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.
Walker Buehler (BOS) @ PHI (ND) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 89 pitches.
On a day when many pitchers floundered, Walker Buehler made you question him differently with 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 89 pitches (ND) against the Phillies. Is he actually turning a corner? Nah, this is a man Dancing With The Disco and that’s about it.
I could end this there, but I want to ask: Is Buehler one of the rare “Deadzone Arsenal” pitchers? Watching him feels like each of his pitches are exactly what batters expect of their pitch type. Yep, that’s a sinker. And a slider. And a curve. He’s like the tutorial video that pops up when you choose between skills in an RPG. I watched this and saw nothing remarkable save for generally good slider and sweeper locations to RHB and a 1.4 HAVAA on a 95 mph heater that he doesn’t elevate. Even the cutter was flung over the middle of the plate to LHB without care for a 100% strike rate.
He makes it easy for batters and the Phillies had to deal with Koufax putting the balls on a string. It was one of the least exciting 7 IP, 1 ER games you’ll find this year. Don’t fall for this Double Bubble.
Let’s see how every other SP did Monday:
Brandon Woodruff (MIL) @ SEA (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 62 pitches.
Three starts of dominance thus far for Woody, albeit @TEA certainly helps. The fastball is still great, the changeup is helping (despite floating over the plate a little more than I’d like to LHB) and I wish I had more faith in the cutter and curve, which floundered plenty across the few thrown here. It’s hard to say no for a start against the Cubs, eh? But he was pulled after just 62 pitches! Apparently Woodruff had a calf cramp and the Brewers played it safe. Nothing to worry about here.
Paul Skenes (PIT) vs DET (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 86 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. I wonder how much the Pirates are actually going to limit Skenes. Five innings per moving forward? Under 90 pitches? Regardless, don’t do anything silly.
Sean Burke (CHW) @ TBR (ND) – 4.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 4 BBs, 5 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 89 pitches.
I just wish the heater was at 95 mph, not 93/94 mph. Oh, and he could locate his arsenal inside the zone effectively. IS THAT SO MUCH TO ASK?! Yes, Nick, that’s really hard. FINE.
Ryan Brasier (CHC) vs KCR (ND) – 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks – 1 Whiffs, 18% CSW, 11 pitches.
Braiser opened for Ben Brown, who went 4.0 IP, 6 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 63 pitches. It’s almost like he’s exactly the same troublesome arm he was at the beginning of the year without a third pitch and a hittable fastball. Almost. We also saw three frames of Chris Flexen, who, shockingly, realized Kansas City wasn’t the best place to go Flexen on the beach.
Kevin Gausman (TOR) vs NYY (W) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 8 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 86 pitches.
Hot dang, look at you! I’ll give Gausman the Gold Star just because it’s been so painful this season and for him not only to earn a King Cole against the Yankees, but return eight strikeouts while throwing 73% four-seamers is ridiculous. Yankees, what is this. 5/18 splitter whiffs, sure, but Gausman’s four-seamer is not great, y’all. That’s been the problem. Weird.
Randy Vásquez (SDP) @ MIA (ND) – 4.1 IP, 1 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 0 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 68 pitches.
Ah yes, a HAISTBMBWT?! from Vásquez, making this a start with an okay ERA as the only salvagable asset. You can do so much better.
Shohei Ohtani (LAD) vs MIN (ND) – 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 46 pitches.
We’re getting closer to a proper start from Ohtani, but maybe a few weeks away to five frames. Meanwhile, Dustin May came out of the pen to vulture a Win via 4.2 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 100 pitches and that’s…fine? The sweeper was better and he’s hurling 96.3 mph four-seamers now that he’s in the pen, but then again, he still threw 100 pitches. What’s going on here. I dunno, I’m not touching it.
Michael McGreevy (STL) @ COL (W) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 16% CSW, 91 pitches.
Wow, no walks, no HRs, one strikeout for the ultra-rare one true outcome in seven frames performance. In Coors! His sinker/sweeper approach comes with good command to RHB while there’s plenty to be desired against LHB, which has me indifferent to a start against the Padres. They’re heating up and it would be a QS/ratio play that isn’t worth it in standard leagues.
Zack Wheeler (PHI) vs BOS (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 10 Ks – 22 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 105 pitches.
Aces gonna ace for a Gallows Pole. Yep, that’s Wheeler. What a guy. I swear, if Skenes wins the Cy Young instead of Wheeler despite, say, 30 fewer innings pitched, I’M GONNA LOSE IT. But Nick, they are near even in volume as of now. Skenes is expected to be limited a bit in the second half. Ohhhhh.
Jack Leiter (TEX) vs ATH (W) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 4 BBs, 7 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 95 pitches.
Whoa, despite facing more RHB than LHB, we saw 31% changeups from Leiter, which returned a 38% CSW despite a horrendous 28% NC Rate. So it was great when over the plate, but terrible off of it? Exactly. Meanwhile, both the slider and four-seamer held a 58% strike rate and that’s your ballgame. At least he’s using more sinkers to RHB to help nullify the poor command and find some outs, but hot dang, I’m still waiting for peak Leiter. But this was a good start! It’s not it, y’all. Blame it on the Athletics.
Colton Gordon (HOU) @ ARI (W) – 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 89 pitches.
Ayyyy a dub! Boy were there a lot of hittable pitches to RHB but Koufax helped him get to the finish line + the bullpen left two runners stranded in the sixth to make this worthwhile. I don’t love the heater and sweeper a whole lot, sadly, making him a cheap Win chance arm more than anything, which may be a decent play hosting the Athletics next time out.
Carlos Rodón (NYY) @ TOR (L) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 5 BBs, 4 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 107 pitches.
Aces gonna get squeezed a fair amount in this one and the Jays are legit in Toronto, but he wriggled out of jams to keep him in the game for five frames. I’m happy to see changeups, but just 15% CSW with few landing where he wanted them to is not quite what we’re looking for. Also, 0/18 slider whiffs is bonkers. That’s a massive outlier and you can brush this one off.
Eury Pérez (MIA) vs SDP (L) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 87 pitches.
A little underwhelming, while the four-seamer’s control favored too heavily at a 65% zone rate and barely heading upstairs. The sweeper and slider let him down as well for a horrific 31% strike rate between them across 26 thrown. That can’t happen. Come on Eury, you can do this. That 97/98 mph heater with a flat 1.5 HAVAA and 18+ vert is absurdly good. Just get the heater up and find strikes against RHB with the slider & sweeper. That’s it. YOU GOT THIS.
Tanner Bibee (CLE) vs BAL (W) – 7.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 86 pitches.
Oh snap! The cutter is coming back! 7/20 whiffs with an 80% strike rate is cool, even if he just hurled that thing over the plate without care. The changeup was effective down to LHB as well and we’re seeing more of the promise from Bibee. Oh please, let this be the return of Bibee. I hope y’all.
Bryce Elder (ATL) vs SFG (W) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 3 BBs, 1 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 18% CSW, 108 pitches.
That’s one Dusty Donut with a horrible line including a HAISTBMBWT?! but the Bird’s SwanSong made this an easy Win for Atlanta and Elder. I’m happy for you…?
Tomoyuki Sugano (BAL) @ CLE (ND) – 3.2 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 4 BBs, 4 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 90 pitches.
Man, I was hoping Sugano would do well here given his massive command flex against LHB across the season, but he returned just 46% strikes on the splitter with 2/22 whiffs while the four-seamer did not land up-and-in as we normally see. He tried everything from sinkers, sweepers, cutters, and curves to mix in between and it was all…blegh. I guess Rockie Road is still kinda worth it, but I think you’re okay skipping Sugano outright moving forward.
Jack Flaherty (DET) @ PIT (L) – 3.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 78 pitches.
Jeeeeeeez this wasn’t fun. His breakers were horrendous against RHB and he was struggling on the mound, even if all seventeen curves + sliders had a 0% NC Rate. No bites and a 36% strike rate between them. Nick, can we move on from Flaherty already? I dunno. I still feel like his breakers are usually on point, but then again, it is the Jays and Phillies next. Ehhhhhh. You do you. Maybe he’s just a HIPSTER in the end. Maybe he’s in a rough patch and gets out of it in August and September, taking full advantage of pitching for the winningest team in baseball.
George Kirby (SEA) vs MIL (L) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 83 pitches.
Kirby, you were @TEA. This should have been phenomenal. Instead, your four-seamer had a 56% NC Rate to RHB (5/9!), with blegh sliders, while the four-seamer got too much of the plate to LHB for 0/17 whiffs. While the slider wasn’t great (1/5 whiffs itself), the curveball was legit. It’s lovely seeing 6/17 whiffs on the hook to LHB, and if not for a Careful, Icarus where he hung a few sliders and grooved a fastball or two, we’d be fine with this one. It is a little annoying that we haven’t seen a consistent approach and performance from Kirby this year. Hmmmm.
Noah Cameron (KCR) @ CHC (W) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 101 pitches.
The Cubs pounced on two pitches in the second frame for a pair of longballs accounting for all four runs (notice how I said “two” in three ways. WRITING.) and I don’t think I caught that he has such a steep arm angle in the past…? He now has 17″ of vert on the four-seamer at 93 mph, allowing him to have three distinct bands of depth on the cutter, slider, in a 80-88 mph range. I kinda love it. He’s also commanding upstairs with the heater well to go BSB. Imagine if he can find a tick or two entering next year…
Tyler Anderson (LAA) @ NYM (ND) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 4 Hits, 5 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 87 pitches.
He had the PQS. But noooo, he just had to go out there for the seventh, allow the first two batters to reach via walk and a single, with both coming around to score. Careful, Icarus. The changeup wasn’t even as good as we’ve seen with just a 46% strike rate and 3/26 whiffs, but it’s Seattle + White Sox next and I think you have a sneaky pair of streams there.
David Festa (MIN) @ LAD (L) – 5.1 IP, 4 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 81 pitches.
Welp, the Dodgers are the Dodgers. A bit of Careful, Icarus as he went for the PQS and got tagged for his third HR of the day (all runs via the longball) but I am happy to see him generally going BSB. That is, four-seamers are in the upper half to LHB, sliders in the bottom half to RHB, and changeups are figuring things out but super effective to LHB. He’s also featuring some sinkers to RHB and I don’t hate it? Ober is returning this week which may have Festa removed from the rotation, but I wish it were SWR instead, opening up a start hosting the Sawx in Minnesota. Keep an eye on that for a streamer pick.
Kodai Senga (NYM) vs LAA (ND) – 3.0 IP, 4 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 73 pitches.
Yeeeeesh, this really was a bad day for pitching, eh? He struggled to find consistent strikes and that’s your ball game. Not typical for Senga and the Angels are beating up plenty of arms. Don’t weigh it heavily.
Austin Gomber (COL) vs STL (L) – 5.2 IP, 5 ER, 11 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 87 pitches.
Ah yes, Gomber. I remember being excited about you back in the day. Those were…days.
Jacob Lopez (ATH) @ TEX (L) – 5.0 IP, 5 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 93 pitches.
He was looking fine through four but ran into trouble in the fifth, including a three-run blast. Bummer. Both HRs (a solo shot to Jung, too) came off RHB golfing a low slider and I’m not judging Lopez too much for it. Considering how he generally has his great games against RHB lineups, I think you’re okay against the Astros up next.
Jake Irvin (WSN) vs CIN (ND) – 3.2 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 1 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 72 pitches.
Here comes Irvin, look at him, matching the Reds Carpet with a scarlet suit and—oh no! He takes a massive spill. “I’m okay! I’m okay!” Are you really Irvin, ARE YOU?!
Hayden Birdsong (SFG) @ ATL (L) – 0.0 IP, 5 ER, 1 Hits, 4 BBs, 0 Ks – 0 Whiffs, 16% CSW, 25 pitches.
Oh. A glitch in the matrix, eh? It was a 24% NC Rate as Atlanta patiently waited for him to throw strikes and refused to swing at anything out of the zone, which was 76% of the time. Oh jeeeeez. He’s so very lost.
Zac Gallen (ARI) vs HOU (L) – 6.0 IP, 6 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 87 pitches.
Really aiding that trade value, eh? He allowed a two-run shot in the seventh to make a bad line worse and despite the curve doing phenomenal things per usual, the rest just isn’t pulling their weight. I’m so curious where he goes and how he looks mid-August.
Brady Singer (CIN) @ WSN (L) – 2.1 IP, 7 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 1 Ks – 1 Whiffs, 18% CSW, 57 pitches.
Ouch. The lack of RHB hurts Singer who feasts with his slider, leading to zero whiffs on 42 pitches to LHB. The Nats bamboozled him for four in the first and three more in the third (two inherited after getting the hook), though it doesn’t mean he can’t be productive moving forward. Okay maybe not against the Rays and Atlanta in GADP…but the Pirates after! That’s alright.
Shane Baz (TBR) vs CHW (L) – 4.0 IP, 8 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 87 pitches.
This one hurts. Two HRs made up five runs, sure, but the whiffs aren’t there, his curve was inconsistent, the changeup was floated, and the cutter wasn’t the pitch he needed it to be. It’s tough. Even though the cutter is in play now (so much better than the old slider), he may be fatigued after having his first proper season on the bump. Or maybe he just lost the feel for his curve and that’s causing batters to sit heater without the cutter acting as a major threat. I dunno. He gets @CIN and LAD next, and I understand moving on. Sigh. @SEA and @SFG follow, though, so maybe you can drop, no one picks up, and you circle back then…? I hate this.
Game of the Day
Jacob Misiorowski vs. Logan Gilbert – I wonder if this is the first game of 15 feet combined extension between the two starting pitchers. Gonna be DOPE.
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 Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter/X; @justinparadis.bsky.social on BlueSky)
