Fantasy Baseball SP Roundup: Jack of One Trade

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 Playback.tv weekday mornings from 10 am-12 pm ET.

Jack Kochanowicz (LAA) @ DET (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 73 pitches.

I really appreciate the existence of Jack Kochanowicz. He’s a lanky starter for the Angels who pumps 94-97 mph sinkers incessantly with actual sink unlike other “sinkers” we see around the league. The pitch leads to unorthodox lines like Thursday’s start against the Tigers – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 73 pitches – and y’all better get used to this.

Does it work for fantasy? Kinda. He’s putting his faith into the hands of Koufax, though his precision with the pitch is commendable. He jumps between the edges of the plate and keeps the pitch generally down, allowing for a respectable 37% ICR rate and aiding his absurdly low 18% flyball rate across all batted balls. Wait, I thought you didn’t like super groundball guys without whiffs? I don’t…for the upper ends of fantasy value. But for a streaming option when you trust no one else? Why not roll the dice with Jack’s 70-80% sinker usage and see if you can find six productive frames in fewer than 80 pitches?

 

Let’s see how every other SP did Thursday:

 

Aaron Civale (MIL) vs SFG (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 92 pitches.

Hmmmm. This was a zone-heavy game with everything + about 25% breakers on top of the heavy sinker-cutter approach. Sometimes that’s enough against a team like the Giants and I wonder if it’ll give him confidence that’ll spread toward improving the full arsenal. He’s set to get the Cards + Giants (again) and I think he’s still Questionable for both. He’s not fixed in my view but at least carries a Quality Start ceiling with this outing being the peak that’s unlikely to be replicated.

Nathan Eovaldi (TEX) @ CHW (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 2 BBs, 10 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 96 pitches.

Yep, that’s exactly how this should go. It’s great to see Eovaldi sit 96 mph across 96 pitches after his injury scare, while his splitter returned consistent strikes + a surprise curve going 50% CSW. The dude COOKED. He gets a revenge game against the Yankees before a stupid good stretch of matchups to close his season and we’re gliding through all of it.

Bowden Francis (TOR) @ BOS (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 70 pitches.

I feel like the best thing I can provide y’all is watching these games and outlining when the skills don’t match the results. I don’t like doing that, but at least I’m giving you another lens instead of “good line = good pitcher,” right? So you hated this, huh? I watched this and while I recognize that Francis’ 18″ of iVB is doing a whole lot of work, I still can’t believe how many heaters he was able to coast inside the zone. Outs galore came off the pitch that wasn’t particularly well spotted, while the splitter helped get strikes, with the occasional mediocre slider or curve. So let’s keep applying the Vargas Rule, but I sincerely don’t trust it. This will end in a clunker and that could be as soon as the Phillies up next. Good luck.

Hunter Brown (HOU) vs KCR (ND) – 6.2 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 97 pitches.

I’ve stopped trying to make sense of Brown and I’m glad he did well once again. This was more chaos of using whatever worked in that moment soooo we keep riding at dawn or whatever. I think he’s going to get overdrafted next year…? I dunno, IT’S WEIRD.

Michael King (SDP) @ STL (L) – 4.1 IP, 0 ER, 6 Hits, 4 BBs, 3 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 103 pitches.

Aces gonna have a bad day. He was burned by the defense, but I’ve seen far better games from King in the past. He labored to execute when he wanted to, while his stuff is still great (especially when he did execute!) and helped him nearly find five frames. Whatareyagonnado. He’ll pick up the crown next start.

Sonny Gray (STL) vs SDP (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 90 pitches.

Not Sonny’s best stuff, but we’ll absolutely take this. Thank Koufax for saving us on all those hearty heaters over the plate.

Nick Nastrini (CHW) vs TEX (L) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 98 pitches.

We’re getting there! With a Gold Star! The man went Dancing With The Disco and it’s a great slider (save for the one to Seager…) with a good curve behind it, while the four-seamer is still a work in progress. He’s had stellar marks on that four-seamer in the minors, though its velocity was down to 93/94 mph instead of 95+, which is the only lacking element in its “stuff”. The real problem is precision as Nastrini returned a 50% strike rate and failed to pinpoint the top third of the zone consistently. It wasn’t as untenable as we saw earlier this year, but he’s not a guy to target until the fastball becomes a reliable pitch to pair with the slider and curve. Oh, and the schedule does him little help, too.

David Peterson (NYM) @ ARI (ND) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 88 pitches.

You could look up this outing, his last few outings, his entire season, EVERYTHING and try to piece together how Peterson is returning such a low ERA as of late. Or, you could just Vargas Rule it and save your precious energy for better things. We ride this and his decent pitch separation, six whiffs and all.

Kutter Crawford (BOS) vs TOR (L) – 6.2 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 96 pitches.

The man lived up to his name with a ton of Kutters, turning the pitch into his lead offering and I think it’s a good call. It works and as long as the four-seamer and sweeper are doing enough around it, Crawford should be fine. I’m cool with the Mets up next, though it may be time to jump ship after that with the Orioles and Yankees to follow.

Ryne Nelson (ARI) vs NYM (ND) – 6.1 IP, 2 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 95 pitches.

Not his best four-seamer day, but he showed off a new slider with less velocity for more movement and that helped generate outs + strikes. We love that. I don’t need whiffs from the secondaries, just effective strikes to let the elite heater cook upstairs. Let’s be thankful he can avoid the entirety of the Dodgers series and get the Giants up next as we hopefully ride this through the finish line.

Brady Singer (KCR) @ HOU (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 101 pitches.

You can’t be a Cherry Bomb without something sweet. I’m glad this worked, now you have two more tough ones before the easy road to the end. Up to you if you want to chance it vs. CLE + @NYY.

Cristopher Sánchez (PHI) vs ATL (ND) – 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 105 pitches.

The man earned thirteen whiffs on his changeup, demanding a Gallows Pole against Atlanta. It’s his final tough matchup and now you’re holding into the sunset. Shadowfax, trot with style and make sure they’re still watching us. Yes, that is the only famous horse I could think of.

Charlie Morton (ATL) @ PHI (ND) – 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 4 BBs, 7 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 105 pitches.

A Philly against the Phils is always poetic, as he was an out away from a VPQS. The curve wasn’t at its best here and I caution against trusting Morton down the stretch. Rockie Road seems alright, but this isn’t prime Morton and I can see a lit fuse on this Cherry Bomb.

Keider Montero (DET) vs LAA (L) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 89 pitches.

He’s just not that interesting. This could have been one fewer run and +/- another baserunner or two, sure, that’s how the game works, but he’s not going to do much more than that. The stuff ain’t there.

Bobby Miller (LAD) vs BAL (W) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 2 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 86 pitches.

His knee hurts and it’s apparently bothering him but he’s going to pitch through it. Sure. He also threw three sliders (FINALLY), with two being legit and one floating up to result in a fortunate lineout. Four-seamer shape is still elite, but locations aren’t, and Miller is this ridiculous wild card. If he gets the Angels next, I’d give it a shot, but I dunno. A hurt knee is yet another layer to the absurdity of Bobby’s season that makes me just want to drop and forget completely. But the Angels! I know, I know. Fine, one more. BUT DON’T PUSH IT.

J.T. Ginn (OAK) @ CIN (ND) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 67 pitches.

Huh. A right-hander who went sinkers armside, changeups away to LHB, sliders away to RHB. Good enough for a King Cole in just 67 pitches and possibly a Toby in the making for the Athletics. Can’t say I love any of his pitches, but that sinker does have a solid 94 mph velo with movement, and his general ability to execute the approach works. It’s far from electric, though. He’s a pretty standard Athletics arm.

Hayden Birdsong (SFG) @ MIL (L) – 3.2 IP, 5 ER, 4 Hits, 4 BBs, 6 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 92 pitches.

The curve went 8/19 strikes y’all. The dream is dead. Maybe in the future I can buy into Hayden’s command, but hot dang do I not want to touch this.

Cade Povich (BAL) @ LAD (L) – 3.1 IP, 5 ER, 10 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 87 pitches.

Uhhhh, yeah. The Dodgers. Consider him for the White Sox up next and a few more streams later on in September.

Julian Aguiar (CIN) vs OAK (ND) – 4.0 IP, 6 ER, 10 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 78 pitches.

It was the battle of sinkerballers with Aguiar vs. Ginn and Julian was a whole lot worse at the bit. HAISTBMBWT?! and three longballs as those pitches were far from spotted. Womp womp.

Bradley Blalock (COL) vs MIA (L) – 4.0 IP, 6 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 72 pitches.

Yep, that’s a COL story, Bro.

Valente Bellozo (MIA) @ COL (ND) – 4.0 IP, 6 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 74 pitches.

Cool, are we done here? The B Val has dipped far too much to consider this.

 

Game of the Day 

DL Hall vs. Rhett Lowder – Hard not to choose this one, though we have some fun in Samuel Aldegheri’s MLB debut against George Kirby, Gallen vs. Kershaw, and PabLó vs. Gausman, so STRAP IN Y’ALL, IT’S A FUN FRIDAY.

But Nick?! Where are the streaming picks? – I’ve moved them to the daily SP Matchups & Streamer Rankings article.

Have Questions? – Join my morning Playback.tv livestream! I answer all questions there for free: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm ET Monday through Friday.

Photo by Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter/X)