Lodolo Arigato

Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher’s performance from every Tuesday game. I apologize for the jokes written in my delirium in advance. Have questions? Ask me during my office hours on Twitch weekday mornings from 9 am-11 am ET.  

Nick Lodolo (CIN) vs NYM (ND) – 4.2 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 8 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 89 pitches.

Today featured a unique game with two significant starting pitchers facing each other in their returns from the Injured List and instead of the crusty vet no one has ever heard of, we’re going to lead with Nick Lodolo as he went 4.2 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 8 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 89 pitches against the Mets. His sinker found the zone aplenty, the curveball earned eight whiffs, and his changeup helped as a mix-up offering. In short, he was pretty dang good.

I wonder if Lodolo is something we can rely on in the second half. I’m a little skeptical that the overall command is good enough to prevent the horrendous outings, but he clearly has enough stuff to put away batters and I don’t see why he can’t get into a rhythm quickly to help your playoff run. He should be picked up in all 12-teamers for his start against the Rays, but let’s not act like Lodolo is a finished product at this point.

 

Let’s see how every other SP did Tuesday:

 

Sandy Alcantara (MIA) vs LAA (W) – 8.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 0 BBs, 10 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 107 pitches.

Aces gonna ace. Annnnd that’s why you leap-frogged Wheeler on The List today. My Sandy Crush shirt is arriving in the mail this week and I CAN’T WAIT.

Max Scherzer (NYM) @ CIN (ND) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 0 BBs, 11 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 44% CSW, 79 pitches.

Aces gonna ace. Fine Scherzer, you proved your point with this King Cole and a tick of extra velo. You’re in the first tier next week.

Cristopher Sánchez (PHI) vs WSH (W) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 60 pitches.

I know, you’re not very familiar with Sánchez. In short, he tosses 92 mph sinkers without the best command and mixes in some changeups…without the best command. That’s it? Pretty much. Seems kinda boring. Sure does.

Logan Gilbert (SEA) @ SD (W) – 5.1 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 1 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 101 pitches.

A near 1.70 WHIP and just one strikeout?! HAISTBMBWT?! The four-seamer is still solid and y’all know this tale by now. The dang secondaries have yet to come alive and it’s messing everything up. But hey, enjoy the low ERA and Win, that’s cool. All praise the four-seamer.

José Quintana (PIT) vs NYY (W) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 96 pitches.

This is getting wild. And by wild I mean absolutely not wild but super in control. His pitch separation is still stupid good (BSB!) with four-seamers up and curves/changeups down and I’m simply impressed at this near Vargas Rule from Quintana. Near? Yeah, now it’s the Brewers + Coors so goooood luck bucko. I ain’t doing it.

Drew Hutchison (DET) vs CLE (W) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 85 pitches.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.

Alex Wood (SF) @ ARI (ND) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 71 pitches.

Phew. It’s about dang time we had a nice and easy Alex Wood start, you know? It’ll be a bit tougher against the Padres next time, sadly, but at least he sat 92.8 mph in this one — a full tick higher than last year. If only his slider was as good, too.

Ian Anderson (ATL) vs STL (W) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 99 pitches.

Anderson got Singled Out here, but I didn’t see anything that points to Anderson being any different than what we’ve seen. Sure, he featured more pitches in the zone, but still erratic despite that control. He gets two straight dates with the Nationals now and I feel icky about it. He’s not there yet.

Ryan Pepiot (LAD) vs COL (W) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 85 pitches.

This was supposed to be Mitch White as our streaming pick, but they pushed him and the entire Dodgers rotation a day to give them rest and start Pepiot instead and I’m glad we finally saw some decent changeups. Some, not a whole lot, as he went just 38% strikes with the slowball and fortunately got away with heaters and cutters over the plate. I wouldn’t lean into this spot start and instead I’d Blame it on the Rockies. 

Tyler Gilbert (ARI) vs SF (ND) – 3.2 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 56 pitches.

A surprise start from Gilbert as he apparently threw eight different pitches in this one. Seriously, Statcast listed it as eight different pitches. He’s like an inebriated college kid making “the best meal ever” at 2:00 am. Anyway, avoid this for obvious reasons.

Noah Syndergaard (LAA) @ MIA (L) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 8 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 92 pitches.

I’m still weirded out by the slider, but the changeup was spotted well and he tastefully used fastballs just 25% of the time. I know, Syndergaard is not the man you used to know. His eight strikeouts seem like an overperformance to me (17% strikeout rate before this game) and I wouldn’t risk the Astros next.

Josh Winder (MIN) @ CWS (W) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 77 pitches.

Chris Archer was placed on the IL with a hip injury, bringing Winder into the rotation suddenly as he should make the next start against the Brewers as well. Do you really want that, though? Winder’s slider was alright, he spun some curves into the zone, and he generally sat around the edges and got some unfortunate BABIP luck, so yeah, maybe? I’d consider it in an AL-Only league, but not something I chase in standard leagues. Needs a little more oomph, you know? Double Zero mph? That’s a thing?! OOOOMPH. QUAD ZERO?! Ugh nevermind.

Kyle Hendricks (CHC) @ MIL (ND) – 3.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 69 pitches.

Hendricks left this one early with shoulder soreness because we can’t have nice things. The changeup usage was up once again and he already had 6/23 whiffs on the slowball. Sigh.

Adrian Martinez (OAK) vs TOR (W) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 82 pitches.

This ain’t it and that’s okay. I don’t think I’ll be a Rockie impression any time soon, Adrian.

Austin Voth (BAL) vs TEX (ND) – 4.1 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 18% CSW, 65 pitches.

Starting with Voth only works in the best Star Wars film. That’s Hoth. YOU’RE HOTH.

Cal Quantrill (CLE) @ DET (L) – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 84 pitches.

Oh come on Quantrill, you’ve gone 6+ with 3 ER or fewer against so many squads. Why are the Tigers the team that messes you up? Have you no logic in your actions?! HELP ME UNDERSTAND.

Jeffrey Springs (TB) @ BOS (ND) – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 82 pitches.

Womp womp. Despite featuring his slider all over, it earned a 40% CSW and just one hit and honestly, I don’t think Springs pitched poorly here. Bogaerts hit a solid fastball up, his changeup flirted with the edge, and the Red Sox won this battle. He’ll face them a second time next Monday and it’s not a forgone conclusion Springs falls again.

Mike Clevinger (SD) vs SEA (L) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 98 pitches.

Blegh. The slider was decent, the heater was okay, and Clev still has some work to do. Bummer, I was hoping his last start was the launching pad. Good luck with Coors, I think I’m benching there.

Germán Márquez (COL) @ LAD (L) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 7 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 104 pitches.

TonyLaRussaShockedFace.jpeg

Spencer Howard (TEX) @ BAL (ND) – 4.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 68 pitches.

This was 60% fastballs as NOTHING HAS CHANGED. Okay fine, 28% cutters at 32% CSW, but it ain’t enough. Sigh.

Paolo Espino (WSH) @ PHI (L) – 3.2 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 82 pitches.

There’s still hope that he can be a super desperate streamer at some point this season. This wasn’t it, but there will be a moment and ohhh I hope we can witness that game together.

Yusei Kikuchi (TOR) @ OAK (L) – 2.1 IP, 4 ER, 2 Hits, 5 BBs, 0 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 54 pitches.

Yep, that last start was in fact a Dennis. At least we know now for sure.

Luis Garcia (HOU) vs KC (W) – 6.1 IP, 5 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 88 pitches.

Awwww. A pair of homers + a touch of Careful, Icarus ruined this one for Garcia as he didn’t have his best four-seamer. The cutter and curve were legit, though, and that gives me hope this was just a misstep, not a start of a downward trend.

Jameson Taillon (NYY) @ PIT (L) – 5.1 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 94 pitches.

Blegh. Taillon just faced the Athletics and Pirates and allowed 8 ER in both games combined. Hmmmm. And now it’s the Red Sox twice. How badly do you feel like you need to hold onto Taillon? Wouldn’t you rather chase Lodolo?

Jason Alexander (MIL) vs CHC (L) – 5.1 IP, 6 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 94 pitches.

Soooo what’s the point? NOTHING! It’s a starter who gives you NOTHING! Uhhhh huh.

Zack Greinke (KC) @ HOU (L) – 5.0 IP, 6 ER, 10 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 80 pitches.

Yeah, you don’t start Greinke against the Astros. Y’all know that.

Michael Kopech (CWS) vs MIN (L) – 4.2 IP, 6 ER, 8 Hits, 4 BBs, 5 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 87 pitches.

He sat just 94 mph on the heater, lost some batters (he had a high strike rate despite the four walks!), and featured too many pitches in the heart of the plate against a team that will punish you. He’ll see the Twins in two weeks, but hey, at least the Tigers are in between? Please sit 96+ mph there, k thx. I know this was the Twins, but I’m getting a little tired asking for that velocity from Kopech.

Nick Pivetta (BOS) vs TB (L) – 5.2 IP, 7 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 85 pitches.

Oh no. THE DAY HATH COME. I was hoping we’d just ride off into the sunset of October together, Pivetta, but this was reminiscent of the dark days. Breakers all over the place, fastballs leaking to the heart of the plate, it was rough. And now you get the Yankees twice? Seriously?! That just doesn’t seem fair. I’ve been calling this a Vargas Rule, which means once he hits the wall, ya bounce like a rubber ball, but I can see some people hoping that he can rebound. I dunno, I feel like that’s going to make this even worse. Good luck.

Andre Pallante (STL) @ ATL (L) – 3.2 IP, 7 ER, 10 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 96 pitches.

Yeaaaaaah. The intrigue is gone. Poof. There it was and now isn’t.

 

Game of the Day 

 

Brayan Bello vs. Tampa Bay Rays – I’m excited to watch his MLB debut and I hope he does enough to earn a spot in the weakened Red Sox rotation.

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)