Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher’s performance from every Wednesday 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.
Tyler Wells (BAL) vs PIT (ND) – 6.2 IP, 1 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 89 pitches.
The best part about fantasy baseball in September: Guys like Tyler Wells get completely overlooked, allowing you to score a stream of 6.2 IP, 1 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 89 pitches (ND) against the Pirates. And guess what? He’ll likely help you out again.
Wells isn’t particularly electric. He doesn’t light up the scoreboard with his 93 mph velocity, nor does his array of secondaries suggest a 25%+ strikeout rate over a full season. What you’ll get is a vast arsenal with solid command, executing a changeup, four-seamer, and cutter against LHB, with a good slider to RHB, saving the occasional curve for potential free real estate, snagging early strikes.
Those skills merged with a sizeable leash for a team capable of winning games can be all you need facing the SlySox and hosting the Rays in Camden. These sneaky streams can be the difference down the stretch.
Let’s see how every other SP did Wednesday:
Jason Alexander (HOU) @ TOR (ND) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 89 pitches.
Wow, what a find he has been for your fantasy teams, eh? Alexander’s changeup once again soared off the back of fourteen called strikes on his sinker, and now you’re wondering if he’s safe to hold for the Rangers up next. Not my favorite and will still require passivity + Koufax aid to get there, but yeah, it could work out as a Toby play. The Neckbeard approach works.
Nick Pivetta (SDP) vs CIN (ND) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 101 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. It’s a 2.73 ERA on the year with too little time left to mess it up. Congrats, Pivetta. You’ve recorded the first sub 4.00 ERA season of your career.
Eduardo Rodriguez (ARI) @ SFG (W) – 6.1 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 98 pitches.
This was Erod being Erod. Sure, his heaters leaked more into the zone than usual, and yet, the lower heaters helped mask the changeup and even the sinker that missed heavily to LHB out of the zone still setup effective pitches later in counts. He’ll get the Giants a second time, why not act like you’re in the showcase showdown and give it a spin?
Blake Snell (LAD) vs COL (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 11 Ks – 22 Whiffs, 38% CSW, 104 pitches.
Aces gonna ace with a Gallows Pole. If Snell didn’t do this against Rockie Road, I would have been shook.
Jack Flaherty (DET) @ NYY (W) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 99 pitches.
Despite returning just 50% strikes between sliders and curveballs, Flaherty took down the mighty Yankees. Hot DANG! Yeah, that four-seamer has no right to go 34% CSW with five strikeouts. At least this should make you feel great about a start against the Guardians up next.
Paul Skenes (PIT) @ BAL (ND) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 0 BBs, 8 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 41% CSW, 64 pitches.
Aces gonna ace with a King Cole en route to his first (of likely many) Cy Young awards. If you didn’t know, Alex Fast was in the Orioles’ broadcast booth all game and it was a joy listening to him gush over Skenes.
Griffin Jax (TBR) @ CHW (ND) – 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 12 pitches.
Jax led the way for a bullpen game for Tampa Bay, granting some extra rest for Ryan Pepiot. We move on.
Andrew Abbott (CIN) @ SDP (W) – 8.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 102 pitches.
Look at you. A loud refusal to end a breakout campaign two weeks early. The changeup was back to dominating RHB, and his sweeper + four-seamer stepped up to take down far more LHB than usually sees. I really can’t see you benching Abbott before the season ends, yes, even when he hosts the Cubs. He deserves your love at this point.
Cristopher Sánchez (PHI) vs NYM (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 93 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. Remember that whole forearm injury scare? He sat 95.5 mph here and has been so dang good for fantasy squads.
Michael McGreevy (STL) @ SEA (ND) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 81 pitches.
Atta boy McGreevy. This is the kind of line we dreamed, cackling as we clicked the “Add Player” button. My league has no idea what he’s capable of! Now it’s the Reds Carpet and San Francisco. Both work for me.
Kyle Freeland (COL) @ LAD (L) – 5.2 IP, 1 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 86 pitches.
I was considering if Freeland deserved some extra love for this start after his strikeout exhibit in his previous outing, but then again, it was the Dodgers. That’s a day of getting Singled Out that led to a Dusty Donut, which is still a massive win for Freeland. Not gonna lie, writing this blurb just sent me on a creative spiral and I just spent ten minutes making this for you. Enjoy.
Logan Gilbert (SEA) vs STL (ND) – 4.2 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 95 pitches.
He went upstairs with heaters and they were awesome. 10/48 whiffs! But why was this not great. Because the slider and spitter failed to earn enough strikes, dangit. This skill needs to stick around. Please, Logan, just keep that heater up and the slider will be a strike pitch in time. I CAN FEEL IT.
José Ureña (LAA) vs MIN (ND) – 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 4 BBs, 3 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 71 pitches.
Wait, you started another game? Why? WHY?!
Carlos Rodón (NYY) vs DET (L) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 102 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. I think he’s been too consistent in the past month to pull back now.
José Berríos (TOR) vs HOU (ND) – 5.1 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 81 pitches.
Oh dang. The Great Undulator is pulling an all-nighter to get his ERA under 3.90 before season ends. I’m at 3.99 now, THERE’S STILL TIME. Good luck bucko.
Logan Allen (CLE) vs KCR (ND) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 86 pitches.
It ain’t pretty, but that’s…something? Is a 3.60 ERA worth the 1.40 WHIP and two strikeouts…? I’m not interested in Allen for 2x starts against Detroit.
Jameson Taillon (CHC) @ ATL (ND) – 4.1 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 79 pitches.
Blegh. He turned away from the curve and sweeper, though I’m not entirely sure why. No matter, he has such a glorious schedule remaining and I wouldn’t be surprised if at least two Wins came through across his final three starts.
Payton Tolle (BOS) @ ATH (ND) – 2.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 33 pitches.
Tolle was part of a piggy-back with Kyle Harrison, who made his Boston debut with a quiet 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 49 pitches (ND) performance. There was no cutter to speak of, unless you count the 87/88 mph gyro slider with a little extra vert than you want, the “cutter”. I’m glad he was at 95 mph, but that’s where the praise ends. The changeup was barely touched, his fastball was rarely upstairs, and the curve was hung aplenty. I’m avoiding Harrison, while I’ll yell at the Red Sox to let Tolle start in full. But he allowed two HRs! I don’t care, the four-seamer/cutter combo is destined to destroy.
Jonathan Bowlan (KCR) @ CLE (ND) – 2.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 36 pitches.
Ah, a bullpen game. Cool cool cool. WHERE’S FALTER?!
Taj Bradley (MIN) @ LAA (ND) – 6.1 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 98 pitches.
A slightly better PQS is welcome for Bradley, who sat 97/98 mph (Nice!) and hurled all pitches well over the plate without much command for the edges (not nice!). I’m sorry, I want to believe in a Bradley post-post-post hype moment, but this looks like the same fella we can’t trust.
Eury Pérez (MIA) vs WSN (ND) – 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 96 pitches.
He was so close. He had just one run through five, then out, single, caught stealing, single, triple, single, and he gets the hook. One more out leads to just one run and four hits WITH A WIN – the Marlins scored four in the bottom half of the frame. Careful, Icarus. Quiet, you, I’m reeling over here. His four-seamer command needs some work as he hurled too many over the heart of the plate to LHB, though the slider stepped up to be a proper weapon often. He heads into Coors with @TEX after and I’m still down. I think it’s worth your time, but if you prefer a streamer, you do you.
Merrill Kelly (TEX) vs MIL (W) – 5.2 IP, 3 ER, 10 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 93 pitches.
Two early solo shots + a night of getting Singled Out led to a Philly and a poor WHIP, but hey, a dub! I know you have it in your heart to forgive Kelly after all the love he’s shown your squads this season. Start him without fear against the Astros.
Jake Irvin (WSN) @ MIA (L) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 74 pitches.
Chris Sale (ATL) vs CHC (L) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 93 pitches.
Aces gonna run into some trouble against a solid offense. Whatareyagonnado.
Sean Burke (CHW) vs TBR (ND) – 4.1 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 4 BBs, 5 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 68 pitches.
Yeaaaaah. Maybe next year?
Mason Barnett (ATH) vs BOS (ND) – 3.2 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 76 pitches.
You didn’t fall for Barnett after the 18 whiff start, right? That wasn’t sustainable. You knew that. Please tell me you knew that.
Clay Holmes (NYM) @ PHI (L) – 4.0 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 76 pitches.
We’re stepping through mud on our shoes, staring at the ceiling of The Adobe leak and create a horrible floor. I’d rather stream instead of going with Holmes against the Padres & Cubs.
Carson Seymour (SFG) vs ARI (L) – 1.1 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 37% CSW, 38 pitches.
Nooooope. His sinker/slider were way too hittable to Arizona’s LHB and we’re not touching this.
Freddy Peralta (MIL) @ TEX (L) – 5.0 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 9 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 113 pitches.
Aces gonna get bodied by a pair of Jake Burger home runs. Everything else is fine here, so brush it off and move on. Whatareyagonnado.
Game of the Day
MacKenzie Gore vs. Ryan Weathers – Come on Gore, this is a layup for you. Weathers, I hope you can go 5+ while likely on a pitch count around 75
But Nick?! Where are the streaming picks? – I’ve moved them to the daily SP Matchups & Streamer Rankings article.
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Photos by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire and Kylie Osullivan/Icon Sportswire | Featured image by Ethan Kaplan (@djfreddie10.bsky.social on Blue Sky and @EthanMKaplanImages on Instagram)
