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.
David Festa (MIN) @ CHC (W) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 9 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 82 pitches.
We gotta have a talk about David Festa. The dude struggled during his first bout in the rotation and has returned from Triple-A on a mission, returning just 3 ER in his first three games combined, including tonight’s brilliant 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 9 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 82 pitches against the Cubs. This may be for real.
His three-pitch mix of four-seamers, sliders, and changeups is a fun one. The heater sits 94/95 mph with solid shape and finds the zone often. The slider is a strike machine and can earn whiffs out of the zone, while the changeup is incredibly difficult to deal with from Festa’s over-the-top release. It’s a mix that’s hard to discern out of the hand and doesn’t need any extra help.
I watched all of this one and what impressed me was the consistency. His changeup and slider were all in the general areas of where they were supposed to be, displaying an arm properly pitching against each batter he faced (save for one or two). It’s uncommon to find rookie arms doing more than simply trying to get the ball over the plate and Festa appeared locked in and a step above. He’ll get the Guardians up next and I’m in. If the strikes dwindle, it’ll be rough, but I’m buying that Festa has found himself in a true groove.
Let’s see how every other SP did Monday:
Sean Manaea (NYM) @ STL (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 10 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 102 pitches.
DUUUUDE. Believe it or not, Manaea did his damage with fastballs, not secondaries. We’re talking sinkers and four-seamers dominating upstairs with regularity and it’s all kinds of strange. Maybe there’s something to the release point or delivery, but the sinker and four-seamer went 10/71 whiffs for a fantastic 14%+ SwStr rate. And guess what? He gets the Mariners up next. Just step aside and let the man cook, y’all.
Nick Martinez (CIN) @ MIA (W) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 70 pitches.
Ayyyyy, look at this! It’s Nick Mart getting a chance to properly start and taking advantage of a poor Marlins lineup. Just nine changeups is a little weird in my book and I don’t love four-seamer/cutter being the main approach, but let’s appreciate the guy for coming through in a debatable stream. With the Brewers next, we can’t start him there, especially given his short leash.
Andrew Heaney (TEX) vs HOU (ND) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 80 pitches.
Hmmmm. The slider didn’t earn as many strikes as you’d ideally want, and the four-seamer was a bit fortunate inside the zone, but Koufax’s grace shone brightly. Heaney is a massive wild card and a date with the Yankees pushes my interest even further away.
Hunter Brown (HOU) @ TEX (ND) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 97 pitches.
What did we get today? Oh you know, sinkers heavy armside, and about nothing else that worked. Wait, really? Yeaaah. Some cutters, but mostly just that sinker cooking and I’m absolutely stunned by how Hunter finds a new way each time instead of actually figuring out a sustainable path. Maybe chaos is the sustainable path…naaaah.
Logan Webb (SFG) @ WSN (W) – 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 95 pitches.
Webb did his thing, save for just five called strikes on his sinker. A bit strange, especially with the changeup looking fantastic down low. Welp, whatever, it’s production and we move on.
JP Sears (OAK) vs CHW (W) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 89 pitches.
Oh snap, we had a start of Sears’ four-seamer cooking for ten whiffs upstairs…ah. Right. Blame it on the White Sox. Sears has been surprising us a little lately, but he’s a Cherry Bomb at best, if not an ultimate destructor covered in powdered sugar. I’m awfully suspicious of his next outing against the Jays. It doesn’t feel right.
Kyle Hendricks (CHC) vs MIN (L) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 93 pitches.
Hot dang, look at you! This was Hendricks getting the most out of everything he had, from sinkers for called strikes to changeups earning whiffs and even curveballs helping out more than usual. It’s cool, it’s fun, it’s a Gold Star and not to be trusted in Cleveland up next. Womp womp.
James Paxton (BOS) @ KCR (W) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 90 pitches.
Look at that, another Win for Paxton. The sinker became the primary heater behind the big knuckle curve and it kinda worked…? I’m not sure it’s something that can truly turn Paxton into a Toby and he’s a clear avoid/drop with the Astros next, but I’ll keep monitoring that pitch’s success. To be honest, I care more about Paxton making it through the full season without an IL stint. THAT’S the true fantasy game here.
Logan Allen (CLE) vs ARI (ND) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 84 pitches.
He took a comebacker to the head (after it grazed off his hand) and they kept him in the game. Yes, that is weird and doesn’t seem right. Anyway, Allen appeared for Cobb, who could be back for the next turn of the rotation against Minnesota and if that were Allen, I don’t see enough here to believe he’s worth your time. I sure hope he’s legit okay.
Tyler Glasnow (LAD) vs PHI (W) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 9 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 91 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. That’s a Gallows Pole (obviously) and a strong performance against an elite offense. Thanks Glasnow, that’s swell. You’re above Skubal for at least one more week now.
Ky Bush (CHW) @ OAK (L) – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 2 Hits, 5 BBs, 3 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 84 pitches.
I won’t beat around the Ky: You don’t want the young southpaw. This was Bush’s MLB debut and I watched this one so you don’t have to (it’s nothing special, really). It’s a poor heater with some nice moments with his secondaries and it feels like any other starter you’ll forget about shortly. Maaaaybe he pitches backward and finds a way and that would be cool. Show me that first with success please, k thx.
Patrick Corbin (WSN) vs SFG (L) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 90 pitches.
Patrick. What did the cutter ever do to you? IT WAS A GIFT. Now you’re basically ignoring it. WHY. YOU HAD IT.
Aaron Nola (PHI) @ LAD (L) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 96 pitches.
A poor third frame held all of the damage done against Nola, including two low curves smacked above 112 mph, one over the fence. It’s the Dodgers, leave Nola alone. Be glad he made it a full six frames to help save those ratios a tad. What a word. Tad. Does anyone actually say that in public anymore? Yes, but only when followed by pole. NOT WHAT I MEANT.
Brady Singer (KCR) vs BOS (L) – 5.2 IP, 4 ER, 10 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 107 pitches.
Y’all already know my take on this game. He’s the same dude he’s always been as a Cherry Bomb and this was a bit of a down night for his slider. He’s been great until now, but who knows how much of his sub 3.00 ERA sticks the rest of the way.
Roddery Muñoz (MIA) vs CIN (L) – 3.2 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 83 pitches.
Womp womp. Roddery tried to pull off an effective Neckbeard and it really didn’t work out. I hope we see Hot Roddery in the near future, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
Zac Gallen (ARI) @ CLE (ND) – 7.0 IP, 5 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 93 pitches.
Ouch. All three of the curve, change, and four-seamer got laced in this one. How far down should Gallen fall or is this simply a product of pitching in Cleveland? Nah, send him down the ranks. Aye aye.
Andre Pallante (STL) vs NYM (L) – 4.2 IP, 5 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 90 pitches.
Yeaaaah. He tried to go Dancing With The Disco merged with cut-fastballs hanging around over the zone and it worked pretty dang poorly. The ceiling isn’t high in the first place here, so you’re better off just not touching this at all.
Game of the Day
Pablo López vs. Shota Imanaga – Well ain’t that a bundle of fun and a can of joy.
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 Icon Sportswire | Candy Hearts courtesy of Ginger’s Artspace on Creative Fabrica | Adapted by Aaron Polcare (@bearydoesgfx on X)