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 Twitch.tv weekday mornings from 10 am-12 pm ET.
Sean Manaea (NYM) @ PIT (W) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 11 Ks – 19 Whiffs, 42% CSW, 91 pitches.
There’s something poetic about watching Jared Jones record 8 ER in three frames hurling 99+ mph heaters, using maximum effort like a competitive Butterfly swimming, while Sean Manaea glides through seven with a calm breaststroke, acting like he was taking an afternoon dip in his backyard pool for a few laps via 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 11 Ks – 19 Whiffs, 42% CSW, 91 pitches. For a battle of essentially two fastball/slider arms, it was a striking result. Manaea is doing it again.
I downplayed Manaea’s return to a starting role when it started, and I’ve since come around, especially after recording just 6 ER in his last four games, each with at least six frames. Those of you who correctly ignored me in June have received a 3.50 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 23% strikeout rate and 7% walk rate in 61.2 IP since he got the pearl in the first on June 13th, and what we saw on Sunday was the best yet.
What was the biggest driver of his summer of success? Arm angle this, arm angle that, I’d say it’s simpler. Velocity. He was up to 93+ mph then and what we’ve gotten is 90/91 mph since, with many displays of high-80s along the way. This was the third start of his season sitting at least 92 mph (all of which in his last three games!), and it was his season high of 92.9 mph. That velocity catalyzed a 79% strike ate and 10/53 whiffs with plenty of groundballs. Yeaaaaah, I think he’s back.
The sweeper was better than usual, too. It featured more consistent break and returned a 36% CSW at 36% usage, rarely wasted and boasting 70% strikes on its own. Watching Manaea was boring, in a way, where he simply kept doing the same thing – plastering four-seamers over the plate and swinging sweepers over to mix things up – and the machine’s gears continued to churn and churn. If he can hold this velocity and strike rates (entirely possible), there’s no reason to expect he can’t continue to lap the Nationals, White Sox, and Brewers up next. If he’s still out there, you gotta add him. (View Game Card)
Let’s see how every other SP did Sunday:
Grant Holmes (ATL) @ NYY (ND) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 77 pitches.
I still can’t buy what The Real Estate Broker is selling, but hot dang look at you! Here’s a Gold Star. But it’s two straight six-inning games with zero earned runs! And seven strikeouts total. Koufax has been known to grant favors and even though his ERA is an absolute shock at 3.47, I truly can’t get behind it. So many outs on pitches over the plate to the Yankees’ left-handed batters. Sorry, fella. (View Game Card)
Troy Melton (DET) @ SFG (ND) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 92 pitches.
The whiffs have been there since he began leaning harder on the cutter, which has pushed a 0.83 ERA in his last nine games with a 0.85 WHIP and 27% strikeout rate. When your ERA is better than your WHIP across nine starts, you know life is good. (View Game Card)
Logan Webb (SFG) vs DET (ND) – 8.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 100 pitches.
It’s wonderful when Koufax can sit down and let Webb do his thing, especially with the changeups that did earn strikes, mostly returning outs in play. Now it’s Rockie Road and Fenway, which should be easy sailing. Fun fact: Despite holding a 5.06 ERA and 1.40 WHIP after his first eight games on May 6th, Webb boasts a 3.59 ERA and 1.08 WHIP for the year through 21 games. April really is a tease of a month, isn’t it? (View Game Card)
Cam Schlittler (NYY) vs ATL (ND) – 7.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 11 Ks – 23 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 96 pitches.
Aces gonna ace for a Gallows Pole. 15/39 whiffs on his four-seamer as he felt he needed to throw even harder at 99 mph, with an 88.7 mph curveball. That’s WILD. (View Game Card)
J.T. Ginn (ATH) @ BOS (ND) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 95 pitches.
Despite an IL stint breaking them up, it’s three straight six-inning outings for Ginn, and a 3.13 ERA with a 22% strikeout rate since May 7th in sixteen games. That’s far better than I expected to see, and I may be underrating the fella for his home park. Then again, I still heavily question the entire arsenal’s ability to find outs, with generally blegh movement from 85-93 mph on his arsenal. Does he really have that good enough command consistently to get it done? I’ll make him a Questionable for vs. TEX, @KCR, and vs. MIN up next. (View Game Card)
Ian Seymour (TBR) @ SEA (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 98 pitches.
Well that’s awesome. Since June 25th, it’s nine starts of a 3.26 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and 33% strikeout rate with a low 6% walk rate. Sure, it’s not the largest sample, nor innings per start (47 frames in nine games), but hot. DANG. That’s cool. (View Game Card)
Brayan Bello (BOS) vs ATH (L) – 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 51 pitches.
Thankfully, he was opened for, and was helpful once again, even if not for very long. He’ll likely get another “start” against the Yankees on Saturday and I’d go for it. (View Game Card)
Brad Lord (WSN) vs CIN (ND) – 2.2 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 51 pitches.
This was a bullpen game, though we may see Lord get more shots in the rotation moving forward instead of Trevor Williams (#NeverTrevor). Lord has a low arm angle that grants him 18″ of run on his sinker at 94/95 mph, and pairs with the obvious breaker along that path. Nothing too exciting or noteworthy in my book. (View Game Card)
Davis Martin (CHW) vs CLE (ND) – 1.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 23 pitches.
A rainout saved the day for Martin, who looked rough in the first and was replaced by Hagan Smith once the skies cleared, who made his MLB debut after we’ve followed him ever since he was drafted. I’m curious if Hagan will get some time as a proper starter this year, but with a line of 2.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 4 BBs, 3 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 48 pitches, he’s still a ways off from being properly stretched out. I dug that we saw an 88 mph cutter and 83 mph breaker underneath it, while the four-seamer feels like Kyle Harrison’s – a super flat 1.7 HAVAA with near 15″ vert at 94/95 mph and seven feet of extension. That will play if he can eventually learn to paint the top of the zone red like Harrison. One can only hope. (View Game Card)
Joey Cantillo (CLE) @ CHW (ND) – 1.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 31 pitches.
Like Martin, Cantillo was knocked out early by water, but he brought fire beforehand with 93 mph velocity and a trio of strikeouts to end the frame after three straight hits led off his evening. I wonder if the Guardians bump him up at all after just 31 pitches, but then again, they may be grateful to lessen his workload for a moment. (View Game Card)
Matthew Boyd (CHC) @ KCR (W) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 98 pitches.
It’s not the prettiest, but we’ll take it. That’s his third of four games with seven frames, but he’s also holding a 13.6% strikeout rate across eight of his last nine starts. Not great, Bob. Only 13/310 whiffs on four-seamer in that time, good for a 4.2% SwStr rate. Didn’t Schlittler have more in his Sunday start? He sure did. Puts it into perspective, you know? I’m not saying drop Boyd. I’m saying if you’re not chasing Wins, it may not be worthwhile to chase the ratios. We’re getting down to the wire, you gotta do what you need to do. (View Game Card)
Jesús Luzardo (PHI) vs TOR (ND) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 12 Ks – 19 Whiffs, 42% CSW, 100 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. Two straight dope starts after that 6 ER mishap, including his King Cole, bringing his season marks to 3.32 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 30% strikeout rate while averaging six innings per start. If you bought in after his first four games, those ratios fall to 2.12 ERA and 1.06 WHIP. That’s dope. Kinda interesting to see him around a 27-degree arm angle now after throwing a 31/32 earlier in the year, which explains the extra horizontal break he’s getting on the sweeper that helped it return a 35% SwStr rate and 16/46 whiffs. YEEEESH. (View Game Card)
Eduardo Rodriguez (ARI) vs LAD (W) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 9 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 115 pitches.
Wow. Even against the Dodgers, eh? This is all kinds of awesome to watch, with ERod rebounding from last week’s struggles against the Padres to work the zone beautifully once again across 115 pitches. And why not 115 pitches? Let the vet cook. We gotta keep starting him, of course. (View Game Card)
Randy Vásquez (SDP) vs HOU (W) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 62 pitches.
Ayyyy that’s the second decent outing in a row! Both with one strikeout. Yeah, I know, two Ks in eleven innings. HAISTBMBWT?! I’m not claiming this is real, I’m telling you it’s cool, alright? Get off my back TODD. He’ll get the Guardians next time out and even with an extra tick of velo on the sliders and cutter, I’d be very cautious. Two whiffs, y’all. And how long will they really let him go?
Emerson Hancock (SEA) vs TBR (L) – 4.2 IP, 2 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 96 pitches.
Blegh. The man was Singled Out, but that doesn’t mean he pitched well. All of those hits came over the plate and he really has become Will Warren in his 70% fastball lean. You know how I feel about this, but yeah, I guess we’re still starting him against the Astros and even hosting the Cubs. It’s @TEA, still. (View Game Card)
Michael Lorenzen (COL) @ STL (ND) – 4.1 IP, 2 ER, 8 Hits, 3 BBs, 1 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 97 pitches.
Well, that happened. ANYWAY…. (View Game Card)
Ryan Gusto (MIA) vs LAA (ND) – 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 43% CSW, 60 pitches.
If you musto lusto for Gusto, justo know it’ll likely busto. I’m disappointed in you. Me too. (View Game Card)
Brady Singer (CIN) @ WSN (L) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 103 pitches.
A VPQS for Singer is kinda par for the course and if you don’t want that, then it’s a Wonka. It’s the standard Singer approach, too, so expect no different moving forward. (View Game Card)
Jacob Misiorowski (MIL) vs MIN (ND) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks – 22 Whiffs, 37% CSW, 94 pitches.
Aces gonna throw two sub-100 mph heaters that left the yard for all three runs. How. Dare. You. I wonder what life would be like if he had one of those Estrada-esque changeups at like 84 mph. Bats would go FLYING. (View Game Card)
Michael McGreevy (STL) vs COL (ND) – 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 19% CSW, 102 pitches.
Awww, the velocity boost against the Yankees is missing and he failed to command his secondaries massively, especially the changeup and curveball that combined for sub-40% strikes across 31 thrown. Against Rockie Road! But it was a Careful, Icarus with a two-run shot on his very last pitch in the sixth. Very fair. One pitch away from a 6 IP, 1 ER game with nine baserunners and we look at this very differently. It truly was a terrible 3-2 sinker over the middle of the plate, though. Like baaaad. (View Game Card)
Connor Prielipp (MIN) @ MIL (ND) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 96 pitches.
I feel like this is the standard line for a Young Gun who I truly do like for the following season. It showcases he has all the stuff he needs, but has to figure out how to make those little adjustments with men on base to avoid runners from touching home, or how to make the shifts during at-bats to extend his outings. In other words, you may see more like this without one of those truly masterful games that get you sold with a pitcher. Or who knows, he could find that as soon as next week. Call him a HIPSTER for now as we have no idea what the next two months hold, but the potential is certainly there. (View Game Card)
Grayson Rodriguez (LAA) @ MIA (L) – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 4 BBs, 8 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 83 pitches.
You can see how it would work for GrayRod, but the breakers are not quite there yet. Without them properly helping out, he’ll continue to flash legit before ultimately getting hit on his heater or walking too many. I hope he finds it at some point before the season ends, while sitting at least 96, if not 97 mph. What was he here? 95 mph. Ah dangit. (View Game Card)
Justin Wrobleski (LAD) @ ARI (L) – 3.1 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 76 pitches.
You really want to drop Wrobo Cop and I don’t blame you. That’s three straight bleeeegh outings that have been all the regression everyone expected to see in due time. It’s awfully strange to see him go from four straight 11+ whiff games (including a 20 whiff game!) to just five in each of his last two (6% SwStr rate between them) and it doesn’t quite add up to me when he’s sitting 95+ mph with a slider up nearly two ticks to 88 mph. Yes, he wasn’t locating as routinely as he had before, but is that really all there is to this? Marte hit a two-run blast on an inside 96 mph HR, after all, and I dunno, it feels like something that he’ll get over in time. I don’t blame anyone for dropping him, and would encourage it for someone like Manaea, Jobe, JLo, etc., but otherwise I think you hold for a start against Milwaukee. (View Game Card)
Cade Povich (BAL) @ TEX (ND) – 3.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 1 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 61 pitches.
It was a struggle to find strikes in this one and his changeup barely appeared against RHB (13% usage), with a tick down in velo and an early hook from the Orioles. Womp womp. Okay, I think he gets bounced for Bassitt. I wish it weren’t so – let the kid get his reps! – and I think they just showed their cards. Wrong bird. What, showed their Orioles? Much better. (View Game Card)
Randy Dobnak (KCR) vs CHC (L) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 10 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 94 pitches.
Annnnd there’s the floor he deftly avoided against the Twins and Tigers. What, you thought Koufax would continue to be so kind against the Cubs? Don’t rule out more love for the glove against the Halos in LA, but y’all know the floor, especially with 1-2 ticks less velocity from 92 to 90 mph. (View Game Card)
Cristian Javier (HOU) @ SDP (L) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 86 pitches.
Awwwww. He was really unlucky with BABIP as he was burned on some quality pitches around the zone, but even if you give him poor luck, batters were still able to get wood on his stuff. I’m not thrilled seeing 5/86 whiffs from Javier, and it’s even more surprising when you notice the increased velocity on all his secondaries, too. Merged with an overall 72% strike rate, I’m not ready to give up on this one. He held a 13% overall putaway rate despite getting to two strikes 63% of the time, which outlines a hilariously putrid effort to find strike three. He’s prime for more strikeouts, and paired with a cutter returned 80% strikes, I have to believe Javier’s four-seamer and sweeper will find the punchouts in time while maintaining his low walk rate over the last four games we’ve seen him. Low walk rate? It’s a 10.7% walk rate for the year! And just one walk in his last 16 innings. Ohhhhhh. (View Game Card)
Shane Bieber (TOR) @ PHI (ND) – 5.2 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 97 pitches.
Blegh. Bieber has a livelier heater than last season with similar velocity on his secondaries and a touch less sweep. Why am I telling you this? Because the stuff isn’t the problem. Nay, it’s a 48% strike rate on his four-seamer and a 53% clip on his curveball. You’re closer than it looks, Bieber. Get it together. (View Game Card)
Kumar Rocker (TEX) vs BAL (L) – 3.0 IP, 6 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 69 pitches.
Yikes. Ever since I began accepting that Rocker may have unlocked the right approach and decent command, he’s had terrible command with the right intent. It’s pretty clear that I’m not interested with Sacré Verde up next, but maaaaybe against the Nationals after. Also, we finally saw Jordan Montgomery make his return from TJS (it’s been a while, since he’s been gone) and we saw a whole lot bleeeegh, which is, honestly, what JorMont was for a while when he was a starter – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 79 pitches. No thanks. (View Game Card)
Jared Jones (PIT) vs NYM (L) – 3.0 IP, 8 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 69 pitches.
Oh jeez. I watched this one and after a moment of getting his footing in the first, he looked swell until two outs in the third. A dribbler turned single, a two-run shot, a “triple” after a poor dive in the outfield on a liner, and another two-out hit all accounted for three more runs, then a HBP + two walks granted the hook in the fourth, with all coming round to score. Yeah, it hurt. It seemed as though his solution to struggles was to try to THROW HARDER, but the engine was getting pushed too hard too fast (and too furious), and he steadily fell a full tick each inning from 98.6 mph to 95.7 mph in the fourth. It’s a problem for Jones – he’s a thrower, not a pitcher like he used to be – and I worry that he can’t overwhelm batters with heat like he could in 2024. That said, it’s not like he’s bad, and the last two games, while harmful to your teams, are a major distance from the 2.60 ERA, 0.72 WHIP and 31% strikeout rate of his previous seven games combined at five innings per start. It’s another situation like Wrobo Cop – I believe this is the worst part of his outcome spectrum, not the middle, and there are sure to be better days ahead, including a date with the Sawx on Saturday (Hey! I’ll be at that game in PNC Park!). The ultra stud is not likely to be found this year (the Pirates are limiting him a bit), but you had the potential 5+ inning darling for seven straight before his last two. That’s still in there if you want to take the chance. (View Game Card)
Game of the Day
Andrew Painter vs. Hunter Dobbins – I know, far from the hype guys, but they both also showcased new approaches recently, and I wonder if we’ll see Painter go non-fastball heavy, and if Dobbins has the same cut-fastball from his last outing.
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 Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter/X; @justinparadis.bsky.social on BlueSky)
