Welcome to the SP Roundup, my daily fantasy baseball article reviewing every starting pitcher’s performance from every Tuesday 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.
José Suarez (ATL) @ WSN (W) – 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 9 Ks – 21 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 99 pitches.
Ladies and gentlemen! Step right up! Come see the marvel of the 2025 season: An ignored southpaw with a changeup dominating out of nowhere! You didn’t expect José Suarez to get featured for the Roundup this year, did ya? It’s hard not to after he was suddenly given the pearl for Atlanta (I really should return their call for a spot start…) and flummoxed the Nationals for a dub: 7.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 9 Ks – 21 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 99 pitches (W). Oh, right. A Golden Goal across the way. This is absurd.
As a southpaw, the Nationals were already at a disadvantage, and elected to serve more RHB than usual, but that played into Suárez’s hand. You know, the changeup that every lefty seems to have. The pitch established itself down-and-away with four-seamers above, but actually surprised LHB far better at 4/7 whiffs and a trio of strikeouts. How about that.
The sinker was highly effective to LHB as well. The 92/93 mph pitch held an impressive 18″ of run and returned three outs with a 39% CSW and 77% strike rate. The curve was saved for deeper counts and joined the party for three strikeouts as well, and despite the slowball’s 52% strike rate to RHB, the fast/slow combo was enough to power through.
I wouldn’t expect José to start a second time, but what if he did? Why, he’d get the Nationals again. It’s kinda hard to resist a repeat matchup, no? It’s not as if this was completely unfounded – the command was generally great with RHB as his biggest weakness – and the question is if Atlanta goes to a six-man down the stretch. Why not? It would allow both Chris Sale and Spencer Strider to end there season this week, and let Elder, Wentz, Suárez, and maybe even Waldrepto finish out the year with Suárez, allowing a third start for Suárez or Waldrep (do they want to push him?), or watch some other rando show up instead.
Circle Suárez and monitor the situation. This could be WSN + PIT ahead and that could actually work, too.
Let’s see how every other SP did Tuesday:
Chris Sale (ATL) @ WSN (ND) – 8.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 9 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 106 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. Hey look, the changeup’s back! That’s cool. Thanks for returning for all of us in the fantasy playoffs. But he’s not on my team. Then HOW DARE YOU, CHRIS!
Michael McGreevy (STL) vs CIN (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 91 pitches.
Sweeeeeet. Nothin’ like a boring Toby cruising against a poor offense. He has the Giants up next and while I’m not jumping through hoops to grab that like I was here, that should be fine for 15-teamers, mid for 12-teamers.
MacKenzie Gore (WSN) vs ATL (ND) – 5.1 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 3 BBs, 5 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 92 pitches.
Thank you, Gore. I appreciated the BSB against RHB with heaters up and changeups + curveballs down, even if the yacker didn’t induce chases as it should. That slowball was stellar at 8/18 whiffs and you should be thrilled about it. There is a problem, though. Gore sat 94.4 mph. I don’t think I’ve seen him near 94 mph since… the Padres?! Welp, you have one more and I think we go for it. The slider wasn’t even at its peak and more strikeouts could have flowed against LHB, too.
Eury Pérez (MIA) @ COL (W) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 71 pitches.
It’s awfully kind of the Rockies to feature so few LHB. Coors was nullified by Eury’s excellence against RHB, with the sweeper and slider each returning 10 whiffs and just one cuveball in sight (it was likely just a really good sweeper with a touch extra drop). Now he heads to Arlington and I’m all for that. We can discuss the Mets after that (I’m likely going to do it).
Shohei Ohtani (LAD) vs PHI (ND) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 68 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. They’re really babying him, eh? I wonder if he’ll get pushed at all in the playoffs or not. As for his ability, it’s not a truly locked in Ohtani, yet. The command is kinda sproadic and the breakers aren’t obeying. And remember the pitch Ohtani had back in the day? The splitter? Just one thrown. In the end, I want to see Ohtani get back to the land fo 30%+ sweepers with the splitter for LHB strikeouts and we still have a ways to go for that. Keep starting him, obviously, I’m just curious for next year.
Jeffrey Springs (ATH) @ BOS (ND) – 4.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 68 pitches.
Despite the goose egg, I wouldn’t call this sunshine and rainbows for Springs. An unearned run + constant failure to find strikes = getting the hook before tossing 70 pitches. He’ll head to PNC Park next, though, and I’d heavily consider that for a stream. The slowball is still working, for the most part.
AJ Blubaugh (HOU) vs TEX (ND) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 42% CSW, 50 pitches.
He gets more vert than expected on his four-seamer from the right-side and paired with his sweeper’s exceptional -15″ of movement made it tough for RHB to deal with Blubaugh + a few nasty changeups to LHB recorded another pair of punchouts. Yes, I wish he went more than 50 pitches, but we knew he’d be limited. We saw three frames and 57 pitches of decency from Colton Gordon as well, snagging the vulture Win in the process (That rascal), and it’s possible the Astros will go with this RHP-LHP tandem again in Sacré Verde or against the Angels. I hate chasing vulture Wins, though. I’d hold off.
Freddy Peralta (MIL) vs LAA (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 10 Ks – 20 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 94 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. That heater gets plenty of unexpected cut-action and let to 13/51 whiffs while Professor Chaos was reserved for just the slider, which had some lovely whiffs among its lack of strikes (42% clip?!). He’s like the child who’s allowed to grab one supermarket item each start. Thankfully it wasn’t the heater today.
Connelly Early (BOS) vs ATH (ND) – 5.1 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 80 pitches.
This was worse command as I expected, but still good enough for his wide arsenal to perform a second time against the Athletics. We saw a shift in focus from breakers to changeups against RHB (all for that!) and his sinker + four-seamer was spotted well to grab strikes and outs constantly. Yeah, this kid is great. I’m starting him in Tampa on Sunday.
Cade Horton (CHC) @ PIT (W) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 79 pitches.
The sweeper still needs work (he floated that thing over the heart of the plate constantly to RHB), and he got away with it because, you know, Blame it on the Pirates. I’m a little upset he was squeezed so often on his changeup to LHB, as he located that thing beautifully down-and-away. All good here, with clear starts @CIN and hosting St. Louis to end the season. Be warned: He may not make that final start if the Cubs’ playoff situation is all wrapped up – they’re trying to protect his innings as much as possible, especially with the playoff run.
Joey Cantillo (CLE) @ DET (ND) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 91 pitches.
There’s something to be said about Cantillo having a decent outing despite hurling his pitches all over the place. There’s no rhyme to this madness! I’ll still go with it against the Twins as the command should be better, which should make up for any lost good graces from Koufax.
Logan Gilbert (SEA) @ KCR (W) – 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 89 pitches.
Aces gonna meh. A Philly is a little disappointing, along with the WHIP, and after having a ridiculous time with his four-seamer in the previous start, he reverted back to his old self. What, like a few whiffs? Naaaah, we’re talking 0/32 whiffs. OH COME ON. Yeah, just as many sweet whiffs I had when enduring COVID. If only he could be the thing and usually be that awesome thing.
Dean Kremer (BAL) @ CHW (W) – 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 97 pitches.
This is what you wanted. Sure, a few more strikeouts to pair with sixteen whiffs, but a dub! And digestible ratios! Thank the splitter and four-seamer going BSB to LHB + the sinker and cutter churning outs to RHB. He’s still Dean Werewolf to me, though, and he may get just one more start hosting the Rays. That’s fine in a 15-teamer, and not the worst final-week stream.
Clay Holmes (NYM) vs SDP (ND) – 4.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 53 pitches.
I didn’t know where to rank The Adobe among yesterday’s starters and while he didn’t go five frames, this is…okay? The real story is Sean Manaea starting the rest of the game and earning a Win as the follower: 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 71 pitches (W). Now that’s hot. He was able to face far more LHB than usual and he was untouchable save for a Fermin solo shot in the eighth. You should expect the Mets to continue using these two as a pair, and Manaea is obviously the one to roster. You might see Holmes go five if he’s locked in, FWIW.
Casey Mize (DET) vs CLE (ND) – 5.1 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 8 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 87 pitches.
As expected, the splitter earned many whiffs and strikeouts to LHB, though a few too many mistakes led to some trouble. He’s a Toby, still, and a start against Atlanta is in the Questionable Start tier for Sunday.
Andrew Abbott (CIN) @ STL (L) – 4.2 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 96 pitches.
You know, this looks terrible, but he spotted a lot of pitches well and got burned. A two-run shot was the heavy blow, while getting Singled Out a touch on heaters worked up the pitch count as well. And the changeup failed to put away RHB. Yes, that too. I understand hesitating against the Cubs on Sunday, but I don’t see anything different about Abbott now vs. earlier in the season. You said it didn’t look real earlier in the season! Huh. I did say that. Welp, your call. I’m leaning start, but it’s a close one.
José Berríos (TOR) @ TBR (ND) – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 0 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 78 pitches.
Berríos, NO! This may ruin his chances of abiding the rules of The Great Undulator, holding an ERA above 4.00 with one start to go. Sigh. WHAT HAS THE WORLD COME TO?!
Paul Skenes (PIT) vs CHC (L) – 3.2 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 92 pitches.
Aces gonna have a bad day. Jeez, Skenes. We were already crowning you with the Cy Young and it got to your head, eh? That’s where a crown goes. Of course, how silly of me.
Tristan Beck (SFG) @ ARI (ND) – 3.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 42 pitches.
This was a bullpen day with a tease of Beck for a few frames. He went just 31% fastball with sweepers, sliders, and curves filling in the rest, and that sweeper is looking lovely at -15″ of bend. The 90 mph slider/cutter thing acts as a solid bridge pitch, too, while 95 mph velocity is a good sight on the four-seamer, even if it lacks anything special under the hood. Not a guy to target unless he stabilizes himself as a Toby next year. It’s possible.
Cristopher Sánchez (PHI) @ LAD (ND) – 7.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 102 pitches.
Aces gonna have a bad second inning with three runs on two HRs. That’s it, y’all. I am a little surprised he pulled back on the changeup to RHB with 63% sinkers vs 29% changeups, but then again, both HRs came off secondaries to RHB, so I kinda get it. Anyway, keep riding, of course.
Cam Schlittler (NYY) @ MIN (ND) – 4.2 IP, 4 ER, 3 Hits, 5 BBs, 6 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 89 pitches.
Well that’s disappointing. He was laboring but managing through four, then the wheels really came off in a three run fifth, including a two-run blast. The four-seamer was in the dirt at times, which should alarm you to the lack of feel across this one. The good news? 98 mph velocity. We brush it off and keep starting the man.
Ryan Pepiot (TBR) vs TOR (L) – 1.2 IP, 4 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 49 pitches.
Uhhhh, I didn’t expect this to go well, sure, but 49 pitches for just five outs?! Welp, you likely already dropped him and if you’re still holding on, it’s possible he does well against the Sawx in Tampa Bay, but you can obviously tell that Pepiot is far from comfortable pitching in his “home” park.
Jake Irvin (WSN) vs ATL (L) – 6.0 IP, 5 ER, 8 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 102 pitches.
Eduardo Rodriguez (ARI) vs SFG (ND) – 5.0 IP, 5 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 83 pitches.
The man got bamboozled in the first by getting Singled Out and allowing four runners to cross the plate. That’s Baseball, Suzyn. THAT’S A CIRCUS, THAT’S WHAT IT IS. He’s a low-end Toby and it happens. Now the Dodgers + Padres are ahead, making Erod ignored across fantasy leagues until 2026.
Caden Dana (LAA) @ MIL (L) – 3.2 IP, 5 ER, 8 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 92 pitches.
The strikeouts were not believable from his last start and Dana just isn’t a guy to target right now. Maybe at some point next year. It’s telling to see 0/42 whiffs on a 95/96 mph four-seamer. Say it with me y’all: Deaaaaddd zoooonnnnee.
Kyle Freeland (COL) vs MIA (L) – 5.2 IP, 6 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 73 pitches.
I sure hope those two starts of explosive strikeout totals didn’t seduce you. Sigh. Where’s Devers? Can we get him on a plane into earshot of Freeland?
Shane Smith (CHW) vs BAL (L) – 4.1 IP, 6 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 88 pitches.
The Orioles got to him across three straight frames, where the secondaries weren’t used enough to keep them off the heater. We’re talking 7/10 balls in play returning hits and that’s no fun. Obviously avoid the Yankees, and I don’t think he makes another start after that – @WSN would line up for the final day of the season and the White Sox will likely elect to protect his workload.
Merrill Kelly (TEX) @ HOU (L) – 3.0 IP, 6 ER, 9 Hits, 1 BBs, 1 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 56 pitches.
I’ve been amazed by your consistency across the season and this was…not good. He got Singled Out, but it’s Kelly’s fault against RHB without precision along the edges. The breakers got thwacked and deservedly so. Don’t abandon us now, Kelly! WE NEED YOU. Start him against the Twins and @CLE. Hopefully he gets that final start on the last day of the year.
Michael Wacha (KCR) vs SEA (L) – 2.2 IP, 7 ER, 9 Hits, 0 BBs, 0 Ks – 1 Whiffs, 17% CSW, 47 pitches.
This wasn’t the matchup to chase and he made you pay for it. HAISTBMBWT?! In fact, there isn’t a single matchup to chase for Wacha the rest of the year. Womp womp.
Michael King (SDP) @ NYM (L) – 3.0 IP, 8 ER, 10 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 57 pitches.
This was PAIN. He was Singled Out in the first and it just kept going, despite almost getting out of it with just one run, but a grounder just inside the line at first followed by a two-run blast (terrible heater) made it a bamboozling of 5 ER in the first. Then a poor 1-2 sinker to Lindor for a solo shot, then a poor sinker to Alonso for a blast, but wait, there’s more! A solid changeup down to Mullins was golfed over the wall. IT WAS BAD, OKAY?! The good news? The sweeper and changeup are still legit (yes, that change was good! I swear!) and I’m not jumping off the boat. Start him against the White Sox and Sneks. You’re bananas! Then don’t start him!
Zebby Matthews (MIN) vs NYY (L) – 3.0 IP, 9 ER, 11 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 61 pitches.
Yeaaaaah, this wasn’t good. Too many pitches over the plate and the Yankees feasted. Welcome to Zebby. A man with legit stuff but can’t lock into an approach and stick to it. Right now, he’s a painter with a lovely palette of colors. In time, I hope he can become an artist. He’ll get the Rangers next in Arlington and it seems like a coin-flip. The ceiling is there, but who knows if he can locate well enough to touch it.
Game of the Day
Bryce Miller vs. Cole Ragans – I’m curious how Bryce looks to finish the season and PEW PEW PEW Y’ALL HE’S BACK
But Nick?! Where are the streaming picks? – I’ve moved them to the daily SP Matchups & Streamer Rankings article.
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