIL) vs PIT (L) – 6.1 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 100 pitches.
Atta boy Civale! Cutters were Canibal McSanchez, curves helped, sweepers were down, and the sinker…was around. I think it’s a bit of Blame it on the Pirates but whatever, we’ll absolutely take this. He’s a Toby moving forward.
Aaron Nola (PHI) vs LAD (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 9 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 101 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. Look at this plot from yesterday: Four-seamers up, curveballs down, King Cole secured against the mighty Dodgers. THE MAN GETS IT.
Jack Flaherty (DET) vs CLE (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 83 pitches.
Guess what. The slider was at the bottom of the zone and the heater wasn’t crushed. Back issues or not, Flaherty is what he is. What about the curveball. Okay fair, he didn’t toss many of them, but he clearly didn’t need it.
Hunter Greene (CIN) vs COL (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 10 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 97 pitches.
This was pretty cool. A ton of sliders for the Gallows Pole at the corner, while the heater wasn’t the “here it is, do something with it” pitch, but rather looked more like a Neckbeard around the edges. Not saying that was intentional, but it does make you wonder if that’s the ticket for Greene – batters gear up for the heater and if Greene refuses to give them a decent pitch to hit, they are certainly more inclined to go fishing for the slider. Only question is if he can afford to do so in time – Greene had just a 37% zone rate this game and you have to throw inside the box at some point. Usually.
Max Fried (ATL) @ ARI (L) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 7 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 108 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. Much better time on the bump than last time. Feel good about this.
Anthony Banda (LAD) @ PHI (L) – 1.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 19 pitches.
Whoa, there’s a name I haven’t heard for a while (Sneks and Rays prior!). He opened for Landon Knack, who went 4.1 IP and 3 ER, sadly not securing the Win despite pitching into the sixth. The Phillies, y’all. I dig the four-seamer and slider approach, though. The curve needs a bit of polish to be that major third pitch and I hope it comes through as the Dodgers need Knack right now.
Kevin Gausman (TOR) @ SFG (W) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 98 pitches.
We’re living at a time when Gausman – the man with the best splitter on the planet – went 72% four-seamers and 3/18 splitter whiffs. Look, it’s not a bad four-seamer and capable of getting outs, but generally, going so fastball heavy is not a gameplan that allows Gausman to go seven frames of two earned run ball. Blame it on the Giants. He isn’t back until the splitter is sitting comfortably above a 20% SwStr rate. Until then, be careful.
Jake Bloss (HOU) vs MIA (ND) – 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 82 pitches.
I’m glad he’s back and I don’t hate the approach, but there’s clear refinement needed given 82 pitches for just twelve outs. Let’s see if this pans out at all.
Roddery Muñoz (MIA) @ HOU (L) – 6.2 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 94 pitches.
He got roughed up early and adjusted decently well with cutters and sliders. This wasn’t a start to make and really shouldn’t be one moving forward save for the best of matchups.
Austin Gomber (COL) @ CIN (L) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 97 pitches.
COL story, bro. Maybe we’ll get a decent start or two at some point, no reason to chase that now.
Albert Suárez (BAL) vs CHC (L) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 90 pitches.
Womp womp. He got four-seamer whiffs and that’s about it. Still a decent streaming option, but yeah, not a must add anywhere.
MacKenzie Gore (WSN) @ NYM (L) – 4.2 IP, 4 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 95 pitches.
It’s pretty silly to see a 4.2 IP and 4 ER game with just three hits and a 62% strike rate. Blame the secondaries for failing to come through and yeah. I need to call Gore a Cherry Bomb for now and I hate it. He really is on the verge of pure domination with his arsenal and approach + I don’t consider him as wild as a General Disarray. It’s there with a fuller arsenal than the likes of Hunter Greene or Taj Bradley. Sigh.
Jack Kochanowicz (LAA) vs SEA (L) – 3.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 60 pitches.
He throws 95/96 mph sinkers with a meh curveball. Not for me until we see it come together in full. Kenny Rosenberg showed up for six frames after and allowed six runs, but at least there’s some promise there as a Toby like we saw last season.
Spencer Howard (CLE) @ DET (L) – 3.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 75 pitches.
The Guardians found their Tyler Beede replacement (ayyyyy) in Howard and…yep. That’s Howard, the duck. Sorry Spencer, I couldn’t resist, I’m hoping you can take advantage of this and find a way to make your arsenal work in a spot where you can actually be a starter in the short term. Sidenote: Seeing Pedro Avila follow Howard gave me a chuckle – Cleveland went with two DFA’d players from the Giants & Padres to get through this outing.
Jordan Hicks (SFG) vs TOR (L) – 4.1 IP, 5 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 88 pitches.
He sat just 92 mph on the sinker and was “feeling it” after this one, as he’s enduring what it’s like to be a regular SP in the majors. You can move on if you haven’t yet, the HAISTBMBWT?! life isn’t for you.
Nestor Cortes (NYY) @ TBR (L) – 4.1 IP, 5 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 97 pitches.
Cortes got tagged for a homer on a high heater, but the sweeper wasn’t spectacular in this one, either. That said, the cutter returned six whiffs and a 40% CSW while the four-seamer shape was as good as you’d want it to be. The sweeper will be better + the fastball will miss more bats. Carry on.
Luis Medina (OAK) @ BOS (L) – 5.0 IP, 6 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 94 pitches.
Yikes. The strikeouts are cool and two homeruns burned him but he’s so obviously a Cherry Bomb who cannot be trusted.
Game of the Day
Gerrit Cole vs. Cade Povich – I just want the ole Cole. And not terrible Cade.
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)
Did you listen to the announcers talking about Castillo’s new slider? He re-gripped it for much more break, albeit slower speed. Looks good and velocity could jump back up on that one. Wouldn’t be surprised if that accounted for some of his so-so outings last month.