Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher’s performance from every Sunday game. I apologize for the jokes written in my delirium in advance. Have questions? Ask me during my office hours on Twitch.tv weekday mornings from 10 am-12 pm ET.
Connor Prielipp (MIN) vs ATH (W) – 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 72 pitches.
I was incredibly enthusiastic about Connor Prielipp after his few outings in the majors, but when his slider fell out of style and his changeup/curve weren’t coming along, my admiration dwindled and I moved on. He had a flurry of productive starts at the end of June before hitting the IL officially with a blister injury and all I could do is wonder if he’d return with the same love for his curveball, while still nailing the backfoot slider and hopefully keeping the changeup down. Scouring the box score, you’ll see 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 72 pitches (W), but what does it mean? What does it MEAN?!
I’m surprised to tell you that Prielipp not only didn’t have the best results on his breakers (45% strikes between curves and sliders on 22 thrown = bleeeegh), he also favored a shocking pitch against RHB – his sinker. The pitch that I wanted him to pitch more to lefties during his initial outings is not featured more than any other offering to RHB at 29% usage. Wild, I know. Or rather, it wasn’t wild. It had a 64% zone rate and returned five outs on five balls in play. It was exactly what he needed. And I don’t like it.
It’s just not a great offering, and its success may have simply been a product of a wounded lineup that read a completely different scouting report. That said, despite the few strikes, his secondaries were competitive and in their right places – curveballs backdoor, sliders inside, and changeups down and away. I dig all of that and with a matchup against the Mariners @TEA ahead, I think it’s worthwhile to take a gamble on Prielipp as he extends past 72 pitches and back into the realm of 80 and beyond. I imagine the unlikely replication of sinker success will be balanced by better results on the secondaries, and we’ll all have a grand ole time as this rookie gets the reps he needs in the majors. Just don’t hold on too tight unless he gives us a lovely show first. (View Game Card)
Let’s see how every other SP did Sunday:
Drew Rasmussen (TBR) vs CLE (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 87 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. It’s so nice to have one of those “Ah, right, Rasmussen is dope and makes us feel dope” starts again. He pulled back on his cutter to make way for more changeups and sinkers to LHB, and that’s completely fine with me. Whatever works, Drew, your stuff is too good. (View Game Card)
Reynaldo López (ATL) @ BAL (ND) – 5.2 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 89 pitches.
Oh hey! You’re not completely down and out. Suitman whispers into my ear. He sat WHAT?! Suitman whis– No, I heard you. 92 mph is not even close to the 94/95 mph we wanted to see and that should worry you. I’m not touching this against the Nationals on Friday. (View Game Card)
José Soriano (LAA) @ SFG (W) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 85 pitches.
That’s four straight decent outings from Soriano on paper, but I wouldn’t say this was prime Soriano. He struggled to execute his game plan and if it weren’t for his four-seamers earning 61% strikes, all four of his pitches would have failed to eclipse a 58% clip. He’s still chaotic as always and I’m going to Blame it on the Giants. (View Game Card)
Ranger Suarez (BOS) vs TOR (ND) – 4.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 64 pitches.
It was a Still ILL for Suarez given the haze surrounding his pitch count and, obviously, questioning what kind of rhythm he’d be able to find. I was thrilled to see dotted sinkers and sliders to LHB + cutters getting up-and-in to RHB without issue. The changeup, curve, and four-seamer left a little to be desired, and I’m not suuuper confident against the Dodgers on Friday, especially with a low pitch count here, but we could see him push 80 and give you some production. (View Game Card)
Parker Messick (CLE) @ TBR (L) – 7.2 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 94 pitches.
Awwwww yis. We’re at 95 mph with a ton of heaters for strikes, then changeups living underneath without fear. That’s two straight now for Messick and 95 mph and this is the good life, y’all. WE’RE BACK. (View Game Card)
Jacob deGrom (TEX) vs SEA (ND) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 90 pitches.
Aces gonna aceish. It’s okay. His stuff really should return a better start than this, but whatever, we move on. (View Game Card)
Jacob Misiorowski (MIL) vs COL (W) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 Hits, 0 BBs, 12 Ks – 26 Whiffs, 41% CSW, 83 pitches.
Aces gonna make us all laugh. It’s just so dumb. Here, take the Golden Goal. You sat 102.8 mph and struck out 12 batters in your first 14 outs. IT’S SO DUMB. (View Game Card)
Emmet Sheehan (LAD) @ NYM (ND) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 87 pitches.
Little by little, Sheehan is chipping away at his ratios. Pretty dope to see a 46% O-Swing on his four-seamer at 45% usage and just a 28% zone rate. He’ll host the Sawx up next and that should be another helpful outing. Keep holding. (View Game Card)
Janson Junk (MIA) vs SDP (ND) – 4.2 IP, 1 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 75 pitches.
Once again, the Marlins are pulling him too dang soon. He allowed a single and a double in the fifth and got the quick hook at 75 pitches. Let the man figure it out and get himself a potential Win! But that 0-2 sweeper was so terrible to Machado. Then let him throw a better one to the next guy and fix his mistake. Anyway, I’m not thrilled with 57% four-seamers to LHB when he’s just chucking em down the pipe, and I’m still waiting for a start to show up that truly gets me amped to the point that one man’s junk is this man’s treasure. (View Game Card)
Shane Baz (BAL) vs ATL (ND) – 4.1 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 90 pitches.
Baz is doing one thing right – he’s recognizing that his curveball is his best pitch and he’s throwing it more. Unfortunately, LHB can handle the hook these days, with a trio of hits off the pitch and just one strikeout on 18 thrown in two-strike counts. Yikes. I still find it difficult to lean into Baz on 12-team rosters until he finds a #3 pitch that is better than his cutter and changeup. I’m out against the Phillies up next. (View Game Card)
Kyle Leahy (STL) vs CIN (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 102 pitches.
Hot dang, look at you! That’s a Gold Star for Leahy, who found a whole bunch of strikeouts against the Reds. I watched these and…this was weird. A trio of sliders were stellar to RHB and the rest were unlikely to be repeated, from high breakers that worked to very hittable sinkers not getting punished down the heart of the plate. In the end, a super high 75% two-strike rate propelled the nine punchouts, and as much as I really want to believe that Leahy is finally becoming the guy I dreamed of in the winter, I just can’t lean into a pair of successful games against the Angels and the Reds Carpet (that’s still retired, right?). Suitman whispers into my ear. Oh, it’s @TOR and Rockie Road next? Hmmm, it’s tempting, but I’m still out. The heaters are just too blegh and I don’t believe he’s a good command arm. (View Game Card)
Andrew Abbott (CIN) @ STL (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 4 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 100 pitches.
Abbott will always be a weird one. He’s going high four-seamer out of the zone with lower changeups and curveballs + sweepers all over the place, but it kinda works…? I’m worried by his velo drop, less extension, and far less movement on both the curveball and fastball, while the heater went from 92 mph in the first to 90.1 mph in the 6th. Paired with his four walks, it has the image of an injury, but maybe it just one of those days. (View Game Card)
Walker Buehler (SDP) @ MIA (ND) – 5.1 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 92 pitches.
Hot dang, that’s a lovely start for Buehler. He’s going full kitchen sink still, with at least four pitch types to each LHB and RHB, and his cutter/change first to LHB is decent. Nothing spectacular that I’d latch onto, but in your deeeep formats, take note that he’ll host the Giants on Saturday. That could be good enough for what you need. (View Game Card)
Framber Valdez (DET) vs KCR (ND) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 97 pitches.
At least it’s not horrific…? Nah, he’s still struggling a ton. His 60% curveball strike rate eclipsed his sinker’s 57% clip and wasn’t in such a groove that it could take the struggling heater by the hand. He’s really just not himself, y’all, and if you haven’t dropped yet, I’m struggling to find a reason not to outside of blind faith in the man. (View Game Card)
Luinder Avila (KCR) @ DET (ND) – 4.1 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 4 BBs, 2 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 89 pitches.
Just when I was starting to raise an eyebrow, Avila shoves that thing down with both fingers. Naaaah, I know I just had seven strikeouts, but don’t forget, I collected marks of four, four, and three across my previous three starts! How could I ever forget? Avila doesn’t get to two-strikes against a ton of batters in the first place, let alone have a de facto strikeout pitch in the arsenal, despite how much the slider wants to be it. With Coors, Cubs, and Dodgers up next, I don’t recommend living Avila loca. (View Game Card)
Freddy Peralta (NYM) vs LAD (ND) – 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 93 pitches.
Look, we’re all hoping Peralta can turn it around, but for the first game of a redemption tour to begin against the Dodgers is a really tough ask. And now it’s a heating-up Marlins offense, then @PIT, then Atlanta…Yeesh, can this guy catch a break? Well, probably. There has to be a team willing to give Peralta a shot at the deadline and his next start would be Friday. It’s very possible a team wants to jump in before then. Otherwise, it might be Friday night away from Freddy’s game. (View Game Card)
Cristopher Sánchez (PHI) vs NYY (ND) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 101 pitches.
Yeaaaah a VPQS isn’t the outing I was looking for to maintain your AGA label. It’s kinda wild that we’re all the way back to a 1.20 WHIP from Sánchez, the floor I was so scared about in the pre-season after he posted a 1.24 mark in 2024. I do think we’ll get a productive arm the rest of the way, but that’s not nearly as much of a lock as it felt at the start of June. You know, even if I completely remove his 9 ER outing on July 6th, Sánchez holds a 3.64 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 24% strikeout rate since June 14th, across seven starts. I’m not saying it’s atrocious, I’m saying that’s not an ace. (View Game Card)
Kevin Gausman (TOR) @ BOS (L) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 98 pitches.
I know it’s a PQS, which isn’t a good ERA for standard formats, but this is good for a dude who has been on a mega downturn lately. Steps, not leaps, y’all. Here’s to a few more outings to get his ghastly 4.51 ERA and 1.27 WHIP back to normal. (View Game Card)
Logan Gilbert (SEA) @ TEX (ND) – 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 93 pitches.
Aces gonna have an unfortunate fourth inning with two infield singles (almost a nifty double play in there) that led to a pair of runs. His heater failed to go upstairs a whole lot in this one, but I’d say the poor execution of his splitter, change, and curve did their fair share of undermining to lead to a low 3/39 whiff mark on the mega heater. So it goes with Gilbert, you just keep riding him regardless. This is fine. (View Game Card)
Erick Fedde (CHW) vs HOU (ND) – 4.1 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 68 pitches.
Fedde, you should be throwing that cutter more often, but if you’re going to leave it over the middle of the plate to LHB, then fine, do something else. I still think you ought to give it a larger desk in your office while your sweeper and sinker combine for just two whiffs in 75% usage. JUST SAYIN’. (View Game Card)
Miles Mikolas (WSN) vs ARI (ND) – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks – 1 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 63 pitches.
Yeeeeep. That’s Mikolas. Giving us a start where we barely mutter HAISTBMBWT?! Ignore the caps, it was just for show. (View Game Card)
Braxton Ashcraft (PIT) vs CHC (W) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 93 pitches.
Oh dear, that’s four clunkers in his last five games, and yes, it’s another rooted in failure against LHB. I’m going to blame the curveball for taking the lead at 39% usage but landing just half for strikes, forcing too many fastballs and sliders over the plate at the wrong time. He’s not so far off and he was Singled Out a bit in the fourth frame, so I’d keep chugging along with him. I do need to take him down a notch on The List tomorrow, though, as much as I hate to do it. (View Game Card)
Carson Whisenhunt (SFG) vs LAA (L) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 38% CSW, 78 pitches.
I know it looks bad, but I kinda loved this start. Whisenhunt went extreme SWATCH with a 30% zone rate on his change and even lower 26% clip with his four-seamer. It meant BSB save for a few mistakes, including two HRs for three runs in the fourth. But hot DANG did that changeup do some work. We’re talking 15/33 whiffs for a 45% SwStr rate on 42% usage. That’s BONKERS. Now, I wish that four-seamer could do better than a 44% strike rate to help him out just a little, and if he’s able to rear back for the 95+ mph velocity of February/March and not the 92 mph of now, then we’d have a legit SWATCH rookie on our hands. He’ll get the Padres and Rangers up next, you may want to consider that in deeper formats. The approach is there and clearly capable of missing bats. (View Game Card)
Kohl Drake (ARI) @ WSN (ND) – 4.0 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 1 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 64 pitches.
He’s trying to be a discount SWATCH and there may be something to that in time, but certainly not against the Nationals in his second professional outing. He’s a desperate play against the Guardians on Saturday (but your bread will likely be buttered, if even just a little), and if the Sneks make any deals at the deadline, Drake could get a full runway for the reason of the season. Let him fight. (View Game Card)
Jeffrey Springs (ATH) @ MIN (L) – 1.1 IP, 4 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 0 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 19% CSW, 36 pitches.
The last time Springs had sunshine and rainbows with five frames under 3 ER and at least three strikeouts was May 27th. I guess that’s because springs became summers, eh? I’ll see myself out…oh wait, hold on. Before I go, I should tell you Springs left this one with a hip injury and Luis Morales came on for a solid relief appearance of 4.2 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 89 pitches (ND). We saw the fella turn up the velocity to his pre-TJS days via 98/99 mph four-seamers while the slider worked beautifully at 87 mph for a 23% SwStr rate. If Morales can find the zone with both of those pitches often, then he can be a decent two-pitch arm, but it is Empty Velocity and the slider gets 6-10 inches of lift, making me worry a bit about its potential. If he does step into this rotation spot, he’d get the Tigers next in Sacré Verde and I wouldn’t gamble on that outside of AL-Only leagues. (View Game Card)
Ronel Blanco (HOU) @ CHW (L) – 5.1 IP, 5 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 85 pitches.
Blanco is doing what he’s always done – avoid the zone with four-seamers and feature changeups + sliders galore. It works best when Blanco faces more RHB to attack with his breakers than LHB, and it’s hard to avoid damage on his arsenal over the plate to left-handers. I wouldn’t rule out a productive outing against at least one of TEX, @SDP, @SFG in his next three games, but if you’re trying to figure out which one to choose, your guess is as good as mine. (View Game Card)
Kyle Freeland (COL) @ MIL (L) – 5.1 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 87 pitches.
It’s a 7.34 ERA and 1.55 WHIP across nearly 100 innings this season. It’s hard for me to refrain from wondering how tough that must be mentally. He’s 2-10 right now. It’s not fun in Colorado. (View Game Card)
Will Warren (NYY) @ PHI (ND) – 3.0 IP, 6 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 68 pitches.
Oh no. It’s been a disaster every other start for Warren for the last five, and the same problems are here. The four-seamer and sinker are not skirting by in (and out) of the zone as they once did, while the secondaries aren’t overwhelming batters. The sweeper was a good strike pitch to RHB, but it’s rarely missing bats and I have to wonder if the Yankees consider Warren as the arm to push to the pen if a logjam happens via Rodón or the trade deadline, not Weathers. In the meantime, a trip to Wrigley and hosting the Cardinals is not the most ideal circumstance, and I highly recommend scouring the wire if you haven’t already. A good streaming option is likely worthwhile to replace Warren unless you are desperate for a dub. (View Game Card)
Jameson Taillon (CHC) @ PIT (L) – 4.0 IP, 7 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 69 pitches.
I was really hoping that a reunion at his old training grounds would carry some magic, but alas, it’s just that kind of year for Jameson. The pitches he left over the plate got hid and now he has to face the Yankees, Dodgers, and Nationals. Oooof. Yeaaaah. I’m not sure he’s going to last there much longer with the deadline approaching. (View Game Card)
Game of the Day
Max Fried vs. Noah Schultz – I’m curious how long the Yanks will let Fried go + I wonder if Schultz has it in him to get through a tough Yankee lineup.
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 Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter/X; @justinparadis.bsky.social on BlueSky)
