Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher’s performance from every Friday 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.
Garrett Crochet (CHW) vs CHC (L) – 2.1 IP, 7 ER, 9 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 67 pitches.
Rostering Garrett Crochet for the past month has been absolute pain and the torture peaked on Friday night against the Cubs – 2.1 IP, 7 ER, 9 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 67 pitches. Four home runs (two off poor cutters, two off down-the-pipe at 95 fastballs) mixed with flares to make his BABIP go 9-for-11 in play. How ridiculous is that?!
Here’s another silly thing. Crochet has a 6.98 ERA and 1.81 WHIP across his last six games since the start of July in just 19.1 innings…while still boasting a sub-40 % ICR and 16% SwStr rate. In fact, his four-seamer has a 19% SwStr rate in that time. Crochet is the perfect mix of everything going wrong at once – not a mask falling off, not an indication of injury. Simply “I’m a little more out of rhythm, things aren’t going perfectly, and this whole innings thing has messed me up.”
Does that mean you should drop Crochet? Absolutely not. I simply cannot grasp a scenario in a 12-teamer where you can afford to not invest one more week into hoping Crochet clicks back into place with more pitches. Is that one streamer this week worth that ceiling? Even if you want to bench him against Houston (I wouldn’t!), the one-week stash is so heavily worth the gamble.
Let’s see how every other SP did Friday:
Zach Eflin (BAL) @ TBR (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 94 pitches.
Yessss. Revenge game ACTIVATED. Eflin gave you what he was supposed to give you on the Orioles vs. the Rays and his cutter is waking up in a major way. It’s a bit more of a challenge hosting the Sawx next, but we’re obviously up for it.
Edward Cabrera (MIA) vs SDP (ND) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 106 pitches.
ATTA BOY. Just 25% four-seamers as the changeup was featured 54% of the time. I’m surprised the slider is still completely missing, but with the change and curve (16/23 strikes!) working well together, I’m very cool with this. The slider would help find strikeouts again, though. I’m gonna chance it against the Mets, but the rough floor is still here given his four-seamer’s sub-50 % strike rate.
Mitchell Parker (WSN) vs LAA (ND) – 6.1 IP, 0 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 98 pitches.
The four-seamer did most of the work inside the zone (50% usage and 1/49 whiffs lol) while the splitter cleaned up with 6/23 whiffs and the curve + slider helped at times. He’s a Toby.
Bryce Miller (SEA) vs NYM (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 87 pitches.
Mmmmm, Bryce went just 50% fastballs in this one. I. KNOW. However the curve, the pitch I’ve started to get a little excited about, went just 2/8 strikes. Womp womp. His splitter was the real winner (10/11 strikes), while sliders and sweepers combined for 13/21 strikes. Look, as long as there’s something in the secondary department earning strikes, I’ll take it. The four-seamer is elite and just needs support. And yes, this was at home, which is obviously helping Miller a ton (Seattle returns far more strikeouts than other parks and Miller’s Home/Road splits are so absurdly different). Good luck in Detroit next time out.
Bailey Ober (MIN) vs CLE (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 9 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 106 pitches.
Aces. OH MY IT’S HAPPENING. Gonna. IT’S ABOUT DANG TIME NICK. Ac–ACCCCCCEEEEEE.
Beau Brieske (DET) @ SFG (ND) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 49 pitches.
Hey, not so bad for being an opener! Kenta Maeda came in after and did well to allow just 2 ER in 4.2 IP, but you know that’s not what you want in life. Aim higher.
José Berríos (TOR) vs OAK (W) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 103 pitches.
Atta boy Berríos. I’ve been awfully negative about ya recently (sorry) and it’s great to see you take advantage of a middling team despite all the signs of degradation over the past month. It was a day of great pitch separation – curves down-and-gloveside, sinkers/changeups armside – and I truly hope it’s something that sticks. I guess it’s worth the chance against the Angels? Meh.
José Soriano (LAA) @ WSN (ND) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 88 pitches.
That’s some good ole streamin’. Sinkers for strikes and48% CSW curves. This is the guy we wanted to see. Jays + Royals are next, that works for me.
Tanner Houck (BOS) vs HOU (ND) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 1 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 82 pitches.
THERE HE IS–Oh wait. Three walks and one strikeout? Uhhhhhh. His splitter is still struggling with just 1/9 whiffs here and even his slider can’t seem to get locked in. It’s truly strange to see that breaker go 50% strikes with just 1/34 whiffs. He’s not out of the woods, y’all. Not even close. The secondary feel is not there.
Ryne Nelson (ARI) vs PHI (ND) – 7.1 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 97 pitches.
That heater y’all. It’s a legit pitch and sat over a tick up at 96/97 mph, with some fantastic cutters in the mix, too (4/27 whiffs ain’t so bad, with some punchouts). He’s becoming a dude, y’all. Pick him up if you still can for the Rays up next.
Martín Pérez (SDP) @ MIA (ND) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 90 pitches.
Awww yis. Pérez’s changeup and curve were delicately spotted and he mixed enough cutters and sinkers around the zone to get through seven frames efficiently. Go have fun in your revenge game against the Pirates next, I’m streaming you there, too.
Aaron Civale (MIL) vs CIN (W) – 6.1 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 93 pitches.
I’m still a little weirded out by the sinker/four-seamer usage, but the cutter, curve, and sweeper trio performed well and got Civale to the finish line. You can leave him on the wire now with the Dodgers up next.
Zack Wheeler (PHI) @ ARI (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 8 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 100 pitches.
Aces gonna ace and get a bit Singled Out. I’m glad the day against the Yankees is well in the past now.
Robbie Ray (SFG) vs DET (ND) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 7 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 105 pitches.
Hmmmm. The line looks great, but watching Ray, I was reminded of older times of anxiety. He got behind so many batters, with his slider returning just 50% strikes and failing to execute when ahead. It was a back-and-forth on each pitch, though the general area of the pitches was what we were looking for. Let’s see if he sticks like this or improves the consistency moving forward.
Mitch Spence (OAK) @ TOR (L) – 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 81 pitches.
Ah yes, a super boring start that is just good enough in the ERA department but not anywhere else. That’s Spence, alright.
Tanner Gordon (COL) vs ATL (ND) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 89 pitches.
Hot dang, look at you! That’s a Gold Star with spotted sliders and a few four-seamers tallying strikeouts in this one. Gordon’s best asset is command, which appeared at times throughout this one, mixed with some solid BABIP fortune granted by Koufax above. Let’s call it a Birthday Party and move on – you can’t rely on this. I mean, come on. TWO FIRST NAMES.
Ronel Blanco (HOU) @ BOS (ND) – 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 88 pitches.
Huh. Why did Blanco throw just 14% sliders? Sure, he allowed a double and single off the pitch in the second, but that shouldn’t have been enough to turn away from his foundational offering – it even went 67% strikes! Instead, we got inefficient curves and heaters with his effective changeup and there’s your ball game. Weird.
Joey Cantillo (CLE) @ MIN (L) – 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 86 pitches.
He’s a Toby at best who needs more time to get the polish at a level where you’re comfortable rostering him. Suitman whispers into my ear Ah, right. Cantillo was the extra man for the doubleheader and isn’t in the rotation moving forward. So we wait. A long time.
Zack Littell (TBR) vs BAL (L) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 90 pitches.
A leadoff HR didn’t help things out of the gate, though it was interesting to watch Littell go armside with heaters and sliders gloveside, nearly exclusively separate like a 6th-grade dance at the gym. Houston ain’t the start you want up next, either.
Louie Varland (MIN) vs CLE (ND) – 4.2 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 85 pitches.
The four-seamer was elite and only allowed two singles at the top of the zone at 96 mph (!), though it didn’t earn as many whiffs as I expected it to with that velocity. The real issue was getting Singled Out on his low secondaries, mostly the curve, which allowed three singles + a home run on a terrible 1-2 pitch with two outs in the fifth and scored all three runs. Sigh. You nearly had it bucko. In fact, if he got that final out, the Win was his. SO CLOSE. With Ryan on the shelf, I imagine we’ll see Varland take his spot and I’m excited for that start to come to fruition in the next few weeks. I wouldn’t bank on it being the Rangers, nor the 96 mph heaters to return (adrenaline, y’all), but there’s good stuff in here.
Michael Lorenzen (KCR) vs STL (ND) – 4.1 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 88 pitches.
Blegh. If only you had two more outs in ya for a Win, then we can squint and see how this nearly worked out. So it goes, still a streaming option.
Jack Flaherty (LAD) vs PIT (W) – 5.2 IP, 4 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 10 Ks – 19 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 110 pitches.
Aces gonna get burned by two hanging sliders that were launched out of the park for a One Night Bland. Whatareyagonnado. Still a Dusty Donut for that Win and 10 strikeouts, of course.
Alex Cobb (CLE) @ MIN (L) – 4.2 IP, 4 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 82 pitches.
The splitter went 3/35 whiffs. That’s all you need to know about Cobb – if “The Thing” isn’t it (Well, It is the cousin…), then Cobb won’t give you a productive night. This was his first start of the season, of course, and now we wait for him to find a groove.
Jose Quintana (NYM) @ SEA (L) – 6.2 IP, 5 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 8 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 100 pitches.
The fact that Quintana had a 29% zone rate and just two walks should speak volumes. It was a Careful, Icarus with his final three runs scoring in the seventh, two on his last pitch, one after leaving the game. HE DESERVED BETTER. Seriously, the hits were on perfectly thrown changeups that squeaked into right field. Not cool. ANYWAY, he’s in such a good rhythm and you’re dang well starting him against the Athletics.
Grant Holmes (ATL) @ COL (ND) – 5.0 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 8 Ks – 21 Whiffs, 37% CSW, 98 pitches.
A Golden Goal for Holmes is awesome, the ratios sure aren’t. He looked dominant in the first two frames, then with two outs in the third he began falling apart, including a two-run shot on a terrible 93 mph pitch down the pipe, then losing batters and throwing mistakes over the plate, which lasted through the fourth. I wonder if he was fatigued at the time (remember, Holmes isn’t used to starting quite yet!), though the skills are legit y’all. We’re talking 17 whiffs on sliders + curves, and the four-seamer is a legit weapon frequently as he above-average feel for it inside the zone. I’m in belief that Atlanta will go with Holmes over Elder and I’m all for his next start against the Giants.
Jameson Taillon (CHC) @ CHW (W) – 5.0 IP, 5 ER, 9 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 95 pitches.
Awww, it was the CrySox! At least he got a Win because of Crochet’s dismantling, but two poor pitches down the pipe led to home runs and that can’t happen. Gotta sport a Neckbeard for sustained success! That’s what I’ve believed since I was thirteen. Oh. About that…
Miles Mikolas (STL) @ KCR (ND) – 4.0 IP, 5 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 19% CSW, 78 pitches.
Stop starting Miles. Yeah, I stopped starting Davis. No Miles. Right, Davis. STOP BEING JAZZ CULTURED.
Mitch Keller (PIT) @ LAD (L) – 4.0 IP, 7 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 95 pitches.
Blegh. The Dodgers. But it’s the Padres next. Your call, I’m generally off the Keller train anyway, but I get it if you don’t want to drop him and not think much about this.
Carson Spiers (CIN) @ MIL (L) – 5.0 IP, 8 ER, 7 Hits, 4 BBs, 7 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 108 pitches.
Yikes. Not the sharpest game from Spiers here and I’d rather not chase the ceiling for risk of this floor. But the strikeouts! Only because he couldn’t get them out otherwise. Don’t do it.
Game of the Day
Paul Skenes vs. River Ryan – Two electric rookies? Sign me up.
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 Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter/X)
