Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher’s performance from every Sunday 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.
Jason Alexander (HOU) @ MIA (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 97 pitches.
For those in SPARP leagues, you may have taken a chance on Jason Alexander in a stream against the Marlins and he made y’all pump a fist in the air on Monday via 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 97 pitches (W). With a start this productive, you have to wonder – Would I be foolish sending him back to the wire?
The Astros are looking like a six-man rotation this week, pushing Alexander’s next outing to Monday as he hosts the Red Sox and there’s a chance that one works, too. That said, his arsenal doesn’t demand success. His changeup is the star of the show and took down both sides of the plate with 7/31 whiffs and a 32% CSW, allowing the 91 mph sinker to coast over the plate for 12/35 called strikes. Don’t expect that latter mark to return, and he failed to jam the pitch inside to RHB to take advantage of its 18″ of run. I was also shocked to see just four sweepers to RHB and double the usage to LHB, which didn’t get low enough to avoid bats as much as we’d want to see.
This performance looks like a peak from Alexander and I wouldn’t like to press my luck for another outing. You’re better off dropping and chasing another streamer for this week.
Let’s see how every other SP did Sunday:
Brayan Bello (BOS) vs KCR (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 102 pitches.
Yessss. He attacked batters effectively as Bello continues to settle into the low-end Holly role. Maybe a top-end Toby.
Justin Verlander (SFG) @ PIT (ND) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 100 pitches.
It’s pretty great watching Verlander feature the fastball and slider command we’ve wanted him to have all season + 95 mph fastball velocity. This was surprisingly more laborious of an outing than you’d expect given his skills as he struggled to putaway batters, and where is that dang Win?! Whatever, Nats + Rays are next and I’m cool with both.
Nick Lodolo (CIN) @ CHC (ND) – 1.2 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 23 pitches.
He left this one early with a blister injury that will likely land him on the IL. I’ve been so happy for Lodolo to pitch regularly for the first time in his career and it’s a huge bummer. A 3.09 ERA with a 1.05 WHIP across 128 innings was bliss.
Tyler Glasnow (LAD) vs STL (ND) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 101 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. Super fun duel against Sonny and I’m shocked the slider feel is still an issue. At least he’s using the sinker less these days as a mix-up pitch instead of an even split with the four-seamer.
Sonny Gray (STL) @ LAD (ND) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 90 pitches.
Really great command from Sonny in this one. He avoided the heart of the plate and attacked the corners, providing us all with a fun matchup against Glasnow. If only one of them could escape with a Win…At least y’all know he’s properly back now. No more clouds, y’all. It’s SONNY.
Quinn Priester (MIL) @ ATL (W) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 90 pitches.
Another solid line from Priester that featured better sinker command on the outside corner to LHB than we normally see. That attack to RHB was highly suspect, though, and Koufax had to step in once again to make this go well. Keep riding the Vargas Rule if you must, don’t tell me I didn’t warn you about the Mets and Cubs in two of his next three starts.
Yusei Kikuchi (LAA) vs TBR (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 105 pitches.
Mmmmm, you love to see it. He split the zone well for a loose BSB in this one and he rode that to the bank for six frames. Unfortunately, the schedule gets rough for three games against @DET, @ATH, vs. CHC and that’s up to you. I’d prefer not to flip the coin.
Eric Lauer (TOR) @ COL (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 97 pitches.
Wow, even in Coors, eh? His heater still shocks me with how well it performs and if you’re a believer in the Dodgers’ rough patch, then roll with him there + the easy trio of starts after.
Michael Soroka (CHC) vs CIN (ND) – 2.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 39% CSW, 31 pitches.
Soroka left this one early due to shoulder soreness and was promptly sent to the IL. Sigh. He was just about to be the best version of himself, too.
Slade Cecconi (CLE) @ NYM (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 99 pitches.
Uhhhh, sure didn’t expect this one. His four-seamer had a whopping 20% SwStr rate here, the cutter + changeup did wonders for whiffs and returning outs, the sinker and slider combo were well spotted to RHB, and even with ALL of that, I just can’t lean into this. It doesn’t seem real to me and more of a Vargas Rule at best than anything. I kinda thought we were past that, BUT I GUESS NOT.
Brandon Pfaadt (ARI) vs SDP (W) – 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 97 pitches.
Ayyyy, the cutter and changeup pairing worked great to LHB and despite moving away from the relatively flat four-seamer in favor of sinkers (which allowed three of his five hits with just one out in play), he stole enough called strikes on the pitch to make it through. This should be good enough for Rockie Road, where I hope the sweeper can step up against their slew of RHB to be better than a 55% strike rate.
Travis Adams (MIN) @ DET (ND) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 43% CSW, 63 pitches.
Yeaaaah that’s a Gold Star for Adams to go along with the Golden Goal of the evening (16 whiffs is kinda weak, FWIW). To earn the award on 63 pitches is a marvel, requiring an overall 25% SwStr rate to generate enough whiffs, catalyzed by his four-seamer precision to LHB and dotting sliders down-and-gloveside. That excellence was the best I’ve seen Adams, but the cracks began to show in the fifth frame that included a two-run blast and it felt like a pitcher in his best groove for a moment that we can’t rely on sticking. I wouldn’t spec add him for the Yankees up next as of now this feels more command-focused than overall domination. It’s the fastballs, isn’t it. They just aren’t this good!
Johan Oviedo (PIT) vs SFG (ND) – 1.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 37% CSW, 43 pitches.
He returned to the mound after TJS and while it wasn’t everything he wanted, three strikeouts is pretty cool. And yes, his fastball command wasn’t great but, uh, he’s throwing 94-95 mph heaters at 7.4 feet of extension. Uhhhh, that’s hot. If Oviedo can throw four-seamers and sinkers for strikes + land that 86/87 mph slider down-and-gloveside, he’s a legit arm. He’s a clear Young Gun for 2026, though I have to mention that control has never been a facet of his skill set. Here’s to hoping.
Jesús Luzardo (PHI) vs BAL (W) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 40% CSW, 91 pitches.
Among all the volatility, we’ll take a Bailey Special from Luzardo. Stupid HRs punishing him once again. The changeup was phenomenal and if not for Adams, this would have been Golden Goal worthy. He’s a Cherry Bomb, y’all.
Casey Mize (DET) vs MIN (W) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 67 pitches.
A trio of solo shots made this a PQS (with only one other hit, how silly is that?) and we keep riding Mize as a solid back-end Holly, even if his velocity fell to 93.8 mph in this one.
Erick Fedde (ATL) vs MIL (L) – 5.1 IP, 3 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 0 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 87 pitches.
Don’t Trust The Feddes. None of his pitches eclipsed a 60% strike rate (half not even 50%…) and it led to just two whiffs without a strikeout. HAISTBMBWT?!
Patrick Corbin (TEX) vs NYY (ND) – 3.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 72 pitches.
Despite a season of far more highs than we expected, this one was a clear avoid and so are the Phillies and Jays up next. Let’s move on, shall we?
Cade Povich (BAL) @ PHI (L) – 5.2 IP, 4 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 90 pitches.
This was a Still ILL and I’m happy to see him try to make it work with his curve and change effectively to RHB. There’s a chance for a stream against the Athletics in Camden up next, considering he’s at 90 pitches already, which I’d save for deeper leagues or those desperate on Sunday.
Max Fried (NYY) @ TEX (ND) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 8 Hits, 3 BBs, 7 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 105 pitches.
Aces gonna run into trouble in the fourth and give the spiraling Yankees another twirl. His changeup and curve did him few favors while the rare four-seamer went 4/10 hits allowed without earning an out in play (one strikeout, at least). It’s unlike Fried to be stuck in a valley for long mid-season and I wouldn’t act on this. Keep starting him, y’all.
Adrian Houser (TBR) @ LAA (L) – 5.2 IP, 5 ER, 11 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 93 pitches.
Not a great matchup and Koufax wasn’t on his side. How unfair. Don’t fret, @TEA and the Giants are up next. Those should be fine…if his velo isn’t at 93 mph again. Where’s my 94-95 mph?!
Sean Manaea (NYM) vs CLE (ND) – 5.2 IP, 5 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 85 pitches.
This was excellence per usual through five, then a rough sixth that included a three-run shot on a hanging sweeper ruined the night. Careful, Icarus. Nothing to be concerned about.
JP Sears (SDP) @ ARI (L) – 5.0 IP, 5 ER, 10 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 94 pitches.
It was his debut outing for the Padres and it didn’t go so well. To his credit, he was mostly Singled Out and kept the same approach of high heaters, low changeups (too much in the zone, FWIW), and sweepers in between, but he needs a little more precision to avoid so much contact. It’s the floor of Sears we see a little too often, but it could be a better result against the Sawx next week.
Sandy Alcantara (MIA) vs HOU (L) – 7.0 IP, 6 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 100 pitches.
You know, he’s looking more like his former self with a much better changeup these days. The sinker and four-seamer are still a little behind as they fail to land on the edges as often as they should, and were a major part of the problem when he allowed five runs in the fourth frame. I’ve been waiting for that fastball command all season and despite looking great in the other six innings, his volatility will continue until he gets them in check. I do get a sense that we’re going to see some legit Sandy before the year is done and the schedule ahead isn’t so tough…
Bailey Falter (KCR) @ BOS (L) – 4.0 IP, 7 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 88 pitches.
In his first start with the Royals, Falter went into full experimentation mode, featuring 44% sliders and it wasn’t a terrible call. Sure, he was bamboozled in the first with a hanger to Duran for a three-run blast, but the slide piece returned four hits on 39 thrown and I love that he’s doing his best to work on the pitch. After all, his four-seamer is his best weapon and all he’s been looking for is a proper #2 to pair with it. I’m curious what we’ll see next time as I hold out hope for this Young Gun. Too bad he’s not on the Rays…
Tanner Gordon (COL) vs TOR (L) – 2.2 IP, 7 ER, 11 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 18% CSW, 67 pitches.
Coors + Jays + Two First Names = Destruction.
Game of the Day
Will Warren vs. Nathan Eovaldi – Here’s to hoping Warren earns all the whiffs and Eovaldi earns himself an AGA tag.
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)
