Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher’s performance from every Saturday 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.
Frankie Montas Jr. (NYM) @ KCR (W) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 83 pitches.
After watching Frankie Montas Jr. return a 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 83 pitches (W) line in Kansas City, I felt as though I’d need to say a lot about the veteran making just his fourth start of the season. And the thing is, I don’t. It’s pretty simple – he is who he is.
These five frames were a standard affair for Montas – pound the zone for a 60% clip with heaters, while hoping the strikes in play find gloves and the ones that sneak by set up a good slider or splitter. A sweeper and cutter are parts of the arsenal now and are welcome additions to give another look without creating poor counts. The whole package is fine and it grants Montas a chance to get through games with minimal damage. It also makes for outings like his previous two against the Pirates and Yankees, which combined for 10 ER. Montas is neither a must-roster, nor an auto-ignore. He’s a streamer in 12-teamers and an option in 15-teamers for Wins.
It’s always difficult to guess rotation orders after the break, and I’m estimating it’ll be the Angels next as the SP #5 for the Mets. That means you’ll be holding Montas until July 22nd for a stream you don’t want in 12-teamers, which then turns into a 14-day hold for a questionable start against the Padres. It’s not worth it, but at least we’ve painted a good enough picture to understand what value he can bring in the future. There’s always a chance with Montas on a desperate Sunday.
Let’s see how every other SP did Saturday:
Garrett Crochet (BOS) vs TBR (W) – 9.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 9 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 100 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. This is really fun, y’all. How did I ever suggest to sell him? Kinda interesting that the extension is still down (6.7 feet, not 7.2 feet) but the wider arsenal is so dang good.
Matthew Boyd (CHC) @ NYY (W) – 8.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 85 pitches.
BOYD BOYZ UNITE. The curve, change, and heater were stellar against RHB (heater up to 94 mph!) and the slider to LHB worked. WE RIDE.
Janson Junk (MIA) @ BAL (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 85 pitches.
I both understand the love for Junk and also feel uncomfortable watching him. What I’m watching is a Junkballer (ayyy! It finally happened!) who is sneaking his heater over the plate when he can and taking advantage of a middling lineup that can’t handle mistake breakers over the plate. It’s Dancing With The Disco without the whiffs, which is a dangerous game to play. Eventually the book will be to look off-speed and force Junk to adapt quickly back to heater focus, which can work and wouldn’t return a 1/38 SwStr rate (since the approach at the plate would have changed). He’s not the worst play against the Padres and Cardinals next, though I really don’t see a Top 50 SP in here and he’d be off The List in a heartbeat after a team rocks him. This isn’t the mix of a breakout star.
Framber Valdez (HOU) vs TEX (ND) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 10 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 94 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. 52% CSW with his primary pitch to RHB is absolutely hilarious. That curveball is so good when it’s on.
Shohei Ohtani (LAD) @ SFG (ND) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 42% CSW, 36 pitches.
Don’t let the innings fool you – he was efficient enough while staying under his 40 pitch threshold. Meanwhile, we had Emmet Sheehan appear as the follower for a productive 4.1 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 55 Pitches (W), though I wish we were able to get a little more volume (Thanks soooo much Ohtani). I still love what he does with effective high heaters, a solid slider, and good changeup (the curve could be better, but whatever), and we’re rolling with this in the second half. I hope they let Sheehan properly start soon.
Cole Sands (MIN) vs PIT (ND) – 2.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 0 BBs, 0 Ks – 0 Whiffs, 16% CSW, 19 pitches.
Sands opened for Travis Adams, who is the second of three straight opener blurbs (deal with it) and should not be a focus for your fantasy leagues – 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BB, 3 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 67 Pitches (W). But that’s a cheap Win! Hmmmm, I guess it is. Fine, if you’re SP or starts limited each week and need to take a chance at a Win, Adams is an option. Uhhh, Bailey Ober may be back next week. Oh, so he’s not an option. WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME. But maybe Ober isn’t back! So he gets a rotation spot? Well, Zebby Matthews may be back in two weeks. WHAT DO YOU WANT?!
Angel Zerpa (KCR) vs NYM (ND) – 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks – 1 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 15 pitches.
Zerpa opened for Jonathan Bowlan, who performed admirably given the Royals’ sudden need after scheduled starter after Michael Lorenzen fell ill – 3.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 45 Pitches (L). Bowlan shouldn’t be on your radar, and let’s move on.
Trevor Rogers (BAL) vs MIA (L) – 6.2 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 8 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 99 pitches.
HE CAN’T BE STOPPED. It was a revenge game for Rogers and his changeup cooked downstairs with a 94.3 mph heater (yes, 94/95, not 92/93!). That’s the good stuff. Yeah, but the great stuff is when his slider and sweeper are also effective against RHB, and they were far behind in this one. Expect him to get the Rays and Rockie Road after the break and you better hold on tight.
Shane Baz (TBR) @ BOS (L) – 6.1 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 98 pitches.
Still not the best curve we’ve seen from Baz, but the fastball and cutter were a solid combo and it’s a solid line in Fenway. Be excited for the second half, though the Rays are the Rays. After 79 innings last season, Baz is already at 110 frames and you’d imagine there will be some limitation in the second half. Hopefully we get some clarity there.
Landen Roupp (SFG) vs LAD (L) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 104 pitches.
Hot dang, look at you! Maybe the Dodgers really are that cold right now… It’s a King Cole for Roupp with a fantastic approach to LHB with high sinkers and low curves and changeups (BSB!) and it’s hard not to be a fan of Roupp raising his floor across the season. And the Dodgers! Way to turn into a Holly, but please get that curve a little lower to LHB – three hits came off the pitch that Roupp would like back.
Bradley Blalock (COL) @ CIN (ND) – 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 16% CSW, 80 pitches.
Hot dang, look at you! A Gold Star for Blalock, fueled by the rigorous labor of Koufax while Blalock and his “HAISBMBWT?!” stand confidently above as if he did all the work. But I did! I threw the pitches! Yeah yeah yeah, we get it.
Jacob deGrom (TEX) @ HOU (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 90 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. Just two solo blasts here + a 98.4 mph four-seamer across the game. It’s so lovely to have peak deGrom again.
Tanner Bibee (CLE) @ CHW (W) – 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 91 pitches.
May I have your attention please. Bibee had whiffs on his cutter and his changeup. Is this a drill? IT IS NOT. Yes, yes, Blame it on the White Sox and not the best command of either that I’ve seen, but hot dang have we been looking for those for a while. It’s not the game to get us ecstatic for the second half and force us to rip the TIARA off his tousled hair, but you have to start somewhere, right?
Sean Burke (CHW) vs CLE (ND) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 97 pitches.
Burke served a whole lot of four-seamers over the plate to LHB with a fair number of curveballs under and that’s a whole lot of Koufax steering balls into gloves. Maybe that’s enough for the Pirates? I’d prefer not to in 12-teamers.
Jacob Lopez (ATH) vs TOR (W) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 87 pitches.
I didn’t see the best changeup from J. Lo in this one, though the slider, fastball, and cutter played their roles well and Lopez came through once again. It’s a coin flip if he’ll have this command each start and that may be your jam against the Rangers next.
Brandon Woodruff (MIL) vs WSN (ND) – 4.1 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 10 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 38% CSW, 81 pitches.
Uhhh, do the math. That’s 10/13 outs earned by way of the K. Whoa. He’d have himself a King Cole if there were more efficiency in his second outing and he could find two more outs. The four-seamer was 90/91 mph inititally and ramped up a little to sit 92/93 mph for the day, but I was hoping for flirtation with 94 mph after displaying it during the latter frames of his season debut. No worries, we clearly keep starting the fella.
Brady Singer (CIN) vs COL (ND) – 6.1 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks – 19 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 93 pitches.
It took a start against Rockie Road for Singer to finally return double-digit slider whiffs. We saw 13 combined on his sweeper and slider and a run in the seventh made this one look worse than it was (Careful, Icarus). I can’t say it’s enough to be gung-ho for a start in Citi Field next time out, but at least he’s feeling the breaker down-and-away to RHB and that gives him a decent chance.
Yusei Kikuchi (LAA) vs ARI (W) – 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 93 pitches.
He almost made it six frames, but ran into trouble and allowed a third run for a Careful, Icarus merged with two solo blasts from Eugenio in previous frames. It’s all to say he pitched well overall and could have been an even smoother line. Don’t forget, HRs are the noisiest stat of all.
Kevin Gausman (TOR) @ ATH (L) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 96 pitches.
There’s always something wrong. This time was a sub 50% strike splitter with a longball, despite returning 9/43 whiffs on the pitch. I am a bit shocked to see a 1.16 WHIP on the year for Gausman, though, and considering that I think he’s closer to his best self now than he was in April, I may be a little too harsh on the chance he smooths out in the second half. That said, he’s a massive HIPSTER that I’d hate to be forced into starting regularly.
Erick Fedde (STL) vs ATL (ND) – 4.2 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 19% CSW, 64 pitches.
Remember kids, Don’t Trust The Feddes. How can you let your bread become so unbuttered like this?
Shinnosuke Ogasawara (WSN) @ MIL (ND) – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 56 pitches.
Naaaah. The command isn’t near where it needs to be for us to trust a soft-tossing crafty southpaw.
Max Fried (NYY) vs CHC (L) – 3.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 73 pitches.
Aces gonna leave the game early with a blister. Oh no. He’s supposed to pitch next weekend, though who knows how long this blister will last. I’d personally place Fried on the IL and play it safe, skipping one start and taking advantage of the all-star break that could even put Fried in a better place for the second half.
Aaron Bummer (ATL) @ STL (ND) – 2.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 33 pitches.
Bummer opened for Joey Wentz, who dazzled the audience on his three-inning stage for a Win: 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 1 BB, 6 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 46% CSW, 50 Pitches. Yes, that would be a King Cole if he met the five-inning requirement for the rate stat. It was a ton of stupid good cutters at 86/87 mph at 52% CSW and 7/29 whiffs while the 94/95 mph heater stayed out of the way and used his 7.1 feet of extension to tease batters and serve the cutter instead. Fun stuff and I doubt he’ll get more chances unless they sell at the deadline (which they could), and even if he does, I can’t expect the cutter to be located so well down-and-in to RHB, nor this kind of success reliant on just one pitch.
Zack Wheeler (PHI) @ SDP (ND) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 105 pitches.
Aces gonna allow four earned, including three runs via two home runs to one man (Jackson Merrill). Doesn’t he know who he is?!
George Kirby (SEA) @ DET (W) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 99 pitches.
Oh no. This was a proper test for Kirby with a start outside @TEA and facing a solid offense. An actually decent splitter away to Greene in a rough fifth led to a three-run shot and the BSB is generally great. Well, save for an uncharacteristically poor performance on his four-seamer to LHB: 48% strike rate and a 17% NC Rate as it sailed up and out of the zone constantly. You know, I’m happy to see it, honestly. It means Kirby isn’t giving in and actually trying to make it work. Atta boy.
Yu Darvish (SDP) vs PHI (ND) – 4.2 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 83 pitches.
Bleeeeegh. His curveball wasn’t nearly as good this time around, the straight changeup disappeared for two splitters, and his slider was terrible placed against RHB, leaving a cutter and sinker for strikes that were questionable. Not a fun one here at all and I hope to see more slider + sweeper domination in his next one, where he’s clearly stretched out to over 80 pitches.
Zac Gallen (ARI) @ LAA (L) – 5.0 IP, 6 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 88 pitches.
Oh. I wonder where Gallen will get traded to, though he can’t be fixed if the curveball has a 50% strike rate with a low (for him) 22% called strike rate on the four-seamer. There may be some value in the second half, but it’s obviously risky in the short term. He’s a HIPSTER at best.
Casey Mize (DET) vs SEA (L) – 3.0 IP, 6 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 68 pitches.
Ooooof. The four-seamer was actually pretty fantastic. The problem was everything else. The slider and sinker were blegh and the sub 60% strike rate on his splitter hurt plenty. The curve helped a little for a fair number of strikes, but it could only do much. It really is too bad as Mize’s 95 mph heater is looking as good as we want it to be.
Mike Burrows (PIT) @ MIN (L) – 1.1 IP, 6 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 1 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 18% CSW, 56 pitches.
Whoops. The changeup didn’t do enough to LHB with the curve getting hit, then RHB were served meatballs or easy takes. There’s something here in time, but he sure feels like a Young Gun at best.
Game of the Day
Yoshinobu Yamamoto vs. Robbie Ray – It’s an electric series and watching these two aces deal is sure to be a blast. Or lack of them.
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)
