Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher’s performance from every Thursday 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.
Kumar Rocker (TEX) @ SEA (ND) – 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 74 pitches.
Hey y’all. We got Kumar Rocker on Thursday night for his MLB debut and he was so good. 4.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 7 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 74 pitches is one h*ck of a debut (I know, I wanted that fifth frame, too), even if you want to diminish it for a night in Seattle. I was impressed in many ways and in short, he’s legit. If he starts next week, I’d go for it. It’s unclear if he will, sadly, as he was stepping in to bridge Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer’s return to the rotation. He’s not slated to start again at the moment but if that changes, grab him for the Jays.
Sure, but why? WHY?! Because he’s dope, that’s why. I’m enamored by his smooth and calm delivery that allows him to have better command than typical hard-throwers. I love his four-seamer’s 96/97 mph velocity with elite 7″ of extension (not the stupid low vert numbers, but that’s akin to Skenes and it could work when spotted low…). His breaking ball is a Kluberball and we’ve passed a motion to call it a Rockerball acting as a slider/curve mix at 13+ mph less than the heater. It’s FILTHY. We’re talking 13/33 whiffs yesterday and that’s all you really need to grasp the pitch.
My biggest concern is that four-seamer, which didn’t rack up whiffs despite consistent locations upstairs. However, that can explained by normal hitter aggression toward fastballs in MLB debuts, and I wonder if we’ll see it overwhelm more in future starts once the slider gets respected like it should.
Kumar is one of the best ’24 debut arms I’ve seen all year. Skenes, Jones, Kumar, Leiter, River, Schwellenbach, and maybe Scott and Festa in there too (Sorry Arrighetti). Hard throwers with a legit slider is all the rage and based on Kumar’s smooth delivery and fantastic BSB approach here, I’m excited for what’s the come in 2025. Please tell me that command wasn’t just a fluke.
Let’s see how every other SP did Thursday:
Mitchell Parker (WSN) vs MIA (ND) – 6.1 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 5 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 76 pitches.
After a massive disappointment in Pittsburgh, Parker’s curve and splitter woke up Thurdsay morning on a mission. The duo returned ten whiffs between them and a ton of strikes, carrying Parker as his heater danced along the top of the zone, barely giving batters anything they wanted to swing at. The Mets are next and that’s a meh in a 12-teamer. I think you can find better.
Frankie Montas (MIL) @ SFG (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 8 Ks – 19 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 102 pitches.
Atta. Boy. SWANKY. MONTAS. A co-share of the Gallows Pole due to the best slider I’ve seen from him all year, painting the down-and-gloveside corner of the zone. The heater was still at 96 mph as well and avoided the heart of the plate, while the cutter + splitter + sinker were around and did their part, too. If only he didn’t have to face the Phillies up next…
Hayden Birdsong (SFG) vs MIL (ND) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 68 pitches.
Hot dang, look at you! Your fastball ACTUALLY FOUND THE ZONE! 68% zone rate on the pitch is marvelous and the curve…4/10 strikes. His slider was a touch better at a 57% rate, though we saw many wasted breakers in this one per usual. Fewer on the four-seamer, at least. Can we trust him now? Absolutely not!
Framber Valdez (HOU) vs OAK (ND) – 6.1 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 96 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. I think he’s earned that with his stupid good run, no? That curve is everything and it’s the pitch he’s missed for about two years. It’s so watch to see it cook.
Sonny Gray (STL) vs CIN (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 9 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 91 pitches.
We appreciate you Sonny, for doing exactly what you’re supposed to do. Rinse and repeat against the Pirates. They do need the bath. It ain’t easy livin’ on the mercurial waters of our home….
Tarik Skubal (DET) vs COL (ND) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 84 pitches.
Aces gonna ace against Rockie Road with incessant high heaters for 12 whiffs (we normally don’t see that!) and he would have gone deeper if not for a liner that struck his glove-hand. X-rays are all clean, don’t worry about this.
Bryce Miller (SEA) vs TEX (ND) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 84 pitches.
In Seattle?! Who would have guessed. Me. And you. Puts on Gary Oldman mustache EVERYONE.
Cooper Criswell (BOS) @ NYY (ND) – 5.1 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 86 pitches.
Whoa, they actually let Criswell toss 86 pitches! And it was productive! Against the Yankees! That’s a Gold Star from me, even with Hayden’s night. Who knows if he’ll get the same workload against the Rays, though, let alone avoid damage as much as he did here.
Nestor Cortes (NYY) vs BOS (ND) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 9 Ks – 19 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 92 pitches.
The Red Sox are a great team to face away from Fenway. Cortes’ Gallows Pole certainly benefited from it, though I would be remiss if I didn’t mention his uptick in velocity across the board with a 42% CSW four-seamer and a 10/14 strike sweeper that didn’t allow a ball in play. He really spotted that heater beautifully upstairs. This is the good stuff. And now he gets…@SEA?! Hoooooo boy, SIGN ME UP.
Jakob Junis (CIN) @ STL (ND) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 3 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 69 pitches.
Wow. That’s a pair of starts with five innings of performance from Junis, going Dancing With The Disco and hoping batters continue to be passive on his sinker. And what do ya know, 37% called strikes on the sinker. No, I don’t think he’ll keep getting away with it against Atlanta next week. Is this line worth a floor of “Nothing & Pain”? Hey, I love that band. I’m sure you do.
Mitch Spence (OAK) @ HOU (ND) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 81 pitches.
Spence brought the good command and Koufax did the rest. If he ever finds some more velocity to turn those cutters into whiffs, you may see what we always dreamed Graham Ashcraft could be. In the meantime, he’s still a risky play against the Cubs as just one more run would have made this start worthless.
Ryan Feltner (COL) @ DET (ND) – 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 92 pitches.
Oh hey, this was good! It’s a 94/95 mph flatish four-seamer without vert or extension to back it up, and his breakers need work. But yay! A Birthday Party!
Ryan Pepiot (TBR) @ CLE (ND) – 2.0 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 1 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 38 pitches.
Uhhhh, Pepiot was down 1-2 ticks and was pulled after just 38 pitches. Apparently there’s no injury and the Rays are just managing his workload, but either way, this ain’t it. I hope we get some more information before his next start against the Red Sox in the Trop (I’d normally LOVE that outing) as I think we have no choice but to pass on that start. It’s too risky at the most important of times.
Gavin Williams (CLE) vs TBR (L) – 5.1 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 90 pitches.
Bleeeegh. He’s right there. Right there! Obviously much better than the game against the Dodgers and a King Cole shouldn’t be ignored, but it hasn’t all come together yet. Now you’re in a tough spot – it’s a two-step against MIN and @STL, do you go for it? I am. I know, it’s awfully easy to look at the results and pass, but the skills speak to an elite heater and a great cutter underneath + a curve that can step up as well. That’s a dang 36% CSW and 14 whiffs! That should be enough, it wasn’t, and tomorrow is a new day. Do whatever you feel is right in your gut, personally, I’m chasing it.
Darren McCaughan (MIA) @ WSN (ND) – 5.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 1 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 20% CSW, 84 pitches.
He threw sweepers over the plate and hoped for the best. When it’s 2/33 whiffs on said sweeper, you know you should be turning to something else to guide your team to the finish line. No no no, the Sunset is to the West! THE WEST!
Game of the Day
Jacob deGrom at Seattle Mariners – The best pitcher on the planet is back. Ohhhhhhhh dang.
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)