Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher’s performance from every Wednesday 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.
Jake Bennett (BOS) @ CHW (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 81 pitches.
As we near the All-Star Break, there are a few names emerging as arms that could potentially carry teams throughout the second half. Jake Bennett is making a case to be one of those league-winning pitchers with his production across his first handful of big league starts.
He continued his string of starts in which he’s pitched into the seventh inning or deeper, tossing 7 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 81 pitches (W) on the South Side of Chicago. The outing lowered his ERA to 2.64 and his WHIP to 0.94, marks that suggest Bennett needs to be rostered and held everywhere.
He does it with excellent command of an arsenal that doesn’t really stand out. He’s made the BSB his signature approach, dotting four-seamers upstairs paired with low changeups. Sinkers find the zone in between while a trio of secondaries (cutters, sweepers, curveballs) keeps batters on their toes at around 5% usage apiece.
There’s not much to it. However, his pristine command hasn’t elicited the same ceiling we’ve seen from similarly rostered arms. In my mind, I’ve been linking Bennett to Rays’ southpaw Ian Seymour – two AL East lefties coming into their own at the same time. Seymour has displayed a consistent strikeout ceiling that sets pitchers apart in standard 12-team leagues. Bennett topped out at nine strikeouts in a surprisingly successful outing in Coors, but has failed to fan more than six in any other start. He did that just once (in his last start) and has only eclipsed four Ks just one other time.
His stuff isn’t overwhelming, but a 13% overall SwStr% suggests he should boast a strikeout rate north of 20% at the very least. Maybe the tradeoff is worthwhile, as Bennett has ended at-bats early, allowing him to efficiently pitch deep into games without inflating his pitch count. His batted ball luck is somewhat sustainable too, as he has an innate ability to induce weak grounders with his low changeups and sinkers.
It all makes for a floor that appears stable as long as he maintains his pristine command. There’s a ceiling, albeit lower than his peers, that’s worth chasing. He’s a traditional SWATCH that gets the most out of his 93 mph heaters with 7+ feet of extension and plenty of armside run. We’re definitely starting him vs BAL next, and we’ll get a real good idea of how tightly we should hold him with Sacré Verde and @LAD afterwards. Hopefully, he swishes those from half court, leaving the net swaying in the wake of his dominance. (View Game Card)
Let’s see how every other SP did Wednesday:
Dylan Cease (TOR) @ SFG (W) – 8.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hit, 3 BBs, 11 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 118 pitches.
The Blue Jays let Cease throw 118 pitches?! He had a no-hitter going into the ninth before it was broken up by a leadoff single. That makes sense. I’m also a little grateful that manager John Schneider was willing to give Cease a shot at history. It didn’t work out, but he still dominated on his way to a King Cole. This wasn’t even peak Cease, as he didn’t have his best control (does he ever have great control?) and was lucky to return 13 outs on 14 balls in play. Thanks, Koufax. He should count himself fortunate that the upcoming All-Star Break will allow him to properly recover from this high pitch count. (View Game Card)
Shane McClanahan (TBR) vs NYY (W) – 6.1 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 85 pitches.
We’re back to averaging nearly 97 mph on heaters and inducing double-digit whiffs. We haven’t witnessed the ceiling McClanahan displayed prior to his two-year absence, but he has remained remarkably consistent this year. That’s now back-to-back scoreless outings, dropping his ERA to 2.83 through 17 starts. As long as he’s pumping his heater in the upper 90s and pairing it with his dastardly changeup downstairs, he’s gonna have a good time. Especially when that slowball dominates to the tune of nine whiffs and 43% CSW. Just stay healthy, and McClanafans will be cheering all over the country. (View Game Card)
Jared Jones (PIT) vs ATL (ND) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 0 BBs, 8 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 77 pitches.
The madman did it. He heard our prayers. Stop doing that! We said. Complete five innings! We pleaded. Begging is always the answer. Jones finally capitalized on the potential of his elite stuff. After seven starts in which he completed the fifth frame just once, he did the unthinkable and completed six innings. Not just that, he did so immaculately. The Pirates have been unwilling to push his pitch count, so he didn’t get a shot at history, but if he’s going to be this dope, we don’t need the full nine. Instead of the expanded arsenal that got me excited in his season debut, this was all fastballs and sliders, as he threw just two changeups and curveballs. Four-seamers were fouled off 17 times, both limiting his whiff potential and saving him from potential damage, while sliders dominated to the tune of seven whiffs and a whopping 55% CSW. It’s been tough starting him recently, but the stuff is undeniable, and after this, we gotta let him fly @CLE after the All-Star Break. (View Game Card)
Randy Dobnak (KCR) @ NYM (L) – 5.2 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 19% CSW, 95 pitches.
Following opener Steven Cruz, Dobnak got another chance to provide bulk relief for the ailing Royals who are trying to find replacements for Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic. He’s the same pitcher he’s always been, he just has a new sweeper now. With just 1/11 whiffs and 45% strikes, it doesn’t look like the pitch that will finally unlock the strikeout potential that has remained quietly dormant in Dobnak for 31 years. I doubt he’s still on the pitching staff in the second half. (View Game Card)
Troy Melton (DET) vs ATH (W) – 5.1 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 91 pitches.
I had doubted Melton had a ceiling worth chasing and holding tightly in standard leagues as he held a 15% strikeout rate through his first five starts. However, he’s proven me wrong by breaking his season-high strikeout mark in three sequential outings, culminating in a career-high nine punchouts on Wednesday. He’s throwing a tick harder and increasing his cutter usage while maintaining the command that gave him an exceptional floor in May and June. He pulls off the Neckbeard approach better than just about anyone. Cutters and four-seamers overwhelmed in the zone for seven strikeouts while sinkers and sliders combined for 87% strikes downstairs. He’s proven to have a ceiling worth chasing, supporting the 1.82 ERA and 0.81 WHIP he’s held through his first eight starts. Keep that velo up, and you’ll be ascending The List in no time! (View Game Card)
Tyler Phillips (MIA) vs SEA (W) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 71 pitches.
I’m proud of Phillips surviving a Mariners lineup loaded with lefties. His arsenal, headlined by a lethal sinker-sweeper combo, isn’t suited for dominance against LHB. Luckily, curveballs showed up to save the day, returning six whiffs and 57% CSW. The hook was also his only pitch exceeding 60% strikes, as everything else combined for a 53% mark. He should’ve had more walks. Agreed. His command is questionable and I’m not convinced the curveball and splitter are consistent enough to shake his platoon splits. (View Game Card)
Christian Scott (NYM) vs KCR (ND) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 90 pitches.
This isn’t too bad! Scott went the Canibal McSanchez route against LHB and leaned heavily on four-seamers and sweepers in the zone against RHB. I’d love to see his cutter be more of a strike machine than the 59% mark it produced here, and I’m curious how much pressure his new curve-like slider can take off his sweeper to be the go-to putaway pitch. Scott has maintained strikeout upside (28% K%) with a 3.17 ERA, but it hasn’t felt that impressive. Blame that on his inability to complete six frames in 12 starts. Once he finds more efficiency with more strikes and quick at-bats, he’ll be the hot new thing. (View Game Card)
Grant Holmes (ATL) @ PIT (ND) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 18% CSW, 90 pitches.
Let me guess. Holmes had a great slider without much support? Yup. Sounds like the guy we know and love leave on the wire. Just 18% CSW and a 30% foul ball rate that protected him from the damage he usually incurs. This is the poster child of the Huascar Rule, and it’s oh-so-fitting that he too pitches for Atlanta. (View Game Card)
Walbert Ureña (LAA) @ TEX (ND) – 4.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hit, 5 BBs, 3 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 90 pitches.
I can’t say I’m enjoying the destruction of the Great Walbert of Anaheim. It’s been different struggles across his last six starts, but struggles nonetheless. He’s walked 4+ batters in half of them, failed to complete six frames in all but one, and allowed seven runs against the A’s on June 26th. The cold streak hasn’t tanked his ratios as the Walbert has stood tall amongst adversity, but the cracks are starting to show. His velo was down here, and he’s not getting the same amount of chases he was on his changeup, leading to just 50% strikes. The sweeper has failed to step up to take the pressure the changeup feels to hide the Empty Velocity on his heaters. Let’s hope he can find some fresh bricks to repair his foundation so he can enter the second half stronger than ever. (View Game Card)
Foster Griffin (WSN) vs HOU (W) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 9 Ks – 22 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 99 pitches.
If there’s anyone who isn’t an ace but deserves the title based on his results this year, it’s Griffin. He’s grown wings, taking his game to another level recently. The southpaw has gone seven straight starts without allowing more than one run, producing a 1.25 ERA and a 27% strikeout rate during that time. The hot streak culminated in a Gallows Pole on Wednesday as he sat a tick up and dominated with his signature cutter, inducing nine whiffs and 44% CSW with 86% strikes. What about the other 13 whiffs? It wouldn’t be a kitchen sink without five other pitches chipping in with multiple whiffs apiece as well. His arsenal doesn’t scream ace, but he’s certainly pitched like one this year. His schedule gets really tough with the The Green Mile to open the second half. We’re definitely starting him there, but that’ll be the litmus test for the consideration of his application to Ace University. (View Game Card)
Michael McGreevy (STL) vs MIL (W) – 6.1 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 90 pitches.
The ground ball machine did what he does best. Get us excited about rostering him? I wouldn’t go that far. No, he just got a bunch of ground balls as usual. 67% grounders to be exact, as he churned outs on balls in play. The six punchouts are a nice side dish, something he’s only served four times in 18 starts this year. That low K ceiling and his heavy reliance on batted balls (regardless of how sustainable their success is) make him boring to hold onto. It’s great 15-team production, but I want to be chasing higher upside in standard leagues. (View Game Card)
Michael King (SDP) vs ARI (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 92 pitches.
That’s consecutive good starts from King for the first time since mid-May. Can we finally remove the TIARA and give him his kingly crown? I mean, it was @LAD last time, and he maintained his exceptional changeup feel, leaning into it more than he has all season. I’m still skeptical of his fastball and breaker command despite 64% strikes. I feel like I’m waffling, which makes sense considering I eat one for breakfast every day (the frozen blueberry waffles from Trader Joe’s are SO good!). I’ve had my hands above my head waiting to take this darn thing off for like five minutes now. Okay, fine, take it off. Rejoice! I’m not completely sold, but I don’t think anyone will be benching him @KCR after his last two starts. Find more reliable support for that slowball, please. (View Game Card)
George Kirby (SEA) @ MIA (L) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 86 pitches.
Kirby’s definitely figured something out, but I don’t think he’s fully-loaded just yet (That’s right! A video game reference and a Herbie reference wrapped into one. I’m just a comedic genius like that sometimes.). He’s not getting sweepers away and sinkers inside to RHB, but this was a lineup full of LHB. So he leaned into his curveball? You’d think he’d do that, but nope, it was all sweepers with surprise four-seamers upstairs. I love the fastball approach, but I don’t think he’s going to get away with sweepers filling up the zone. He almost didn’t, as they accounted for half of his hits in this one. At least he lived to tell the tale. The tools are there for him to ascend to acedom, but he hasn’t figured out how to use them correctly. (View Game Card)
Gerrit Cole (NYY) @ TBR (L) – 6.1 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 97 pitches.
Can we just fast-forward to the part of the season where Cole has his slider command and dominates like he did in his second start of the year? It’s getting there, but just 18% CSW indicates he’s not GERRIT Cole. Or do we want Gerrit COLE? The emphasis on the last name suggests that he’s the Cole version of a standard Gerrit. What did I just read? Literature, bro. Literature. (View Game Card)
Roki Sasaki (LAD) vs COL (ND) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 78 pitches.
Never turn a start off too early! Sasaki allowed a pair of solo shots in the second that hinted at this being another disaster outing, but he locked in to give ya’ll a PQS. Once the apple of my eye, Sasaki betrayed me (I should’ve never trusted a Dodger) by falling off as soon as he peaked. Fortunately, he’s still making tweaks in an attempt to recover the form that got me so excited. Yesterday, it was increasing his splitter usage to make it his primary pitch while pumping his four-seamer at 98-99 mph. The movement of his splitter is still way too inconsistent, and his heater doesn’t have the 17″ of vert (16″ here) that allowed it to survive in the zone last month. The potential is still there, but the Dodgers haven’t been able to squeeze it out of him for extended periods of time. (View Game Card)
Gabriel Hughes (COL) @ LAD (ND) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 94 pitches.
A Rockies’ pitcher with a PQS?! Against the Dodgers?! In his first MLB start?! What kind of sorcery is this?! You’re being a bit dramatic with all the ?!s. Fine, but Hughes deserves a Gold Star for this performance. His cutter-like-four-seamer was pretty impressive, inducing eight whiffs, 40% CSW, and 84% strikes. It didn’t have much support, as sliders and changeups flew out of the zone too often, and the rest of his arsenal was too afraid to shake hands with strangers, preferring to remain in the shadows of sub-10% usage. This is not an endorsement, but it’s always heartwarming to see a Rockies pitcher succeed. (View Game Card)
Colin Rea (CHC) @ BAL (W) – 5.1 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 91 pitches.
Not quite enough to consider this a streaming victory. Rea has been super reliable as a streamer all year. The production isn’t impressive at all, but you know he’ll always be available on the wire and can pitch five innings for a win in his sleep. Maybe he was too awake here, as he threw fastballs 50% of the time, preventing his secondaries from shining. It’s too bright. My eyes are still adjusting. You can go back to sleep now, you’re not starting for nearly two weeks. ZZZzzz. (View Game Card)
Connor Prielipp (MIN) vs CLE (ND) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 83 pitches.
Prielipp is so close to being dope again, but as soon as he figures something out, he loses an accompanying skill. He found a tick of velo here, allowing him to cruise at 96-97 mph. That’s well above the speed limit. Don’t remind me…Prielipp’s heater should’ve thrived, but he didn’t locate it consistently. He commanded 88-89 mph sliders downstairs as he should, but batters weren’t fishing. To make matters worse, he couldn’t find the zone with curveballs, as they returned a measly 18% strike rate. I love the velo and the slider locations, but he needs a third pitch to step up. Preferably a whiff pitch like the curveball or changeup and not a strike pitch like the sinker which prevented this start from being a disaster. Figuring that out is your homework for the All-Star Break. (View Game Card)
Chase Burns (CIN) vs PHI (W) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 3 Hits, 6 BBs, 2 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 106 pitches.
Aces gonna walk the yard. Four-seamers were flying too high above the zone. That’s about it. This was a One Night Bland. He’ll be refreshed coming out of the break and will return to competing for the NL Cy Young Award. It’s not much of a competition. He’s fighting for second place. (View Game Card)
Kyle Harrison (MIL) @ STL (L) – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 70 pitches.
Harrison wasn’t at his best and was pulled early with elbow soreness, explaining his underperformance. Apparently, he’s been dealing with it for several outings but hadn’t alerted the authorities Brewers about it. I guess that explains the lack of dominance in a couple of his starts in recent weeks. Ugh, why can’t we have nice things? Let’s pray the All-Star Break is enough to get his arm feeling better, but the persistence of the injury has me worried he’s due for an IL stint that could last a while. (View Game Card)
Slade Cecconi (CLE) @ MIN (ND) – 3.2 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 67 pitches.
It’s time for the Slade Brigade to go back into hiding. We were out in full force for a while there! Did you recruit anyone? Oh yeah…but now they’re all gone. I don’t blame them. He was super inefficient here and failed to induce whiffs. Maybe go back to the cutter/slider-heavy approach that propelled your last hot streak. I don’t know. Just throwing things at the wall. (View Game Card)
Alan Rangel (PHI) @ CIN (L) – 3.1 IP, 3 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 69 pitches.
Rangel’s profile is unique. He throws with a super high arm angle, akin to Trey Yesavage, allowing him to get 19″ of vert on his heater and throw his curveball with screwball-like movement. There’s potential in his arm, but we’re pretty far away from seeing it right now. (View Game Card)
Dean Kremer (BAL) vs CHC (L) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 92 pitches.
There’s the splitter that made Kremer interesting before his months-long IL stint! If it’s so good, why did it serve up two dingers? You’ll have to ask PCA that. He belted two perfectly executed splitters low and away for homers. Otherwise, the splitter was great with six whiffs and 32% CSW. He would’ve been fine if he didn’t also serve up two other homers. Three of them came in a disastrous fifth frame, and he was lucky they were all solo shots. Kremer may be worth streaming @BOS next if he maintains his feel for the splitter. (View Game Card)
Jose Cabrera (ARI) @ SDP (L) – 4.1 IP, 4 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 74 pitches.
Cabrera hasn’t done much since his debut to suggest that he’ll be worth rostering in fantasy leagues. Not even deep ones? Just two whiffs after inducing only four in his last start. I don’t think so. There’s potential for his command to maximize the effectiveness of his deep arsenal in the future, but I’m not seeing it happen this year. (View Game Card)
Logan Webb (SFG) vs TOR (L) – 7.0 IP, 5 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 106 pitches.
All of the damage was concentrated in a bamboozling of a first frame. He was Singled Out before a grand slam cleared the bases. Webb turned in six innings of shutout ball with just one baserunner the rest of the way. Instead of getting on Twitter and arguing with fans, he should’ve written this start off and enjoyed his vacation. Now, he no longer has a Twitter account. (View Game Card)
Davis Martin (CHW) vs BOS (L) – 4.0 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 84 pitches.
I know many of you are still holding on to Martin because of what he did for you in the past. His ratios are still intact, and it would feel disrespectful to let him go after all he’s done for you. Forget that! Thank him for his service and send him to the wire. His last nine starts have produced a 5.68 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, and a 16% strikeout rate. Stop holding onto the April hot streak. It’s July! (View Game Card)
Jeffrey Springs (ATH) @ DET (L) – 4.1 IP, 6 ER, 6 Hits, 4 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 92 pitches.
Despite it being the middle of summer, Sunshine and Rainbows have been difficult to come by for Springs. He’s allowed at least five runs in five of his last six starts. It doesn’t matter that he’s pitching on the road or finding enough vert on his heater – nothing’s working. There’s got to be some tweak he can make to recover the form that made him look like an ace for the Rays a few years back. (View Game Card)
MacKenzie Gore (TEX) vs LAA (L) – 5.0 IP, 7 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 90 pitches.
Hey, MacKenzie, you know you don’t have to throw everything down the middle? It’s just easier that way. Easier to blow up our ratios…He hung way too many changeups and curveballs and lived in the zone too much with four-seamers and cutters. Gore needs to nibble the edges more and pull off the BSB to attain his full potential. He’s still a HIPSTER. (View Game Card)
Spencer Arrighetti (HOU) @ WSN (L) – 4.0 IP, 8 ER, 7 Hits, 6 BBs, 2 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 18% CSW, 94 pitches.
He can’t throw strikes. He’s unwilling to expand his arsenal beyond curveballs and heaters. He can’t induce whiffs. He gets crushed. This Pasta Pirate is overcooked. Let’s give him a chance to cool down before we give him a spot on our plates in the second half. (View Game Card)
Game of the Day
Nathan Eovaldi vs. Reid Detmers – An intra-division matchup between two arms who can display impressive strikeout ceilings.
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 Ethan Kaplan (@DJFreddie10 on Twitter)
