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 Twitch.tv weekday mornings from 10 am-12 pm ET.
Noah Cameron (KCR) @ MIN (ND) – 8.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 97 pitches.
Yes, in fact, we still had the camera watching Noah Cameron for two straight games after he allowed at least 5 ER in four of five straight, and boy are we happy it was. Last week we saw him go seven shutout with eight strikeouts and he backed up the results by flipping the frames and punchouts with eight shutout and seven strikeouts against the Twins – 8.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 97 pitches ND). Hot DANG.
This wasn’t sheer good fortune. Not only did Cameron’s plan of attack work wonders with just 22% fastballs (only three PAs ended on a fastball – a walk to start the game and two outs), but those secondaries are better than ever. He’s added 1-2 ticks of velocity on curveballs and four-seamers, added drop to his slowball, cutter, and slide piece, and vastly improved his feel in and out of the zone. It’s truly taking me back to his fantastic run last season, where he also boasted 93/94 mph fastballs with absurdly low zone rates, like tonight’s 30% clip. It’s by design.
The true standout tonight was the changeup and its 22% SwStr rate, though the cutter’s 45% CSW was the 90/91 mph strike pitch it needed to be, and it’s kinda filthy, looking like other flamethrower’s gyro slider at 91/92. Yes, the curveball was bounced and hung a few too many times, but he featured it mostly in two-strike counts and look at that! Three of seven strikeouts on the pitch.
You can Blame it on the Tigers/Twins for his last two starts if you must, but at least the next one is Minnesota again, and why not? Let’s see if that velo bump sticks around again (yes, there’s a clear correlation in a velo boost last start and this one vs. the 92+ mph prior), and if he can continue to return whiffs and 75% weak contact on balls in play. If not, we send him back to the wire for the Dodgers, sound good? Sorry I wasn’t listening. Ugh, BOBBY! Yeah? ARE YOU SURE THIS CAMERA’S ON? Yeah, Cameron looks dope. I’d say he’s on. THANKS BOBBY. (View Game Card)
Let’s see how every other SP did Thursday:
Ryan Weathers (NYY) @ CHW (ND) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 106 pitches.
That’s back-to-back productive outings from Weathers, even if this one was a struggle for Weathers to put batters away at a terrible 33% putaway rate across all batters faced in a two-strike count. Blegh. No HRs, though, and a fair amount of weak contact. I don’t love a start hosting the Cardinals up next, but we’re riding this one out. At least he shouldn’t be heading to the bullpen after this. (View Game Card)
Sean Burke (CHW) vs NYY (ND) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 10 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 91 pitches.
This due. This. DUDE. I kinda wanna give him the AGA label as he’s now fanned 40 across four of his last five games, and a 35% strikeout rate in his last eight. It’s unreal. His cutter to LHB was disgusting and to see Burke with a third secondary pitch to supplement the improved four-seamer is a joy to see, especially in a game where said fastball held a lackluster 53% strike rate and his ole reliable curveball continued to fly out of his hand up-and-armside to LHB for a horrible 38% strike rate. Yeesh. That’s a part of his game I haven’t seen yet – when the four-seamer needs help + a main secondary is terrible, a true ace has a backup plan to stay on track. That was the slider stepping up for 85% strikes and a 30% SwStr rate + that deadly cutter and 8/11 sinker strikes. He’s really something right now. (View Game Card)
Eury Pérez (MIA) @ NYM (ND) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 97 pitches.
Last start we saw Pérez confound me by cutting his four-seamer usage in order to split fastball time with the sinker. It doesn’t make sense to me – the four-seamer is one of the best in the business. So what does he do? Why, throw sinkers over four-seamers at a 3:1 ratio. 39 sinkers vs. 13 four-seamers. NOW YOU’RE JUST TOYING WITH ME. Nick, it was a good start! The sinker was good! It also led to both runs scoring, I’M JUST SAYING (second was a dribbler turned error, let me do the bit). Let’s just say that this sinker is just as good as his four-seamer, with 14/14″ mirrored two-plane movement over the 19/10″ four-seamer movement. Just throwing it out there. The real question is if he has secondaries to join it into battle and he kinda does. The sweeper is weirding me out with its stupid high lift, sometimes at 13″ vert and that just feels so wrong, but the slider’s velocity has bumped to 90 mph at 5″ vert and we’ll take that all day, especially at 80% strikes. In other words, sinker or four-seamer, if Pérez is pairing it with a consistent secondary, I’m super happy. So are you happy? THRILLED. (View Game Card)
Robbie Ray (SFG) @ SDP (ND) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 86 pitches.
THANK YOU. This was Ray going 31% four-seamers upstairs, throwing them 50% more often than his sinker. And, hey! I like the sinker! Mixing it well with the four-seamer is how this should work, and it was the true hero of his one as his changeup, curveball, and slider were heavily inconsistent. We’re still not where we want Ray to be – Four-seamer + slider dominance, hopefully with changeups killing it, too. And the sinker can hang out if he brings snacks – but at least he’s back to leaning into what should make him tick. (View Game Card)
Javier Assad (CHC) @ STL (ND) – 4.1 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 83 pitches.
So close. Too many foul balls and not enough outs in play off his fastballs equates to a hook in the fifth frame before he could give me a shot at a streaming victory. Sigh. I SHOULD HAVE PICKED CAMERON. Assad gets the Dodgers next, and that’s a very easy pass. (View Game Card)
Marco Gonzales (TEX) @ TBR (L) – 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 68 pitches.
This was a bullpen game for the Rangers as they pushed Eovaldi back a day. It was just the second time we saw Marco all season – I guess someone finally shouted POLO two weeks ago – and I’m not sure how much more we’ll see of him this year. Yes, you can forget all about this now. (View Game Card)
Shane McClanahan (TBR) vs TEX (ND) – 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 0 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 49 pitches.
McShane left this one early with a lower back injury that may put him on the IL. I really had to jinx it on the latest episode of The Craft, didn’t I. I really hope he’s okay. (View Game Card)
Nolan McLean (NYM) vs MIA (ND) – 6.1 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 99 pitches.
Hmmmm. This isn’t quite the AGA level start I wanted to see. McLean focused mostly on 50% fastballs + 25% curveballs, and he struggled to find the feel for the hook, while the collection of changeups, cutters, sliders, and sweepers existed, all generally earning strikes, but all were far from polished as well. He’s not there yet. I’m still starting him n all, but he’s not that dude yet. (View Game Card)
Andre Pallante (STL) vs CHC (ND) – 6.1 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 90 pitches.
Ehhhhh, it’s a Dusty Donut for Quality Start leagues, but a near 1.50 WHIP with a trio of strikeouts is all kinds of meh. You may not believe it, but Koufax was kind to let his four-seamer go 8/10 outs in play, and even if the slider was effective to RHB and he kept his sinker along the edge of the inside corner for a lovely 38% O-Swing, it’s still just nah. I think you can do better. (View Game Card)
Rhett Lowder (CIN) vs PIT (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 90 pitches.
Hot dang, look at you! A Gold Star for Lowder against the RHP-loving Pirates. His slider did some serious work at 41% CSW in 30% usage, while the changeup earned early whiffs and a collection of outs, and fastballs found enough strikes to set up the breaker. He’s not terrible, y’all, and with the Res possibly dealing at least one of their starters, you’re very likely to see a whole lot of Lowder in the second half. There are sure to be some good chances to stream him and I’m down. (View Game Card)
Bailey Ober (MIN) vs KCR (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 79 pitches.
Huge props to Ober – he’s back over 87 mph! CELEBRATE. No, this cannot be something you rely upon heavily, but I can’t deny that he has a few productive outings here and there (5 ER in three of his last four combined) and he’ll face the Royals a second time ahead. And yet…I truly can’t endorse this. (View Game Card)
Roki Sasaki (LAD) vs SEA (ND) – 5.1 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 7 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 39% CSW, 90 pitches.
Ayyyy, the triple-digits are still here as he sat 99.1 mph for the game, but more importantly, his splitter command stuck around for another game, promoting a Golden Goal for the young fella. It looks like he’s throwing two types of splitters again – one a touch harder (91-93) and more vert and the other with more depth at 89/90, which could be the forkball…? – and whatever the execution is, this is working with the increased velocity. (View Game Card)
Hunter Barco (PIT) @ CIN (L) – 3.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 72 pitches.
He was opened for by Yohan Ramírez, who put on a little bit of a show with four strikeouts in two frames via legit sinkers and sweepers, while Barco put on a…uniform. And pitched. And it happened. And we all went home. I truly don’t see a pitcher of note here. Can I go now?
Mason Barnett (ATH) vs BOS (ND) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 73 pitches.
I didn’t expect much from Barnett given he was stretched out to just over 50 pitches prior, and he came out firing four-seamers at a 42% CSW clip with a bit extra vert and a touch less cut at 95/96 mph. It’s a pretty dang good heater if he can jam LHB with it effectively, and the rest of his arsenal looks like legit stuff pitches, but he’s still figuring out how to effectively locate the package to make it all work. Expect this experiment to continue and keep your eye on it. If he gets up to 85+ pitches and can locate, there is fantasy value with a big -16/17″ sweeper at 84 mph that often comes with fantastic -7″ drop, a good 86+ two-plane slider, and a big kick-change to go with the cut-fastball. (View Game Card)
Grant Holmes (ATL) vs WSN (ND) – 4.2 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 69 pitches.
I don’t know how REB has a 3.88 ERA on the year. Because he’s had just one game above 3 ER. Yeah, but he’s completed six frames just once since May 17th and it’s a 3.95 ERA across the last 12 games. And a 1.45 WHIP. Which would normally tell me he’s not allowing HRs, but NOPE, that’s 1.81 HR/9. HOW IS HE DOING THIS. (View Game Card)
JP Sears (SDP) vs SFG (ND) – 3.2 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 67 pitches.
Blegh. There isn’t another juice for the squeeze. Gas in the tank. Ink in the pen. Yarn in the barn? No, that just rhymes. Spill in the quill? Well, that’s the one I said but a little cooler, I guess. Kinda rude. My bad. We also saw 65 pitches of Randy Vásquez appear in this one and it was nice to see his cutter earning 4/20 whiffs at a 20% rate once again as he went 4.2 IP of scoreless baseball. And…Yes, and just one strikeout. HAISTBMBWT?! I’m glad you got that out of your system. I need it so badly. (View Game Card)
Sonny Gray (BOS) @ ATH (W) – 7.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 97 pitches.
That marks three Gray outings, but at least there’s a Win and, more importantly, his feel for the sweeper is back. SWEET. If only Koufax wasn’t so cruel with everything else. Now it’s the White Sox + Jays and I’d expect Sonny skies ahead. (View Game Card)
Jake Irvin (WSN) @ ATL (L) – 5.0 IP, 5 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 1 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 16% CSW, 61 pitches.
Oh hey! He’s back! And I wish he allowed just one fewer ER. Aw, you really do root for the pitcher! What, oh. Well, I do, but nah, I just wanted his line to be 5,4,3,2,1. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN COOL. Anyway, he’s throwing a much harder cutter now near 91 mph (not 88/89) but it sure didn’t do him a whole lot of good when his signature curveball returned 1/17 whiffs and just 53% strikes. Womp womp. I’m sure there’ll be a cool start at some point this second half and I’ll let you know if that’s real. Probably not, unless it has the upped velocity we saw before his injury (which wasn’t here). (View Game Card)
Bryan Woo (SEA) @ LAD (ND) – 5.0 IP, 5 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 8 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 91 pitches.
Oh dear. Two sliders caused all five runs – one hung to Betts, the other in the nitro zone for a three-run blast to Rushing – and yet, the pitch returned 7/19 whiffs overall. Otherwise, this was legit Woo with four-seamers and sinkers doing a mighty fine job at the top of the zone with tons of weak contact (again, not the slider) and I’m truly not worried about him. Was this really a product of his home/road split? Or was it just the result of a few pitches at the wrong time? Well, who cares, he hosts the Tigers up next and he’s clearly healthy at 96/97 mph velocity and some of the best pitch separation he’s had for a while. (View Game Card)
Game of the Day
Paul Skenes vs. Hunter Greene – Excuse me?! They actually allow dope matchups like this to happen?!
But Nick?! Where are the streaming picks? – I’ve moved them to the daily SP Matchups & Streamer Rankings article.
Have Questions? – Join my morning Twitch.tv livestream! I answer all questions there for free: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm ET Monday through Friday.
Photo by WJ/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter/X; @justinparadis.bsky.social on BlueSky)
