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.
Ian Seymour (TBR) @ CLE (W) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 67 pitches.
Oh look, it’s Ian Seymour, another southpaw with a changeup and not a whole lot else, getting a start and killing it: 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 67 pitches. I guess that means we add him, right?
Kinda, yeah. The Nationals and Guardians are next, two teams with worse RHB batters and are susceptible to Seymour’s approach of changeups down-and-away + cutters and four-seamers upstairs to play with “Is it a strike or not” hesitations. There is concern that Seymour won’t be able to go more than five in either game, considering his low pitch counts, and I have to remind you that he throws 91.8 mph heaters (17″ vert but a steep attack angle) without a great breaker in the sweeper. It’s just the changeup, which is fine, but not something absurd.
Don’t go leaping over everything to grab him. You need Seymour to have elite command for this to work out well enough past the easy matchups.
Let’s see how every other SP did Monday:
Emmet Sheehan (LAD) vs CIN (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 10 Ks – 20 Whiffs, 41% CSW, 96 pitches.
It’s awfully nice when a stream works exactly as it should. A King Cole is obviously a bit more than expected, but domination for Sheehan against the Reds Carpet is no surprise. The four-seamer was up, the slider was solid, and the decent changeup was all he needed against the mediocre offense. That four-seamer had a 139 Fan4+ and a 118 plvLoc+ yesterday. Oh dang. Yuuuuup. That’s what 96/97 mph with 1.7 HAVAA, 17/18″ of vert and decent extension will do.
Edward Cabrera (MIA) vs ATL (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 2 BBs, 10 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 100 pitches.
Feels good, doesn’t it? Not only did Edward focus on the changeup as his foundation, he was able to go up-and-in with four-seamers to LHB far better than I’ve seen all year, while maintaining the sinker, slider, and curve consistently throughout the game. I’m starting him through the Mets and Phillies next.
Shane Smith (CHW) vs KCR (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 80 pitches.
It’s cool to see Smith do well, but I am disappointed in the secondaries, forcing the four-seamer and sinker did everything. Hey, what about me?! Okay, Koufax did a lot of work, too. I’m not risking this against the Yankees.
Cam Schlittler (NYY) vs WSN (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 8 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 96 pitches.
I love that Schlittler is embracing four-seamer/cutter/curve, though the command wasn’t as tight as it was in his last outing. The sinker certainly still has work to do, the cutter is sputtering a bit, and while the curve was generally down, it returned a sub 60% strike rate. And yet, the four-seamer is dope and doesn’t need a whole lot to take down the Nationals. Get on board, y’all.
José Soriano (LAA) @ TEX (W) – 5.2 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 91 pitches.
What if I told you that Soriano did this while returning just a 56% strike rate on his sinker? Whoa. Yeah, pretty wild he made this one work. He remains what he is, a HIPSTER who will make you anxious down the stretch.
Brennan Bernardino (BOS) @ BAL (ND) – 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 43% CSW, 14 pitches.
He opened for Richard Fitts, who had been bringing his velocity back up at 96 mph (not 94 mph as he saw in the minors), but was pulled with an apparent arm injury after the fifth. Oh no. I feel terrible for Fitts as he’s been chauffeured up and down all year and now with a chance to seize a rotation spot, he hits the IL. At least you got a Win and six strikeouts if you took the shot via 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 2 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 68 pitches (W).
Spencer Strider (ATL) @ MIA (L) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 95 pitches.
Phew. I was terrified of this, even against the Marlins. The heater was down to 95.4 mph (not 96+) but I’m happy to see 17″ of vert on his four-seamer (not sub 16″!), and he was able to get his slider down a fair amount to avoid damage. The pitch is down to 84/85 mph and went just 5/33 whiffs (its 15% SwStr about 10 points lower than usual), but let’s celebrate a productive outing for a change, yeah? But no dub. Can’t help you there. With the poor schedule ahead @PHI, SEA, HOU, I’m not jumping back in.
Tarik Skubal (DET) @ ATH (L) – 6.2 IP, 1 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 12 Ks – 21 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 99 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. A Gallows Pole sounds right.
Johan Oviedo (PIT) @ STL (ND) – 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 53 pitches.
I don’t understand why he went just 53 pitches after tossing 75 last time across five frames. His overall command is still shaky, but you can see the skills. 7/53 whiffs equate to a 13% SwStr rate overall, which is certainly above average and I just want to see more of him. Get those locations in check.
Jacob deGrom (TEX) vs LAA (L) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 90 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. Yes, his four-seamer command has been off (Read this from Nate Schwartz), though he was burned just once on the pitch across 37 thrown here (a solo shot from Neto in the first). He’s still dope and makes you feel dope.
J.T. Ginn (ATH) vs DET (ND) – 5.1 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 84 pitches.
Those strikeouts are pretty dang cool as he froze a few Tigers with the sinker and executed a few changeups and sliders well. I’m not sold the command is where it needs to be, though. The Canibal McSanchez cutter could work, but the changeup isn’t always there and the slider’s 53% strike rate ain’t good enough. That said, he’s close enough that the TEX, @LAA, CIN schedule ahead could be worth it, especially in AL-Only formats.
Hunter Greene (CIN) @ LAD (L) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 99 pitches.
Awwww. A pair of longballs off the slider messed him up, and deservedly so as he hung that pitch far too much. Whatareyagonnado. Fun fact: Greene averaged 100.3 mph on his four-seamer. Yeah.
Kodai Senga (NYM) vs PHI (ND) – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 93 pitches.
Blegh. This is getting tough and yet, it’s the Marlins next. Can we chat after that? Cool.
JP Sears (SDP) @ SEA (ND) – 3.2 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 58 pitches.
He’s trying as hard as he can to make the changeup work, but it really isn’t doing enough. Let’s not.
Max Scherzer (TOR) vs MIN (W) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 97 pitches.
You said he’s never bad. Well, that’s a Dusty Donut and almost production across the board if not for a two-run shot in the sixth! Careful, Icarus. Yeah, that! Keep starting the fella.
Tomoyuki Sugano (BAL) vs BOS (L) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 87 pitches.
Womp womp. Two HRs did all the damage and I still think Sugano is worth a shot against the Giants. He executed his gameplan for the most part and it didn’t go his way because of a three-run blast in the fifth. That’s it.
Michael McGreevy (STL) vs PIT (ND) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 92 pitches.
For a guy who churns grounders with his excellent command, I’m surprised to see not only seven strikeouts, but two longballs as well. He turned to four-seamers, curves, and cutters for LHB with highly questionable results (both HRs allowed vs. LHB), while he earned a punchout on five different pitches against RHB, where his command was far better. I’m still circling him for the next month as a sneaky streamer in most formats where you need to focus on ratios (and not strikeouts) + QS. His schedule is just so dang good and that defense is elite.
Bryce Miller (SEA) vs SDP (W) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 81 pitches.
But wait, isn’t Bryce a dude at home?! Three HRs in the second inning was all the damage, while he dominated otherwise with, WHOA. I LOVE THIS. What. WHAT?! So, uh, think about Miller. What does he do? What have I been asking him to do? He throws a ton of four-seamers and needs support with secondaries. Right. His biggest weakness is LHB, so what does he do? Why, throw 47% splitters to LHB. And it WORKED. 88% strikes with just one hit on seventeen thrown. HOT DANG! Now, y’all know that isn’t going to last – splitters are volatile n all – but who knows, maybe this sticks around and actually works? It’s SOMETHING and that’s good!
Tanner Bibee (CLE) vs TBR (L) – 6.0 IP, 5 ER, 8 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 98 pitches.
Ayyy a good changeup to LHB! And that’s it. Yeaaaah, pretty much. Well, the cutter was good, just not great. This is such a wasted season and I look forward to looking back on this and laughing.
Brandon Woodruff (MIL) vs ARI (W) – 5.2 IP, 5 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks – 21 Whiffs, 39% CSW, 97 pitches.
This looks terrible due to a 3-run HR in the sixth right before completing a dope six frames (Careful, Icarus), but he earned a co-share of the Gallows Pole with his fastballs dominating the zone and confounding batters. They simply don’t know which one is arriving over the plate + the 90/91 mph cutter adds another wrinkle to LHB. I’m starting him outright and if he comes through against the Jays next, he’ll get the AGA tag.
Cristopher Sánchez (PHI) @ NYM (L) – 5.1 IP, 5 ER, 8 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 94 pitches.
Aces gonna jeeeeez, buddy. Are you trying to show managers that you shouldn’t be ranked inside the Top 20 SP for 2026? You don’t have to, I’ll handle it. For now, please don’t go 53% strikes on the change, okay?
Eduardo Rodriguez (ARI) @ MIL (L) – 2.1 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 65 pitches.
Welp, the Brewers didn’t bite on the changeup and despite locating the four-seamer beautifully up-and-in to RHB, they got to the pitch and punished Erod. Guess we sit out on him until the Giants arrive on September 10th.
Noah Cameron (KCR) @ CHW (L) – 5.0 IP, 6 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 0 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 88 pitches.
Oh wow. The CrySox are more like the SlySox these days with their sneaky offense messing up a fair number of guys. And the thing is, Cameron’s command wasn’t bad! Just one of those days and I’d keep starting him. But HAISTBMBWT?! You’ll be fine.
Joe Ryan (MIN) @ TOR (L) – 5.0 IP, 6 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 93 pitches.
Aces gonna get bamboozled in the first with 4 ER. Whatareyagonnado. He’s still at 93/94 mph, don’t worry y’all.
Brad Lord (WSN) @ NYY (L) – 4.1 IP, 6 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 78 pitches.
Oh Lo–Jeez. Wait, why am I emotional about this? He has 5.5 feet of extension and doesn’t wield his sinker with 18/19″ of run effectively, utilizing a mediocre four-seamer instead, with a standard gyro slider and decent changeup. So, you’re not going to start me? No, Brad!
Game of the Day
Lucas Giolito vs. Kyle Bradish – It’s more Gio and Bradish makes his return from TJS.
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 Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter/X; @justinparadis.bsky.social on BlueSky)
