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.
Mason Black (SFG) @ KCR (W) – 5.2 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 84 pitches.
The Giants have given a spot in the rotation to Mason Black across the last few weeks and he’s proven himself as serviceable when not facing the Padres, returning the best performance of his short career on Friday night with a Win against the Royals: 5.2 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 84 pitches.
I’ll start with the bad news – It may be his last start of the season if Robbie Ray does return to the rotation for a game (don’t go for it, Still ILL, limited pitch count, volatile nature) and if he does get the pearl for another day, it’ll be against the Sneks. That’s a clear nope.
But what about next year? Black is a dual fastball arm and while that four-seamer hasn’t performed well earlier this year, Black added another tick on heaters (and 2-3 on slider and sweeper!), making the 93/94 mph four-seamer return 6/27 whiffs, while the sinker did its normal duty of finding the zone and getting outs.
It was a day of high pitches and stealing the outside edge with fastballs + a decent array of breakers along the way. Unfortunately, there’s nothing elite in here for me to get excited about, making Black a Toby arm at best for the Giants, a mold we’ve seen often over the years. I imagine we’ll stream him here and there, but you’re completely fine forgetting about this for the future.
Let’s see how every other SP did Friday:
Corbin Burnes (BAL) vs DET (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 8 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 91 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. That’s two now with the cutter returning old CSW marks (43%!) and it’s lovely to see the slider go 4/12 whiffs. Sigh. Just like the old days.
Joe Musgrove (SDP) vs CHW (ND) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 4 Hits, 0 BBs, 9 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 38% CSW, 93 pitches.
Musgrove, you saint. Sure, the White Sox n all, and now it’s awfully tough to decide with the Dodgers up next. I’d say go for it with the quality of Musgrove’s breakers, but I understand those who want to be conservative. Thanks for returning and giving us value after holding for so long.
Nick Martinez (CIN) vs PIT (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 0 BBs, 9 Ks – 17 Whiffs, 38% CSW, 78 pitches.
What a stud. His changeup usage has increased (YES) and he was brilliant setting up the slowball with his arsenal, returning 40%+ CSW marks on both his four-seamer and cutter, while the changeup went 10/22 whiffs. He got away with a bit on his sinker (Blame it on the Pirates) but yeah, it’s hard not to start him against the Cubs now.
Jameson Taillon (CHC) vs WSN (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 2 BBs, 4 Ks – 2 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 80 pitches.
ATTA BOY. What a golden run this has been for Taillon. The cutter earned all the passive called strikes over the plate, and mixed everything against LHB to find a way around this one. The Nationals aren’t a strong crew, though, and now comes the hard decision. Do you roll with the Vargas Rule or think better against the Phils with just two whiffs here? I’m personally not, but I’m sending all the good vibes.
Richard Fitts (BOS) vs MIN (ND) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 80 pitches.
I gotta say, Fitts has been making it work. He’s over-the-top with four-seamer (17″ iVB) and slider and he pulled off the BSB doing so. Not quite elite enough of a heater for me to get stoked for the future, but he should be considered for the Jays next week.
Tyler Alexander (TBR) vs TOR (ND) – 4.1 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 35% CSW, 65 pitches.
That’s one productive short-armed outing for T-Lex. No Win for you as you couldn’t go two more outs – the Rays can’t let that happen. If he gets an opener next maybe he can be valuable against Detroit. Only for max-start leagues, though.
Garrett Crochet (CHW) @ SDP (ND) – 4.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 0 BBs, 8 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 42% CSW, 52 pitches.
Wow. WOW. I’ll be aggressively drafting Crochet next year, especially considering he has room to grow in his arsenal, including a new sinker emphasis yesterday that returned 6/12 whiffs. Imagine trying to deal with his 97/98 mph heater with elite extension + a sinker and cutter moving in opposite directions from that already difficult-to-time four-seamer. It’s bonkers.
Ryan Brasier (LAD) vs COL (ND) – 1.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 12 pitches.
This was a full bullpen game for the Dodgers without Justin Wrobleski anywhere to be found (he would have been heavily limited, FWIW). We move on.
Gerrit Cole (NYY) @ OAK (W) – 9.0 IP, 1 ER, 2 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 99 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. We got the good slider again at 4/20 whiffs (20% SwStr rate) and used as his #2 pitch with his curve and cutter combined for just seven more pitches. Stellar command across the zone as well. Sigh. We missed this.
José Berríos (TOR) @ TBR (L) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 6 Ks – 19 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 97 pitches.
It’s pretty wild to see Berríos end his year on such a phenomenal run, bringing his ratios down to a 3.38 ERA and 1.13 WHIP – both career-best marks. Congrats on the remarkable recovery from 2022’s disaster and tonight’s Gallows Pole. Please don’t stumble at the finish line against the Sawx in Toronto.
Ben Lively (CLE) @ STL (W) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 2 Ks – 4 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 68 pitches.
Ha, it just keeps going. This was the last stop on this train, unless you’re one of those daring types and want to head to that part of town. Houston isn’t a place where we go at the end of the year.
J.T. Ginn (OAK) vs NYY (ND) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 78 pitches.
Ha, so this actually worked? His changeup and slider did what they could against LHB as he delicately featured heaters at the edges and out of the zone, while the slider worked the outside edge to RHB and sinkers…stayed outside the zone and lived on the edges. This can work against the Rangers if he has this command again.
Trevor Williams (WSN) @ CHC (L) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 66 pitches.
Jeeeeeez, this was absurd. 66 pitches for the full five with those ratios and seven strikeouts?! Fine, you get the Rainbow Gold Star. The sweeper stayed low while the four-seamer live up and around the zone. This one worked, but he’s not fully stretched out and it’s the Phillies. I just can’t, y’all.
David Festa (MIN) @ BOS (ND) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 6 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 103 pitches.
Festa, look at you! You did the thing with your arsenal, returning 13/50 whiffs on sliders and changeups + the four-seamer boasted just two balls in player across…58% strikes. Okay, some work still to be done, bu–SQUAWK. Yes, I was just getting to that. I’m surprised the Twins let him go over 100 pitches, though that may be due to inefficiency vs. facing more batters. Those Twins like to avoid their third-time-through-the-lineup penalties.
Jacob deGrom (TEX) vs SEA (ND) – 3.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 58 pitches.
Awwww, just 58 pitches? Fine, whatever. At least it helped save for the 1.33 WHIP, and now I ask you all. Who is SP #1 for 2025? I have my thoughts (shocking, more at eleven) but don’t want to influence the voting for now.
George Kirby (SEA) @ TEX (W) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 85 pitches.
We’ll take this all day. He’s still weirding me out with his approach and slider, but this is what we all needed.
Michael Wacha (KCR) vs SFG (L) – 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 96 pitches.
Sure, we’ll take this. It’s not the best we’ve seen, but he keeps plodding on and giving us value. Let’s close it out with the Nationals and hope to snag him as a streamer/Toby next year, with his first start likely against the Guardians…I’ll save this talk for later and not bring up the GIANT tangent I just went on looking up 2025 early schedules.
Cristopher Sánchez (PHI) @ NYM (W) – 5.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 5 BBs, 7 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 98 pitches.
Five walks?! Yeesh. He didn’t fill up the zone armside per usual and the Mets were passive with him, but ultimately, he got the job done. That’s our Spider-Man.
Tyler Holton (DET) @ BAL (L) – 1.0 IP, 2 ER, 2 Hits, 0 BBs, 1 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 18 pitches.
This was supposed to be Brant Hurter, but the Tigers pulled a trick on us with Holton opening and Keider Montero pitching two days early in relief. No, it did not go well: 4.2 IP, 5 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks. At least you got seven punchouts in there if you had him casually hanging out in your lineup, and it’s possible the 8/14 whiffs changeup (whoa) returns when he gets the Rays next week. I’d consider that a Questionable option.
Kyle Gibson (STL) vs CLE (L) – 6.0 IP, 3 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 2 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 78 pitches.
A VPQS and two strikeouts without a Win…yep, that’s a standard Gibson affair and with the easier Giants matchup up next, that makes for a decent Toby stream.
Valente Bellozo (MIA) vs ATL (W) – 5.1 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 21% CSW, 89 pitches.
He did his normal thing and it feels like each time out, Bellozo goes 1-for-4 giving you what you want. This time out, poor ratios and just three strikeouts, but hey! A dub! Let’s not do this against the Jays.
Colin Rea (MIL) vs ARI (ND) – 4.0 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 67 pitches.
We didn’t expect this one to work in the slightest and as expected, DL Hall appeared after, though as we didn’t expect, he was terrible with 1.1 IP of 4 ER in 32 pitches. Yikes. Let’s move on.
Tyler Anderson (LAA) @ HOU (L) – 2.2 IP, 3 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 75 pitches.
There were more unearned runs here caused by Tyler himself and we can ignore this one completely. Fortunately, he can redefine the year with a start against the White Sox next, where he’ll hopefully have the 1-2 ticks upped velocity held. That was still just under 91 mph on average. But that’s cool! And possibly because he was stressed and went deeper into the tank than usual (it increased as the game went on), but still!
Kyle Freeland (COL) @ LAD (L) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 2 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 86 pitches.
Honestly, not terrible for Freeland. Zero nutritional value for fantasy (1.17 WHIP and 2 Ks, fine, like those four grams of protein in a Snickers bar), but y’all know it could been far worse.
Charlie Morton (ATL) @ MIA (L) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 4 BBs, 3 Ks – 12 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 105 pitches.
Sigh. When your life is “Curveball and hope for the rest”, you become a Cherry Bomb, even against the Marlins. We needed just one more from you Morton and now you’re in a tough spot against the Mets. I’m generally against it, but obviously he has a decent Win chance.
Zac Gallen (ARI) @ MIL (W) – 5.0 IP, 4 ER, 7 Hits, 1 BBs, 5 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 27% CSW, 96 pitches.
Gallen sat 1-2 ticks up on everything with a fantastic heater and the dude got burned by a trio of HRs that I’m still shocked all went out. He’s in a good place and I’m all for the start against the Giants.
David Peterson (NYM) vs PHI (L) – 3.2 IP, 4 ER, 8 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 64 pitches.
Ah. It’s not horrific, but the Peterson didn’t stay low with his secondaries as effectively as in previous starts and a lot of poor heaters were smacked for hits. It’s not a must drop now with Atlanta next, and I could go either way. It’s very possible he has better command next time out.
Justin Verlander (HOU) vs LAA (ND) – 4.2 IP, 6 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 86 pitches.
Whaaaaat. Dangit, I was very much in on this one from Verlander as a safe play against the Angels. He just couldn’t close up the fifth and seal that Win. Nope, we are not keeping him around for the Guardians in Cleveland. Absolutely not.
Mitch Keller (PIT) @ CIN (L) – 3.1 IP, 8 ER, 7 Hits, 5 BBs, 1 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 19% CSW, 84 pitches.
Uhhhh, Keller was down 2-3 ticks on everything. Seeing the fella at fail to hit 94 mph on a single fastball is all kinds of telling. He’s not healthy. I can’t believe he’ll rebound against the Brewers up next.
Game of the Day
Pablo López vs. Kutter Crawford – It’s been a joy to watch PabLó and I hope Kutter can come through.
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 Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter/X)