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.
Tanner Houck (BOS) @ COL (ND) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 10 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 92 pitches.
Does Tanner Houck deserve to still hold the AGA tag? I’m not sure he does after a disappointing night (read: third inning) in Coors that concluded with 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 10 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 92 pitches. That third frame came with all four runs, but there’s something underlying here that we need to discuss.
He’s had himself a ridiculous season and the 2.54 ERA + 1.03 WHIP certainly make that appear to be the case, but his six starts prior to this cataclysm suggest otherwise – 4.22 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, and a 20% strikeout rate – and I have to ask, does Houck have “ace” stuff? His slider and sinker both hold an ICR rate above 40% this season and he fails to carry a pitch with a 14%+ SwStr rate. Wait, really? Yup. Neither the splitter nor slider hit that mark.
I think it’s best to put Houck into the Tier 4 of Holly arms who we expect to perform well in the second half, but not carry your teams on their backs. He’s great, just not that guy for your squads.
Let’s see how every other SP did Monday:
Hunter Greene (CIN) @ ATL (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 3 BBs, 7 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 112 pitches.
He’s pulling off the BSB and led another impressive start, bringing his ratios down further to propel a somewhat quiet breakout campaign. You love to see it.
Bryce Miller (SEA) vs LAA (ND) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 94 pitches.
Did we see them? DID WE GET THEM?! Nah. Just 2/29 whiffs on non-fastballs, y’all. But the fastballs were good? That’s seven shutout frames, yes they were great. Stupid good four-seamers upstairs here and all I want for Christmas is BRYCE MILLER TO HAVE A WHIFF-HEAVY SECONDARY.
Hogan Harris (OAK) vs HOU (W) – 6.2 IP, 0 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 93 pitches.
Hot dang, look at you! That’s a Gold Star for Harris as he shocked trusting managers with a legit start nearly across the board (stupid “Singled Out!”). The curve was the heavy lifter here with the four-seamer carrying sub 15″ of iVB and I’m not convinced a corner has been turned. It’s more just walking down the street as your friend alerts you that we’ll need to make a turn, but we have not arrived quite yet. In fact, you may be arguing with said friend, contentiously suggesting how his “shortcut” will get us mugged. He’s more of an acquaintance.
River Ryan (LAD) vs SFG (ND) – 5.1 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 73 pitches.
He’s dope y’all. But the line is kinda meh? Yeah, it’s a bit unpolished at the moment (as expected – this was the first time he’s ever pitched in the sixth!), but the stuff, my gosh, THE STUFF. Ryan threw six different pitches, including beginning his career with a slider. Kinda bonkers. The heater does lack iVB with middling extension, but it is relatively flat (1.3 HAVAA is good) and doesn’t need to be a 40-50% usage pitch with his deep arsenal. In other words, he’s a kitchen-sink arm who happens to hit 98 mph and has a low-to-mid 90s cutter with a hard slider. There’s a curve for strikes, a change that fell too far armside, and a sinker that likely doesn’t need to exist more than 10% of the time inside to RHB. Seriously, he has all the tools you want, and he just needs to fine-tune his approach and precision a bit. Wait. This is like Buehler and Bobby all over again! Oh. Uhhhh. Hmmmm. That’s actually not a bad point. Nah, I’m not letting the fallacy of comparison get in the way here. I’m grabbing River everywhere I can. This raw ability rarely shows up in the bigs.
Javier Assad (CHC) vs MIL (ND) – 3.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 6 BBs, 2 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 76 pitches.
Six walks, eh? Welp, y’all don’t need me. Just push me off to Assad and carry on about your day.
Tarik Skubal (DET) @ CLE (W) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 10 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 97 pitches.
Aces gonna get Singled Out and still ace. Oh look, the changeup is still dope and makes us feel dope. WHAT A SURPRISE.
Carlos Rodón (NYY) vs TBR (W) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 10 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 37% CSW, 101 pitches.
Yessss. A King Cole for Gerrit’s teammate as the four-seamer sat 95 mph and landed upstairs, opening the door for sliders and curveballs galore underneath and they did not miss. This new version of Carlos where he can throw multiple secondaries at any point? It’s the best iPhone Rodón yet. Get on board, y’all.
Mitch Keller (PIT) vs STL (ND) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 97 pitches.
Three whiffs and so many hittable pitches. He may be getting away with this by virtue of multiple fastballs that confound batters (which one is it?) but you don’t need me to tell you that this is incredibly precarious.
Andre Pallante (STL) @ PIT (ND) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 98 pitches.
It’s all kinds of boring, but that’s what Andre does best. Props to you for taking advantage of a poor lineup, I’m sorry you gave me nothing to believe it’ll be replicated against the Rangers in your next start.
Tyler Anderson (LAA) @ SEA (ND) – 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks – 19 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 96 pitches.
Anderson has had a great changeup this year, but knew this was Seattle and did what you’re supposed to do against the Mariners – dominate with your four-seamer. Anderson’s heater earned ten whiffs en route to a Gallows Pole and all we can do is smile and nod at the man. Good on ya fella and thanks for everything that you do. Enjoy the Athletics up next.
Blake Snell (SFG) @ LAD (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 83 pitches.
I’m pretty shocked Snell’s four-seamer went 0/32 whiffs as it looked fantastic in this one, but that may have been the Dodgers’ doing as they targeted fastballs in this one, resulting in 10/36 curveball whiffs. His slider was the culprit for both runs, which came off the bat of Teoscar, the first a solo shot on a perfect slider down-and-in off the plate that was a fault of pitch selection, not execution, and that’s encouraging moving forward. He’s looking much more like the man we want him to be and I’d be stoked to have Snell moving forward. Great things are seemingly ahead.
Bailey Ober (MIN) vs PHI (W) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 83 pitches.
Hmmmm. On one hand, I’m stoked for this line against the Phillies. On the other, it wasn’t the precision I’m used to from Ober, with just 1/31 four-seamer whiffs and a decently productive cutter (not a stellar one). I like the first hand. Me too. Let’s roll with that.
Erick Fedde (CHW) @ TEX (ND) – 6.1 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 98 pitches.
Great command here from Fedde as he continues to be a solid Toby. I wasn’t keen on this start at all and to all of you who held onto Fedde and started him here, you’ve been rewarded massively with the Mariners up next, too. That’s the good stuff.
Tobias Myers (MIL) @ CHC (L) – 5.1 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 87 pitches.
Myers doesn’t blow me away unless he’s spotting a high heater or low breaker and he did both of those things at times in this one. I’m still a bit skeptical about his current run but he gets the Marlins next and I’ll stop talking now. That should be fine, of course.
David Peterson (NYM) @ MIA (W) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 4 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 19% CSW, 88 pitches.
There’s a Dusty Donut if I ever saw one. Tuckered away behind the cushion, you identify the strawberry glazed you’ve craved, ignoring its unwelcome texture as you try to focus on the sweet Win and digestible ERA. I will enjoy this. Sure you will. I really suggest moving on from Peterson – the whole approach doesn’t speak to sustainable fist-pumping into the air with satisfaction.
Michael Lorenzen (TEX) vs CHW (ND) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 8 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 94 pitches.
Thanks for the decent stream, Lorenzen. Can you go another frame without so many baserunners next time? K thx. So we’re starting him against the Jays? Oh. Um. Maybe? He doesn’t do any one thing particularly well, unless you count throwing multiple pitches a thing – he featured seven different pitch types across this one. Maybe that’s enough for the struggling Jays offense.
Cole Ragans (KCR) vs ARI (W) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 105 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. PEW PEW PEW. Velocity was still down at 94 mph here, sadly, while the cutter wasn’t a major factor, but the precision was certainly there for a PQS. Yes, I’m a little worried the velocity isn’t coming back after three starts, and yes, that’s not the most dominant of outings. I’m aware. We keep rolling with him, of course, and hope he rectifies the problem.
Ranger Suárez (PHI) @ MIN (L) – 5.1 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 79 pitches.
Oh wow, we’ve regressed all the way to 8% changeup CSW territory. Is that bad? It’s terrible. Is that bad? It’s a synonym for bad, but worse. Is that bad? YES IT’S BAD. I’m not saying we move on from Suárez as I expect him to return to form at some point but I’m maybe saying move on from Suárez if you can’t wait much longer. He’s a man of rhythm and is absolutely not in one now.
Reynaldo López (ATL) vs CIN (L) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 85 pitches.
Another messy start from López as the shine continues to fade. Not the same pitch separation we normally see from him and things didn’t go his way here. We’re not close to dropping him (especially with the Mets + Marlins up next) but I’m aware that this is two straight blegh outings after his absurd first half and it does seem like the sky is falling. That little chicken may have been on to something.
Spencer Arrighetti (HOU) @ OAK (L) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 94 pitches.
I think it’s best to stop trying to make the Pasta Pirate work until he demands we add him to our teams after multiple strong performances. It’s the only logical thing to do at this point.
Austin Gomber (COL) vs BOS (ND) – 5.2 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 101 pitches.
He did everything you’d want from his repertoire and it still wasn’t enough. That’s the Austin life. It’s somber Gomber.
Zack Littell (TBR) @ NYY (L) – 5.2 IP, 5 ER, 9 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 102 pitches.
Not a fun one in New York, but it doesn’t change course for Littell – he wasn’t a start to consider here, while a date hosting the Reds is at least considerable over the weekend.
Yonny Chirinos (MIA) vs NYM (L) – 5.0 IP, 5 ER, 9 Hits, 4 BBs, 4 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 89 pitches.
He tried to go Dancing With The Disco but the breaker and the sinker were both too easy to clobber + he needed more. The beat wasn’t funky enough, GIVE US MORE OCTAVE JUMPS. If I haven’t lost you yet, just read this whole thing as “Don’t start Yonny, ya turkey.”
Carlos Carrasco (CLE) vs DET (L) – 5.1 IP, 6 ER, 9 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 96 pitches.
He gave it his all and ultimately, his all isn’t the best thing out there anymore. It happens to the best of us.
Yilber Diaz (ARI) @ KCR (L) – 3.0 IP, 7 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 0 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 71 pitches.
Yilber chucked a whole lot of fastballs over the plate and the Royals obliged with a smile. HAISTBMBWT?! I think this Shag Rug should scare us all away from Yilber for a bit, at the very least.
Game of the Day
Jose Quintana vs. Luis Gil – I hope Quintana has his full command back + Gil continues his redemption tour.
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)
Where would you slot River Ryan on The List?