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.
Corbin Burnes (ARI) vs NYY (ND) – 2.2 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 66 pitches.
We waited a long time for Corbin Burnes to return, then we didn’t even expect him to arrive before the season’s end. Fortunately, we got a 57-pitch peak last week and even though it lacked the electricity we wanted to see, I was holding out a touch of hope he’d find some magic against the Yankees.
He did not. Over 65 pitches didn’t return three frames as the Yankees launched multiple longballs to knock him out with a line of 2.2 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 29% CSW, 66 pitches (ND). What happened?
It’s pretty simple, really: His cutter is nothing like it once was. The signature pitch was 94/95 mph back in the day with sub-10″ of vert and this was a 91 mph cutter at 13″ vert. That’s just a cut-fastball. Right?! You might remember early Burnes. The fella who was handing out HRs with a cut four-seamer and it wasn’t until he leaned into the cutter, adding depth without a drop of velo, that he became the guy who stole the Cy Young from Zack Wheeler in 2021.
He’s really far behind, and don’t forget, Burnes was fading before the injury. This is an even worse version and the idea he suddenly becomes a stalwart for 5+ frames over the weekend doesn’t jive with me. Don’t let your season come down to Burnes coming through for you. Surely you’ve learned this lesson by now. (View Game Card)
Let’s see how every other SP did Sunday:
Kade Anderson (SEA) @ COL (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 7 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 84 pitches.
Oh, THERE you are. He was great during his PILOT Rule, then lost his command in the next four games, only for him to climb out of his hole of adversity in Coors like he went through the Mines of Moria a changed man. The four-seamer was up, the changeup was down, and the slider…wasn’t particularly sharp, but Coors can do that. Guess we’re starting him @TEA against the Angels and hoping he can take us galloping off into the sunset. (View Game Card)
Gavin Williams (CLE) vs ATH (W) – 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks – 21 Whiffs, 43% CSW, 89 pitches.
Aces gonna ace. He is Gavin WILLING the Guardians to a division title. That’s a Golden Goal with 68%+ strikes on everything and 14/38 sweepers for whiffs. That’s DOPE. I’d expect the Guardians to need him for one more to bring home the division on Saturday, otherwise, he’ll be saved for Game 1 of the playoffs. (View Game Card)
Dean Kremer (MIN) @ LAA (W) – 6.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 3 BBs, 8 Ks – 16 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 96 pitches.
This was huge for desperate managers searching for a dub on a desperate Sunday, and I imagine some are inclined to lock him in for a start on Sunday against the Rangers. Be careful – this was with a four-seamer at 91.5 mph, with a massive 2+ mph dip in the rest of the arsenal. His cutter was missing a bit out of the zone more than usual, too. There’s absolutely a chance it still works, just be cautious if you can. (View Game Card)
Emmet Sheehan (LAD) vs SFG (L) – 5.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 1 BBs, 9 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 93 pitches.
Oh Dodgeritis, how I hate you so. This was such a clear start if you knew Sheehan was starting. I was guessing he would get the pearl for the full week, yet I heard nothing until 1:00pm ET on Sunday – roughly three hours before gametime. COME ON. Funny enough, this wasn’t even peak Sheehan. 94 mph four-seamers, sliders hanging upstairs a plenty, heavy reliance on a 78 mph curveball well over the plate (23% usage?! This was a 15% to LHB pitch and he featured it 35% of the time!), and a terrible feel for his changeup. But yes, if he pitches in Oracle Park next Sunday, I am so down for that. But who knows? I sure don’t. He was able to make this one due to Skubal’s move to the Bereavement List, and it’s unclear if Sheehan would be able to return again, or if he requires some other Los Angeles shenanigans to occur. I’m just going to assume he’s going to make the start. (View Game Card)
Griffin Jax (TBR) vs BOS (W) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 74 pitches.
It’s just like the summer never left us, settling for five innings with production across the board. His stuff is there, the command is there, and he’ll likely do more of the same over the weekend. (View Game Card)
Hunter Brown (HOU) vs ATL (ND) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 10 Ks – 18 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 98 pitches.
Yeaaaah, he’s feeling pretty dang good. Fastballs are finally doing what they should, and he’s featuring more cutters + sliders than curveballs. We’re gooooood. Brown or Skenes next year? If Hunter does this again, it’s him. (View Game Card)
Matt Wilkinson (SFG) @ LAD (ND) – 5.0 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 36% CSW, 76 pitches.
Tugboat, you rascal! He’s set to face them one more time next weekend and despite this success, I really can’t put him above Do Not Start. I know! It’s unfair! I simply cannot bank on the four-seamer returning nearly 80% strikes again without punishment at 90 mph and a huge drop in extension to just 6.5 feet (not the 7+ that got me initially intrigued). He really needed that heater to survive given the 50% strike rates of his slowball and slide piece. It’s not a convincing argument, I’m sorry. (View Game Card)
Davis Martin (CHW) vs DET (ND) – 4.1 IP, 0 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 70 pitches.
Ayyyy it worked! It was just 4.1 innings. Yeaaah, he was able to get some strikeouts efficiently, but this isn’t enough for me to be encouraged he can go 5-6 of production, and against Rockie Road, he won’t be able to live off cutters/sliders down-and-away to RHB. (View Game Card)
Jacob Misiorowski (MIL) @ BAL (ND) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 1 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 44 pitches.
Aces gonna be limited by Milwaukee and still give you something helpful. Appreciated. Don’t expect anything more when he goes over the weekend. No, I will not be drafting him next season. Wait what. We’ll talk next week. (View Game Card)
Spencer Miles (TOR) @ TEX (ND) – 3.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 3 Whiffs, 28% CSW, 46 pitches.
I was hoping he’d be opened for, but nope, Spencer Arrighetti was the lucky chosen arm who didn’t do much with 2.1 IP of 2 ER, and got the Win because LIFE. And none rejoiced. We move on. (View Game Card)
Jack Perkins (ATH) @ CLE (L) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 5 Hits, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – 9 Whiffs, 26% CSW, 80 pitches.
Another start outside of Sacré Verde, another solid performance from Perkins. This one came with much better cutter and changeup command to LHB than we normally see from Perkins, but he’ll see the Astros next and their plethora of RHB in Sacramento. I don’t think I can do it. (View Game Card)
David Peterson (CHC) @ CIN (W) – 6.0 IP, 1 ER, 3 Hits, 1 BBs, 7 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 83 pitches.
Ohhhh dang! Peterson sat 93/94 (over a tick up!) and had far better feel for his arsenal around the zone to the slew of RHB in Cincy. It’s possible it carries over to a start against the Red Sox in Fenway, but I wouldn’t circle it. A lot of risk there. (View Game Card)
Tomoyuki Sugano (COL) vs SEA (L) – 5.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 72 pitches.
SO CLOSE. He’s not going to get that thirteenth Win and I feel like I did this to him. I’m just happy you got 12, Sugano. (View Game Card)
Martín Pérez (ATL) @ HOU (ND) – 4.1 IP, 1 ER, 6 Hits, 2 BBs, 2 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 79 pitches.
Speaking of Wins, Pérez didn’t keep his end of the bargain, but was otherwise exactly as advertised – low ERA, poor WHIP, few strikeouts. You know, if he did survive two more outs, he would have secured the dub with Atlanta scoring four in the next frame. So close. (View Game Card)
Cristopher Sánchez (PHI) @ NYM (W) – 6.1 IP, 2 ER, 6 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 32% CSW, 98 pitches.
It’s strange to say this is a sigh of relief, but it’s a sigh of relief. Production across the board with a 60% strike rate on his changeup, though there were plenty of poor misses on the pitch that he formerly didn’t feature. One more to go, please keep it together. (View Game Card)
Brandon Young (BAL) vs MIL (L) – 6.0 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 3 BBs, 9 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 37% CSW, 84 pitches.
WHOA. Young had his best slider of the season with a 35% SwStr rate and 1-2 ticks harder, located beautifully to RHB. Paired with his four-seamer, nine strikeouts followed, even if he left with an L. Now he’ll get the Yankees without Judge, where he won’t get as much of an opportunity to use the slider. Not as easy as it seems. (View Game Card)
Michael Wacha (KCR) @ PIT (ND) – 5.2 IP, 2 ER, 4 Hits, 4 BBs, 5 Ks – 15 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 113 pitches.
Two of those walks came right before he was pulled and they really gave him a chance to make it through six. So it goes, the low ERA season continues, leaving just one left to lock a fantastic campaign. (View Game Card)
Jake Irvin (WSN) @ STL (ND) – 5.1 IP, 2 ER, 3 Hits, 0 BBs, 8 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 34% CSW, 97 pitches.
Eight strikeouts?! Hot dang, look at you! A Gold Star for Irvin with a four-seamer that boasted a 43% CSW. Why? Not sure, honestly. The Cardinals aren’t the strongest out there and some nights you get a 75% 2-Str rate that converts to strikeouts decently well. I know it looks nice, but we can’t let this start trap us for a start against the Mets. But he hasn’t allowed more than 3 ER since August 22nd! We can’t y’all. He didn’t go six frames in any of those. PLEASE. (View Game Card)
Quinn Mathews (STL) vs WSN (ND) – 7.0 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 2 BBs, 3 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 23% CSW, 96 pitches.
Ehhhh, he’s a little inconsistent and the slider that is supposed to lead the way went jsut 1/20 whiffs. It’s a near VPQS, after all. One more start and it’s in Milwaukee. I’m out, sorry y’all. He’s not locked in. (View Game Card)
Walker Buehler (SDP) vs MIA (W) – 6.2 IP, 3 ER, 3 Hits, 2 BBs, 6 Ks – 6 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 89 pitches.
Huge props to Buehler for snagging a dub and tossing his longest outing of the season, with a walk and three-run shot with two outs into the seventh. Careful, Icarus. It really was a gem that was ruined at the last moment on a cutter up and away that left the yard. The leash is a positive and with a big game ahead against the Sneks, he could step up again…but let’s be real. It’s Buehler. Only one of the last four were productive before this. Oh final weekend, you’re the worst. (View Game Card)
Ryan Johnson (LAA) vs MIN (L) – 4.2 IP, 3 ER, 7 Hits, 0 BBs, 6 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 31% CSW, 91 pitches.
Womp womp. RJ isn’t allowed to do well after we say he’s good, right? Nice to see him back at 94/95 mph, and getting truly Singled Out is no fun. Why did Koufax have to take a night off on this of all nights? It’s @TEA next and I’m kinda down. Singles, y’all. He’s still hard to hit and it’s a good situation. (View Game Card)
Jacob deGrom (TEX) vs TOR (L) – 4.1 IP, 3 ER, 5 Hits, 4 BBs, 2 Ks – 11 Whiffs, 24% CSW, 82 pitches.
Aces gonna…wat. He had that one terrible 8 ER game and it was such a clear outlier, how were we supposed to expect him to throw more changeups than sliders?! So strange and I’m going to hand-wave it for a start against the Twins. (View Game Card)
Sandy Alcantara (MIA) @ SDP (L) – 6.0 IP, 4 ER, 8 Hits, 1 BBs, 3 Ks – 13 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 97 pitches.
And so continues Eury and Sandy both falling apart together in an Anything you can do bit that no one enjoys. It’s a dumb theory, I know, yet I can’t help but think there’s something going on that is helping batters figure out the Marlins’ arms. Junk, Eury, and Sandy all have the arsenal that should perform better than they are. Atlanta will end his year and I don’t think I can do it. (View Game Card)
Jonah Tong (NYM) vs PHI (L) – 4.2 IP, 4 ER, 5 Hits, 4 BBs, 5 Ks – 10 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 95 pitches.
Annnnd there’s the volatility we were worried about. Only the cutter featured a strike rate above 56% and that’s yer ballgame. It doesn’t rule out a rebound against the Nats, and consider it as a coin-flip option. (View Game Card)
Will Warren (NYY) @ ARI (ND) – 4.1 IP, 4 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 8 Whiffs, 30% CSW, 83 pitches.
Bleeeeegh. I still dig that he’s throwing more secondaries than before, and he was fine until two hits and a walk knocked him out with the bases juiced, and all came around to score. It wasn’t his best sinker and definitely not his best curveball (3/12 strikes is horrific), and now it’s the Orioles. So many close calls for the weekend and you can throw Warren in there too, though I’m naturally more inclined to go with the guy who has a 23% strikeout rate and lasts through five on a winning club. (View Game Card)
Troy Melton (DET) @ CHW (L) – 3.2 IP, 4 ER, 4 Hits, 3 BBs, 4 Ks – 5 Whiffs, 22% CSW, 83 pitches.
Sigh. Not only are the whiffs missing, but now the strikes are too. I’m interested for next year, but there’s little hope he’ll turn it around next time out, if the Tigers even give him the chance – why not shut him down after seven starts 10 or fewer whiffs? (View Game Card)
Patrick Sandoval (BOS) @ TBR (L) – 7.0 IP, 5 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BBs, 5 Ks – 14 Whiffs, 33% CSW, 94 pitches.
You see the low WHIP and five strikeouts and then…the ERA. He was bamboozled! It’s true, it was a really bad first inning and he settled down a ton after, dominating with his changeup for a 35% SwStr rate. Isn’t that always the story? Close but it’s never worth it? Yes. Yes it is. (View Game Card)
Rhett Lowder (CIN) vs CHC (L) – 3.0 IP, 5 ER, 6 Hits, 3 BBs, 3 Ks – 7 Whiffs, 25% CSW, 60 pitches.
Yeaaaah. This hasn’t worked much at all. He’s a dark horse for an effective start against the Jays – he has the opportunity and his slider + change aren’t that bad – but that’s the best I can give y’all. (View Game Card)
Game of the Day
River Ryan vs. Washington Nationals – He’s here! And not for long, but he’s here!
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)
